Digital wallet statistics: Usage and market size

Digital wallets are becoming a popular choice, with many of us choosing to pay from our bank accounts using Apple Pay or Google Pay rather than a debit card. We look at digital wallet usage in the UK and globally.

Digital wallet usage statistics: Highlights

57% of UK adults had a mobile payment service in 2024, up from 42% in 2023.
Half of the population (50%) used mobile payments at least once a month in 2024.
There were 4.3 billion global digital wallet users in 2024 – 53% of the population.
Two-thirds (68%) of the global population is predicted to be using digital wallets by 2029.
More than half (53%) of online transactions worldwide were made with a mobile wallet in 2024.
2 in 5 online purchases in the UK (40%) were made using a digital wallet in 2024 and this is predicted to rise to 68% by 2030.
Apple Pay is the most popular mobile payment service in the UK as of June 2024, with at least 507 million users worldwide.
Almost half of Brits (45%) leave the house with only their phone as a payment method.

How many digital wallets are there?

In 2024, there were 4.3 billion digital wallet users globally, which is more than half (53%) of the population. It’s estimated that more than two-thirds (68%) of the global population will use digital wallets by 2029 – an estimated 5.8 billion people.

How many people use digital wallets in the UK?

57% of UK adults had a mobile payment service in 2024, up from 42% in 2023. Half of the population (50%) were using digital wallet payments at least once a month in 2024.

In 2024, more than half (53%) of e-commerce transactions worldwide were made with a mobile wallet, making it the most popular online payment method. This market share is set to increase, as projections suggest that 65% of e-commerce payments will be made via digital wallets by 2030.

Undoubtedly, digital wallets are becoming a payment method of choice for many of us. With so much of our lives stored in our phones already, it’s easy to pay with mobile too!

Graph
Table

Payment type	2024	2030 (predicted)
Digital wallet	53%	65%
Credit card	20%	13%
Debit card	12%	7%
Account-to-account (A2A)	7%	9%
Buy now, pay later (BNPL)	5%	5%

2 in 5 online purchases in the UK (40%) were made using a digital wallet in 2024, a significant increase from just a quarter of online purchases (25%) in 2016. This share of digital wallet online payments is predicted to rise to 3 in 5 (68%) by 2030.

What is the most popular digital wallet?

Apple Pay is the most popular digital wallet in the UK, with more than three-fifths of consumers (63%) using it as of December 2024. Google Pay was second with 37% of UK consumers, closely followed by PayPal in third place, used by 36% of Brits.

Graph
Table

Brand	Percentage
Apple Pay	63%
Google Pay	37%
PayPal	36%
Revolut	12%
Cash App	11%
Mastercard Click to Pay	10%
Samsung Pay	8%
Bitpay	5%

Apple Pay statistics

Apple Pay had 507 million users worldwide according to the most recent report in 2020, and the number has likely grown since. 63% of UK residents who use some form of mobile payment chose to use Apple Pay for an in-person purchase as of December 2024, while two-fifths (39%) used Apple Pay for online purchases.

Graph
Table

Quarter	In-person Apple Pay usage	Online Apple Pay usage
Q1 2023	69%	35%
Q2 2023	70%	37%
Q3 2023	70%	39%
Q4 2023	68%	39%
Q1 2024	67%	40%
Q2 2024	66%	41%
Q3 2024	64%	39%
Q4 2024	63%	39%

Google Pay statistics

Google Pay had 150 million users worldwide according to the most recent report in April 2022, and the number has likely grown since. In the UK, 37% of mobile payment users chose Google Pay for in-person transactions as of December 2024. Meanwhile, 32% opted to make an online purchase with Google Pay.

Graph
Table

Quarter	In-person Google Pay usage	Online Google Pay usage
Q1 2023	27%	22%
Q2 2023	28%	22%
Q3 2023	28%	23%
Q4 2023	31%	25%
Q1 2024	33%	27%
Q2 2024	35%	28%
Q3 2024	37%	31%
Q4 2024	37%	32%

Global digital wallet market growth

Globally, the value of transactions made using digital wallets is predicted to be approximately £7.6 trillion ($10 trillion) in 2024. By 2029, this is expected to grow a further 73%, with the value of transactions on mobile wallets reaching £12.9 trillion ($17 trillion).

