72 percent of those under 40 pay with a smartphone or smartwatch.
Contactless payment with bank or credit cards is now commonplace in Germany. 87 percent of consumers use this option at the checkout. Mobile payment, on the other hand, despite significant growth, remains primarily prevalent among younger people. This is shown by the representative "Postbank Digital Study 2026," for which more than 3.000 German citizens were surveyed.
Overall, 47 percent of Germans now pay with a smartphone, smartwatch, or app. Last year, this figure was 35 percent. The differences between age groups are particularly pronounced: While 72 percent of those under 40 use mobile payment, the figure is only 36 percent for those aged 40 and over.
Contactless card payments are also more common among younger people. 93 percent of those under 40 use their cards contactlessly, compared to 84 percent of older respondents. Many users cite convenience and speed at the checkout as the main advantages.
From the perspective of non-users, the main reason against mobile payment is their preference for other payment methods. 62 percent prefer to stick with cards or cash. 39 percent cite security and data privacy concerns, and 25 percent admit to lacking the necessary knowledge about mobile payment methods.
“The biggest hurdle for mobile payment is less about security than about habit,” says David Dommel, Head of Digital Performance Marketing at Postbank. “Those who haven’t yet tried paying with their smartphone in everyday life usually stick with cards or cash.”
