Business Wire

DING

27.1.2021 12:12:04 CET | Business Wire | Press release

Share
Phones, Payments and the Pandemic: Covid’s Impact on How We Communicate and Spend Money

The release of the Inaugural Ding Global Prepaid Index (GPI) has produced unexpected findings of an untapped market with high growth potential that has been accelerated by the Covid-19 pandemic. This bi-annual global study commissioned by Ding , the world’s largest mobile top-up service, examines the views of 7,000 respondents across the US, the UK, France, KSA, UAE, Qatar, Brazil, Indonesia, and the Philippines, regarding their engagement in the prepaid market and their attitudes towards it. The prepaid market is defined as people who use prepaid mobile billing; prepaid financial products such as prepaid credit cards; prepaid utility bill payment, or prepaid gift cards / vouchers.

Market Intelligence - what the report tells us

This report is telling: 79% of respondents use at least one prepaid service, while 45% use two or more; prepay is seen as a more flexible way to engage the services they need and want rather than bill pay (or postpay) options. Prepaid mobile bills account for the highest usage (61%), followed by prepaid utility bills (31%), prepaid vouchers and gift cards (19%) and prepaid financial products such as a prepaid visa card (17%).

While many assume that the prepaid market primarily serves those in a lower income bracket, the study has revealed that a high number across all income brackets engage in prepaid services. In fact, higher-income earners use prepaid products most, with 84% of respondents in this bracket stating they use prepaid services. This result is relatively high across the board, with 78% of low-income earners using prepaid services as do 79% of medium-income earners.

“The Global Prepaid Index has revealed the enormous market potential for prepaid products,” said Mark Roden, Chief Executive and Founder of Ding. “Our research shows that prepaid products attract all walks of life, with many people engaging by choice rather than out of necessity. In an era where we can use technology to provide better transparency and control over our finances, as well as to use it to quickly access services, it is no surprise that people are willing to have their electricity or mobile phone service cut off for example because, in minutes, they can just top it up again.”

Market Opportunity

“Today we see a business opportunity to cater to the prepaid market more than ever,” said Roden. “The Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated this trend not only due to financial uncertainty but also with many unable to see their loved ones in person due to social distancing and restrictions on international travel. Even on our own platform, we have seen close to a 50% annual uptick in prepaid transactions during 2020, with customers prioritising keeping in contact by either topping up their own phones or sending airtime to others.”

*** Ends ***

About the Ding Global Prepaid Index (GPI)

The Ding Global Prepaid Index (GPI) is a major bi-annual survey analysing the prepaid market.

The inaugural GPI shines a light on the people who may see prepaid products and services as their only option to live in the world today. 7,000 respondents were surveyed across Europe, Asia and the Americas regarding their use of prepaid offerings, examining the attitudes, activities and outlook of the forgotten billion in particular during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Those surveyed were evenly distributed across gender and aged over 18, 30 percent of the sample also identified as expats.

About Ding

Ding was founded to improve people’s lives by helping those with less gain access to more. As the number one international mobile top-up service in the world, Ding has been keeping people connected since 2006, when it launched this first-of-a-kind service. Today, Ding’s users have successfully sent over 450 million top-ups globally, via the app, online at Ding.com, and in-store at over 600,000+ retail outlets worldwide.

Ding is the world’s leading universal top-up service. Ding delivers a top-up every second, via 550+ operators, across 140+ countries – helping families and friends around the world to stay connected.

Link:

ClickThru

About Business Wire

Business Wire
Business Wire
101 California Street, 20th Floor
CA 94111 San Francisco

http://businesswire.com

Subscribe to releases from Business Wire

Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Latest releases from Business Wire

Traxys Group Completes Acquisition of Carbomax AB Through the Purchase of 100% of Comax22.4.2026 12:01:00 CEST | Press release

