Digital Payment Adoption in Lebanon: A Business Computing Analysis Using 2024 Global Findex Survey Data
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This study examines why cash remains common among respondents in the Lebanon Global Findex data even though internet use is widespread. The data come from the 2025 release of the World Bank Global Findex Database, based on interviews conducted in Lebanon during 2024. The Lebanon dataset includes 1,010 observations and 199 variables. The analysis was primarily descriptive and used percentages calculated from valid responses in the publicly available frequency tables. The study compares internet use, account ownership, and digital-payment activity, while also examining online-purchase payment methods and reasons for cash-only in-store payments. The results show a large gap between digital connectivity and digital-payment use: 94.9% of the displayed cases reported recent internet use, while 21.8% had made or received a digital payment. Among respondents who purchased online, 62.9% usually paid cash on delivery, compared with only 11.3% who paid fully online. Habit was also the most common reason for using only cash in stores, representing 61.5% of valid responses. These findings suggest that internet access alone is not enough to increase digital-payment adoption. Merchant acceptance, user habits, trust, and the wider payment environment also play important roles. For digital businesses, this means payment systems should be easy to use, trusted, and suited to everyday customer routines.
Keywords
Business Computing, Cash Dependence, Digital Payments, Financial Inclusion, Global Findex, Lebanon, Technology Adoption