What is the most popular online payment method in Ecuador?
The credit card. It carried 74% of e-commerce value in 2024, according to PCMI, followed by debit cards at 16% and wallets at 6%. Many card purchases are split into diferidos, installment plans set by the issuing bank.
In detail
The credit card. It carried 74% of e-commerce value in 2024, according to PCMI, followed by debit cards at 16% and wallets at 6%. Many card purchases are split into diferidos, installment plans set by the issuing bank.
Payment by cash in Ecuador
Online, cash is marginal, at 1% of e-commerce value in 2024, but it matters for unbanked shoppers. They pay with a reference at bank agents and retail networks.
Payment by bank transfer in Ecuador
Transfers are a daily payment habit in Ecuador, for rent, invoices and many small online sellers who share their account details on WhatsApp. Interbank payments processed through the BCE reached USD 141.2 billion from January to September 2025, up 11% year on year. Yet bank transfers carried only 3% of e-commerce value in 2024, because interbank transfers could take up to 72 hours depending on the bank and the day.
Payment by installment and BNPL in Ecuador
In Ecuador, installment payments run mostly through credit cards. At checkout, shoppers choose a diferido, an installment plan set by their issuing bank: with or without interest, with fixed installments, or with one to three grace months before the first payment, as documented by Kushki.
More detail in our #PayWorldTour guide Payment methods in Ecuador.