Digital wallets accounted for nearly one-third of Canadian online spending in 2025, as consumers continued to broaden the ways they pay for goods and services, according to a new report from Global Payments Inc.
Digital wallets, including Apple Pay and Google Wallet, represented 32 per cent of Canadian e-commerce transaction value last year, second only to credit cards at 46 per cent, the 11th edition of the Global Payments Report found.
The report projects that digital wallets will account for 37 per cent of Canadian e-commerce transaction value by 2030, while credit cards are expected to decline to 42 per cent.
The findings point to a shift in Canada’s traditionally card-dominated payments market as consumers use a wider range of payment methods across online and in-store purchases.
Credit cards remain dominant
Global Payments, which recently completed its acquisition of Worldpay, said the annual report examines consumer payment trends and forecasts how those preferences could develop through 2030.
The report is based on a survey of more than 63,000 consumers across 42 markets and five continents.
Canada remains heavily reliant on cards for in-person purchases. Credit cards represented 51 per cent of point-of-sale transaction value in 2025, while debit cards accounted for 23 per cent, according to the report.
Digital wallets represented 13 per cent of point-of-sale transaction value. That share is forecast to exceed one-fifth of in-store spending by 2030.
The figures suggest payment preferences are becoming more varied depending on how and where consumers shop, increasing the importance for businesses of supporting multiple payment methods across online and physical sales channels.
“Consumers increasingly expect greater choice and flexibility in how they pay,” said Phil Hogg, Head of Canada Enterprise Business Development at Global Payments. “The findings not only highlight the growing role digital wallets play in everyday commerce, but they also underscore the proliferation of payment options. Businesses that adapt to consumers’ desire for a range of payment choices will be better positioned to serve their customers and support future growth.”
Canada trails global digital-wallet adoption
The growth of digital wallets in Canada comes as other markets have shifted more strongly toward mobile-based payments.
Globally, digital wallets were the leading payment method in 2025, accounting for 56 per cent of e-commerce transaction value and 33 per cent of point-of-sale transaction value, the report said.
Payment apps, a broader category that includes digital wallets, buy now, pay later services, account-to-account payments and other banking applications, are forecast to represent 46 per cent of global in-store spending by 2030. The report puts the projected transaction value at about US$15.6 trillion.
The Asia-Pacific region had the highest digital-wallet adoption in 2025. Digital wallets accounted for 77 per cent of e-commerce transaction value and 62 per cent of point-of-sale transaction value in the region.
Canada, by comparison, continues to have a credit card-led payments market, although the report indicates consumers are increasingly using alternative methods.
Buy now, pay later gains ground
The report also identifies growth in buy now, pay later services, which accounted for five per cent of Canadian e-commerce transaction value in 2025.
That share is forecast to grow at a compound annual growth rate of nine per cent through 2030, according to the report.
The figures come as consumers gain access to a broader range of ways to pay for online purchases, including digital wallets and deferred-payment services.
Global Payments said the report is intended to provide an annual assessment of trends affecting consumer payments and their expected development through 2030.
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