MSMEs Must Use Digital Payments Because It's More Practical And Easy

Illustration of digital payment (Photo: Pixabay)

JAKARTA - Research conducted by Kaspersky on 1,618 people, found that more than half of e-finance users (67 percent) in Southeast Asia believe that micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) should start using digital payments for financial transactions.

Among countries in Southeast Asia, consumers in Malaysia (72 percent) strongly favor the adoption of a digital payment system by MSMEs, followed by Singapore (68 percent) and the Philippines (68 percent).

According to research, the most frequently used forms of digital payment among Southeast Asian consumers are:

Mobile payment applications (58 percent) Internet banking via mobile applications (53 percent) Debit cards (36 percent) Credit cards (33 percent) Internet banking via browsers (31 percent)

Nearly 59 percent of respondents said they would shop more at stores that accept digital payments. Malaysian consumers (70 percent) are the most likely to do so followed by Vietnam (63 percent) and the Philippines (59 percent).

For respondents across the region, the three main reasons they were familiar and comfortable with this technology were its convenience, convenient access, and privacy.

Interestingly, users in this region are also aware of the issues that hinder MSMEs from embracing this technology. There are 27 percent of the total respondents said they admit that local businesses are not ready to use digital payments due to internet problems and lack of tools.

However, it is different when an e-commerce provider or seller is the target of a cyber attack. The survey showed that consumer confidence in shopping at stores that experienced a data breach fell 42 percent in general.

“It should be noted that while consumers are embracing the digital lifestyle and trusting these tools that make their financial transactions smooth and fast, they are also starting to gain awareness of the dangers and risks of cyber threats in their personal lives,” said Yeo Siang Tiong, General Manager for Southeast Asia at Kaspersky.

"To put things in perspective, data breach losses in MSMEs increased by 54 percent but with early detection of breaches, the average loss would be 17 percent lower," he added.

MSMEs are now in a position to accelerate their digital transformation. Significant changes to consumer demands and expectations can no longer be ignored or they may decide to take their business elsewhere.

"I advise MSMEs now to act and ride the wave, to take a stand in responding to this challenge." continued Yeo.