Online and in-app transactions accounted for 55 per cent of domestic Visa payment volume in the UAE in 2026, compared with 35 per cent in 2019, according to a report by Visa Business and Economic Insights titled 'The Great Indoors: How the Couch Is Redefining Consumer Spending Habits'. The findings highlight the growth of a home-centered consumption pattern described as the couch economy.
Digital payment frequency also experienced significant growth across the Emirates. In 2018, 4.5 per cent of active UAE Visa cards were used for 10 or more online or in-app transactions each month, whereas by 2026 that proportion reached 25.7 per cent. Visa noted this figure placed the UAE slightly ahead of the United States at 25.4 per cent, while remaining below the United Kingdom's 27.8 per cent.
The shift was notably apparent in food delivery services, where the share of UAE cards active on delivery apps grew from approximately 2 per cent in 2018 to nearly 30 per cent in 2026. The study indicated that the majority of this growth stemmed from everyday spenders rather than higher-spending cardholders. Furthermore, UAE card activity for streaming and pay-TV subscriptions remained higher than spending on cinemas and concerts.
Mohamed Bardastani, Visa's Principal Economist for Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa, stated that the trend reflects digital advancement and rising consumer expectations for seamless experiences, with digital transactions increasingly shaping everyday spending.
The study analyzed six countries—Australia, Brazil, Poland, the UAE, the UK, and the US—utilizing anonymized VisaNet transaction data covering domestic Visa credit, debit, and prepaid cards spent with local merchants.
Sources
- Arabian Business · 2026-10-12
