Mastercard study: the mobile phone is the new favorite payment method | Progresiv
74% of consumers in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) indicated the mobile phone as the preferred alternative payment method, according to a new Mastercard study regarding the use of digital services among the population. Made in 13 CEE countries, including Romania, Austria, Croatia, Poland or Hungary, it reveals that the use of the smartphone has reached more than 90%, leaving behind the use of tablet or laptop. The e-mail, internet and social media are also up 17% over 2016. 
In the past three years, Romanians have consistently adopted a digital lifestyle using more and more tools and functionalities. Currently, about 90% of the population uses a smartphone, up by 6% compared to 2016. However, Romanian respondents consider that digital services available on the market are not enough, especially in areas such as education, health and public transport, where they feel the greatest need for digital innovation.
Mobile payment and authentication methods are increasingly used by the Romanian population, with almost 80% of the respondents using this type of payment declaring that the process of acquiring and confirming mobile payment is the best digital alternative. The SMS code for authorizing online transactions is the preferred method and used most often for authentication by half of Romanian users.
Biometric authentication also winning ground
At the same time, biometric authentication is on an upward trend in the preferences of Romanian consumers, 44% of those interviewed saying that if they could choose at the time of payment, they would opt for a biometric authentication method. 24% of Romanians already use biometric authentication in one form or another, compared to 2016, when the percentage was only 5%.
"Digital retail continues to grow at an accelerated pace, which is extremely beneficial to online retailers. We are pleased to offer our Identity Check solution with integrated EMV 3DS, using real-time authentication methods such as dynamic passwords and biometrics (including fingerprint, facial recognition, iris and voice recognition) to provide a more secure online experience, suitable for the future of e-commerce", said Cosmin Vladimirescu, Country Manager, Mastercard Romania.
8 out of 10 CEE consumers think digital footprint is a safe payment method. Biometric authentication is embraced by people of all ages, but young people are the most open to this. In terms of online security awareness, Romanians prefer their password to be unique (52%) and easy to remember (41%). Over half of consumers remember their password, while one in four respondents post it on paper or save it on the phone, though these password-saving methods can expose it to potential frauds. Biometric authentication comes in the forefront of these problems, eliminating the need to store passwords.
Also, consumer confidence in Artificial Intelligence (IA) is steadily increasing: 25% of respondents have tested artificial technology based on Artificial Intelligence in the past, while 63% would try similar digital tools in the future. The highest percentage of use is among young people aged 20-29.
