Digital payments

Digital payments in Greece: One decade of rapid expansion

Digital payments in Greece: One decade of rapid expansion

Nancy Roussia2026-03-04T09:17:53+00:00

In Greece, the period 2015-2024 saw the second fastest growth in card usage in the EU-27. The share of cash use in the economy as a whole has declined, but the degree of use of electronic payments varies across transaction categories, even for those where targeted incentives have been implemented. Reinforcing the findings of previous studies, the analysis highlights the continuing impact of payment card use on improving tax compliance, with no let-up after the pandemic and especially after the inter-connection between POS terminals and the tax authorities in 2024, as well as on the increase in tax revenues [...]

Digital payments in Greece: One decade of rapid expansionNancy Roussia2026-03-04T09:17:53+00:00

Digital payments in Greece after the pandemic era

Digital payments in Greece after the pandemic era

Fotini Stathopoulou2026-03-09T12:57:39+00:00

The speed of expansion of electronic payments in Greece over the period 2015-2022 is among the highest in the EU27. Indicatively, between 2014 and 2022, the cumulative increase in payment card usage reaches 20 times in terms of number of transactions and 9 times in terms of transaction value. Electronic payments continued to expand systematically in Greece after the pandemic era. In terms of payment habits, online payments have been permanently strengthened above their pre-pandemic level. Although the spread of digital payments is proportionally stronger for purchases of goods than services, the recent expansion of card payments has been [...]

Digital payments in Greece after the pandemic eraFotini Stathopoulou2026-03-09T12:57:39+00:00

Digital payments in Greece: Policies and impact on card use, 2015-2020

Digital payments in Greece: Policies and impact on card use, 2015-2020

Maria Kavvadia2026-02-18T12:03:06+00:00

The use of payment cards in Greece grew significantly during 2015-2020 and contributed to higher tax compliance and higher VAT revenues. While the use of other means of digital payments, such as credit transfers and direct debits, steadied after 2017, payment cards penetration kept its momentum, contributing to 17% of the annual VAT revenues increase which was recorded in 2019. Nonetheless, the average level of cards use in Greece remains far below the EU average, while there are several sectors and regions with systematically lower card use. Policy measures through Law 4446/2016 aiming to boost digital payments had a [...]

Digital payments in Greece: Policies and impact on card use, 2015-2020Maria Kavvadia2026-02-18T12:03:06+00:00

Digital payments after the capital controls: Support measures and tax revenues

Digital payments after the capital controls: Support measures and tax revenues

Fotini Stathopoulou2026-02-25T08:59:23+00:00

The use of payment cards in Greece more than tripled in value between 2014 and 2017. The penetration lifted off with the imposition of the capital controls and then remained on an uptrend, aided further by the measures of law 4446/2016. According to the findings of the study: (a) The law had a statistically significant, positive impact on card usage, especially in the second half of 2017, controlling for the effects of macroeconomic factors and capital controls; (b) The penetration of electronic payments had a significant positive impact on tax compliance, contributing at least 50% of the annual increase [...]

Digital payments after the capital controls: Support measures and tax revenuesFotini Stathopoulou2026-02-25T08:59:23+00:00

Digital payments and tax revenues in Greece

Digital payments and tax revenues in Greece

Fotini Stathopoulou2026-02-26T07:34:09+00:00

The aim of the study is to investigate the role of digital payments in curbing the shadow economy and boosting tax revenues in Greece. The study also attempts to quantify the impact on tax revenues from adopting incentives for the use of digital payments. Study

Digital payments and tax revenues in GreeceFotini Stathopoulou2026-02-26T07:34:09+00:00