New research from myPOS, the European payments provider for small and medium-sized businesses, reveals that Britain’s shift toward tap-to-pay is leaving traditional PIN codes behind. As contactless becomes the country’s top payment preference, almost a third of young adults now admit they can’t remember the four digits once central to everyday spending.
myPOS data reveals 29% of Gen Z struggle to remember, or have completely forgotten, their PIN. Highlighting how digital-first habits are shaping consumer behaviour. However, it isn’t just younger groups that are feeling the effects. One in five Boomers (20%) say they face the same issue as reliance on physical cards significantly declines.
Contactless Payments
This shift has been driven largely by the dominance of contactless card and mobile payments. Over two-thirds of Brits (69%) say tapping, via card, mobile phone, or smartwatch, is now their primary method of payment. In contrast, just 16% rely mainly on chip and PIN, and only 14% primarily use cash. A further 10 % of Brits now live entirely wallet-free, using only their mobile or smartwatch for day-to-day spending.
Convenience-led behaviours are accelerating the decline of PIN usage across the UK. Nearly half of British consumers (47%) say they would happily go completely contactless if it meant shorter queues in shops and venues. Flexibility and convenience (42%) and speed (34%) remain the largest drivers behind the rise of tap-to-pay.
“As the UK embraces contactless and mobile payments, it’s clear that the traditional PIN is becoming less central to everyday transactions. Businesses and payment providers should ensure security and convenience go hand-in-hand, while recognising that consumer habits are evolving rapidly.”
Michael Ault, Country Manager at myPOS UK
- Digital Payments
- Fintech & Insurtech
- Neobanking