Digital payments firm Visa has released a new study outlining consumer awareness and proactive security measures for digital payments.
According to the Visa Stay Secure Study 2025, 71% of Kenyan consumers have experienced digital fraud, the highest in Sub-Saharan Africa.
While the respondents in Kenya acknowledge their vulnerability to scams like phishing, the study notes that increased adoption of security measures and preference for stronger authentication indicate a positive shift in consumer behaviour since the last edition of the Stay Secure study in 2023.
Visa says consumers are now actively spotting red flags and verifying the legitimacy of online interactions, showing a marked increase in awareness.
“The digital payments landscape is evolving rapidly, and consumers across Kenya are embracing its convenience while becoming more vigilant about security,” said Chad Pollock, VP & General Manager, Visa East Africa.
“Consumer education is our best defense against fraud, and industry collaboration makes this possible. As scams grow more sophisticated, the battle for security never stops. Consumers increasingly trust partners who take tangible steps to protect them.”
The study further notes that 90% of Kenyan consumers expect to increase their use of digital payments in the next 12 months. Additionally, 95% of consumers in Kenya worry that their family or friends might fall victim to a scam.
The ninth annual Stay Secure study, which surveyed 5,800 adults across 17 diverse Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (CEMEA) markets also found that 97% of consumers now actively take precautions to secure their online transactions, showcasing increased savviness as digital payments gain momentum.
‘’The ‘Stay Secure’ study highlights evolving consumer preferences, which could offer Visa’s stakeholders actionable intelligence for trust-building strategies and inform the creation of educational materials to empower consumers against fraud,” Chad said.
As the world’s largest SaaS platform, Visa says it combats cybercrime by deploying cutting-edge tools, expertise, and processes to help identify and mitigate fraud. The impact is undeniable: In the past year, Visa revealed that it blocked $40 billion in fraudulent payment value, prevented 80 million fraudulent transactions, and averted over $122 million in estimated e-commerce fraud through malware detection.
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