The United Arab Emirates has emerged as the global leader in mobile shopping, according to the 2025 Global Digital Shopping Index, UAE edition, commissioned by Visa Acceptance Solutions and conducted by PYMNTS Intelligence. The report highlights the pervasive role of mobile devices in consumer behavior across the Emirates.
Based on a survey of 1,679 consumers and 329 merchants in the UAE, the index revealed that 67% of UAE consumers utilized their mobile phones as part of their latest retail purchase, marking a 23% increase since 2022. The UAE’s rate of online shopping via mobile devices stands at 37%, surpassing Singapore (34.8%), the U.K. (27.6%), and Brazil (24.4%).
The report also noted significant adoption of advanced payment security features, with 32% of UAE consumers using biometric authentication (such as fingerprint or facial recognition) for their most recent online retail transaction. This figure significantly exceeds the global average of 17%. Furthermore, 53% of UAE consumers expressed a desire for cross-channel shopping experiences (integrating physical and digital channels), placing the country second globally in this preference.
UAE shoppers demonstrate high global rankings in their preference for rewards programs (75%), free shipping (73%), and price matching (70%). Approximately 38% of UAE shoppers made their most recent retail purchase online via a mobile phone or computer for home delivery.
These trends are supported by a robust business and regulatory environment, with close collaboration between UAE merchants and the government to deliver secure, seamless, and customer-centric digital payment experiences.
Salima Gutieva, Visa’s Vice President and Country Manager for UAE, commented, “The UAE’s approach shows what is possible when all stakeholders work together to build the future of commerce. Visa is delighted to contribute to the UAE government’s digital commerce agenda, and we remain committed to working with local businesses and banks to introduce innovations such as Visa’s Click to Pay that can deliver the digital payment experiences that today’s consumers demand.”
The mobile-first mindset is widely adopted across all demographic segments in the UAE. Millennials lead mobile shopping at 73%, with Generation Z slightly trailing Generation X. However, adoption rates drop sharply among Baby Boomers and seniors, with only 18% using a mobile phone for their latest purchase.
–Input WAM
