Bank cards have been at the heart of how we pay for decades, both in physical stores and online. However, the emergence of new payment methods in recent years has gradually changed how consumers choose to pay. Bizum, digital wallets and instant bank transfers are just some of the innovations reshaping online shopping.

But are these technologies actually reducing card usage, or are we entering a new era in which consumers simply have more freedom to choose how they pay?

Until relatively recently, shopping online almost always involved the same process: entering a 16-digit card number, the cardholder’s name, expiry date and security code.

Today, things can look very different. Consumers can complete a purchase on their phones, pay with Bizum, authorise a transfer through their bank or check out using a digital wallet without manually entering their card details.

This raises an important question: are we moving away from bank card payments?

The latest official figures suggest a gradual but noticeable shift. Although cards remain the most widely used payment instrument, their share is declining in certain digital environments. This reflects the growing range of payment options available and changing consumer shopping habits.

For businesses, it also presents a challenge: adapting their payment options to meet the preferences of an increasingly diverse customer base.

Manual Card Payments Now Account for Less Than Half of Online Payments in the Euro Area

One of the most revealing figures comes from the European Central Bank (ECB).

Its Study on the Payment Attitudes of Consumers in the Euro Area (SPACE 2024) found that manual card payments accounted for 48% of online transactions by consumers in the euro area in 2024, the latest year for which data is available.

Although cards remained the most popular individual payment method, their share had fallen compared with previous editions of the study, from 54% in 2019 to 51% in 2022. That represents a six-percentage-point decline over five years.

Meanwhile, electronic payment solutions, a category covering digital wallets, PayPal and other mobile applications, increased their share from 26% of transactions in 2022 to 29% in 2024.

The study also recorded a 5% share for instant bank transfers, which were included as a separate category for the first time.

These figures highlight a shift in consumer behaviour: card payments no longer account for the majority of online transactions among European consumers.

However, there is an important distinction to make. A decline in market share does not necessarily mean that the total number of card payments is falling. In absolute terms, card usage may still have increased.

It is also worth remembering that not all digital payment alternatives operate independently of cards, as some digital wallets rely on them as the underlying payment instrument.

Are We Using Cards Less, or Are They Simply Becoming Less Visible?

To understand where online payments are heading, it is important to distinguish between the payment method consumers interact with and the technology actually processing the transaction.

Take Apple Pay and Google Pay, for example. These services require a linked payment card. Although customers no longer need to take out their wallets or manually enter their card details, the transaction can still be processed through traditional card networks.

In other words, paying with a smartphone can still mean paying by card, even if the experience feels entirely different.

There are three main scenarios:

• Direct card payments: Customers enter their card details or use a card previously saved by an online retailer.
• Digital wallet payments: Customers pay through an application linked to a card, bank account or another payment instrument, depending on the provider.
• Account-to-account payments: Funds are transferred directly from the customer’s bank account through solutions that do not require a card transaction, such as certain payments initiated through banking applications.

This distinction helps explain why new payment experiences can become more popular without replacing the traditional card infrastructure.

In fact, all indications suggest that bank cards will remain part of our everyday lives, even if we become increasingly unaware of their role when making payments.

Card Transaction Volumes Continue to Grow

The ECB’s latest statistics help explain this apparent contradiction.

In absolute terms, card payments continue to play a leading role. Cards accounted for 57% of all non-cash payment transactions in the euro area, reflecting their widespread use as a payment method.

However, cards now operate alongside a growing range of alternative payment solutions.

It is also important to remember that general non-cash payment statistics cover a broader range of transactions than the online purchases analysed in the SPACE study.

For this reason, the two percentages should not be compared as though they measured exactly the same thing.

Mobile Payments Are Changing Consumer Habits in Countries Such as Spain

This shift is also becoming increasingly apparent in physical stores.

According to the Bank of Spain’s 2025 Study on Cash Usage Habits, 15% of consumers reported using mobile devices as their main payment method in physical shops, up from 11% in 2024.

Over the same period, the proportion of consumers who identified bank cards as their primary payment method fell from 30% to 27%.

Cash, meanwhile, remained the most commonly preferred payment method, at 57% in 2025.

These figures show that more and more people are becoming accustomed to paying with their phones.

And this trend has important implications for ecommerce.

Consumers who regularly use mobile payments may place particular value on checkout experiences that allow them to complete purchases without reaching for their wallets, entering lengthy payment details or switching devices.

Of course, this does not mean that every consumer has the same preferences.

Quite the opposite: the growing diversity of payment habits makes it increasingly important for businesses to offer customers a choice.

Which Payment Methods Are Transforming Online Payments?

The future of digital payments will not be shaped by a single technology. Several solutions are evolving at the same time, each addressing different consumer needs and preferences.

1. Bizum: From Peer-to-Peer Transfers to Online Shopping

Bizum has become a familiar payment solution for millions of Spanish consumers.

