Rea Press null Rea Press3042-13573042-1357 Rea Press https://doi.org/10.22105/opt.v3i1.108 Research Article Load capacity factor, Financial technology, Digital economy, Ecological sustainability, Load capacity curve. Rethinking Sustainability in the Digital Age: FinTech, Economic Growth, and the Load Capacity Curve in the United StatesRethinking Sustainability in the Digital Age: FinTech, Economic Growth, and the Load Capacity Curve in the United States Pabel Md Amran Hossen Department of Science in Marketing Analytics and Insights, Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio, USA. Tasnuva Tahia Department of Business Administration, Manarat International University, Ashulia, Dhaka-1314, Bangladesh. Farukh Md Omar Department of Applied Science in Organizational Management and Leadership, East Florida State College, USA. Tithi Shamina Israt Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Brooklyn College, State University of New York, New York, USA. Mo Kuan Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Brooklyn College, State University of New York, New York, USA. 03 2026 14 03 2026 3 1 © 2026 Rea Press 2026

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 Rethinking Sustainability in the Digital Age: FinTech, Economic Growth, and the Load Capacity Curve in the United States

This study explores the role of Financial Technology (FinTech) and the digital economy in shaping ecological sustainability in the United States over the period 1990–2021 within the framework of the Load Capacity Curve (LCC) hypothesis. Moving beyond conventional indicators, environmental sustainability is proxied by the Load Capacity Factor (LCF), which captures the balance between ecological demand and regenerative capacity. The analysis employs the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) approach to estimate both long-run relationships and short-run dynamics, while Fully Modified Ordinary Least Squares, Dynamic Ordinary Least Squares, and Canonical Cointegrating Regression are used to ensure robustness. The findings reveal a nonlinear association between economic growth and ecological sustainability, confirming the validity of the LCC hypothesis, where environmental conditions initially deteriorate but improve at higher income levels. FinTech and digitalization are found to exert a significant positive influence on sustainability, suggesting that digital financial innovations enhance resource efficiency and facilitate environmentally responsible investments. In contrast, Urbanization (URBA) contributes negatively, reflecting the environmental pressures associated with rapid population concentration and infrastructure expansion. Overall, the results highlight the critical importance of aligning digital transformation with sustainability-oriented policies to achieve long-term ecological balance and resilience.

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