Summary
Just 1 in 5 Americans made such a payment in past six months, and the projections call for slow growth
The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of our partner offers may have expired. Please review our list of best credit cards, or use our CardMatch™ tool to find cards matched to your needs.
Your credit cards journey is officially underway.
Keep an eye on your inbox—we’ll be sending over your first message soon.
Six years into its tracking of “proximity mobile payments,” or those made at the point of sale in a retail location, the market research firm eMarketer found that, at the end of 2016, less than a fifth of smartphone users (19 percent) had made a mobile payment at the register within the last six months.
See related:In-car pay systems offer truly mobile payments, More infographics
In the count are payments made with the big three mobile wallets – Apple Pay, Android Pay and Samsung Pay – as well as retailer-specific payment apps like those offered by Starbucks, Walmart and CVS.
While eMarketer analysts predict that the share of smartphone users making proximity payments will continue to trend upward for the foreseeable future, the percentage of users is estimated to only creep up, taking until 2021 to surpass 30 percent.
Keeping in mind that the threshold for inclusion in these counts is so minimal, at just one proximity payment in the past six months, it’s clear that mainstream adoption of in-store mobile wallet payments – where consumers are regularly and frequently using the technology en masse – is a long way off.
eMarketer bases its forecasts on analysis of the market presence of major mobile payment players; estimates from other research firms; and consumer smartphone, mobile payment adoption and retail spending trends. Its latest forecasts were released in an Aug. 29 report.
Editorial Disclaimer
The editorial content on this page is based solely on the objective assessment of our writers and is not driven by advertising dollars. It has not been provided or commissioned by the credit card issuers. However, we may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners.
Join the Discussion
We encourage an active and insightful conversation among our users. Please help us keep our community civil and respectful. For your safety, do not disclose confidential or personal information such as bank account numbers or social security numbers. Anything you post may be disclosed, published, transmitted or reused.
The editorial content on CreditCards.com is not sponsored by any bank or credit card issuer. The journalists in the editorial department are separate from the company’s business operations. The comments posted below are not provided, reviewed or approved by any company mentioned in our editorial content. Additionally, any companies mentioned in the content do not assume responsibility to ensure that all posts and/or questions are answered.