Netopia mobilPAY: Romanians made 75% more digital payments in 2016

Digital payment processor Netopia mobilPAY recorded over 7 million electronic transactions in 2016, up 75% year-on-year, according to a statement from the company. More than half of the total electronic transactions were made online, namely 4.2 million, while 3 million were made via SMS (double compared to 2015). In 2015, Netopia mobilPAY registered 4 million online and mobile transactions. Last year, the total value of digital transactions stood at EUR 200 million, up almost 40% year-on-year. The average value of an online transaction was RON 230 (some EUR 51), similar to the one registered in 2015. However, there were also people who paid record amounts for different products, services, or taxes. A payment of EUR 20,000 for a holiday in Thailand ranked first, followed by payments of EUR 15,000 and EUR 14,000 for taxes. Around 43% of the digital payments processed by Netopia mobilPAY were made by people aged 25-34, 26% were made by people with ages between 35 and 44, and 15% - by young people aged 18-24. Based on gender, women made only 38% of transactions. Bucharesters generated 42% of all transactions registered by the company in 2016, followed by the residents of Cluj-Napoca with 10%. Brasov and Timisoara closed the top three, with 5% each. The Bitcoin transactions registered a value of EUR 300,000 last year, according to data from Netopia mobilPAY. The average payment made with Bitcoin was of some RON 400 (EUR 88). Romanians spend EUR 1.8 bln on online shopping Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com