Which banks contribute to poverty reduction? Regional evidence for Italy

This paper examines the impact of financial development on poverty by utilising regional data for Italy over the period 2004–2019 and further evaluates the contribution of cooperative and non-cooperative banks in promoting poverty reduction. The evidence presented in this paper indicates that a significant reduction of poverty can be achieved by enhancing the development of the banking system. Nonetheless, upon distinguishing between the two distinct types of banks, there is robust evidence indicating that poverty reduction is predominantly driven by the expansion of the cooperative banking sector, as no significant contribution has been detected for non-cooperative banks.