[Latest Edition] Ranking of Popular payment methods for Online Shops

With the spread of online shopping and digital content, many people, young and old, have come to use Internet payments. When running an e-commerce site, it is important to know which payment methods are commonly used.
Therefore, we conducted a survey to find out which payment methods are most used. Based on the survey results, we will introduce the payment methods used in a ranking format.

Questionnaire results of mail order site

What is the most popular payment methods on online shopping sites selling fashion, cosmetics, groceries, clothing, etc.? Let's take a look at the results.

Outline of the survey
Respondents: 2,455 (Male: 1,217 / Female: 1,238)
Gender: 50.4% female, 49.6% male
Age: 10-60+ years old
Period: May 21, 2025 - June 5, 2025

Most used payment methods by gender over the past years

Most used payment methods by gender

Frequently used payment methods product

1st place: Credit Card Payment (52.9%)

Credit Card Payment are number one. Although the usage rate has been declining year by year due to factors such as smartphone payments, in the most recent survey, over 50% of both men and women responded that they use credit cards, so it still maintains its top position.
So, what are the reasons why users often use Credit Card Payment? Here are some survey responses.

Reasons why Credit Card Payment are most popular

• - I want to earn the mileage points that come with my credit card (man in his 50s)
• - It's a convenient and safe payment method (male, teens)
• ・Once you register your card, you can pay with the same information at online stores, eliminating the need to go to an app (woman in her 30s)
• ・I pay for expensive items with Credit Card Payment (man in his 50s)

The advantages of Credit Card Payment are that you can earn points and there are no fees. There were also opinions that it was easy and familiar.
Credit Card Payment are introduced on many EC sites and have great user benefits, so when introducing payments to a new EC site, we recommend that you first consider it with the highest priority.

​Click here for details on Credit Card Payment

2nd place PayPay (15.5%)

In second place is PayPay. The use of Credit Card Payment, which came in first place, has been declining year by year, but PayPay is growing instead. By product type, Credit Card Payment are prominent for items with high unit purchase prices such as furniture and household appliances, but PayPay is also used at a high rate of over 20% for items with relatively low unit purchase prices such as daily necessities and food.

Reasons why people use PayPay the most

• ・If you charge your card in advance, it's easier to make payments (woman in her 30s)
• ・Of all the payment methods I use, this is the one that can be used on the most sites (female, teens)
• ・It's popular, you can easily accumulate points, and there are many coupons that allow you to make great purchases (man in his 40s)
• ・There are often campaigns going on (man in his 50s)

Reasons why PayPay is chosen include its practicality and economic benefits, such as "it can be used at many stores and is supported on all websites," "it offers great deals with a wide range of campaigns and point rewards," and "its convenient money transfer and charging functions."

For more information about PayPay (Online Payment), click here

3rd place: Rakuten Pay (4.0%)

Rakuten Pay, which comes in third place, has seen its user base grow in recent years, just like PayPay, which comes in second place, and is particularly popular among users of Rakuten Group services.

Reasons why people use Rakuten Pay the most

• - I use Rakuten Group services and the points redemption rate is high (woman in her 30s)
• ・It's easy to shop on Rakuten Ichiba, which I use most often (woman in her 40s)
• ・The point redemption rate is high and I'm used to using it (woman, 60s or older)

Rakuten Pay is popular with users who prioritize convenience and value. The ability to earn reward points is a major attraction, and it is likely becoming established as the most convenient payment methods for Rakuten users.

For more information about RakutenPay(Online) click here

4th place: CVS Payment (3.1%)

Coming in fourth place is CVS Payment. The usage rate was 6.6% in 2018, but is expected to decrease to 3.1% by 2025. CVS Payment is more commonly used by women, with 2.9% of men using it and 3.3% of women. In terms of purchase results by product, CVS Payment tends to be more popular when purchasing clothing and daily necessities.

