- ›
- Financial Services
data-vue-regional-dropdown aria-hidden="true">
Digital payments in France are dominated by cards, both in POS and online shopping, due to the popularity of Cartes Bancaires. Carte Bancaires or CB - French for "bank cards" - is a domestic card scheme co-branded with Visa and Mastercard. More than half of payment cards issued in France are debit cards, but the French tend to refer to any payment card when using the term "Cartes Bancaires" - including cards not from this brand. The dominance of cards especially shows in French POS, as debit and credit cards together made up more than eight out of 10 transactions in physical stores. Digital wallets are slowly becoming popular in France, most notably in e-commerce. Google Pay was a more popular contactless (tap to pay) payment method in France than Apple Pay.
Digital payments refer to any form of cashless payment, or payments conducted without banknotes or coins, in an online or offline environment. Such payments can include mobile payments - digital payments performed with a mobile device - but also relatively new trends like buy now, pay later (BNPL), cryptocurrency, or instant (real-time) payments. Out of all these digital options, which developments are noteworthy to know about for France?
Will an e-commerce boom enable alternative payments in France?
One of Europe's most populated countries, e-commerce in France was relatively small compared to total retail sales, even declining over the years. Some may see this small market size as an opportunity to expand revenue and maybe compete against Cartes Bancaires. Digital wallets - such as Apple Pay and Google Pay - are considered payments that could benefit from future growth in online shopping in France. French consumers had concerns about mobile wallet security, however, fearing potential fraud or piracy. Indeed, French consumers were more skeptical than consumers from elsewhere regarding an e-commerce merchant's ability to prevent fraud.
France's experiments with CBDC for cross-border settlements
Since November 2022, France's central bank - with those of Switzerland and Singapore, as well as BIS (Bank for International Settlements) - participates in a pilot project on cross-border CBDC (central bank-issued digital currency) settlement using DeFi (Decentralized Finance) protocols. The six-month trial, named Project Mariana, is meant to test a new digital infrastructure for easy FX trading between countries. France was also the main country in Europe to experiment with the digital euro. Before this, France experimented with CBDC in 2020 to settle French government bonds - an experiment no other country had tried until then. France's goals with these experiments are to support cross-border settlements and to manage liquidity in Decentralized Finance. France's central bank is not creating retail CBDC projects for consumers like in China and the Bahamas.
This text provides general information. Statista assumes no liability for the information given being complete or correct. Due to varying update cycles, statistics can display more up-to-date data than referenced in the text.
Published by Statista Research Department, Mar 20, 2024
Key insights
- Forecasted number of digital payment transactions in Europe
- 482bn
Detailed statistics
Number of digital payments worldwide 2013-2021 with forecasts to 2027, by region
- Credit card penetration in France
- 39.8%
Detailed statistics
Credit card penetration in 161 countries worldwide 2011, 2014, 2017, 2021
- Buy now, pay later market share in domestic e-commerce in France
- 5%
Detailed statistics
Buy now, pay later (BNPL) share in e-commerce in 41 countries worldwide 2016-2023
Get more insights
Editor’s Picks Current statistics on this topic
Further recommended statistics
Market share
7
- Premium Statistic Annual level of cash payments in France 2000-2021
- Premium Statistic Annual currency in circulation (CIC) to GDP ratio of France 2001-2022
- Premium Statistic Most used in-store (POS) payment methods in France 2017-2023, with 2027 forecast
- Premium Statistic Payments at points of sale by type in France 2024
- Premium Statistic Most used e-commerce payment methods in France 2016-2023, with 2027 forecast
- Premium Statistic Most common online payments by type in France 2024
- Premium Statistic Penetration of crypto as a means of payment in selected countries worldwide in 2023
Market share
- Premium Statistic Annual level of cash payments in France 2000-2021
Annual level of cash payments in France 2000-2021
Share of cash estimate at point of sale (POS) in France from 2000 to 2021
- Premium Statistic Annual currency in circulation (CIC) to GDP ratio of France 2001-2022
Annual currency in circulation (CIC) to GDP ratio of France 2001-2022
Share of currency in circulation (CIC) to the nominal GDP of France from 2001 to 2022
