Global Payment Snapshot: Cash vs. Card Preferences by Region
Consumers in the Middle East and Africa show the highest preference for paying with cash, with 52.9% choosing cash over other methods. In contrast, Latin America leads in cashless adoption, with 67% of consumers opting for non-cash payments. Europe and Asia Pacific also show strong cashless preferences, with 62.6% and 62.4%, respectively, favoring card or contactless payments.
North America presents a more balanced split, with 59.8% of consumers preferring cashless methods, while 40.2% still opt for cash.
These patterns highlight significant regional variations in payment preferences, with Latin America and Europe leading the shift towards cashless methods, while the Middle East and Africa maintain a stronger reliance on cash.
GWI Core Q3-2024. 228,314 internet users aged 16-64 globally.
Find out more about consumer behaviours in the GWI platform here.