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Digital payment types in Germany

Statistics report on which cashless payment methods and brands are used the most in Germany

One of Europe's most populated markets, Germany historically prefers cash. Is this changing, due to the rise of BNPL or or digital payment methods?

This report aims to provide a comparative overview of how different cashless, or digital, payment methods within Germany compare against each other. Which payment method do consumers in the country prefer to use either in POS or online shopping? Which brands do they use? And how does Germany deal with potential payment disruptors, such as buy now, pay later, cryptocurrency, or real-time payments?

The main structure of this report focuses on industry-important metrics for each payment method. The metrics are as follows:

  • Adoption and/or penetration;
  • The biggest brands within certain payment methods;
  • User count and/or user demographics;
  • Value of transactions, in domestic currency and/or U.S. dollar;
  • Number of transactions per user.


With those metrics, the following payment methods are discussed:

  1. Credit cards;
  2. Debit cards;
  3. Mobile payments at POS, also called contactless or mobile proximity payments;
  4. Payments in e-commerce, with any device;
  5. Buy now, pay later (BNPL);
  6. Cryptocurrency as a payment method;
  7. Account-to-account (A2A) payments;
  8. Real-time (instant) payments;
  9. (Digital) remittances.


The report, finally, closes off with a chapter on figures that help contextualize digital payments in the country - such as the market size of e-commerce, how many people do not have access to financial services, or the size of cross-border remittances from and towards the country.

The report is designed to be comparable with other "Digital payment types" studies that cover different countries across the world.

Table of contents

Market share

6
  • Premium Statistic Annual level of ATM cash payments in Germany 2012-2023
  • Premium Statistic Annual currency in circulation (CIC) to GDP ratio of Germany 2001-2023
  • Premium Statistic Most used in-store (POS) payment methods in Germany 2017-2025, with 2030 forecast
  • Premium Forecast Payments at points of sale by type in Germany 2025
  • Premium Statistic Most used e-commerce payment methods in Germany 2016-2025, with 2030 forecast
  • Premium Forecast Most common online payments by type in Germany 2025

Penetration

8
  • Premium Statistic Triennial credit card penetration in Germany 2011-2024, by demographic
  • Premium Statistic Triennial debit card penetration in Germany 2011-2024, by demographic
  • Premium Statistic Quarterly adoption of mobile payments at POS in Germany 2018-Q1 2026
  • Premium Forecast Mobile payments usage by situation in Germany 2024
  • Premium Statistic Penetration rate of wearable devices for payments in 7 countries in Europe NA 2024
  • Premium Statistic Annual crypto adoption development in Germany 2020-2025, by metric
  • Premium Forecast Domestic and cross-border e-commerce revenue share 2026, by country
  • Premium Statistic Quarterly market share of outgoing digital remittances in Germany 2016-2025

Biggest brands

7
  • Premium Statistic Biggest international and domestic payment card schemes in Germany 2016-2024
  • Premium Forecast Biggest contactless payment brands at POS in Germany 2024
  • Premium Forecast Biggest e-commerce payment brands in Germany 2024
  • Premium Statistic Monthly downloads of digital wallet Wero in several countries in Europe 2024-2025
  • Premium Statistic Biggest buy now, pay later (BNPL) apps in Germany 2015-2025, based on downloads
  • Premium Statistic Biggest cryptocurrency wallets in Germany 2015-2025, based on downloads
  • Premium Statistic Quarterly market share of outgoing remittance brands in Germany 2011-2025

Users

6
  • Premium Statistic Leading factors in choosing online payment methods in 7 countries in Europe NA 2024
  • Basic Statistic Annual credit card and debit cards issued in Germany 2000-2024
  • Premium Statistic Quarterly Apple Pay penetration, online or offline, in Germany 2019-2026
  • Premium Statistic Quarterly Google Pay penetration, online or offline, in Germany 2019-2026
  • Premium Statistic Biggest buy now, pay later (BNPL) apps in Germany in 2025, based on MAU
  • Premium Statistic Annual number of crypto users in Germany 2017-2023

Transaction value

7
  • Premium Statistic Annual key figures on credit card payments in Germany, with forecasts up to 2029
  • Premium Statistic Annual credit card spending in Germany 2012-2024, in local currency and USD
  • Premium Statistic Annual key figures on debit card payments in Germany, with forecasts up to 2029
  • Premium Statistic Annual debit card spending in Germany 2000-2024, in local currency and USD
  • Premium Statistic Mobile payment market size in 10 countries in Europe in 2020, with a 2025 forecast
  • Premium Statistic Annual BNPL spending in Germany 2022-2025, with a 2031 forecast
  • Premium Statistic Annual value of outgoing and incoming remittance flow in Germany 2021, by country

Number of transactions

5
  • Premium Statistic Annual number of credit card transactions in Germany 2000-2024, per capita
  • Basic Statistic Size of a credit card transaction in Germany 2012-2024, in local currency and USD
  • Premium Statistic Annual number of debit card transactions in Germany 2000-2024, per capita
  • Basic Statistic Size of a debit card transaction in Germany 2000-2023, in local currency and USD
  • Premium Statistic Annual number of real-time payments in Germany in 2023, with a 2028 forecast

Miscellaneous

7
  • Basic Statistic Annual number of POS terminals in Germany 2000-2024
  • Premium Statistic Triennial unbanked population share in Germany 2011-2024, by demographic
  • Premium Forecast Number of internet users in Germany 2000-2050
  • Premium Forecast Mobile internet usage penetration rate in Germany 2010-2050
  • Premium Statistic E-commerce market volume in Germany 2006-2026
  • Premium Statistic Main cross-border online shopping origin markets in Germany 2022, by market share
  • Premium Statistic Payment types accepted by all e-commerce vendors in Germany in 2022 and 2024
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