- Premium Statistic Most used in-store (POS) payment methods in France 2017-2023, with 2027 forecast
Most used in-store (POS) payment methods in France 2017-2023, with 2027 forecast
Market share of cash, credit cards, and other payment methods at point of sale (POS) in France from 2017 to 2023, with a forecast for 2027
- Premium Statistic Payments at points of sale by type in France 2024
Payments at points of sale by type in France 2024
Payments at points of sale by type in France as of June 2024
- Premium Statistic Most used e-commerce payment methods in France 2016-2023, with 2027 forecast
Most used e-commerce payment methods in France 2016-2023, with 2027 forecast
Market share of cash, credit cards, and other payment methods during online shopping in France from 2016 to 2023, with a forecast for 2027
- Premium Statistic Most common online payments by type in France 2024
Most common online payments by type in France 2024
See AlsoApple Pay use in France 2024 | StatistaEurope's Payment Methods: The Local Payment Culture by Country - KOMOJU6 Top Payment Methods in France 2023: Info for MerchantsIs Cash App available in France/Does Cash App work in France?Most common online payments by type in France as of June 2024
- Premium Statistic Penetration of crypto as a means of payment in selected countries worldwide in 2023
Penetration of crypto as a means of payment in selected countries worldwide in 2023
Market share of cryptocurrency compared to other payment methods in selected countries across the world as of 2023
Penetration
7
- Premium Statistic Penetration rate of credit cards in France 2014-2029
- Premium Statistic Penetration rate of debit cards in France 2014-2029
- Premium Statistic Quarterly adoption of mobile payments at POS in France 2018-2024
- Premium Statistic Mobile payments usage by situation in France 2024
- Premium Statistic Annual crypto adoption development in France 2020-2023, by metric
- Premium Statistic Domestic and cross-border e-commerce revenue share 2023, by country
- Premium Statistic Quarterly market share of outgoing digital remittances in France 2016-2024
Penetration
- Premium Statistic Penetration rate of credit cards in France 2014-2029
Penetration rate of credit cards in France 2014-2029
Penetration rate of credit cards in France from 2014 to 2029
- Premium Statistic Penetration rate of debit cards in France 2014-2029
Penetration rate of debit cards in France 2014-2029
Penetration rate of debit cards in France from 2014 to 2029
- Premium Statistic Quarterly adoption of mobile payments at POS in France 2018-2024
Quarterly adoption of mobile payments at POS in France 2018-2024
Mobile payments usage performed with any mobile device at POS in France from 2018 to 2nd quarter of 2024
- Premium Statistic Mobile payments usage by situation in France 2024
Mobile payments usage by situation in France 2024
Mobile payments usage by situation in France in 2024
- Premium Statistic Annual crypto adoption development in France 2020-2023, by metric
Annual crypto adoption development in France 2020-2023, by metric
Crypto Adoption Index ranking of France from 2020 to 2023, by metric
- Premium Statistic Domestic and cross-border e-commerce revenue share 2023, by country
Domestic and cross-border e-commerce revenue share 2023, by country
Distribution of domestic and cross-border e-commerce revenues in 2023, by country
- Premium Statistic Quarterly market share of outgoing digital remittances in France 2016-2024
Quarterly market share of outgoing digital remittances in France 2016-2024
Share of digitally initiated remittances in France from 2nd quarter 2016 to 1st quarter 2024, based on remittance outflow towards any other country
Biggest brands
6
- Premium Statistic Biggest international and domestic payment card schemes in France 2016-2021
- Premium Statistic Biggest contactless payment brands at POS in France 2024
- Premium Statistic Biggest e-commerce payment brands in France 2024
- Premium Statistic Biggest buy now, pay later (BNPL) apps in France 2015-2023, based on downloads
- Premium Statistic Biggest cryptocurrency wallets in France 2015-2023, based on downloads
- Premium Statistic Quarterly market share of outgoing remittance brands in France 2011-2024
Biggest brands
- Premium Statistic Biggest international and domestic payment card schemes in France 2016-2021
Biggest international and domestic payment card schemes in France 2016-2021
Market share of payment card brands - Visa, Mastercard, American Express, or in-market local card schemes - in France from 2016 to 2021
- Premium Statistic Biggest contactless payment brands at POS in France 2024
Biggest contactless payment brands at POS in France 2024
Biggest contactless payment brands at POS in France as of June 2024
- Premium Statistic Biggest e-commerce payment brands in France 2024
