•The effect of data-driven supply chain capabilities on financial performance.•A significant effect of data-driven supply chains on supply chain capabilities.•Interfirm coordination is significantly related to financial performance.•Supply chain responsiveness is significantly related to financial performance. Despite the importance and relevance of data-driven supply chains, there has been very limited empirical research that investigates how big data-driven supply chains affect supply chain capabilities. Drawing on the resource-based view, this study explores the effect of data-driven supply chain capabilities on financial performance. The data for this study were gathered from China’s manufacturing industry and analysed using structural equation modelling. The results indicate that a data-driven supply chain has a significant positive effect on the four dimensions of supply chain capabilities. Coordination and supply chain responsiveness are positively and significantly related to financial performance.