64% of consumers in Oman prefer non-cash payments: Visa

26/01/2026 06:14 AST

Payment habits across Oman continue to evolve rapidly, with a growing number of consumers embracing faster and more secure digital payment experiences. Visa's third edition of the Where Cash Hides report shows that 64% of consumers in Oman are now largely non-cash users, making most of their payments using payment cards or mobile devices.

This represents an increase of 15 percentage points compared to last year, highlighting a clear shift away from cash.

In a press statement, Visa said that the appeal of cash in Oman is also declining for day-to-day purchases. Only 19% of consumers surveyed in Oman use cash for everyday transactions, down from 28% last year. This downward trend is evident across major spending categories where cash has traditionally been popular, including petrol stations (down 10 percentage points), local markets (down 10 percentage points) and groceries (down 10 percentage points).

For everyday expenses such as petrol, groceries and public transport, debit cards have emerged as the preferred payment method. However, cash continues to play a role in certain transactions. Tips are still paid in cash by 69% of consumers, making it the most common remaining use of cash. Cash is also used for peer-to-peer (P2P) payments by 35% of consumers, property rent payments by 9%, and international money transfers through exchange houses by 8%.

"What we are seeing in Oman is a clear change in how people choose to pay across different aspects of their daily lives, with cash gradually fading from regular spending," said Nasser Bdeir, Visa's Country Manager for Oman. "This shift reflects growing confidence in card-based payments and changing expectations around how payments should work. As more people use cards in everyday situations, they are looking for options that are quick, convenient and safe. When digital solutions meet these needs, they naturally become the preferred choice."

The findings of Visa's Where Cash Hides research point to Omani consumers' increasing reliance on digital payments due to their convenience, security and added value. Compared to cash, debit and credit cards offer greater security, transparency and ease of use. They reduce the risks associated with carrying physical money, enable seamless online and in-store transactions, and provide instant transaction records to support better budgeting.

Mobile payments further enhance convenience and security through tokenisation, which replaces sensitive card details with unique digital identifiers, ensuring that the actual card number is never shared. Credit cards also offer rewards programmes, cashback and travel or lifestyle benefits-value-added features that consumers increasingly expect, whether spending at home or travelling abroad.

Muscat Daily