Biggest e-commerce payment brands in France 2024
Biggest e-commerce payment brands in France as of June 2024
- Premium Statistic Biggest buy now, pay later (BNPL) apps in France 2015-2023, based on downloads
Biggest buy now, pay later (BNPL) apps in France 2015-2023, based on downloads
Biggest buy now, pay later (BNPL) apps in France from 1st quarter of 2015 to 4th quarter of 2023, by number of downloads
- Premium Statistic Biggest cryptocurrency wallets in France 2015-2023, based on downloads
Biggest cryptocurrency wallets in France 2015-2023, based on downloads
Biggest wallets for cryptocurrency storage in France from 1st quarter of 2015 to 4th quarter of 2023, by number of downloads
- Premium Statistic Quarterly market share of outgoing remittance brands in France 2011-2024
Quarterly market share of outgoing remittance brands in France 2011-2024
Biggest brands for remittances in France from 1st quarter 2011 to 1st quarter 2024, based on remittance outflow towards any other country
Users
6
- Basic Statistic Annual credit card and debit cards issued in France 2005-2022
- Premium Statistic Triennial credit card penetration in France 2011-2024, by demographic
- Premium Statistic Triennial debit card penetration in France 2011-2024, by demographic
- Premium Statistic Preference for payment by smartwatch in France in 2023, by age and gender
- Premium Statistic Top 10 countries worldwide based on number of buy now, pay later (BNPL) users 2022
- Premium Statistic Quarterly number of crypto users in France 2021-2022
Users
- Basic Statistic Annual credit card and debit cards issued in France 2005-2022
Annual credit card and debit cards issued in France 2005-2022
Total number of credit cards and debit cards in circulation in France from 2005 to 2022
- Premium Statistic Triennial credit card penetration in France 2011-2024, by demographic
Triennial credit card penetration in France 2011-2024, by demographic
Share of individuals who own a credit card in France in 2011, 2014, 2017 and 2021 with a forecast for 2024, by age, gender, and income level
- Premium Statistic Triennial debit card penetration in France 2011-2024, by demographic
Triennial debit card penetration in France 2011-2024, by demographic
Share of individuals who own a debit card in France in 2011, 2014, 2017 and 2021 with a forecast for 2024, by age, gender, and income level
- Premium Statistic Preference for payment by smartwatch in France in 2023, by age and gender
Preference for payment by smartwatch in France in 2023, by age and gender
Share of respondents in France who prefer to pay with a smartwatch over cash, card, mobile phone, or biometric payment method from 2nd quarter of 2022 to 2nd quarter of 2023
- Premium Statistic Top 10 countries worldwide based on number of buy now, pay later (BNPL) users 2022
Top 10 countries worldwide based on number of buy now, pay later (BNPL) users 2022
Leading countries in the world with the highest number of buy now, pay later (BNPL) users as of 2022 (in millions)
- Premium Statistic Quarterly number of crypto users in France 2021-2022
Quarterly number of crypto users in France 2021-2022
Estimated number of people who hold or trade cryptocurrency in France from 4th quarter of 2021 to 4th quarter of 2022
Transaction value
5
- Premium Statistic Annual credit card spending in France 2014-2022, in local currency and USD
- Premium Statistic Annual debit card spending in France 2014-2022, in local currency and USD
- Premium Statistic Annual contactless spending in France 2014-2022, in local currency and USD
- Premium Statistic Annual buy now, pay later (BNPL) spending in France in 2023, with a 2029 forecast
- Premium Statistic Annual value of outgoing and incoming remittance flow in France 2021, by country
Transaction value
- Premium Statistic Annual credit card spending in France 2014-2022, in local currency and USD
Annual credit card spending in France 2014-2022, in local currency and USD
Value of credit card transactions for payments in France from 2014 to 2022 (in million euros, and estimates in U.S. dollars)
- Premium Statistic Annual debit card spending in France 2014-2022, in local currency and USD
Annual debit card spending in France 2014-2022, in local currency and USD
Value of debit card transactions for payments in France from 2014 to 2022 (in million euros, and estimates in U.S. dollars)
- Premium Statistic Annual contactless spending in France 2014-2022, in local currency and USD
Annual contactless spending in France 2014-2022, in local currency and USD
Value of overall contactless transactions for payments in France from 2014 to 2022 (in million euros, and estimates in U.S. dollars)
- Premium Statistic Annual buy now, pay later (BNPL) spending in France in 2023, with a 2029 forecast
Annual buy now, pay later (BNPL) spending in France in 2023, with a 2029 forecast
