Assessing the Impact of Trust and Security on Digital Payment Preference among Digital Payment Users in Muscat, Oman

This study examines the influence of perceived trust and perceived security on digital payment preference among users in Muscat, Oman. As digital payment systems become increasingly integrated into daily financial activities, understanding the factors that influence user preference has become important for financial institutions, policymakers, and payment service providers. The study adopted a quantitative research design and collected data from 128 digital payment users through a structured questionnaire. Perceived trust and perceived security were treated as independent variables, while preferred digital payment method was treated as the dependent variable. Descriptive statistics and regression analysis were conducted using MS Excel and PSPP software. The findings revealed that neither perceived trust nor perceived security had a statistically significant influence on users’ preferred digital payment method. Trust explained only 1.1% of the variation in payment preference, while security explained only 0.1%. These results suggest that trust and security may be viewed by respondents as basic expectations rather than direct factors influencing payment preference. However, due to the small sample size, gender imbalance, and exploratory statistical approach, the findings should be interpreted with caution. The study recommends that future research should examine additional factors such as convenience, transaction speed, ease of use, promotional benefits, merchant acceptance, and service reliability to better understand digital payment preference in Oman.

Digital Payment, Trust, Security, Payment Preference

1. Almaiah, M. A., Al-Rahmi, A., Alturise, F., Hassan, L., Lutfi, A., Alrawad, M., Alkhalaf, S., Al-Rahmi, W. M., Al-Sharaieh, S., & Aldhyani, T. H. H. (2022). Investigating the effect of perceived security, perceived trust, and information quality on mobile payment usage through near-field communication (NFC) in Saudi Arabia. Electronics, 11(23), 3926. doi:10.3390/electronics11233926. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

2. Barkhordari, M., Nourollah, Z., Mashayekhi, H., Mashayekhi, Y., & Ahangar, M. S. (2017). Factors influencing adoption of e-payment systems: An empirical study on Iranian customers. Information Systems and e-Business Management, 15, 89–116. doi:10.1007/s10257-016-0311-1. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

3. Central Bank of Oman. (2024). National Payment Systems Annual Report 2024. Central Bank of Oman. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

4. Davis, F. D. (1989). Perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and user acceptance of information technology. MIS Quarterly, 13(3), 319–340. doi:10.2307/249008. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

5. Demirgüç-Kunt, A., Klapper, L., Singer, D., & Ansar, S. (2022). The Global Findex Database 2021: Financial inclusion, digital payments, and resilience in the age of COVID-19. World Bank. doi:10.1596/978-1-4648-1897-4. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

6. Featherman, M. S., & Pavlou, P. A. (2003). Predicting e-services adoption: A perceived risk facets perspective. International Journal of Human-Computer Studies, 59(4), 451–474. doi:10.1016/S1071-5819(03)00111-3. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

7. Flavián, C., & Guinalíu, M. (2006). Consumer trust, perceived security and privacy policy: Three basic elements of loyalty to a website. Industrial Management & Data Systems, 106(5), 601–620. doi:10.1108/02635570610666403. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

8. Gefen, D., Karahanna, E., & Straub, D. W. (2003). Trust and TAM in online shopping: An integrated model. MIS Quarterly, 27(1), 51–90. doi:10.2307/30036519. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

9. Government of Oman. (n.d.). Government Digital Transformation Program 2021–2025. Oman Government Portal. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

10. Ghouse, S. M., Shekhar, R., & Chaudhary, M. (2025). Driving financial inclusion: Exploring mobile wallet adoption among rural Omani millennials. Journal of Islamic Marketing, 16(4), 1229–1257. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

11. Kim, C., Tao, W., Shin, N., & Kim, K. S. (2010). An empirical study of customers’ perceptions of security and trust in e-payment systems. Electronic Commerce Research and Applications, 9(1), 84–95. doi:10.1016/j.elerap.2009.04.014. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

12. Kim, D. J., Ferrin, D. L., & Rao, H. R. (2009). Trust and satisfaction, two stepping stones for successful e-commerce relationships: A longitudinal exploration. Information Systems Research, 20(2), 237–257. doi:10.1287/isre.1080.0188. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

13. Liébana-Cabanillas, F., Marinković, V., Ramos de Luna, I., & Kalinić, Z. (2018). Predicting the determinants of mobile payment acceptance: A hybrid SEM-neural network approach. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 129, 117–130. doi:10.1016/j.techfore.2017.12.015. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

14. McKnight, D. H., Choudhury, V., & Kacmar, C. (2002). Developing and validating trust measures for e-commerce: An integrative typology. Information Systems Research, 13(3), 334–359. doi:10.1287/isre.13.3.334.81. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

15. Oliveira, T., Thomas, M. A., Baptista, G., & Campos, F. (2016). Mobile payment: Understanding the determinants of customer adoption and intention to recommend the technology. Computers in Human Behavior, 61, 404–414. doi:10.1016/j.chb.2016.03.030. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

16. Oman Vision 2040. (n.d.). Oman Vision 2040. Sultanate of Oman. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

17. Shin, D. H. (2009). Towards an understanding of the consumer acceptance of mobile wallet. Computers in Human Behavior, 25(6), 1343–1354. doi:10.1016/j.chb.2009.06.001. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

18. Slade, E. L., Williams, M. D., Dwivedi, Y. K., & Piercy, N. C. (2015). Exploring consumer adoption of proximity mobile payments. Journal of Strategic Marketing, 23(3), 209–223. doi:10.1080/0965254X.2014.914075. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

19. Szumski, O. (2020). Digital payment methods within Polish students: Leading decision characteristics. Procedia Computer Science, 176, 3456–3465. doi:10.1016/j.procs.2020.09.051. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

20. Venkatesh, V., Morris, M. G., Davis, G. B., & Davis, F. D. (2003). User acceptance of information technology: Toward a unified view. MIS Quarterly, 27(3), 425–478. doi:10.2307/30036540. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

21. Venkatesh, V., Thong, J. Y. L., & Xu, X. (2012). Consumer acceptance and use of information technology: Extending the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology. MIS Quarterly, 36(1), 157–178. doi:10.2307/41410412. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

22. Visa. (2025). Visa Stay Secure study: Consumer payment security awareness in Oman. Visa Middle East. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

23. Zhou, T. (2013). An empirical examination of continuance intention of mobile payment services. Decision Support Systems, 54(2), 1085–1091. doi:10.1016/j.dss.2012.10.034. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

• The Indirect Effect of Liquidity and Activity on Company Value with Profitability as an Intervening Variable
• Effect of Financial Skills, Knowledge, and Attitude on The Financial Behaviour of Clergy
• A Decade of Review: Trends in Budget Execution and Financial Performance of Development Projects in Tanzania (2014/15-2023/24)
• The Influence of Pre-Project Planning on the Budget Absorption Rate of Public Funded Infrastructure Projects in Kenya a Comparative Case Study of Narok, Migori, and Kisii County Government Projects
• Assessment of Factors Influencing Digital Transformation in Hotels’ Facility Management in Abuja Metropolis, Nigeria