Reasons why CVS Payment are most popular

• - There is a convenience store nearby and I prefer to pay in cash (female, teens)
• ・I don't want to leave my card numbers behind (woman in her 50s)
• - Because it's an easy payment method and you can pay after the product arrives (male, 60s or older)

CVS Payment are popular because they allow customers to pay at a convenience store at their convenience. Customers who do not own a credit card or who are uneasy about entering their credit card information online seem to be actively choosing CVS Payment.

​Click here for details on CVS Payment

5th place: d Payment (Mobile Carrier Billing) (2.8%)

In fifth place is d-payment (Mobile Carrier Billing). It is used by a large percentage of men, with 3.1% of men using it and 2.6% of women. Overall, it is in fourth place after Credit Card Payment, PayPay, and Rakuten Pay, but when broken down by product, it is an especially popular payment methods for everyday consumption such as daily necessities, food, and beverages compared to other products.

The most popular reason for using d Payment (Mobile Carrier Billing)

• - There are many online shopping sites available (man in his 20s)
• - It's easy to accumulate points as a Docomo user (woman in her 40s)
• - I use the Docomo economic zone, and it's easy to use and I get points (woman in her 50s)

The appeal of d Payment is its ease of use, even if you don't have a credit card. Furthermore, since it is billed together with communication charges, users appreciate the fact that it simplifies expenditure management. In addition, it is thought that many users who regularly accumulate Docomo points will choose d Payment as a way to efficiently use their points.

​Click here for details on Mobile Carrier Billing

Digital Content and Services Survey Results

What is the most popular payment methods on sites that offer digital content such as e-books, video streaming services, and games, as well as services such as tickets and food delivery?

・Survey overview
Respondents: 1,857 people
Gender ratio: Female 50.1% Male 49.9%
Age: 10 to 60+
Aggregation period: May 21, 2025 to June 5, 2025

Most used payment methods by gender over the past years

Most used payment methods by gender

Most popular payment methods for men by age

Most popular payment methods for women by age

Frequently used payment methods digital content product

Frequently used payment methods service/product

1st place: Credit Card Payment (46.2%)

The number one payment method is Credit Card Payment, just like with online shopping sites. The low rate of credit card ownership among young people is thought to be one factor, but the percentage of credit card usage is decreasing year by year. When it comes to digital content, it is thought that multiple payment methods other than Credit Card Payment should be introduced.

Reasons why Credit Card Payment are most popular

• - It's easy to use, supports a wide range of payments, and is safe and reliable (Male, Teenager)
• - Because I have already registered it as a payment method, and I can easily make payments using my payment history (woman in her 40s)
• ・I want to use QR code payment, but most shops only accept Credit Card Payment (male, 60s or older)

​Click here for details on Credit Card Payment

2nd place PayPay (18.1%)

In second place is PayPay, which is increasing year by year, just like the number of users of online shopping sites. Looking at it by age group, usage is particularly high among teenagers, with 32.3% of men and a whopping 59.3% of women using PayPay, making it the most popular payment methods. However, for those in their 20s and older, Credit Card Payment come in first, showing clear differences between generations.

Reasons why people use PayPay the most

• ・The e-book site I frequently use has a high return rate and I can earn a lot of points (woman in her 50s)
• ・There are many stores and websites where you can use it, so you can often get good deals (man in his 40s)

PayPay has a strong presence among young people, especially teenagers, who are reluctant to own credit cards, due to its convenience and wide range of usage scenarios. It is particularly well suited to purchasing e-books, manga, and other digital content, making it an essential payment methods for merchants looking to attract younger generations.

For more information about PayPay (Online Payment), click here

3. Rakuten Pay (4.0%)

Coming in third place is Rakuten Pay. As the most frequently used payment methods, it is fourth among men at 3.9% and third among women at 4.1%. Looking at it by age group, it ranks highly among men in their 20s and older, and third among women in their 20s, 30s, and 50s, demonstrating its popularity across a wide range of generations.