Estimated transaction value of buy now, pay later (BNPL) in France in 2023, with forecasts for 2024 and 2029 (in million U.S. dollars)
- Premium Statistic Annual value of outgoing and incoming remittance flow in France 2021, by country
Annual value of outgoing and incoming remittance flow in France 2021, by country
Value of remittances sent from/to France to/from other countries or territories worldwide in 2021 (in million U.S. dollars)
Number of transactions
7
- Premium Statistic Annual number of credit card transactions in France 2014-2023, per capita
- Basic Statistic Size of a credit card transaction in France 2014-2022, in local currency and USD
- Premium Statistic Annual number of debit card transactions in France 2014-2022, per capita
- Basic Statistic Size of a debit card transaction in France 2014-2022, in local currency and USD
- Premium Statistic Annual number of contactless transactions in France 2014-2022, per capita
- Basic Statistic Size of a contactless transaction in France 2014-2022, in local currency and USD
- Premium Statistic Annual number of real-time payments in France in 2023, with a 2028 forecast
Number of transactions
- Premium Statistic Annual number of credit card transactions in France 2014-2023, per capita
Annual number of credit card transactions in France 2014-2023, per capita
Total number of credit card transactions processed for payments in France from 2014 to 2023
- Basic Statistic Size of a credit card transaction in France 2014-2022, in local currency and USD
Size of a credit card transaction in France 2014-2022, in local currency and USD
Average value of a credit card transaction in France from 2014 to 2022 (in euros, and estimates in U.S. dollars)
- Premium Statistic Annual number of debit card transactions in France 2014-2022, per capita
Annual number of debit card transactions in France 2014-2022, per capita
Total number of debit card transactions processed for payments in France from 2014 to 2022
- Basic Statistic Size of a debit card transaction in France 2014-2022, in local currency and USD
Size of a debit card transaction in France 2014-2022, in local currency and USD
Average value of a debit card transaction in France from 2014 to 2022 (in euros, and estimates in U.S. dollars)
- Premium Statistic Annual number of contactless transactions in France 2014-2022, per capita
Annual number of contactless transactions in France 2014-2022, per capita
Number of transactions involving contactless or NFC technology in France from 2014 to 2022
- Basic Statistic Size of a contactless transaction in France 2014-2022, in local currency and USD
Size of a contactless transaction in France 2014-2022, in local currency and USD
Average value of a contactless transaction in France from 2014 to 2022 (in euros, and estimates in U.S. dollars)
- Premium Statistic Annual number of real-time payments in France in 2023, with a 2028 forecast
Annual number of real-time payments in France in 2023, with a 2028 forecast
Total number of real-time (instant) payments in France in 2023, with a forecast for 2028
Miscellaneous
6
- Basic Statistic Annual number of POS terminals in France 2000-2023
- Premium Statistic Triennial unbanked population share in France 2011-2024, by demographic
- Premium Statistic Internet users in France 2014-2029
- Premium Statistic Mobile internet usage reach in France 2014-2029
- Premium Statistic Retail e-commerce revenue in France 2017-2025
- Premium Statistic Main cross-border online shopping origin markets in France 2022, by market share
Miscellaneous
- Basic Statistic Annual number of POS terminals in France 2000-2023
Annual number of POS terminals in France 2000-2023
Total number of POS terminals reported in France from 2000 to 2023
- Premium Statistic Triennial unbanked population share in France 2011-2024, by demographic
Triennial unbanked population share in France 2011-2024, by demographic
Share of unbanked individuals in France in 2011, 2014, 2017 and 2021 with a forecast for 2024, by age, gender, and income level
- Premium Statistic Internet users in France 2014-2029
Internet users in France 2014-2029
Number of internet users in France from 2014 to 2029 (in millions)
- Premium Statistic Mobile internet usage reach in France 2014-2029
Mobile internet usage reach in France 2014-2029
Mobile internet usage penetration in France from 2014 to 2029
- Premium Statistic Retail e-commerce revenue in France 2017-2025
Retail e-commerce revenue in France 2017-2025
Retail e-commerce revenue in France from 2017 to 2025 (in billion U.S. dollars)
- Premium Statistic Main cross-border online shopping origin markets in France 2022, by market share
Main cross-border online shopping origin markets in France 2022, by market share
Leading markets of origin of cross-border online purchases in France in 2022, by market share