Mobile payment technology is accelerating the consumer shift to digital payments and away from cash

TORONTO -- By 2030, cash purchases will make up only 10 per cent of money spent in Canada, according to a prediction by Moneris Solutions Corporation ("Moneris"), Canada's leading credit and debit card processor. Compared to 35 per cent of overall transactions in 2014[1], the 70 per cent decline will coincide with an increase in the use of digital payment technologies, especially among younger Canadians. Consumer misconceptions about (1) the security of mobile wallets and (2) the ability of mobile wallets to digitally store physical wallet contents (including plastic loyalty cards and receipts), are among the factors slowing the transition.

Canadian consumers are increasingly turning to contactless technology to make faster and more convenient payments. A recent Moneris survey of Canadians found that 67 per cent aged 18-34, 56 per cent aged 35-44, 48 per cent aged 55-64, and 49 per cent aged 65 and older, preferred to use a contactless-enabled (tap) card to make purchases – the same tap-to-pay method used in mobile wallets

"More Canadians – especially younger ones – are tapping their cards to pay as opposed to inserting them into payment terminals," said Rob Cameron, Chief Product Officer at Moneris. "We've seen the number of contactless transactions more than double this year, which is a strong indication that mobile payments are going to see a huge lift."

When it comes to mobile wallets, the survey found that 25 per cent of Canadians aged 18-34 preferred paying with a mobile wallet over cash or card (compared to 18 per cent aged 45-54, 10 per cent aged 55-64 and 6 per cent aged 65 and older).

The May 2016 expansion of Apple Pay to include support from all major Canadian banks will also help spur the adoption of mobile wallets. Of Canadians aged 18-34, 46 per cent said they would be more likely to use a mobile wallet if it were available for the kind of credit card they used, and 47 per cent said they would use a mobile wallet if it were available for the kind of phone they used – responses collected prior to the full rollout of Apple Pay.

When asked their reasons for not using a mobile wallet, 62 per cent of Canadians said they would be more likely to use it if they knew it was secure. Further, 50 per cent of Canadians said that they would leave their wallets at home if they could store all their loyalty cards on their phone. Other reasons Canadians are still holding on to their wallets are the inability to receive receipts via email (48 per cent) and store personal identification (41 per cent).

As more consumers realize mobile devices offer a secure alternative to physical wallets because of biometric authentication and other enhancements that minimize the risk of fraud, businesses should ramp-up plans to take advantage of mobile device usage. The shift away from cash is an opportunity for businesses to offer increased value to their customers, through digital solutions and applications that offer reward programs and other loyalty options as well as omni-channel selling approaches.

For more information about Moneris business offerings and solutions, visit www.moneris.com.

Key Findings from the Moneris Mobile Wallet Survey

Younger Canadians are more likely to prefer mobile wallets

• Of Canadians 18-34, 25.3 per cent agreed that they preferred paying with a mobile wallet

• Of Canadians 35-44, 23.5 per cent agreed that they preferred paying with a mobile wallet

• These numbers decreased with age: 45-54 (18.3 per cent), 55-64 (10.4 per cent), 65+ (5.8 per cent)

Canadians said they would be more likely to use a mobile wallet under the following circumstances:

• If I knew it was secure: 61.6 per cent

• More stores I shop at accepted it: 41.9 per cent

• If it were available for the kind of credit card I use: 39.8 per cent

• If it were available for the kind of phone I use: 37.8 per cent

• More people I know were using it: 36.6 per cent

Credit cards are the most frequently used payment type. Percentages of Canadians who say they use the following payment types always or often:

• Credit card: 59.7 per cent

• Debit card: 55.9 per cent

• Contactless enabled card (tap to pay): 31.3 per cent

• Mobile wallet (such as Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, etc.): 2.5 per cent

• Cash: 45.7 per cent

• Retailer app (such as Starbucks app): 4.8 per cent

50 per cent of Canadians say that they would leave their wallet at home if they could store all their loyalty cards on their phone. Loyalty cards were the number one reason Canadians couldn't leave the wallet at home, followed by:

• If I could get all my receipts emailed to me: 47.9 per cent

• I could make purchases at any store using my phone: 45.8 per cent

• I could store my identification (driver's license, health card, etc.) in my phone: 40.5 per cent

• I could pay for public transit using my phone: 35.0 per cent

The study, conducted by Leger, surveyed 1,516 Canadians between April 25 and April 28, 2016.