Contactless payment market share during COVID-19 in Belgium 2020-2021

Belgian consumers increasingly adopted contactless payments during the coronavirus pandemic as the NFC market share more than doubled within two months. This was a significant increase for the country, especially since Belgium had one of the lowest contactless penetration rates in all of Europe in 2018. Although Belgium does offer support for both Google Pay (since 2017) and Apple Pay (since 2018), their use was limited. In early 2019, it has been estimated that Belgium counted 150,000 Apple Pay users and roughly 35,000 Google Pay users.

COVID-19 changed Belgium’s payment behavior

Belgium’s use of debit cards over cash grew as the country implemented several safety measures in response to the coronavirus. For instance, there was an increase of the payment limit on contactless cards, like in in other European countries. This limit was increased so people would avoid having to type in their PIN during a transaction. According to available figures, Belgian consumers continued to use contactless payments even after quarantine measures were lessened.

Did COVID-19 have any influence on online shopping in Belgium?

Although Belgium’s e-commerce market size increased for several years in a row, domestic sources claim it has accelerated during the lockdown. A survey conducted in May 2020 notably revealed that many Belgians did their first-ever online purchase while being confined at home. The group of first-time buyers was especially high among people aged 60 and over. For instance, 50 percent of 61-to-70-year-olds bought flowers online for the first time.