Visa Sees Online Spending as a Lasting Trend Across Key Markets

Visa Inc. (V) says that online spending is on the rise across key markets, becoming an integral part of consumer behavior. The company's research in six major markets reveals a significant increase in online and in-app payments between 2019 and 2026.

In the US, for example, online and in-app payment volume rose to 58% in 2026 from 48% in 2019. In Poland, the share increased to 24% from 10%, while the UAE climbed to 55% from 35%. The growth of streaming subscriptions is also notable, with more than 17% of US cards now carrying these services compared to about 6% tied to cinema and concerts.

Food delivery has become increasingly popular as well. In the UAE, active cards jumped from roughly 2% in 2018 to nearly 30% in 2026, demonstrating how quickly digital habits have spread. Visa views this shift towards online spending as a positive trend for its business, with more opportunities for digital transactions and recurring payments.

The company's peers, Mastercard (MA) and American Express (AXP), are also benefiting from the rise of online shopping and streaming. For these companies, higher transaction volumes and stronger demand for value-added services like tokenization and fraud prevention are driving growth.