This study aims to analyze the factors that shape attitudes and online purchase intentions in the use of Sharia digital wallets by integrating the technology acceptance model (TAM) with generational cohort theory. In addition, the study compares differences in terbatastechnology acceptance between Generation Y and Generation Z.
Data were obtained from 207 respondents and analyzed using structural equation modeling–partial least squares (SEM-PLS), complemented by multi-group analysis (MGA) to examine structural variations across generations.
The results show that perceived usefulness does not significantly influence attitude in either generation. In contrast, perceived ease of use strongly affects both attitude and perceived usefulness. Attitude is also found to influence online purchase intention, with a stronger effect among Generation Z. These findings suggest that the two generations show different patterns of technology acceptance.
This study is limited by its cross-sectional design, unequal sample proportions across generational groups, and the geographic concentration of respondents in East Java. While East Java represents a major Muslim-majority province with a growing digital financial ecosystem, its characteristics may not fully reflect variations in other regions of Indonesia, such as differences in digital infrastructure, urbanization and Islamic financial literacy.
Providers of Sharia digital wallets need to design user experiences that differ across generations, emphasizing simplicity for Generation Y and prioritizing speed and interactivity for Generation Z to increase service adoption.
Sharia digital wallets have the potential to enhance Sharia financial literacy, promote more ethical digital transaction behaviors and facilitate greater participation in ZISWAF (zakat, infaq, sadaqah, and waqf) among younger users.
This study further contributes by simultaneously examining commercial (shopping) and philanthropic (ZISWAF donation) activities, revealing that Generation Y and Generation Z follow structurally different cognitive pathways in adopting Sharia digital wallets.
