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Payment habits are evolving rapidly, but one themeÌýremainsÌýconstant: consumers want payments to be simple.Ìý

In this blog, we explore theÌýmost popular payment methodsÌýtoday, from credit cards and mobile wallets to online and contactless options and compare how they rank acrossÌýAustralia,ÌýtheÌýUnitedÌýKingdomÌýandÌýUnited States.ÌýThese insights are backed by fresh ·¬ÇÑÊÓƵapp survey data from theÌýKeeping Payments Simple: Exploring Consumer Demand for Seamless Payment MethodsÌýwhiteÌýpaper, which reflects the views of more thanÌý3,000 consumersÌýacross these regions.Ìý

Credit and Debit Cards Remain theÌýMost Popular Payment MethodsÌý

Cards are still the cornerstone of modern payments. Across all three countries, card payments are still the favorite payment method for consumers when asked what their most commonly used method for payment of goods and services is:Ìý

The enduring strength of cards lies in their familiarity, reliability and ubiquity. Even as new technologies emerge, plastic remains the default option for many.Ìý

Mobile and Digital Wallets: The Most Popular Digital Payment Methods Among Younger GenerationsÌý

Digital wallets are steadily gaining ground, especially with younger consumers. In the UK, 34% of 18–24-year-olds rely on digital wallets while the same demographic in the US reported only a 27% reliance. However, in Australia, 40% of Gen Z’s rely on wallet adoption, highlighting that the younger Australians are leading the way in alternative payment method adoption. What remains the same across the three countries is the sharp decrease in mobile and digital wallet payments with age. As with all areas of technology, the younger digital natives are at the forefront of adoption. Ìý

Additionally, consumers cite convenience, biometric security and faster checkouts as benefits, but uneven infrastructure and adoption gaps mean digital wallets are not yet universal.Ìý

Contactless Payments and Self-Service OptionsÌý

Self-checkouts and contactless methods are increasingly part of everyday retail. In the US, 38% of young consumers say they useÌýunattendedÌýor self-service checkouts most often. In Australia, 28% avoid self-checkouts, compared to only 16% in the US.Ìý

These figures show both opportunity and resistance. Consumers value speed, but tolerance for friction is low: if systems fail or slow down, loyalty suffers.ÌýFor payment providers,Ìýthe data on regional adoption ofÌýunattended and self-service checkoutsÌýacross the three countriesÌý(urban v rural, for example)Ìýshould be of interest.ÌýÌý

Online Payments: Different Ways of Paying Across RegionsÌý

Online shopping continues to reshape payments, with online payments ranking as the secondÌýpreferredÌýpaymentÌýmethod in the UKÌý(33%)Ìýand the USÌý(28%). In Australia, they ranked third behindÌýin-person payments and unattended payments, with only 18%Ìýreporting online payments as theirÌýmost commonly usedÌýmethod.ÌýÌý

Payment Preferences in the USÌý

Geography shapes payments as much as technology. In the US,Ìýwhile adoption toÌýdigital walletÌýpayments fallsÌýbehindÌýAustralia and the UK overall, there areÌýregional differences across the country to the use of these alternative payment methods. The West isÌýalmost twiceÌýas likely to pay via mobile or digital walletsÌýasÌýthose in the Midwest.ÌýÌý

WaysÌýto PayÌýin the UKÌý

In the UK,Ìýthe top regions adoptingÌýmobile and digital wallet payments are Northern Ireland, Greater LondonÌýand theÌýSouth East, while regions such asÌýtheÌýNorth EastÌýand Wales have a much lower adoption rate.Ìý

In Person a Popular Payment Method in AustraliaÌýÌý

Australians, by contrast to Americans and Brits, remain more tied to in-person payments, reflecting their cultural preference for face-to-face commerce.ÌýDigital payment adoption is low across all states and territories,ÌýbutÌýwhat doesÌýstand outÌýisÌýVictoria’s 19% preference for this payment method,Ìýmore than double the adoption in Queensland andÌý4% higher thanÌýNew South Wales.ÌýÌý

These differences highlighted in this researchÌýdemonstrateÌýwhy global businesses need flexible strategies:Ìýno consumer is the same, the payments industry cannot take a ‘one-size fits all’ approach forÌýthe current ecosystem that embraces both traditional and modern payment methods.ÌýÌý

From credit cards and debit cards to mobile wallets and online checkouts, the landscape ofÌýpopular payment methods is dynamic and varied. Yet across markets, one message is consistent: consumers demand payments that are fast, reliable and above all, simple.Ìý