Although it initially gained popularity as a way to send money between individuals, it can also be used to pay at participating online retailers.

Its main appeal lies in familiarity and convenience. Customers can pay using a method they already know, generally linked to their banking app, without having to enter card details every time they make a purchase.

For businesses, accepting Bizum can make checkout more convenient for customers who prefer paying directly through their bank on their smartphones.

However, availability, transaction limits and service conditions depend on the participating banks and the specific arrangements in place.

2. Apple Pay and Google Pay: Paying Without Entering Card Details

Digital wallets have made the checkout experience considerably simpler.

Rather than typing in payment details, customers can confirm a transaction directly from a compatible device using the available authentication methods.

This is particularly useful for purchases made on smartphones, where filling in lengthy forms can be inconvenient.

However, it is important to recognise that Apple Pay and Google Pay are not necessarily alternatives to traditional card networks.

Both services allow customers to use digitised payment cards.

Much of their innovation lies in the user experience and the way payments are initiated and authenticated, with an additional layer of security built into the process.

3. Instant Bank Transfers: Paying Directly From a Bank Account

Instant bank transfers represent another significant development in the European payments landscape.

They allow funds to move between bank accounts within seconds, provided the relevant technical and operational requirements are met.

In addition, payment initiation solutions enabled by the PSD2 regulatory framework allow consumers to authorise certain payments directly through their banks, without entering card details.

For businesses, these solutions provide an additional way to accept payments.

Their suitability will depend on factors such as bank compatibility, transaction confirmation, costs and the overall customer experience.

4. PayPal and Other Digital Wallets: Familiarity Matters Too

Digital wallets are another major part of the online payments ecosystem.

Their appeal goes beyond technology. Consumers are also influenced by whether they already have an account set up, understand how the service works and feel comfortable using it.

In this context, familiarity can play an important role in the purchasing decision.

For example, a customer who regularly uses PayPal may prefer it to entering new payment details on an online store they are visiting for the first time.

Will Bank Cards Disappear in the Coming Years?

Based on the available data, there is little reason to believe that bank cards will disappear in the short or medium term.

In fact, they continue to offer significant advantages.

They benefit from well-established international infrastructure, are widely accepted and provide a familiar payment experience for millions of consumers.

Cards also remain essential for subscriptions, recurring payments and many other digital transactions.

What the data does suggest, however, is a clear diversification of payment methods.

Consumers can now choose different options depending on the situation: a card for an international purchase, Bizum for an everyday payment in Spain, a digital wallet when shopping on their phone or a bank transfer for a particular transaction.

There is not necessarily one ideal payment method for every situation.

And this shift has particularly important implications for businesses.

How Are Changes in Online Payments Affecting Businesses?

The way customers pay is an integral part of their overall shopping experience.

An ecommerce business may offer excellent products, competitive prices and an easy-to-navigate website. However, if the checkout process is inconvenient or fails to accommodate customers’ preferred payment methods, it can create an unnecessary obstacle at the very last stage of the purchase.

That is why choosing which payment methods to offer should not be seen purely as a technical decision.

It is also an important part of a company’s commercial strategy.

Offering More Payment Options Helps Meet Different Customer Needs

Not all customers prefer the same payment methods.

Some favour traditional cards because they are familiar and easy to use. Others are more comfortable with Bizum or digital wallets.

There are also customers who need financing options or prefer to authorise payments directly from their bank accounts.

For certain businesses, direct debits and recurring payments are particularly important.

The goal is not to offer every payment method available, but to choose the options that best suit the target audience, market and business model.

For example, an online retailer focused on Spanish consumers may need a different combination of payment methods from a company selling internationally or collecting recurring subscription fees.

A Smoother Checkout Experience Can Help Improve Conversion

Ecommerce conversion rates depend on many factors, including pricing, trust, shipping costs, delivery times and how easy it is to complete a purchase.

Payment methods are an essential part of that experience.

When customers find their preferred payment option, they can complete their purchase without having to navigate an unfamiliar process.

This can reduce payment-related friction and help more customers complete their orders.

However, simply adding more payment methods does not automatically guarantee higher sales.

The actual impact should be measured using indicators such as checkout conversion rates, successful payments and cart abandonment during the payment process.

Wannme: Flexible Payment Options for Every Business Need

As businesses and society become increasingly digital, consumers have grown accustomed to convenience and speed in almost every aspect of their daily lives.

These expectations now extend to how they pay, making checkout flexibility more important than ever.

At Wannme, our goal is to help businesses grow their revenue. That is why our payment solutions are designed to keep pace with changing consumer expectations.

Our centralised platform enables businesses to integrate and manage multiple payment methods through a single solution.

Explore Wannme’s online payment solutions and discover how you can offer your customers more ways to pay, all from one platform.