The finance industry’s move from the physical to the digital has transformed how individuals and organisations across all aspects of life participate in, benefit from and engage with financial products and services – none more so than in the developing world. Methodology: This research examines the impact of digital banking adoption on financial inclusion in 25 emerging nations from 2013 to 2023, employing panel data analysis. Drawing on the theoretical underpinning of the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), Diffusion of Innovation Theory, and Inclusive Growth Theory, analysis in this study not only confirms a significant relationship between digital banking and financial inclusion but also examines whether or not these linkages are moderated by internet penetration, level of education and GDP per capita. The index of FI is a compound multimodal index, capturing elements of access, use and quality adopted from the World Bank Global Findex in its third edition, as well as IMF Financial Access Survey and GSMA data. The fixed effects, random-effects, and System GMM estimations indicate that digital banking use has a positive and significant impact on financial inclusion in all the model specifications. Altogether, geopolitical stability, government responsibility and no corruption will moderate this positive relationship. Moreover, interaction terms show that technological readiness, human capacity building and economic well-being significantly enhance this relationship. The dynamic delayed effects of the gains in inclusion level on digital banking are persistent and accumulative. Findings emphasise the importance of digital innovation for advancing financial inclusion and sustainable economic growth. Policy implications include government investment in digital infrastructure, financial literacy and inclusive fintech regulation so that DFS could be more evenly accessed and used. It is also realised in the study that digital banking is not only a technical innovation but also becomes a part of a strategic tool of inclusivity and sustainable development with SDG 1, 8 and 9 together.