Digital wallets are no longer a side option at checkout.
Digital Transactions recently reported that payment apps and digital wallets are now used regularly by most consumers surveyed in WSFS Bank’s 2026 Money Trends Survey. The article notes that payment app usage rose from 67% in 2023 to 73% in 2026, while digital wallet usage rose from 54% to 64%.
For merchants, the data is useful because it points to a behavior that is relevant right now.
Customers are not only carrying cards. They are increasingly paying through phones, apps, stored credentials, and wallet-based checkout experiences.
Why This Matters in 2026 and Beyond
A customer may still be using a debit card or credit card, but the payment may happen through Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal, Cash App, Venmo, or another wallet.
That changes the checkout experience.
Customers expect payment to be fast, familiar, and low-friction. If a merchant’s terminal does not accept tap-to-pay, if mobile checkout hides wallet buttons, or if stored credentials fail, the customer may see the business as outdated or inconvenient.
For debit card users, wallets can also support better spending control. They allow customers to access their bank-linked payment methods without pulling out a physical card.
Review the Wallet Experience
Merchants should check:
- Whether tap-to-pay is enabled in-store
- Whether wallet buttons appear clearly online
- Whether mobile checkout works smoothly
- Whether wallet transactions are approved reliably
- Whether staff can troubleshoot terminal issues
- Whether recurring payments support stored wallet credentials
- Whether reporting separates wallet, debit, and credit activity
Wallet acceptance should be easy for the customer and understandable for the business.
Do Not Treat Wallets as One Payment Type
Digital wallets can contain debit cards, credit cards, prepaid cards, bank accounts, or stored balances. Merchants should understand what customers are actually using inside the wallet because cost, risk, and behavior may vary.
The practical approach is to review payment reports, approval rates, abandoned carts, and customer feedback.
The Main Takeaway
Digital wallet growth is not a future trend. It is already affecting how customers choose where and how to pay.
Merchants that make wallet payments easy, visible, and reliable will be better prepared for a checkout environment where convenience matters as much as acceptance.
The future is not cards versus wallets. It is cards, wallets, apps, debit, credit, ACH, and other payment options working together around customer preference.