Study Shows QR and Digital Payments Continue Gaining Ground in Argentina

A recent study made by Fiserv, a global payments company, shows that QR and digital wallets have grown significantly as payment options in Argentina. While credit card preference has stagnated, the use of cash for payments has decreased, with only 14% of the polled choosing to use it over other options in the country.

Argentines are slowly turning to digital payments, including QR code and digital wallet transfers, as part of their everyday arsenal to settle payments, according to a recent study made by Fiserv, a global payments company. The study found that the payment preferences of Argentines have shifted, abandoning legacy options for digital payment methods.

According to the study, 34% of Argentines prefer to use QR and digital wallets for their payments, reaching the same preference percentage that debit cards have. The preference for credit cards has stagnated, while cash payments have decreased, with only 14% of Argentines preferring cash over other payment methods.

QR payments have also grown in their own area, with one of every four transactions being settled using this kind of payment in the transactional interconnected Argentine system.

The results of the report show that the payment trends of Argentines have changed significantly. The study reports on the growth of digital options, preference for which increased by 11% from last year, and the decrease in the preference for popular options like cash and debit cards.

Jorge Larravide, a specialist in means of payment, commented about the evolution of payments in the country. He explained:

In Argentina we are well on our way to digitizing transactions, with a very wide range of alternatives: the QR, which the Central Bank calls ‘payment with transfers’, grew a lot.

For Larravide, digital payments are on the rise due to a series of key advantages these bring, including convenience at the time of paying and discounts offered for using them, which are popular amongst merchants. Also, Larravide remarks that the utilization of this kind of payment benefits the state, which has a log of all transactions realized, useful for tax purposes.

In September last year, the number of QR payments reached a record number, with 3.15 million payments using this method made during that month, the highest number since the option was implemented in November 2021.

What do you think about the rise of QR and digital wallets as payment options in Argentina? Tell us in the comments section below.