EPI Payments Barometer results for France: Europe and security as preference drivers for tomorrow’s solutions

Key findings from the study: 

• French consumers express strong expectations in favour of European solutions: 86% consider it important to have a payment solution developed in Europe. 
• Mobile payments are becoming established in everyday use, driven by growing adoption of Wero for transactions between individuals: 40% already see it as the future for payment methods. 
• French consumers are gradually adopting mobile payments in daily life: 26% use a mobile payment app every week in-store and 25% for online purchases. 
• Trust is becoming a new selection criterion: 73% of French people cite fraud and security as their main concerns regarding digital payments. 

Paris, 3 September 2026 – The European Payments Initiative (EPI), the pan-European initiative aiming to offer a sovereign payment solution to all European businesses and citizens through its Wero solution, announces the results of its annual European Payments Barometer, conducted by Kantar among more than 5,000 respondents in France, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg. 

In a challenging economic context, French consumers are paying closer attention to their spending: in 2026, 55% say most of their budget is devoted to essential expenses and 26% indicate their priority is covering day-to-day costs. This vigilance also extends to the tools they use to manage their money and make purchases. Consumers now expect their payment solutions not only to be easy to use, but also safer, more transparent and more reliable – and there is also a growing desire for a solution developed in Europe. 

Mobile payments are now part of everyday life for French consumers 

Payment apps are increasingly becoming part of French consumers’ habits, with 26% of French people now using a mobile payment app at least once a week in-store, while 25% use one every week for online purchases, making them the second digital payment method after bank cards. 

At the same time, 69% of French people now prefer a digital solution (payment app or bank transfer) to reimburse friends and family, indicating such tools are also gaining ground in person-to-person payments. 

And this shift is expected to continue in the coming years, with French consumers believing in a lasting future for mobile payments: 40% of French people believe they will eventually become the standard payment method and 51% believe they will complement existing payment methods. 

This adoption is explained by a very positive perception of payment apps: 74% of French people consider them easy to use, 67% see them as convenient for everyday payments and 69% consider them secure, which is a major selection criterion for more than 7 in 10 French people. 

As usage grows, expectations around trust become stronger 

The barometer shows that the adoption of digital payments does not reduce consumer expectations; on the contrary, it strengthens them. Fraud and security are now the number one concern for French people, cited by 73%, ahead of loss of confidentiality (41%), difficulties in the event of an error or dispute (42%) and dependence on technology (38%). 

In this context, trust in the providers of payment solutions becomes decisive – and banks remain the most credible actors to support this transformation for Europeans. 77% of French people say they trust established financial institutions, well ahead of technology giants (44%) and card networks (64%). 

French consumers express strong expectations in favour of European solutions 

Beyond trust, the barometer highlights a growing aspiration for greater payment sovereignty. Indeed, 86% of French people consider it important to have a payment solution developed in Europe, which is above the European average (82%). Among that number, 36% even consider this factor "very important". 

This expectation is also reflected in their preferences: 61% of French people favour a national solution where one exists, while 20% give priority to a European solution. 

These results illustrate a shift in selection criteria. Technical performance is no longer enough: consumers now expect solutions that combine innovation, trust and European roots. 

Wero, a response to consumers’ new expectations 

These results show that the conditions are in place for the adoption of a European payment solution that meets consumer expectations. In France, 70% of consumers already use Wero or have at least heard of it, reflecting an already high level of awareness. And among those who do not yet use it, 47% say they are ready to try it and 81% of future users see Wero as a complement to their existing payment methods, confirming its potential to gradually support the evolution of payment habits. 

By relying on a network of European banks, Wero responds precisely to the expectations expressed in this study: offering a payment solution that is simple, secure, interoperable and developed in Europe, capable of supporting the evolution of usage while strengthening consumer trust. 

About EPI

EPI (or European Payments Initiative) is supported by 18 European banks and payment service providers. Beyond the shareholders, over 50 institutions in Europe are now members of EPI. They have joined forces with a common goal: to offer a unified mobile payment service, to all European companies and citizens, Wero. EPI intends to enable European consumers and merchants and to carry out all types of retail transactions simply, via a resolutely sovereign digital wallet. 

Find out more at epicompany.eu and follow us on LinkedIn

About Wero

Based on instant account-to-account (A2A) payments, Wero further streamlines payments in Europe by eliminating intermediaries in the payment chain and the associated additional costs. Wero already supports payments between individuals, and will shortly unveil payments to professionals (P2Pro). Wero has been live for P2P payments in Belgium, France, and Germany since 2024, currently serving 57 million users. For retail payments, Wero is live in Germany since the end of 2025 with progressive roll-out in France and Belgium throughout 2026. Major migrations of at least 15 million consumers are also planned for Payconiq in Luxembourg (by 2026) and iDEAL in the Netherlands (by 2027). Point-of-sale payments will also be offered in 2026, as well as value-added services such as integration of merchant loyalty programs and recurring payments and subscription management.

Find out more at wero-wallet.eu and follow us on Instagram , Facebook and Wero’s LinkedIn

EPI/Wero media contact: media@epicompany.eu