AI in Europe’s Payments and E-Commerce: Adoption Gaps, Regulatory Shifts, and Key Developments 2025

AI Adoption Accelerates Across European Payments and E-Commerce, but Gaps in Trust, Talent, and Integration Persist, yStats.com Finds

Baltics and Eastern Europe Outpace the West in AI Usage

Across Europe, enterprise AI adoption is advancing, led by Latvia, Estonia, Norway, Poland, and Slovenia, where frequent AI use is becoming the norm. These countries show clear movement toward embedding AI into operations. In contrast, Germany, France, and the Netherlands continue to lag behind, and Spain shows minimal implementation. The divide highlights uneven momentum between early movers and larger economies.

Compliance Becomes a Competitive Edge in Europe’s AI Race

New regulations—including the EU AI Act and DORA are reshaping the region’s digital economy. The report finds that businesses aligning early with these frameworks are better positioned to scale AI in sensitive areas like risk scoring and fraud prevention. Meanwhile, companies stuck in pilot mode risk falling behind in both compliance and capability.

Low Public Trust and Security Risks Threaten AI Scale-Up

Despite progress, public trust in AI remains fragile across much of Europe. Fewer than half of users view AI positively, especially in Northern and Western countries. Rising threats like AI-generated fraud and social engineering only deepen concerns. As yStats.com CEO Yücel Yelken notes, “Europe has the ambition but without trust, infrastructure, and skilled talent, its AI expansion could falter before it scales.”