EU consumers used mobile payments at points of sale (POS) more often in 2024 compared to 2022, instead of cash and cards. Still cash and cards remain large with 52% and 39% of payment value at POS, respectively. Bear in mind that mobile payments often involve a digital card e.g., a debit card from a bank in an Apple Wallet. In the Netherlands, 17% of payment value is made through mobile apps and only 17% through cash, making it the most skewed distribution in Europe. Some countries, including Austria, Slovenia and Lithuania, still heavily make use of cash with between 56% and 59% of value paid in cash. As consumers increasingly use their mobile devices for payments, some power may shift from banks and card issuers to mobile devices or payment app companies.
Source: European Central Bank, January 2025.