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New Visa Business and Economic Insights research finds consumers are increasingly shopping, streaming, dining and managing daily life from home, creating new opportunities for businesses that can deliver convenience and ongoing digital engagement.
- Digital commerce expanded across all six markets studied between 2019 and 2026. In three illustrative markets, the share of domestic payment volume occurring online and in-app rose from 48% to 58% in the U.S., 10% to 24% in Poland and 35% to 55% in the UAE.
- Streaming subscriptions now appear on a larger share of cards than cinema and concert spending across all markets studied. In the U.S., more than 17% of cards are used for streaming subscriptions, compared to roughly 6% of cards associated with cinema and concert spending.
- Food delivery has become a mainstream service embedded in everyday spending habits, with growth increasingly driven by mass-market consumers rather than high-income spenders.
New research from Visa Business and Economic Insights (VBEI) finds that consumers are increasingly shopping, dining, streaming and managing everyday activities from home, driving the rise of the "couch economy." This trend is creating new opportunities for businesses as consumers increasingly expect products and services to fit seamlessly into their daily routines.
The report, The Great Indoors: How the "Couch Economy" Is Redefining Consumer Spending Habits, examines spending trends across multiple markets and identifies a broader shift toward digital and home-centered consumption. While technological advances helped accelerate this trend, the research finds that consumer expectations around convenience, speed and seamless experiences are increasingly influencing purchasing decisions and business strategies.
"The rise of the couch economy reflects a broader shift in consumer behavior that extends far beyond e-commerce," said Wayne Best, chief economist at Visa. "As technology continues to reduce friction in everyday activities, consumers are increasingly prioritizing convenience, driving more spending through digital channels, subscription services and delivery platforms. For businesses, understanding these evolving habits is essential to meeting customers where and how they choose to engage."
Digital commerce is becoming part of everyday life
In the U.S., the share of domestic payment volume occurring online and in-app increased from 48 percent in 2019 to 58 percent in 2026, underscoring the continued expansion of digital commerce in everyday spending.
This extends beyond occasional online purchases: in the U.K., nearly 28 percent of cards now make 10 or more online or in-app purchases per month, up from 15 percent in 2018. In the UAE, the share rose from 4.5 percentage points to 25.7 percent over the same period.
Subscriptions and delivery are winning share from traditional channels
This shift is especially visible in entertainment, where at-home streaming now reaches a broader share of consumers than out-of-home cinema and concert spending across every market studied. In the U.S., more than 17% of cards have active streaming subscriptions compared to roughly 6% engaging in cinema and concert spending.
Food delivery services have followed a similar trajectory. In the UAE, the share of cards active on food delivery apps increased from approximately 2 percent in 2018 to nearly 30 percent in 2026.
"Across CEMEA, convenience has become a defining feature of modern consumer behavior," said Mohamed Bardastani, principal CEMEA economist at Visa. "Whether consumers are ordering meals, streaming content or shopping online, they're increasingly seeking services that fit seamlessly into their daily routines. Those same patterns are emerging across markets globally, underscoring the growing role convenience plays in shaping commerce."
The opportunity for businesses extends beyond e-commerce
As convenience becomes a default consumer expectation, businesses are competing through digital engagement, subscription models, delivery capabilities and recurring customer relationships. Broader lifestyle trends reinforce this shift: rising pet ownership is driving growth in pet supplies, grooming, care services and other recurring household purchases. The U.S. remains one of the most pet-oriented markets overall, with roughly 8 percent of domestic cards showing regular pet-related spending.
The couch economy marks a new shift in commerce, one where consumer spending is increasingly flowing to businesses that deliver convenience, digital engagement and recurring value.
The full report is available at How the "couch" is redefining consumer spending habits.
Methodology
VBEI's analysis is based on anonymized VisaNet transaction data and examines spending trends across six markets: Australia, Brazil, Poland, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the United States. The research evaluates consumer engagement across digital commerce, subscriptions, food delivery, and other categories associated with home-centered consumption. Pet ownership is proxied by the share of domestic cards with active regular spend at pet merchants. Unless otherwise noted, all analyses of VisaNet data in this report are based on Visa credit, debit and prepaid card transactions.
FAQ
What is the couch economy?
The couch economy refers to the growing trend of consumers shopping, streaming, dining and managing everyday activities from home using digital platforms. As expectations for convenience rise, more spending is flowing through digital channels, subscription services and delivery platforms.
Which industries / categories are most affected?
The research finds significant growth in digital commerce, streaming subscriptions, food delivery and pet-related spending. Spending on streaming is now more common than on cinemas and concerts across all markets studied, and food delivery has expanded from early adopters to mainstream consumers.
Is this trend still growing?
Yes. Across all six markets studied, digital commerce, streaming and food delivery adoption increased between 2018 and 2026. The share of consumers making frequent online purchases (10+ per month) has also risen significantly, suggesting these behaviors are becoming embedded in daily routines.
What does this mean for businesses?
As convenience becomes a baseline expectation, businesses are increasingly competing through digital engagement, subscription models, delivery capabilities and recurring customer relationships. The opportunity extends beyond e-commerce to any business that can deliver seamless experiences and ongoing value in the home.
About Visa Business and Economic Insights (VBEI)
Visa Business and Economic Insights (VBEI) provides data-driven analysis of global economic trends, consumer spending patterns and the evolution of digital commerce, drawing on proprietary VisaNet transaction data, economic modeling and third-party research. The team publishes regular research across macroeconomics, consumer behavior and payments innovation. To subscribe: https://globalclient.visa.com/visaeconomicnews-subscribe
About Visa
Visa (NYSE: V) is a world leader in digital payments, facilitating transactions between consumers, sellers, financial institutions and government entities across more than 200 countries and territories. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, convenient, reliable and secure payments network, enabling individuals, businesses and economies to thrive. We believe that economies that include everyone everywhere, uplift everyone everywhere and see access as foundational to the future of money movement. Learn more at Visa.com.
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