Skopje, 2 April 2025 

Digitalization brings significant changes in the way citizens make their payments. In recent years, the use of digital payment channels in the country has been increasing, and this trend is expected to continue in 2024, as confirmed by the latest payment statistics collected, processed and published by the National Bank. During 2024, citizens used credit transfers (so-called payment orders) more to make payments in the country compared to the previous year, recording an annual growth of 11.2% in number and 16.3% in value. At the same time, the change in citizens' habits i.e. much more frequent use of digital channels to make payments, is reflected in the high annual growth of 40.2% in the number and 47.0% in the value of payments initiated electronically, in conditions of significantly lower growth in paper payments at bank counters (0.2% and 10.0%, respectively). Regarding electronic payments, citizens prefer both simplicity and speed of payments, which is why the use of mobile applications recorded an annual growth of 47.3% in the number, i.e. 72.1% in the value of transactions made.

Citizens are also increasingly using payment cards to make everyday payments in commerce. Thus, payments with payment cards for purchasing products and services in the country in 2024 recorded an annual growth of 14.6% in number and 15.4% in value. The growth of payment card payments is supported by the widespread use of cards in the country, which at the end of 2024 numbered 1.9 million. Moreover, 98.6% of payment cards enable contactless payments, which provides convenience for citizens in making payments. The number of devices for accepting payment cards at physical points of sale recorded an annual growth of 8.3% and reached 34,778 devices installed at 14,717 merchants. Moreover, 96.4% of these devices support contactless technology, which enables quick and simple payment in trade. An annual growth of 4.4% was also recorded in the number of merchants accepting payment cards when selling goods and services at physical points of sale in the country.

You can find the published data at the following  link.: https://www.nbrm.mk/platiezhna_statistika.nspx