Half of UK adults are now regularly paying for things by tapping their phone, new banking data suggests. A surge in the use of mobile payments via services such as Apple Pay or Google Pay has been recorded across different age groups, figures from trade body UK Finance show.

“People are more comfortable leaving their home with just their phone,” said Adrian Buckle, its head of research.

He said the “change of consumer behaviour” was clear as last year marked the first time 50% of adults used mobile payments at least once a month – up from 34% in 2023.

Consumers are increasingly storing card details on phones or watches and making contactless payments backed up by facial or fingerprint verification, instead of pressing in a PIN.

Some 78% of 16 to 24-year-olds regularly used mobile payments last year, and even more are registered to use them.

Older age groups are increasingly choosing this option too. For example, nearly two-thirds (59%) of 35 to 44-year-olds regularly made mobile payments in 2024, up from 38% a year earlier.

A fifth (19%) of those aged 65 and over often paid by phone.

The proportion of adults regularly using physical contactless cards dipped slightly as a result, although debit cards remain the most popular way to pay. Cash has continued to become less common in transactions – although nearly 50 million people still used ATMs.

“Cash fell below 10% of all payments,” Mr Buckle said. “These changes weren’t just driven by younger consumers. We saw growth in mobile wallets and Buy Now Pay Later across older age groups too, highlighting how digital payments are becoming more mainstream across the board.”

In 2023, with household finances stretched, the number of people mainly using cash picked up as it helped them to budget. That number fell last year, but campaigners say notes and coins must remain part of the mix for consumers.

“While the number of people relying on cash continues to fall, we know that those who do are often on lower incomes or the more vulnerable,” said Adrian Roberts, deputy chief executive of Link, which oversees cash access and the ATM network. We must not sleepwalk into a digital-only society before everyone is ready.”

He said there were also questions over resilience for a digital-only payments system, such as the back-up options during a widespread power outage.

MPs on the Treasury Committee recently said that shops and services may have to be forced to accept cash in the future to help protect vulnerable people who rely on it.

Meanwhile, the UK’s financial regulator has proposed that banks and card providers set their own limits on contactless card payments or are allowed to remove the current £100 payment limit entirely.

That would make entering a PIN even more of a rarity, as smartphones – with extra in-built security – already have no limit on contactless payments via a digital wallet.

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Google has issued a stark warning to Android users: certain apps lurking on the Play Store are not what they seem. Masquerading as popular cryptocurrency wallets or financial tools, these programs are in fact designed to steal your personal data — and in some cases, your money. If you’ve downloaded one of them, the advice is crystal clear: delete it right away.

Hidden dangers in the Play Store
Cybersecurity researchers from Cyble have uncovered a wave of malicious applications posing as well-known crypto services. Among the fakes identified are apps posing as PancakeSwap, SushiSwap, Hyperliquid, Raydium, BullX Crypto, OpenOcean Exchange, Suiet Wallet, and Meteora Exchange.

At first glance, these apps look legitimate. They copy the icons, names, and even the interfaces of real services. But once installed, they wait for the critical moment — when you type in your private keys or recovery phrases. From there, hackers gain immediate access to your accounts. Even if you don’t dabble in crypto, the risk remains: these apps can harvest system information, abuse permissions, and even monitor your clipboard.

Google has urged users to uninstall these apps without delay, stressing that the threat extends far beyond cryptocurrency.

Why do fake apps slip through?
The troubling reality is that the Play Store’s automated checks aren’t foolproof. Malicious developers are now creating apps so convincing that they pass through Google’s filters. By mimicking trusted services, they lure users into entering sensitive information before redirecting them to phishing websites or installing additional malware.

According to Cyble, new variants of these fake apps appear almost weekly, making it increasingly difficult for platforms to weed them out in time

How to protect your Android device
To stay safe, Google and cybersecurity experts recommend a few simple but essential steps:

Change your credentials: if you’ve entered recovery phrases, passwords, or private keys, update them immediately and enable two-factor authentication.

Delete any suspicious apps immediately, especially if you’ve installed one of the names flagged (PancakeSwap, Hyperliquid, SushiSwap, etc.).

Enable Play Protect: go to the Play Store, tap your profile, and make sure “Scan apps with Play Protect” is switched on.

Check permissions carefully: avoid apps that request unnecessary access to your microphone, SMS, clipboard, or overlays.

Run a scan: Use Play Protect or a trusted mobile antivirus after deleting a suspicious app.

Cybercriminals are constantly refining their tools, and what looks like a harmless financial app can quickly turn into a gateway for identity theft, stolen cryptocurrency, or compromised accounts.

The best defence is vigilance: take a few minutes to review your installed apps, enable Play Protect, and tighten your account security. In a digital world where one careless tap can expose your data, following these precautions isn’t optional — it’s essential.

Article by Talk Android

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