South African consumers are using artificial intelligence and social media more often as part of their shopping habits, but Visa’s Stay Secure 2026 South Africa report suggests that trust in digital commerce still depends heavily on fraud protection and payment security.
The findings come from a broader Visa-commissioned survey conducted by Wakefield Research between January and February 2026 among 5 800 adults across 17 markets in Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
The survey shows that 77% of South African respondents have used AI tools to assist with shopping, whether to compare prices, find gift ideas, or check reviews and product ratings.
But confidence drops sharply when AI moves from support role to transaction role: only 23% said they would trust AI agents to complete checkout on their behalf.
That gap is the clearest signal in the findings: consumers may be comfortable using AI to compare options and make shopping easier, but they remain cautious at the point where money changes hands. The report presents that tension as part of a broader pattern in South Africa’s digital commerce market, where convenience is growing, but confidence still depends heavily on trust and fraud protection.
The report also highlights the rise of social commerce in South Africa. It found that 60% of respondents have bought products directly through social media platforms, underlining how shopping is spreading beyond traditional online stores and marketplaces. At the same time, the survey suggests that scam risks are moving with consumers into these new channels: 37% said they had experienced a financial scam in the past 12 months, and among those who had been scammed, 53% said the incident occurred on social media.
A further concern is the exposure of children to scams online. The report says 73% of respondents believe children struggle to recognise scams, while 52% said they had seen a child fall victim to a scam while gaming or shopping online.
Visa added that 19% of South African parents said children can access mobile payment apps or digital wallets, suggesting that children’s digital activity is expanding into more sensitive areas of commerce.
On fraud protection, respondents look first to institutions rather than consumers themselves. The report says 52% believe banks or financial institutions should be primarily responsible for protecting against fraud while shopping online, followed by 35% for payment providers or online marketplaces, 20% for government authorities or regulators, and 13% for consumers themselves.
The survey also identifies the trust signals that make people feel safer online. Respondents were most reassured by knowing how refunds or buyer protection work before they pay, having to confirm their identity before payment goes through, and receiving alerts from a bank or payment provider when something looks suspicious. Visa added that 76% would feel secure receiving real-time alerts, while 33% said a familiar, trusted logo at checkout would make them more comfortable.
Irene Auma, Visa’s regional head of fraud risk management for sub-Saharan Africa, said the findings show that online shopping and social commerce are expanding even as scams and fraud evolve.
She said consumers see fraud protection as a shared responsibility, but expect financial institutions, governments, and payment providers to take the lead, underscoring the need for secure-by-design payment systems.
She added that consumers are embracing the convenience of AI in shopping but remain cautious about AI completing purchases on their behalf.
