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Europe & UK Consumers Now Prefer Digital Wallets, BNPL for Travel Bookings, New Report Finds
While credit cards still dominate, especially in the U.S., travelers in Europe and the UK are increasingly choosing digital wallets and flexible options like “buy now, pay later”, and this preference is carrying over from general e-commerce into travel transactions. McKinsey reports that global wallets such as PayPal and Amazon now account for 55% of all online transactions in Europe, and CarTrawler’s Q2 2025 Market Monitor shows this same behavior is becoming more visible in travel, particularly car rentals and other travel products..
PayPal and Apple Pay now make up around 6% and 5% of European bookings, while Klarna’s BNPL share is climbing steadily: 1.8% of transactions in April, 2% in May, and 2.2% in June, up from 1.5% at the end of 2024. In the UK specifically, Apple Pay is now the leading digital payment method for car rentals, accounting for more than 10% of bookings in June, compared to PayPal’s nearly 6%.
In contrast, the U.S. travel sector remains heavily card-based, largely due to rental suppliers incentivizing credit card use and the prevalence of “post-paid” bookings at the rental counter.
These trends underline a clear takeaway: as travelers become used to paying for everyday purchases with digital wallets and BNPL, they expect the same flexible, convenient and frictionless payment choices when booking travel, and brands that don’t adapt risk losing conversion at checkout. For OTAs, loyalty programs, and travel suppliers, expanding and offering more localized alternative payment options is now essential for driving bookings and strengthening customer loyalty.
Companies In This Post
- FreedomPay Drives Global Merchant Innovation Read more
- FIS Brings AI-Powered Advancements to Seamless, Personalized Digital Banking Experiences Read more
- Citi Ventures Invests in BVNK to Power the Next Generation of Financial Infrastructure Read more
- Nearly Two-Thirds of Global Retailers Say Payment Method Flexibility Drives Revenue Growth, ACI Worldwide Survey Finds Read more
- Ipswich Town Selects IFX Payments as an Elite Partner Read more
FIS Brings AI-Powered Advancements to Seamless, Personalized Digital Banking Experiences
FIS® announced a strategic partnership with Glia to deliver advanced AI-powered customer engagement capabilities across FIS' Digital One suite
Citi Ventures Invests in BVNK to Power the Next Generation of Financial Infrastructure
Citi Ventures has announced a strategic investment in BVNK, highlighting the shift toward digital asset-based infrastructure.
Nearly Two-Thirds of Global Retailers Say Payment Method Flexibility Drives Revenue Growth, ACI Worldwide Survey Finds
Global retailers are accelerating their multi-acquirer strategies to stay ahead, according to a new survey conducted by ACI Worldwide
Ipswich Town Selects IFX Payments as an Elite Partner
Ipswich Town Football Club has selected IFX Payments as an Elite Partner of the club
Cake Wallet Integrates xStocks, Letting Users Invest in Stocks Using Crypto.
Cake Wallet, an open-source, privacy-focused crypto wallet, today announced the integration of xStocks, a new feature that allows users to invest in tokenized stocks and ETFs directly through Web3 self-custody.
Routefusion Secures $26.5 Million Series A to Expand its Global Payments Network
Routefusion, a financial infrastructure provider enabling platforms and financial institutions to embed seamless cross-border payments and multi-currency account capabilities, today announced the close of a $26.5 million Series A funding round. The round was led by PeakSpan Capital, with participation from Silverton Partners, bringing the company’s total funding to $40.7 million.
BCP Launches Criptococos, the First Crypto Banking Platform in Peru, Powered by BitGo
Banco de Crédito del Perú (“BCP”), the largest bank and the largest supplier of integrated financial services in Peru, and BitGo, the digital asset infrastructure company, today announced the launch of Criptococos, the first banking platform in Peru, to enable the secure purchase and management of crypto assets. The launch is part of a pilot project authorized by the Superintendency of Banking, Insurance, and Pension Fund Administrators (SBS) and reflects BCP’s ongoing commitment to driving innovation in the financial system.
FreedomPay Drives Global Merchant Innovation
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FIS Brings AI-Powered Advancements to Seamless, Personalized Digital Banking Experiences
FIS® announced a strategic partnership with Glia to deliver advanced AI-powered customer engagement capabilities across FIS' Digital One suite
Citi Ventures Invests in BVNK to Power the Next Generation of Financial Infrastructure
Citi Ventures has announced a strategic investment in BVNK, highlighting the shift toward digital asset-based infrastructure.
Nearly Two-Thirds of Global Retailers Say Payment Method Flexibility Drives Revenue Growth, ACI Worldwide Survey Finds
Global retailers are accelerating their multi-acquirer strategies to stay ahead, according to a new survey conducted by ACI Worldwide
Ipswich Town Selects IFX Payments as an Elite Partner
Ipswich Town Football Club has selected IFX Payments as an Elite Partner of the club
Cake Wallet Integrates xStocks, Letting Users Invest in Stocks Using Crypto.
Cake Wallet, an open-source, privacy-focused crypto wallet, today announced the integration of xStocks, a new feature that allows users to invest in tokenized stocks and ETFs directly through Web3 self-custody.
Routefusion Secures $26.5 Million Series A to Expand its Global Payments Network
Routefusion, a financial infrastructure provider enabling platforms and financial institutions to embed seamless cross-border payments and multi-currency account capabilities, today announced the close of a $26.5 million Series A funding round. The round was led by PeakSpan Capital, with participation from Silverton Partners, bringing the company’s total funding to $40.7 million.