Consumer Finance

Generation Z, comprising one-fifth of the global population, is poised to wield significant consumer influence. However, their polarized behaviours toward social activism, technology, and spending present challenges for businesses. This report…

The Coronavirus (COVID-19) has had a significant impact on football tourism. As both the sports and travel industries struggle to recover, the impact on travelling football fans and tourism companies could be greater and longer lasting than for other…

This briefing continues a series devoted to exploring challenges, opportunities and innovation in different foodservice payment environments. Sports and entertainment venues are a critical component of leisure foodservice purchases worldwide and have…

“Fintech’s next phase” refers to the greater integration of fintech with commerce. Fintech companies are innovating to increase access to financial products and services, improve the security of payments, increase funding, and enhance the merchant…

Fintech is transforming financial products and services at a rapid rate globally. In Europe, regulation aimed at encouraging competition has increased the number and reach of fintechs. P2P platforms are becoming more popular and are moving into other…

Total transactions value growth slowed in Western Europe in 2023, with many consumers’ spending impacted by the still high inflation rates. Paper payments remained in decline, with electronic direct/ACH payments continuing to grow. Card payment…

2023 is witnessing a substantial increase in both the volume and value of financial cards overall, primarily driven by government initiatives aimed at encouraging cashless payments. Debit cards, credit cards, and pre-paid cards are all seeing healthy…

A significant shift is underway in the realm of Dutch public transport, as the familiar OV chipkaart is being gradually phased out and replaced with a more versatile system known as OVpay. Since the start of 2023, travellers on public transport have…

The biggest news of 2023 has been administrative, with the Federal Reserve fighting inflation and the threat of recession. With inflation well above recent norms in 2022, the Fed spent roughly 18 months in a constant dance of deciding whether to…

In 2023, the UK’s economy has continued to be characterised by a high inflation rate and a rising cost of living. And, while in 2022 this situation was mainly exacerbated by the high cost of energy, in 2023 this cost has gradually started decreasing,…

The United Arab Emirates continues its journey towards a cashless society, with the continued adoption of digital payment solutions, contactless cards, and the emergence of supplementary payment platforms or solutions in pre-paid cards that support…

While the initial surge in spending and reopening of the economy, with the easing of the threat of Coronavirus (COVID-19) and lifting of related restrictions, has started to stabilise, the Philippines continues to experience robust growth in both…

In 2023, the Netherlands is experiencing its first full year without COVID-19 restrictions, leading to significant shifts in the payments landscape. For offline payments, this has resulted in a notable increase in card payments and proximity mobile…

Cash remains an important mode of payment in the Czech Republic, especially in rural areas, although modernisation is driving growth in financial cards and payments. The expansion of POS terminals in retail stores is driving financial card…

In 2023, the Thai economy is witnessing an economic recovery following the harsh impact of the pandemic and consumer confidence is on the rise. Private consumption is gathering momentum aided by the government program “Shop Dee Mee Kuen” (Shopping…

In 2023, electronic and mobile payments have taken centre stage, greatly reducing reliance on cash transactions in Taiwan. Local residents have enthusiastically adopted various digital payment options, particularly digital wallets, which have emerged…

The two pandemic years boosted the use of financial cards in Sweden. While the use of cash in the country was already exceptionally low by global standards at the start of the review period, its role diminished further during the pandemic due to…

The Spanish economy has performed better than anticipated in 2023, despite the challenges posed by high energy costs and the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, with consumption continuing to recover to 2019 levels, boosted by the recovery of travel…

The landscape of card transactions in South Korea is undergoing a remarkable transformation marked by a gradual decline in cash usage. This paradigm shift is primarily driven by the widespread adoption of mobile financial services, a trend that has…

The number of financial cards in circulation is set to continue to increase in 2023, supported by a steady rise in the banked population and the intensified competition between issuers. Meanwhile, value transactions across categories such as debit…