From Financial Crisis to Digital Volatility: A Thematic Evolution and Bibliometric Mapping of Malaysian Ringgit Research

Abstract

This study provides a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of the research landscape concerning the fluctuation of the Ringgit Malaysia (MYR) between 1996 and 2026. Utilizing data from the Scopus database and the Biblioshiny platform, the analysis evaluates a dataset comprising 107 documents published across 75 distinct sources. The field is characterized by a high degree of collaborative maturity, evidenced by an average of 2.52 co-authors per document and a significant international co-authorship rate of 23.36%. With a document average age of 11.6 years, the literature reflects an established domain that has evolved through critical economic epochs, including the Asian Financial Crisis and the post-pandemic recovery. Thematic mapping, organized by centrality and density, reveals a highly structured conceptual framework. "Motor Themes" such as the real exchange rate and its relationship with the Japanese yen represent the core intellectual capital of the field. "Basic Themes," including comparative studies with the Indonesian rupiah and Thai baht, highlight foundational transversal topics that remain integral to regional discourse. Conversely, the analysis identifies "Emerging or Declining Themes," specifically the influence of the Chinese yuan and high-frequency daily data on stock returns, suggesting a pivot toward modern volatility modelling. While "Niche Themes" like long-run equilibrium and trade balance show high developmental density, they operate in relative isolation. The findings imply a significant research gap in integrating advanced digital financial metrics into traditional macroeconomic models. Consequently, future scholarly efforts should prioritize interdisciplinary collaborations to transition emerging risk-management theories into established motor themes, addressing the challenges of "digital volatility" in an increasingly connected global economy. This analysis provides a strategic roadmap for researchers to navigate Malaysia’s monetary evolution amidst shifting global economic paradigms.