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

Quectel Launches FCE870X and FME170X Tri-band Wi-Fi 7 Modules With Bluetooth 6.0 for Set-top Boxes, Gaming Devices and More30.7.2026 10:00:00 CEST | Press release

Quectel Wireless Solutions, a global end-to-end IoT solutions provider, today announces the FCE870X and FME170X tri-band Wi-Fi 7 modules, powered by the Synaptics SYN4384 chipset and designed for set-top boxes, gaming devices, digital signage, VR/AR headsets, smart gateways and other high-performance connected products. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260730986067/en/ Quectel launches FCE870X and FME170X tri-band Wi-Fi 7 modules with Bluetooth 6.0 for set-top boxes, gaming devices and more The FCE870X and FME170X share the same high-end feature set and differ only in form factor. The FCE870X Wi-Fi 7 module uses a Compact LCC package for embedded designs, while the FME170X Wi-Fi 7 module uses a Compact M.2 package for modular, slot-based systems. Device makers can choose the option that best fits their platform without compromising wireless performance. “These high-end Wi-Fi 7 modules are engineered to run acro

Singapore Selects Thales for Next-generation AI-powered Air Traffic Management System Serving One of Asia’s Busiest Airspaces30.7.2026 10:00:00 CEST | Press release

To address the rapid growth in air traffic, the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) has selected Thales to develop Singapore’s NexGen Air Traffic Management System (ATMS) and air traffic control radars. Scheduled to enter operational service by 2030, the NexGen ATMS will enable air traffic controllers to provide air traffic control services safely and efficiently, handling up to one million aircraft movements annually. Powered by advanced cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence technologies, the NexGen ATMS provides an integrated, highly automated environment that enhances controller decision-making, increases operational efficiency, and further strengthens flight safety. The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) has awarded Thales a landmark contract to develop a new NexGen Air Traffic Management System (ATMS) and air traffic control radars, marking a major step towards a more efficient, safer and more sustainable aviation ecosystem. The NexGen ATMS will replace the

Western Europe’s Fashion E-commerce Market Matures, Representing 20% of Online Consumer Spending as Gen Z Drives momentum30.7.2026 09:00:00 CEST | Press release

Second-hand platforms and value-focused retailers are disrupting Western Europe’s fashion market, which accounts for nearly one-fifth of online spending Fashion remains one of the largest and most resilient categories in Western European e-commerce, accounting for approximately 20% of online consumer spending across key markets, according to the latest NIQ (NYSE: NIQ) report, Decoding the Fashion E-commerce European Market in 2026. The study analyzes the behaviour of more than 2 million online shoppers across 10 European countries, providing one of the most comprehensive views of the region’s online fashion landscape. While fashion continues to play a central role in e-commerce, the category is entering a new phase of maturity. Across Europe, total e-commerce sales grew by 5% over the past year, compared with 3% growth for online fashion sales, highlighting the need for brands and retailers to find new avenues for growth. Key findings of the report: Fashion remains a core e-commerce ca

Takeda Announces FY2026 First Quarter Results, Near-Term Launch Preparations and Pipeline Progress on Track30.7.2026 08:37:00 CEST | Press release

Solid first quarter performance broadly in line with guidance, underpinned by resilient demand across core in-line brandsCommercial execution and late-stage pipeline investments on schedule, including first approval for ORZEYFULTM (oveporexton) in China, setting the foundation for next wave of medicinesNo change to FY2026 full-year forecast and management guidance Takeda (TOKYO:4502/NYSE:TAK) announced financial results for the first quarter of fiscal year 2026 (April 1, 2026 to June 30, 2026), marking a period of disciplined execution and operational momentum. Takeda leveraged the resilient performance of its core in-line portfolio to support its long-term strategy, advancing commercial launch preparations and driving critical R&D pipeline milestones. With a clear operational trajectory established in the first quarter and under a new operating model, Takeda remains on track to deliver its strategic and financial commitments for the fiscal year. FY2026 First Quarter Highlights Revenue

Coulson Aviation Introduces CFR HALO, a Long-Term Fire Retardant Engineered for Modern Aerial Firefighting30.7.2026 08:03:00 CEST | Press release

First Coulson EmberWorks product is undergoing qualification in France and evaluation for inclusion on the USDA Forest Service Qualified Products List Coulson Aviation today introduced CFR HALO, a next-generation long-term fire retardant engineered specifically for modern aircraft, tank systems, and wildfire missions. It is the first product from Coulson EmberWorks, the company’s research and development division dedicated to advancing aerial firefighting technologies. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260729960073/en/ Coulson Aviation has introduced CFR HALO, a next-generation long-term fire retardant engineered specifically for modern aircraft, tank systems and wildfire missions. It is designed with mission-optimized viscosity and flow characteristics to improve drop cohesion, reduce airborne drift, and support more accurate placement within the intended target area. CFR HALO is currently advancing through ind

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