This study provides new evidence on the relationship between finance and economic growth using an innovative dynamic panel threshold technique. The sample consists of 87 developed and developing countries. The empirical results indicate that there is a threshold effect in the finance–growth relationship. In particular, we find that the level of financial development is beneficial to growth only up to a certain threshold; beyond the threshold level further development of finance tends to adversely affect growth. These findings reveal that more finance is not necessarily good for economic growth and highlight that an “optimal” level of financial development is more crucial in facilitating growth.

Using an innovative threshold estimation technique, this study examines whether the growth effect of financial development in countries with distinct levels of institutional development differs. The results demonstrate that there is a threshold effect in the finance-growth relationship. Specifically, we found that the impact of finance on growth is positive and significant only after a certain threshold level of institutional development has been attained. Until then, the effect of finance on growth is nonexistent. This finding suggests that the financial development-growth nexus is contingent on the level of institutional quality, thus supporting the idea that better finance (i.e., financial markets embedded within a sound institutional framework) is potent in delivering long-run economic development.