38 percent of all daily transactions are paid with cards

38 percent of all daily transactions are paid with cards

When looking at the type of payment product found in respondents' wallets, the majority are debit cards, owned by as many as 96 percent of respondents, while every fourth respondent owns a credit card.

Payment cards are most often used for purchases in supermarkets (69%), clothing and footwear stores (55%), local grocery stores (49%), and gas stations (43%). On the other hand, all markets and newsstands are the most frequently mentioned locations where 27 percent of respondents would like to pay with cards, which is another indicator of the habit payment card users in Serbia are acquiring.

The reason for the frequent use of payment cards lies primarily in the simplicity and practicality of this payment method, which was highlighted by 27 percent of the respondents, while another 24 percent value constant access to funds in the account. What would further encourage the use of payment cards are discounts at certain shops, as stated by 58 percent of respondents, it is also interesting that 44 percent of respondents claim that a wider acceptance network could be of use too.
"The survey conducted by MasterIndex Serbia showed that we all see cashless payments, primarily cards, as an integral part of our everyday life. With the fact that payments with cards and mobile wallets are the first choice even for payments of smaller amounts up to 4,000 dinars, with 59 percent of respondents who said that versus 37 percent who opt for cash, the digital commitment of citizens is also confirmed by information that for the first time, mobile wallets are the reason why citizens choose to use card payments. Citizens already recognize that the future is digital, and we will continue with the implementation of modern payment and security technologies on the Serbian market to enable individuals, businesses, and the public sector to use these digital potentials," said Jelena Ristić, director of the Mastercard company for the Serbian, Bosnian and Montenegrin market.

Users in Serbia most often choose domestic web shops

MasterIndex shows that 71% of respondents have encountered online payments and purchases. Online payments are mostly made monthly (28%), while 11% of respondents practice paying online at least once a week, which is a slight increase (4%) compared to last year's survey.

Monthly bills continue to top the list of things paid online (56%, up 9 percent from last year). In addition to paying bills, users shop online for clothes (54%, 10% more than last year) and food (33%). In addition to cash on delivery, an option used by two-thirds of respondents, 39% of respondents said they pay by card online, while another 15% say they pay by card on delivery, an option that Mastercard introduced to the market in 2022.

Domestic web stores are still a more frequent shopping address than foreign online shops (55% vs. 6% of respondents), with one-fifth of respondents without a preference. Ten percent of respondents pointed out that they also buy via social networks, Instagram, and Facebook.

About MasterIndex study

The MasterIndex Serbia survey is a traditional annual survey examining the habits and needs of active payment card users in Serbia. The survey has been conducted every year since 2009 and was conducted on a representative sample of citizens from all over Serbia over the age of 18.