2025 Local Payment Method Distribution in Four Southeast Asian Countries

Background

Southeast Asia is one of the fastest-growing regions for mobile payments, but differences in infrastructure, user habits and regulatory policies across countries lead to varied payment structures. This infographic compares the distribution of local payment methods (mobile payments, card payments, cash, and others) across four major economies—Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, and the Philippines—based on industry public reports and reasonable estimates.

Payment Method Share Overview (2025 Estimates)

Indonesia

• Mobile Payments: 50% – Driven by e-wallets like GoPay and OVO, penetration continues to rise.
• Card Payments: 20% – Debit and credit card adoption is moderate, but usage scenarios are limited.
• Cash: 25% – Rural areas and traditional transactions still rely on cash.
• Others: 5% – Including bank transfers, BNPL, etc.

Vietnam

• Mobile Payments: 45% – MoMo, ZaloPay are growing fast, but cash habits remain strong.
• Card Payments: 15% – Bank card penetration is low, mainly used in cities.
• Cash: 35% – High cash usage in small transactions and rural areas.
• Others: 5% – Alternative payments beyond internet banking and e-wallets.

Thailand

• Mobile Payments: 55% – TrueMoney and PromptPay have seen significant adoption, QR code payments widespread.
• Card Payments: 25% – Higher credit card penetration, boosted by tourism spending.
• Cash: 15% – Cash still common outside big cities but declining.
• Others: 5% – Including digital bank accounts.

Philippines

• Mobile Payments: 40% – GCash and PayMaya have large user bases, but cash remains dominant.
• Card Payments: 10% – Low bank card usage, mostly for high-end consumption.
• Cash: 45% – Large unbanked population, cash transactions dominate.
• Others: 5% – Remittance cards, prepaid cards, etc.

Trends & Insights

• Mobile payments are strongest in Thailand and Indonesia, while cash retreats slower in the Philippines and Vietnam.
• The small but fast-growing “Others” segment (BNPL, digital banking) could reshape the landscape.
• Card payments remain stable but face pressure from mobile payments, limiting growth.

Data source: Reasonable estimates based on Worldpay 2024 Global Payments Report, Kantar, Google-Temasek-Bain e-Conomy SEA reports, not precise statistics.