Traxys S.à.r.l., a global trader and merchant in the metals and natural resources sectors, is pleased to announce that the previously announced acquisition of Comax2 AB - the holding company of Carbomax AB - from Investment Aktiebolaget Spiltan and the other shareholders of Comax2 AB has successfully closed. Traxys Group has now acquired 100% of the interests in Comax2 AB, making Carbomax AB a wholly owned subsidiary of Traxys Group. All required Swedish regulatory clearances including foreign direct investment and antitrust approvals have been obtained allowing the parties to finalize the transaction. Carbomax AB is a leading Swedish trading house and industrial operator specializing in ferroalloys, carbon products and briquettes. Through this acquisition, Traxys strengthens its presence in the Scandinavian market and reinforces its commitment to advancing sustainable steel production in the region. The combination of Traxys and Carbomax creates significant commercial, operational and

Reply Signs Strategic Collaboration Agreement with AWS to Accelerate AI-Driven Cloud Transformation2.4.2026 10:00:00 CEST | Press release

Reply [EXM, STAR: REY] announced today that it has signed a strategic collaboration agreement (SCA) with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to accelerate the adoption of cloud and artificial intelligence solutions across key international markets. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260402597802/en/ This strategic collaboration agreement further reinforces Reply’s commitment to enable organizations across industries to harness the full potential of cloud and artificial intelligence technologies. At the core of the SCA is a strong focus on Artificial Intelligence and Generative AI. Leveraging the deep expertise of its specialized companies - Comsysto Reply, Data Reply, Sense Reply, and Storm Reply - Reply supports organizations in designing and deploying enterprise-grade GenAI solutions, including agentic AI systems for autonomous workflows, domain-specialized models for vertical industries, and governance frameworks aligne

Bending Spoons renews tech scholarship for women with €100,000 commitment2.4.2026 09:11:00 CEST | Press release

Bending Spoons today opened applications for the 2026 edition of its Women in Computer Science Scholarship. The program offers twenty scholarships, each worth €5,000, to university students pursuing technology degrees across Europe and the United Kingdom. This year’s recipients will also be invited to a two-day networking event in Milan in October, fully covered by the company. The initiative is part of a broader set of programs Bending Spoons runs to recognize and support the next generation of technology talent, including merit-based scholarships, networking events, and student competitions. "The students of computer science today will define what the field looks like in the years ahead," said Eva Milenkovska, talent manager at Bending Spoons and lead of the scholarship initiative. "This scholarship is about recognizing the women who are pushing themselves to excel and to help shape the future of the industry." This is the fourth time Bending Spoons has offered this specific scholars

SecurityTech on the Rise: G+D Reports Strong Order Intake and High Resilience in 20252.4.2026 08:30:00 CEST | Press release

In fiscal year 2025, Giesecke+Devrient (G+D) reaffirmed its position as global leader in SecurityTech for mission-critical infrastructure. In a market where security is becoming essential for technological and societal stability, G+D demonstrates strong growth prospects. In 2025, G+D achieved a record order intake of €3.6 billion (+8%). Revenue increased to €3.2 billion (+1%), although exchange rate effects dampened growth. The key figures underscore the company's strong operational performance and profitability: Adjusted EBIT reached a new high of €211 million. The substantial free cash flow of €119 million provides additional leeway for future investments. With its equally strong segments – Digital Security, Financial Platforms and Currency Technology – G+D boasts a resilient portfolio that effectively cushions market volatility. The company's success reflects this strategic strength, combining technological depth, a global presence and operational reliability. G+D is making targeted

Bona Releases 2025 Sustainability Report2.4.2026 08:05:00 CEST | Press release

Bona®, a global, family-owned company that supplies products for installing, renovating, maintaining, and restoring premium floors, has published its 2025 Sustainability Report. The report outlines progress across Bona’s three sustainability pillars – Respect our Planet, Care for People, and Trusted Business – and highlights the continued integration of sustainability into all aspects of its operations. “Our business is built on extending the life of existing flooring materials and reducing the need for replacement,” says Lidija Broström, Interim Chief Executive Officer at Bona. “At Bona, we are making steady progress in reducing our impact while building a stronger foundation for the future. By working closely with our partners, we aim to drive meaningful change across our value chain and contribute to a more sustainable future.” In 2025, Bona reduced total Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions (market-based) by 46% compared to its 2022 baseline, reaching 1,338 tonnes of CO₂—surpassi

In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.

Visit our pressroom
World GlobeA line styled icon from Orion Icon Library.HiddenA line styled icon from Orion Icon Library.Eye