Checkout.com has published its first Digital Economy Trust Index, offering a comparative snapshot of consumer confidence in digital platforms across 16 countries. The report highlights major disparities in public trust, with China leading the rankings with a score of 8.6 out of 10 and Japan trailing with just 2.6—despite its high level of digitization and e-commerce activity.
Trust as a Driver of Economic Growth
The index evaluates trust across three central pillars: security, transparency, and user experience. In total, 18 dimensions were assessed, including trust in payment security, regulatory protections, and digital user interfaces. According to Checkout.com, there is a clear correlation between digital trust levels and national GDP growth between 2014 and 2024, reinforcing the economic relevance of consumer confidence in online systems.
Among the most influential factors, consumer trust in payment security and artificial intelligence tools stood out as the strongest predictors of broader trust in the digital economy. These findings reflect growing global interest in secure and intelligent technologies for payments and identity verification. Checkout.com’s recent rollout of AI-powered face authentication underscores the industry’s shift toward innovative solutions in this space.
Global Rankings Reveal Trust Gaps
New Zealand distinguished itself with the highest levels of public trust in AI and digital identity technologies. Meanwhile, China, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt were ranked among the most trusted digital economies overall. The United States received strong marks for its online checkout security but scored lower in areas like blockchain technology and consumer protections, suggesting uneven trust across different aspects of its digital infrastructure.
Japan’s particularly low trust rating emerged as a striking outlier. Despite advanced infrastructure and widespread digital adoption, consumers in Japan appear to have reservations about the security or transparency of digital platforms. This highlights a broader lesson from the report: technological progress alone does not guarantee public trust.
“In the traditional economy, with physical commerce, trust is built in. You pay with chip and PIN or cash, and leave with your products in hand. In the digital economy, trust is earned,” said Jenny Hadlow, Chief Operating Officer at Checkout.com. “Clicking ‘buy’ is part of a journey, with consumers handing over sensitive data, needing to believe in recourse if anything goes wrong, and making leaps of faith with emerging technologies. This index measures that trust and explores the distinct barriers that consumers globally face when it comes to embracing the digital economy, giving leaders the insight needed to overcome them.”
The Digital Economy Trust Index uses a weighted and normalized scoring model to assess a wide spectrum of digital interactions. Its findings are intended to inform businesses, governments, and technology providers as they work to build more resilient, transparent, and consumer-focused digital ecosystems.
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May 14, 2025 – by the ID Tech Editorial Team
