Dubai, UAE, 03 Jul 2026: A recent survey of 1,050 UAE residents has found that 70.7 per cent say they have become more willing to pay using digital wallets such as Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Wallet, rather than cash or cards. The research, conducted by Dubai-headquartered global insights consultancy SixthFactor, found increased willingness to pay with digital wallets over the last few years across all groups surveyed, with variations emerging most clearly along income and education lines.
The income gap was among the most pronounced findings. Consumers from households earning AED 30,000 or more per month were the most likely to say they had become more willing to pay with a digital wallet over the past few years, with 75.5 per cent expressing agreement. Among those earning below AED 10,000, the figure stood at 59.1 per cent, a difference of 16.4 percentage points between the highest and lowest income groups surveyed.
Willingness to pay with a digital wallet was 66.6 per cent among consumers with secondary education, rising to 73.5 per cent among bachelor's degree holders and 73.6 per cent among consumers with postgraduate or professional qualifications.
"Seven in ten consumers saying they have become more willing to pay with digital wallets is a strong finding, and it reflects how quickly payment behaviour has shifted in the UAE over a relatively short period,” said Himanshu Vashishtha, Founder and Global CEO of SixthFactor. “The more interesting part of the data is where that shift has been less pronounced. The income and education gaps are a reminder that markets do not move at the same speed for everyone. For banks, retailers and payment providers, those segments are where the next phase of real growth lies."