New Zealand payments stats – 2020 in review
24 Jun 2021
We’ve put together an infographic looking at the use of different payment methods in New Zealand in 2020. Reflecting global trends, we found that the COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on the payments landscape in New Zealand last year. It accelerated the increased use of contactless payments, and COVID-19 related lockdowns also affected card use at point of sale (POS).
Other notable trends we discovered include:
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A 62% increase in the use of contactless payments between 2018 – 2020, with contactless transactions making up 39% of total card use in 2020.
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During New Zealand’s April 2020 Level 4 nationwide lockdown, less than 30% of the normal POS card volume was processed. However, the value for each transaction almost doubled.
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Total card spending at POS between June – December 2020 was higher compared to the same period in 2019. This suggests that not only did Kiwis revert back to normal spending quickly, they also more than made up for lost spending during the lockdown and felt comfortable visiting shops again.
