Mobile payments in Germany: Usage is growing strongly
January 12, 2026
The second edition of the EPI European Payment Barometer 2025 was compiled by Kantar, with over 4,000 respondents from Belgium, France, Germany and the Netherlands. The picture is clear: mobile payments are gaining momentum in Germany.
Full infography available here
User adoption accelerating
A third of Germans use mobile payment apps such as Wero online or in-store at least once a week; almost 10 percent do so almost daily.
Online payments
42 percent of respondents prefer digital payment methods for e-commerce. 34 percent use mobile payment apps, while 23 percent use digital wallets.
Classic methods remain relevant: 37 percent prefer paying by credit card, 23 percent by bank transfer.
The willingness to use digital payments is also increasing: Among the 14 percent who have not yet used mobile payment apps, 39 percent say they would like to do so in the future – 11 percent with firm intention. This puts Germany above the European average (32 percent) and offers high growth potential.
In-store payments
Cash remains dominant in brick-and-mortar retail, with 73 percent weekly use. Nevertheless, 50 percent of consumers already rely on contactless digital payments – 34 percent via app such as Wero, 19 percent using digital wallets on smartphones or smartwatches.
Of the previous non-users, 43 percent are interested in making mobile payments in the future, rising to 64 percent among those under 25 years years old.
Trust & perception
The development is rapid: in 2024, only 5 percent of Germans said they made mobile payments every day; By 2025, it will be 11 percent in-store and 8 percent online.
Trust is high: 74 percent perceive mobile payments as easy, 69 percent as secure. Half of those surveyed expect apps like Wero to exist alongside other payment methods in the future, and 40 percent believe they will become the standard.
56 percent of Germans are willing to use Wero, and 19 percent have already made up their minds to do so.
77 percent of these potential users plan to combine Wero with other payment methods. Flexible payment options (75 percent), transport document management (73 percent) and integration of merchant loyalty programs (69 percent) are particularly appreciated.
German consumers are open to mobile payment solutions such as Wero. They see it as a secure, efficient and European complement to existing methods and thus create a strong foundation for further growth and innovation in digital payments.
