Visa Acceptance Solutions – PYMNTS Intelligence Study
The UAE has emerged as the world’s leading market for mobile shopping, according to the 2025 Global Digital Shopping Index, UAE edition, commissioned by Visa Acceptance Solutions and conducted by PYMNTS Intelligence. Drawing on insights from a survey of 1,679 consumers and 329 merchants in the UAE, the report examines the growing role that mobile devices play in consumer behavior, providing UAE retailers insights to deliver more convenient and secure shopping experiences for their customers.
Key findings:
67% of UAE consumers used their phones as part of their latest retail purchase – marking a 23% increase since 2022.
UAE has the highest rate of online shopping with mobile devices, at 37%, ahead of Singapore (34.8%), the U.K. (27.6%), and Brazil (24.4%).
32% of UAE consumers surveyed used biometric authentication (such as fingerprint or facial recognition) for their latest online retail transaction, far exceeding the global average of 17%.
53% of UAE consumers want to use cross-channel shopping (across physical and digital channels and different devices), the second-highest rate globally.
UAE shoppers rank among the highest worldwide in preferring rewards programs (75%), free shipping (73%), and price matching (70%).
38% of UAE shoppers made their most recent retail purchase online through a mobile phone or computer for home delivery.
These trends are supported by a robust business and regulatory environment, with UAE merchants and government working closely to deliver secure, seamless, and customer-centric digital payment experiences.
“The UAE’s approach shows what is possible when all stakeholders work together to build the future of commerce. Visa is delighted to contribute to the UAE government’s digital commerce agenda, and we remain committed to working with local businesses and banks to introduce innovations such as Visa’s Click to Pay that can deliver the digital payment experiences that today’s consumers demand,” said Salima Gutieva, Visa’s Vice President and Country Manager for UAE.
Demographics
Consistently high rates of mobile shopping across demographic segments underscore just how universal the mobile-first mindset has become in the UAE. Millennials lead in mobile shopping at 73%, while Generation Z trails Generation X slightly. Baby boomers and seniors dropping off sharply, with just 18% using a mobile phone for their latest purchase.
What this means for UAE businesses
Retailers in the UAE can drive sales by ensuring their customers have frictionless payment and checkout experiences. Offering a wide range of payment options is crucial, as 77% of UAE shoppers say this factor influences where they shop. Also, just over one in four UAE consumers surveyed used credentials stored with the merchant for their most recent transaction, compared to 45% for the study average. These findings suggest that retailers should look for ways to make their stored credential offerings more appealing, while also providing the one-click options and biometric authentication that many UAE consumers prefer at checkout.
To accelerate the digital transformation of retail, Visa is working with local partners to roll out Visa Click to Pay, which streamlines online shopping by providing advanced checkout experiences, eliminating the need to manually enter card details. At participating eCommerce platforms, consumers can simply click the Click to Pay button to complete their purchase quickly and securely use their preferred Visa card and shipping address. Visa’s Click to Pay relies on tokenization as well as biometric authentication to protect consumer data. Biometric authentication is performed on the consumer’s device and does not require the transfer of any biometric information.