The economy of Bali heavily relies on the tourism sector, leading to economic vulnerability. There are numerous challenges in Bali's economy, with COVID-19 being one of the most prominent examples. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Bali's economy experienced the deepest contraction and slowest recovery compared to other provinces in Indonesia. Amid this economic vulnerability, it is important to conduct research on the financial resilience of SMEs in Bali. This research aims to analyze the influence of financial literacy on financial resilience, as well as the mediating role of financial performance and fintech adoption on the impact of financial literacy on financial resilience among SMEs in Bali. The research method used is a quantitative approach with a sample of 177 SMEs in Bali, selected through non-probability sampling techniques. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, with SEM-PLS in SmartPLS 3.0 program. The test results indicate that financial literacy has a positive and significant influence on financial resilience, financial performance, and fintech adoption. Financial performance and fintech adoption also have a positive and significant impact on financial resilience. Furthermore, financial performance and fintech adoption can partially mediate the influence of financial literacy on financial resilience in SMEs in Bali. The findings of this research are beneficial for the development of Knowledge-Based View theory and Technology Acceptance Model, as well as for SMEs in Bali and the government as policy makers in efforts to enhance financial resilience.

This study investigates the mediating role of competitiveness in the relationship between FinTech adoption and banking performance in the Middle Eastern region. A quantitative research design is employed, utilizing survey data from banking professionals across multiple countries. The data is analyzed using PLS-SEM modelling. The results show a positive and statistically significant impact of FinTech integration on the competitiveness of financial institutions and the performance of banks. On the other hand, the mediation of competitiveness is involved in the process of FinTech adoption and bank efficiency, suggesting that banking institutions that can utilize FinTech advantageously have greater chances of translating the benefits of FinTech adoption into better performance. This study supports the literature by providing a practical example of the use of FinTech as a factor for competitiveness and improving the performance of banks in the Middle East. These findings have huge managerial and practical implications and can help large banks gain competitive advantage and effectively integrate FinTech platforms to achieve real improvements. The value of this research is that it fills the gap in the existing literature, i.e. the role of competition as a mediating factor. By combining studies on competitive strategy approaches with those on technological innovation theory, this study combines a complete worldview related to the performance of banks in the digital age.