The Strategist

ACI Worldwide: Developing countries are the most active users of mobile wallets



09/06/2017 - 12:50



A recent study of ACI Worldwide payment operator shows that developing countries have noticeably outperformed their developed neighbors by use of mobile wallets (Apple Pay, Android Pay, etc.). The most active users of such means of payment are residents of India, Thailand, Indonesia, Mexico and the United Arab Emirates, whereas consumers in the US and European countries are reluctant to part with the habit of using a well-developed system of bank cards payment.



Vodafone Medien via flickr
Vodafone Medien via flickr
American operator of electronic payments ACI Worldwide has released a study on development of mobile payments in different countries of the world. Researchers interviewed about 6 thousand people in 20 countries. It turned out that almost three years after the launch of the Apple Pay system, which popularized the use of mobile wallets, residents of developing countries have become much more active in using this payment method than people in developed countries. The world leader was India, where 56% of respondents said that they regularly use smartphones to pay for goods and services. The second and third places are also occupied by Asian countries - Thailand (51% of respondents) and Indonesia (47%).

Experts of ACI Worldwide explain this by the fact that Asia jumped over the stage of traditional development of payment infrastructure in the form of payment cards, immediately turning to the latest technologies.

In addition, mobile Internet is developing better in these markets, as people prefer mobile devices to PCs or laptops". 

A similar situation is observed in the American continent: Mexico and Brazil are much ahead of the United States and Canada in the spread of mobile payments via smart phones - 38% and 36% respectively against 17% and 14%. "Having an existing payment infrastructure and unwillingness of consumers to part with their habits is the main hindrance to development of mobile wallets in the US and Canada. Therefore, the main driver of penetration of such a means of payment is a combination of installing more contactless payment terminals and selling new smart phones with a built-in mobile purse", the study’s authors note.

In Europe, the most active users are Spaniards - 25% of respondents said that they regularly pay for goods and services using smartphones. Next come the Italians (24%) and the Swedes (23%). Of all the countries in Europe, the Middle East and Africa that participated in the study, the most active users are the United Arab Emirates (38%). "Most countries already have a well-organized card payment system, including contactless payment for small purchases and services. And in some Nordic countries, there is a targeted move towards a total refusal to use cash - for example, in Denmark, where the government has already set the goal of a phased transition to the use of electronic payments for almost all transactions", the researchers emphasize.

source: aciworldwide.com