The growth of digital wallets in the UK

Research by Finder has revealed that 45% of Brits aged 16 and over leave the house with only their phone as a payment method at least some of the time, which is estimated to be around 25 million people.

A quarter of Brits (25%) only leave the house without another way of paying occasionally, such as when they’re popping to the local shop. However, 1 in 5 (20%) admit to leaving their wallet behind frequently or all the time, with physical wallets becoming less necessary as digital wallets become more common.

There are clear differences across the generations, with almost three-quarters of generation Z (72%) and two-thirds of millennials (66%) opting for phone-only payments when leaving the house.

Meanwhile, only 1 in 4 baby boomers (23%) and 1 in 10 silent generation members (11%) admitted that they would be comfortable leaving the house with only a phone as a payment method, even if it was just for a short period of time.

Graph
Table

Silent generation	88.62%	6.50%	3.25%	1.63%
Baby boomers	76.65%	13.77%	6.29%	3.29%
Gen X	54.99%	28.84%	11.86%	4.31%
Millenials	34.06%	35.45%	19.04%	11.46%
Gen Z	28.50%	36.27%	20.73%	14.51%

How many people use a digital wallet in person?

Our 2024 survey found that 1 in 5 Brits (21%) regularly use a digital wallet on their phone to pay for items in person. This is more common among the younger generations, with a third of millennials and generation Z (aged 16-42) regularly using mobile payments.

Sources

Methodology

To find out how many Brits are leaving the house with just their phones and no wallet, Finder commissioned Censuswide to carry out a nationally representative survey of 2000+ UK residents aged 16 and over between 30 April and 2 May 2024.

Click here for more research. For all media enquiries, please contact –

Sophie Barber
Communications Manager

Thank you for your feedback!

Written by

Sophie Barber

Senior content marketing manager

Add to Preferred Sources

Sophie Barber is a senior content marketing manager for Finder in the UK. She has over 5 years experience in writing and publishing clear, concise and informative articles that help consumers make informed decisions. See full bio

Sophie's expertise

Sophie has written 97 Finder guides across topics including:

Personal finance trends and statistics
Cost of living and money saving tips

Co-written by

Kate Steere

Editor

Kate Steere is an editor and money expert at Finder, specialising in banking, savings and fintech. She has previously written for The Motley Fool UK and Fitch Solutions, where she covered a wide range of personal finance topics and kept a close eye on market trends. Kate has a Bachelor of Arts in Modern History from the University of East Anglia. When not working, she can usually be found curled up with a good book or heading out for a run. See full bio

Kate's expertise

Kate has written 153 Finder guides across topics including:

Banking
Savings
Fintech
Credit
Payments

More resources on Finder

More guides on Finder

Can you pay money into your bank account at the Post Office?
Discover who can pay money in at the Post Office, how you do this and whether your bank is supported at Post Office Everyday Banking.
The average price of a coffee in the UK and around the world in 2026
We’ve analysed data on the average price of a pint of a coffee in the most populated cities around the world and across the UK.
Cost of living in the UK: Calculator to compare cities
Compare the cost of living in cities around the UK and discover the salary you would need to rent a 1-bedroom flat in each location.
Bank of England base rate predictions: Will interest rates rise soon?
The Bank of England (BoE) sets the official bank rate 8 times per year. Here at the latest base rate predictions, including expert analysis.
Bank branch statistics: Number of bank branches in the UK
We look at the latest bank branch statistics, including the number of branches in the UK and how many from each major bank are closing.
Banking statistics UK: Biggest banks by market share and customers
What are the biggest and most famous banks? Which banks are winning and losing customers? How are opinions about banks changing? We have collected all the latest banking statistics here.
Disposable income in the UK: What’s left over after living costs?
Our analysis shows how much UK residents have left after paying for food and rent. Which are the best and worst cities for disposable income?
What are the most popular subscription services in the UK?
The average Brit spends £607 a year on subscription services – but which are the most popular and how is the market growing?
Digital banking statistics 2026: How many Brits use online banking?
Digital-only banks are becoming increasingly popular so we look at the latest digital and online banking statistics in the UK.
What is the FSCS?
The Financial Services Compensation Scheme protects customers’ money if their bank or building society fails. But how does it work and are you covered?