Consumer trends show digital wallet growth in US and AI adoption in ASEAN

Recent consumer surveys reveal diverging trends in the adoption of financial technologies across the United States and the ASEAN region. In the US, S&P Global reports that digital wallets have become mainstream, with 67% of consumers using them online in the last 90 days. PayPal leads online usage at 62%, while Apple Pay dominates in-store at 43%. However, interest in cryptocurrency and stablecoins remains low; 68% of US consumers have never used crypto, and stablecoin awareness is only at 16%, with many citing concerns regarding fraud and fund safety.

In contrast, the ASEAN region shows high integration of artificial intelligence in financial management. A UOB survey found that approximately 80% of consumers in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam have made financial decisions based on AI recommendations. While 91% of regional consumers use digital tools for wealth management, Vietnam leads in daily AI usage at 55%. Consumers primarily utilize AI to compare products and receive personalized investment recommendations, though banks still maintain a higher level of trust than AI tools.