• 52% of UAE consumers shop online at least once a week, and 67% expect to increase their shopping in the next 12 months
  • 96% of consumers in the UAE want invisible payments, but trust remains the deciding factor at checkout
  • 54% are ready for AI assistants to shop on their behalf, however, equally as many (54%) cite privacy as the primary barrier to adoption

Dubai, UAE — May 13, 2026: As the UAE transitions from simple digital adoption to a complex, AI-driven ecosystem, the definition of a successful payment journey has changed. Checkout.com’s 2026 report, MENA Digital Commerce 2026: The New Era of AI in Payments, indicates that while the UAE is agentic-ready, the future of ecommerce depends entirely on payment security.

As digital commerce adoption accelerates across the UAE, consumers are sending a clear signal: they expect payments to be simple, invisible, and embedded, but never at the expense of payment security. Checkout.com’s latest research shows that 96% of UAE consumers now value “invisible” payments, transactions that occur without the need for manual entry of credentials or page redirections. This demand for frictionless experiences is matched by an equally strong expectation for security, reinforcing trust as the true foundation of digital commerce and the prerequisite for the UAE’s transition into agentic commerce.

“The UAE has built one of the world’s most advanced digital economies, and consumer expectations are evolving just as quickly,” said Remo Giovanni Abbondandolo, General Manager, MENA at Checkout.com. “Today’s shoppers expect payments to be fast, intuitive, and invisible, but they are equally clear that trust and security cannot be compromised. Our research shows that 63% of consumers consider a safe and secure payment experience to be the most important factor when shopping online. For businesses operating in the UAE, the opportunity lies in delivering the convenience consumers expect while building the trust that drives long-term loyalty and growth.”

Trust is the foundation of digital commerce in the UAE

Delivering both simple experiences and strong protection is becoming increasingly critical as online shopping scales across the UAE, with 52% of consumers now shopping online at least weekly and 67% expecting to increase the frequency of their online shopping over the next 12 months.

Digital wallets are now deeply embedded in daily life, with 67% of UAE consumers using them at least monthly to buy, budget, and manage finances, and 71% doing so for money transfers. This momentum is reflected in Checkout.com’s regional performance, where total processing volume in MENA increased by 62% year-on-year.

The need for simplicity is not unconditional. While 96% of consumers want payments to be invisible and disappear into the background, this demand depends on trust. When trust is broken, the consequences are immediate: 39% of UAE consumers would switch directly to a competitor if they encountered a falsely declined payment.

Security concerns continue to interrupt the checkout journey, with 32% of consumers abandoning carts due to payment security concerns, while 38% say they would avoid purchasing from a website altogether if they were uncertain about payment safety. In fact, 63% of consumers prioritise a safe and secure payment process over other aspects of the shopping experience, highlighting that while fast experiences are valued, they cannot come at the expense of confidence.

Furthermore, 57% of UAE consumers say they are willing to save their card details to simplify the payment process, signalling a strong appetite for convenience. This willingness is also conditional, driven by the expectation of robust fraud protection. For merchants, success requires a delicate balancing act: creating an experience that is frictionless enough to convert, yet secure enough to ensure loyalty.

Agentic commerce readiness

The report highlights AI and agentic commerce as the next frontier for retail in the UAE. More than half (54%) of consumers say they are comfortable allowing AI agents to shop on their behalf, although widespread adoption still depends on trust, with equally as many consumers (54%) citing privacy as a primary barrier.

Despite these concerns, the appeal of agentic commerce is rooted in efficiency. In a market where 56% of shoppers already compare prices on mobile while in-store, AI agents are emerging as “super shoppers” capable of scanning and recommending the best options in real time.

Consumers are most willing to delegate tasks such as finding the best price for an item (47%), comparing product options and reviews (41%), and creating shopping lists based on habits (30%). There is also growing openness to AI handling groceries (27%) and booking travel or transportation (26%).

Adoption is not uniform across the country, though, with men (57%) and high-income earners (79%) showing significantly higher levels of comfort with AI than women (48%) and lower-income groups (50%). This indicates that agentic commerce will initially be driven by digitally confident and wealthier segments before broadening across the wider population.

Where consumers are spending their money online

Across the UAE, broader spending trends point to a rapidly evolving digital economy. Social commerce is gaining momentum, with 27% of consumers now shopping through social media platforms. Meanwhile, mobile-first financial behaviour continues to expand, as digital wallets become central to both payments and money management.

The report identifies significant diversification in digital spending across the UAE, with food delivery emerging as the most frequent category for online purchases at 64% of respondents. This is followed by clothing and fashion at 54%, travel at 51%, and both beauty and electronics at 37%. These trends reflect a consumer base that is increasingly utilising digital platforms for a broad spectrum of daily needs and lifestyle purchases.

The report concludes that trust is no longer a differentiator in digital commerce, but a baseline. As payments become faster and more invisible, success in the UAE digital commerce will belong to brands that deliver intuitive experiences without compromising security. In a market defined by rapid growth, digital ambition, and rising consumer payment expectations, trust has become the ultimate currency.

“What we are seeing in the UAE is a broader shift toward intelligent, digital-first commerce experiences that align closely with the country’s innovation agenda and cashless ambitions,” said Abbondandolo.

“As AI, digital wallets, and embedded payments become more integrated into everyday life, consumers want technology that simplifies commerce without sacrificing transparency or security. The businesses that will lead the next phase of growth in the UAE are those that combine innovation with reliability, creating experiences that are frictionless, trusted, and built for the future of digital commerce,” he concluded.