UAE Leads the World in Mobile Shopping Adoption: Visa
The report, based on a survey of 1,679 consumers and 329 merchants, found that 67% of UAE consumers used their phones during their most recent retail purchase—a 23% jump since 2022. With 37% of transactions completed fully on mobile, the UAE tops the world in mobile-driven shopping experiences.
Consumer preferences continue to shift toward convenience and innovation. Thirty-two percent used biometric authentication such as fingerprint or facial recognition, nearly double the global average. Cross-channel shopping is also on the rise, with over half of UAE shoppers blending physical and digital retail touchpoints.
Local consumers also ranked among the highest globally in valuing loyalty rewards (75%), free shipping (73%), and price matching (70%). Notably, 38% opted for home delivery via mobile or desktop for their most recent retail purchase.
Millennials lead the mobile-first movement at 73%, while Gen Z and Gen X follow closely. Older generations lag behind, with only 18% of baby boomers and seniors using mobile devices for their latest purchase.
Visa's UAE Country Manager Salima Gutieva credited the strong collaboration between merchants, regulators, and tech providers for driving innovation. 'The UAE's approach shows what is possible when all stakeholders work together to build the future of commerce,'
she said.
These findings reflect the UAE's push to remain at the forefront of digital transformation, creating a seamless, secure, and tech-forward retail ecosystem.
News Source: Emirates News Agency
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