Digital payments in Romania continue to accelerate, growing at around 20% in 2025, a pace expected to continue in 2026, and this reflects the rapid expansion of the use of online payments beyond e-commerce to more and more services in everyday life, according to PayU Romania.
Over the past four years, the online digital payments industry has grown steadily, at around 19-20% annually, and has become a key component of the economy, helping businesses accelerate digitization and provide customers with a simpler and faster payment experience, the source cited in a statement comments.
„The outlook for online digital payments in Romania remains positive, with a growth rate of around 20% per year, which we expect to see in 2026. We are seeing a steady evolution in the penetration rate of online payments in e-commerce, from 35-36% in previous years to at least 39% today, thanks to the diversification of payment methods and an increasingly simple user experience”said Elena Gheorghe, country manager PayU Romania and Hungary.
It says payment methods are evolving rapidly and digital payment solutions are gaining ground in terms of simplicity and speed. Standard and wallet payments account for about 27% of the total. Wallet or one-click payment is also becoming increasingly popular and preferred especially among younger generations and the urban active segment.
„The expansion of the payments ecosystem, including solutions such as open banking, RoPay, BNPL or SLICE, will attract new consumer segments, in particular those who avoid card payments and prefer to finalize them in cash. At the same time, we see a growing adoption of fast payments and digital wallets, which make the payment experience easier and faster. As digital payments become increasingly integrated into everyday life, beyond e-commerce to services such as utilities, transportation or travel, they are becoming a key part of the economy and a direct driver of growth for businesses”added Elena Gheorghe.
While traditional e-tail remains an important driver of online digital payment dynamics, the fastest growth is coming from the services area. Digital payments for transportation, ridesharing, tourism, entertainment, entertainment, insurance or utilities have advanced by more than 35%, confirming the rapid expansion of their use in the economy, the release said, according to Agerpres.
In terms of business impact, the latest studies indicate that online payment options can increase sales by up to 301TPTP3T, bring in 171TPTP3T more customers, while installment payments can generate revenue increases of 25-301TPTP3T and an average transaction value up to three times higher. At the same time, by paying digitally online, the return rate decreases significantly and profitability can increase by around 20%.
In the medium term, the growth of the digital payments market based on online infrastructure will be supported by the expansion of e-commerce in new consumer areas, the acceleration of digitization of services and the development of cross-border trade. In this context, online digital payments are increasingly becoming a central element of the digital economy, which will have a growing share in Romania's GDP, the document adds.