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Gen Z driving shift from cards to digital wallets, new Global Payments' research suggests

Tuesday, March 31, 2026 — 16:20:56 (UTC)

Gen Z Driving the Shift from Cards to Digital Wallets, New Research from Global Payments Suggests

March 31, 2026 8:30am EDT

ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Global Payments (NYSE: GPN) announced today that its Worldpay® business released its 11th annual Global Payments Report, revealing that Americans remain attached to plastic – even as younger generations are swapping physical wallets for digital.

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"The Global Payments Report stands as the definitive guide to the evolving payments landscape, offering insights into how consumers and businesses transact across 42 global markets,” said Cameron Bready, chief executive officer of Global Payments. “As digital commerce accelerates and payment preferences diversify, our deep expertise and global reach uniquely position us to help clients navigate emerging trends—from real-time payments to cross-border innovation. With this report, we reaffirm our commitment to leading the industry forward, empowering enterprises and SMBs to thrive in a world where payments are always in motion."

Some notable trends from this year’s study include:

Plastic Preferred — For Now

The U.S. remains one of the world’s most card-led markets:

In the U.S., direct use of cards accounted for 49% of all online spending and 71% of in‑store spending in 20251.

Globally, direct card usage is strong but accounts for a notably lower share, representing 31% of online and 48% of in-store spending in the same year.

In APAC, the contrast is even more pronounced with direct use of cards accounting for just 15% of all online spending and 20% of all in-store spending in 2025, less than half the global average and far below the U.S. usage.

In the U.S. in 2025, people spent twice as much online using credit cards than debit cards, and in stores, credit card spending outpaced debit by 43%.

However, direct use of cards in the U.S. is forecast to fall online from 49% in 2025 to 43% in 2030, and in-store from 71% in 2025 to 64% in 2030 as people increasingly use their debit and credit cards via digital wallets.

This card‑first behavior sets the U.S. apart from markets where mobile‑based payments have become more widely adopted.

The Rise of Digital Wallets in the U.S.

Even within this card-led landscape, digital wallets continue to gain traction:

In 2025, digital wallets accounted for 40% of U.S. online spending and 17% of in‑store spending.

Over the next five years (2025-2030), digital wallet spending is forecast to grow 10% annually across online and in-store.

By 2030, $4.1 trillion of U.S. spending is projected to take place through a digital wallet, which would represent a 64% increase from 2025.

Globally, digital wallets already lead, representing 56% of online spending and 33% of in-store spending in 2025.

In APAC, digital wallets were even more dominant, accounting for 77% of online spending and 62% of in-store spending in 2025.

Payment apps across channels are forecast to reach $23.4 trillion by 2030, highlighting the scale of the shift toward mobile payments. Gen Z Leads in Digital Wallet Adoption

Younger consumers are driving much of the shift toward mobile payments in the U.S.: digital wallets are already the most used online payment method for 39% of 18–24-year-olds and 41% of 25–34-year-olds.2

While younger generations lead the way, online wallet use is increasingly broad-based: wallets were cited as used most frequently by 33% of 35-44-year-olds to lead that demographic. Digital wallets are the go-to choice when shopping online for 9% of respondents 65+.

As Gen Z matures, their digital first preferences will likely accelerate the long-term shift from plastic to mobile-first payments in everyday U.S. commerce.

“While cards still anchor U.S. spending today, the future of commerce is being shaped by younger consumers,” said Bob Cortopassi, president and chief operating officer of Global Payments. “For Gen Z, digital wallets and tap-to-pay experiences are already the norm. As their spending power grows, the way they pay today is a window into the future of payments.

“The future belongs to businesses that understand how their customers want to pay. As expectations shift toward choice and flexibility, merchants must evolve their payment systems to serve every demographic – and those that do will unlock the next wave of growth.”

To download the full report, visit: worldpay.com/en/global-payments-report

Global Payments completed its acquisition of Worldpay in January 2026.

About The Global Payments Report (GPR)

Published continuously since 2015, the GPR offers a snapshot of today’s payments landscape: globally, by region and in 42 select markets. The report tracks consumer payments when shopping online and at the point of sale, identifies key payment trends, and projects future scenarios for payment method shares as well as market size. Methodology can be found on page 156 of the report.

About Global Payments

Global Payments (NYSE: GPN) is a leading payment technology and software company that powers commerce for businesses of all sizes worldwide. We help businesses grow with confidence by delivering innovative solutions that enable seamless payment acceptance, smarter operations and exceptional client experiences – online, in store and everywhere in between. With its global reach, local expertise and scale, Global Payments manages trillions in payments volume and billions of transactions across more than 175 countries. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, Global Payments is a Fortune 500® company and a member of the S&P 500. Learn more at company.globalpayments.com.

1 Methodology can be found on page 156 of the report. 2 These generational insights are supported by GlobalData’s 2025 Financial Services Consumer Survey of 63,441 consumers across 42 markets conducted in Q2 2025.

View source version on businesswire.com: www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260331165747/en/

Investor Contact: Nate Rozof investor.relations@globalpay.com

Media Contact: Matt Cochran media.relations@globalpay.com

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Source: Company press release.

Categories: Reports and research