BEHAVIORAL ASPECTS OF MONETIZATION OF TRADE FLOWS IN THE GLOBAL ECONOMY

Abstract

The article is devoted to the study of behavioral mechanisms that determine the formation and monetization of trade flows in the modern global economy, with a particular focus on the digital environment. The behavioral mechanisms underlying the formation and monetization of trade flows in the global digital economy are comprehensively examined. It is established that classical factors of international trade (comparative advantage and price competition) are increasingly complemented by cognitive and algorithmic determinants that shape the distribution of trade flows among market participants. It is substantiated that platform trust has evolved into an independent market asset of strategic importance. In modern conditions, platforms benefit not only from intermediation in transactions but also from creating an environment in which the consumer delegates to them the authority to determine the relevance and visibility of product offerings. It is found that limited consumer attention acts as a structural driver of market concentration. Even under conditions of product homogeneity and absence of price differences, three leading sellers can capture up to 60% of the market when attention is scarce. It is established that algorithmic personalization based on artificial intelligence amplifies both mechanisms, effectively shaping demand before the consumer becomes consciously aware of it. This is supported by the disproportionate contribution of AI-related goods and services to global trade growth. The dynamics of non-cash payments in Ukraine for 2024–2025 are analyzed as an empirical tool for verifying these mechanisms under martial law. It is shown that the steady increase in digital payment flows, despite declining real incomes, is primarily driven by behavioral inertia formed in the pre-war period rather than improvements in market conditions. It is determined that regulatory integration in the field of digital trade functions as an independent behavioral factor. Greater regulatory certainty reduces perceived consumer risk and uncertainty, thereby encouraging more active participation in cross-border trade flows and strengthening the overall resilience of digital markets.