Visa Stay Secure: Consumers Embrace Security Measures as Digital Payments Adoption is Set to Grow
- 97% of consumers have taken precautions to secure payments, indicating an increase in online savviness as digital payments gain momentum.
- 76% trust digital payments despite potential scams; 74% expect to use them more in the next 12 months.
- 95% worry their family or friends might fall for a scam.
Dubai, UAE — February 25, 2025: — A new study commissioned by Visa reveals a rise in consumer awareness and proactive security measures for digital payments across Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (CEMEA). The ninth annual Stay Secure study, which surveyed 5,800 adults across 17 diverse CEMEA markets, found that 97% of consumers now actively take precautions to secure their online transactions, showcasing increased savviness as digital payments gain momentum.
While 86% of respondents acknowledge their vulnerability to scams like phishing, the increased adoption of security measures and preference for stronger authentication indicate a positive shift in consumer behavior since the last edition of the Stay Secure study in 2023. Consumers are now actively spotting red flags and verifying the legitimacy of online interactions, showing a marked increase in awareness.
Other key insights emerging from the research bode well for the continued acceleration of digital payments across the region, with over three-quarters of all respondents stating that they mostly or completely trust digital payments, regardless of the threat of fraud, and a further 74% of consumers anticipate that they will increase their use of digital payments over the next year.
"The digital payments landscape is evolving rapidly, and consumers across the CEMEA region are embracing its convenience while becoming more vigilant about security," said Charles Lobo, Regional Risk Officer for CEMEA at Visa. "Consumer education is our best defense against fraud, and industry collaboration makes this possible. As scams grow more sophisticated, the battle for security never stops. Consumers increasingly trust partners who take tangible steps to protect them.”
The 'Stay Secure' study highlights evolving consumer preferences, which could offer Visa's stakeholders actionable intelligence for trust-building strategies, and inform the creation of educational materials to empower consumers against fraud."
Key Findings of the Visa Stay Secure Study
- Tempted to Click. Consumers are most likely to react to a message that conveys a security risk, such as a stolen password or data breach (39%). When this question was asked in 2023, 40% were likely to react.
- Vulnerable Inner Circle. Adults in these markets point to family and friends as being more susceptible to falling for an online scam. Those worries hold steady over time: 95% are concerned that their family or friends may fall for a potential scam, similar to the 96% that reported the same inkling in 2023.
- Boomers Beware. Across the regions, 46% believe Boomers are the most likely to fall for a scam, with even Boomers being in agreement that they’re the most vulnerable (53%).
- Once Scammed, Twice Shy. Across the 17 markets, 52% of consumers report they have been victims of a scam in the past, with 16% having been scammed on multiple occasions.
- Embracing Digital. Across CEMEA, consumers appreciate digital payments for being quicker and simpler (70%), allowing them to make payments anytime, anywhere (68%), and making it easier to send money to friends and family (60%).
- Strength in Numbers. Government payment programs can boost confidence by teaming up with respected brands. Consumers in UAE, Ukraine, and Nigeria are more likely to trust payment programs run by the government (83%) if they partnered with a well-known brand like Visa.
- Maintaining Trust. Negative interactions can erode trust. For 66% of consumers in the 17 markets, experiencing fraud or unauthorized transactions could reduce their trust in digital payments. Concerns about data privacy/security (55%) could also lessen trust.
Visa’s Commitment to a Secure Digital Future
Visa has been at the centre of AI in payments, investing $3.3 billion in our AI and data infrastructure over the last decade. In 2024, we introduced three new AI-powered risk and fraud prevention solutions, as part of the Visa Protect suite, that are designed to help reduce fraud across immediate A2A and card-not-present (CNP) payments, as well as transactions on and off Visa’s network.¹
As the world's largest SaaS platform, Visa combats cybercrime by deploying cutting-edge tools, expertise, and processes to help identify and mitigate fraud. The impact is undeniable: In the past year, Visa blocked $40 billion in fraudulent payment value, prevented 80 million fraudulent transactions, and averted over $122 million in estimated e-commerce fraud through malware detection.²
About the Visa Stay Secure Study
The Visa Stay Secure study was conducted by Wakefield Research in December 2024. It involved a survey of 5,800 adults aged 18 years and over across 17 CEMEA markets. Sample sizes included 300 per market, with increased representation in Egypt (600), Pakistan (500), and Nigeria (500).
About Visa Inc.
Visa (NYSE: V) is a world leader in digital payments, facilitating transactions between consumers, merchants, financial institutions, and government entities across more than 200 countries and territories. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, convenient, reliable and secure payments network, enabling individuals, businesses and economies to thrive. We believe that economies that include everyone everywhere, uplift everyone everywhere and see access as foundational to the future of money movement. Learn more at Visa.com.