Payments, card transactions are flying in 2021: + 73% over 2019. Average spending boom: + 111% to 2,337 euros. But hold back eCommerce

Card transactions and spending are constantly increasing: while in 2019 the transactions carried out by customers were on average 41 per person, in 2020 with the pandemic they rose to 61 per person (+ 68%) and increased further to 71 in 2021 (+ 73% compared to 2019). The average amount spent during the year grows even more, going from 1110 euros per person in 2019 to 2337 euros in 2021 (+ 111%). This is what a research of the Revolut financial app reveals. “We are witnessing, on the one hand, an acceleration towards digital payments made sometimes still necessary today by the new rules dictated by the pandemic. At the same time we also see that some habits, previously inevitable such as online purchases in some situations, have taken hold and they continue to be chosen despite the fact that physical or more analog alternatives are available again “, comments Elena Lavezzi, General Manager Italy and Southern Europe of Revolut. “It is the confirmation that when the user is satisfied by the user experience he does not abandon it and that Italians are well open to technological innovations”. E-commerce slows down – In 2020, online shopping grew out of necessity: in the first year of the pandemic, 4 out of 10 card purchases took place online, while in 2019 25% occurred online and consequently 3 out of 4 in person. In 2021, with the possibility of going out more online purchases were still 36% of the total, slightly less than in 2020, but considering that the restrictions were much more contained than the previous year, it is possible to deduce that Italians however, they preferred to continue to purchase some products and services online. No contacts – Instead, the unstoppable growth of contactless transactions continues, highlights the study, “thanks to a simpler and faster shopping experience and the general preference, by users and merchants, in limiting contact and potentially the possibility of infection”. The percentage of this type of transaction already before the start of the pandemic amounted on average to 70% of the total that took place in presence. In 2020, the share increased by 8 points to 78% and then reached 80% in 2021. Italians like Bitcoins – Cryptocurrencies continue to attract interest in Italy: customers who bought crypto on Revolut in 2021 are increased by 239% compared to 2020. Bitcoin is confirmed as the most popular cryptocurrency and records an increase in investments of 236% over 2020, followed by Ethereum, which in 2020 was in third place and records an increase in investments of 691%, and Ripple, which compared to last year marks + 210%.