Outlook: Digital payment markets expect 2021 windfall as online shopping surges

Outlook: Digital payment markets expect 2021 windfall as online shopping surges

E-commerce and digital payment markets in the Middle East and North Africa and Pakistan (MENAP) region will continue to reap the benefits of a growing number of customers making online purchases.In a survey conducted in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Pakistan last September, 47 percent of the 5,000 respondents said they expect to shop online more frequently over the next year.Shift to online shoppingE-commerce players in the region, including brick-and-mortar operators with digital presence, have recently reported strong sales as consumers stayed away from crowded public places on coronavirus fears.In Checkout's survey, 90 percent of consumers said they now shop online. The report said the pandemic is accelerating growth particularly in the online purchases of prepared meals, clothing, groceries and electronics.The shift to online shopping