ISSN: 2222-6990
Open access
This study explains and predicts Chinese consumers’ first-time intention to use e-CNY among non-users of the digital currency. It integrates UTAUT2 with the Initial Trust Model to examine how performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, facilitating conditions, price value, structural assurance and issuer reputation shape initial trust, attitude and intention to use e-CNY. A positivist, deductive and quantitative research design was adopted. A cross-sectional online survey was conducted with 450 adult residents in official e-CNY pilot regions who regularly use mobile payment applications but had never used e-CNY. The data were analysed using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) after tests of reliability, convergent validity, discriminant validity and common method bias. The findings show that all five UTAUT2 constructs positively influence attitude toward using e-CNY, with performance expectancy and price value exerting the strongest effects. Structural assurance and issuer reputation significantly enhance initial trust, and initial trust positively influences attitude. Attitude is the direct and strongest predictor of intention to use e-CNY. Overall, the model explains substantial variance in initial trust, attitude and intention to use e-CNY among Chinese non-users. Most e-CNY adoption studies combine users and non-users or link technology acceptance factors directly to intention. This study contributes by focusing exclusively on non-users and by aligning UTAUT2 with the Initial Trust Model through attitude. It shows that first-time adoption of e-CNY depends on both functional/economic evaluations and institution-based trust in the issuing system.
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