Reasons why people use Rakuten Pay the most

• ・Because I'm saving up Rakuten points (man in his 40s)
• - It's convenient because you don't have to enter your card number when paying by card (man in his 50s)

Rakuten Pay is payment methods that is popular among users who have a strong affinity with the Rakuten ecosystem. For merchants, it is an effective way to attract customers who use Rakuten services, including Rakuten Ichiba, and the benefits of introducing it are particularly significant when you want to promote point rewards and convenience.

For more information about RakutenPay(Online) click here

4th place: d Payment (Mobile Carrier Billing) (3.6%)

In fourth place is d Pay (Mobile Carrier Billing). As the most commonly used payment methods, it is third among men and fourth among women. There are few teenage users for both men and women, but for those in their 20s and older, it is often on par with Rakuten Pay depending on the age group.

The most popular reason for using d Payment (Mobile Carrier Billing)

• ・I have a lot of d points, so I can use them to pay (man in his 20s)
• - I've been using Docomo for a long time because it's easy and convenient. Security is also solid (woman in her 50s)

It is important for merchants to introduce payment methods that take these usage trends into account. By offering d Payment (Mobile Carrier Billing) as an option in addition to standard payment methods such as Credit Card Payment, PayPay, and Rakuten Pay, it will be easier to attract customers who use Mobile Carrier Billing on a daily basis. In particular, there is a certain number of customers, especially Docomo users, who value the convenience of points usage and integrated billing, so the introduction of this system is likely to lead to increased customer satisfaction and purchase frequency.

​Click here for details on Mobile Carrier Billing

5th place au PAY (1.9%)

Coming in fifth place was au PAY. While the growth rate in usage has not been as large as other QR code payment methods, it has remained stable as it is a preferred method among au users.

Reasons why people use au PAY the most

• ・It's convenient for au users (woman in her 40s)
• ・It's easy to accumulate points (woman in her 50s)

Although au PAY does not have a large presence among all payment methods, it is payment methods that au users find convenient and advantageous. For merchants, offering it as a "complementary option" rather than as the main payment method has the potential to increase customer satisfaction and purchase frequency.

Introducing payment methods that suit your company's products and customer base

Credit Card Payment were overwhelmingly the most popular option for both online shopping sites and digital content and services, but QR code payments such as PayPay and Rakuten Pay also had a noticeable presence.
Additionally, preferred payment methods vary depending on gender and age, so we recommend that merchants consider their products and customer demographics when introducing payment methods.

Why SB Payment Service is chosen

We offer a wide variety of payment methods that you can implement for your business, whether you are an EC merchants or merchants of in-store. Since you can contract with us for multiple payments at once, you can save a great deal of time and effort by using us rather than having merchants contract with each payment service. We will also handle the payment processing and payment on your behalf, so you can concentrate on running your business.
If you are considering the introduction of merchants, please contact us.
The full results of the consumer survey can be downloaded from the following page, so if you are wondering what payment service to introduce to your e-commerce site, please check it out.

Survey on payment methods for online store purchases
Survey on payment methods when paying for digital contents and services

FAQ

Q.

What is the most commonly used payment methods for online shopping in Japan?

A.

According to SB Payment Services' survey, the most used payment methods Japan for online shopping (buying online shopping sites and digital content and services) was "Credit Card Payment". The reasons for this include the convenience of instant payment, support for various payment methods such as installment payments and revolving payments, and the enhancement of benefits such as point redemption and ancillary services. However, the usage rate has been declining since past surveys, and "PayPay" has increased its market share significantly in the past few years.

Q.

How do you choose payment methods to use when shopping online?

A.

You need to consider both compatibility with your company's products and services and compatibility with your customer base. Credit Card Payment are effective for high-priced items, while PayPay and Mobile Carrier Billing are effective for younger customers. Click here for more information.

Q.

Is it better to offer multiple payment methods for online shopping?

A.

If payment methods they want to use is not available, some users will give up on their purchase and leave. In order to meet diverse customer needs, supporting as many payment methods as possible is the key to preventing opportunity loss.

If you have any other questions, please check the FAQ.

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