Motivated by the convenience e-commerce provides and the transaction speed and security offered by the digital payment ecosystem, online shopping during Ramadan in the UAE will continue to surge across many key retail and service categories. 

Based on previous spending trends, Checkout.com expects high-growth categories this holy month to include transactions in online marketplaces, apparel, healthcare, and travel categories.

There was a growth of 8.5% in the volume of digital payment transactions in the UAE last Ramadan across all product and service categories compared to the period prior. In 2023, the volume of consumer transactions rose most sharply in online marketplaces.

Overall, in 2023, Checkout.com saw processing volumes of online transactions during Ramadan swell in the region year-on-year by 69%. 

Between 2021 and 2023, the volume rose by an astounding 143%.

“We see a growing confidence in digital payment platforms and increasing consumer trust for online shopping. This reflects not only the unique preferences of Ramadan shopping but also the dynamic and evolving nature of the digital payments landscape in the UAE,” said Remo Giovanni Abbondandolo, General Manager – MENA at Checkout.com. 

He added that this phenomenon is owed to the rapid digitalization and supply from payment service providers in the country, which has led to a considerable boost in online spending in recent years. 

Earlier research by Checkout.com indicates that the strong inclination towards online shopping is a long-term behavior change rather than a temporary shift.