Visa Study: 78% in Serbia Use AI to Shop, But Trust is Key at Checkout

78% of Serbian citizens have used AI to assist with shopping, while 90% feel AI-powered tools make online shopping faster and easier than before.
79% believe AI will play a critical role in protecting consumers from fraud in the future, but only 9% today trust AI agents to complete checkout.
57% have purchased directly through social commerce while 45% of consumers who experienced scams report it happened on social media.
78% are concerned that children struggle to recognize scams, and 42% have seen a child fall victim while gaming or shopping online.
Only 12% believe consumers should be primarily responsible for protection against fraud when shopping online. Separately, the 72% say alerts when something looks suspicious would help them feel more secure paying online.

Belgrade, June 11, 2026 – Visa, a world leader in digital payments, today released the annual Stay Secure study in Serbia, which assesses consumer awareness and behaviors in the area of digital commerce and fraud. This year’s edition conducted by Wakefield Research, highlights how AI‑enabled shopping and social commerce are changing consumer behavior even as expectations around trust and protection remain firmly in place.

Consumers Embrace AI-Assisted Shopping

Consumers are embracing artificial intelligence as part of their shopping journeys. 78% of Serbian citizens have used AI tools to assist with shopping, including comparing prices 56%, finding gift ideas 54%, and checking reviews or product ratings (41%).

The appeal is clear: 90% feel new technologies, including AI-powered tools, are making online shopping faster and easier than before. AI is also influencing discovery, with 35% typically discovering new brands or retailers while shopping online.

However, consumers remain more cautious when it comes to AI handling transactions on their behalf. Today, only 9% would trust AI agents to complete checkout on their behalf, reinforcing the importance of earning consumer trust in the age of agentic commerce.

As AI adoption grows, consumers increasingly view the technology as part of the solution to fraud. 68% of Serbian citizens feel AI has made scams easier to recognize today, and 79% believe AI will play a critical role in protecting consumers from fraud in the future.

“The use of AI tools has become part of our everyday lives. We see it when we search for the best price or plan a trip, but it also works in the background, invisibly. This is precisely where Visa is most active: every time you press ‘pay’, our AI powered solutions work to protect that transaction. The Stay Secure study shows that most Serbian citizens recognize that AI makes it easier to detect fraud. Their trust tells us how ready they are for the digital economy. Our task is to be worthy of that trust and to continue strengthening the security of every click and every payment,” said Ana Drašković, Vice President and General Manager, Visa SEE.

Social Commerce is Growing but so are Scam Risks

Shopping through social platforms has become mainstream, with 57% of Serbian citizens having purchased products directly through social media platforms. As commerce expands across new channels, fraud risks continue to follow consumers online. 30% have experienced a financial scam in the past 12 months. Among those who have experienced a scam, 45% report the incident occurred on social media, more than those who encounter scams on other platforms such as websites, online marketplaces, or shopping apps.

Children are Increasingly Exposed to Scams While Shopping and Gaming Online

The study also highlights growing concern around how children encounter scams online, with 78% of consumers reporting that children in their lives struggle to recognize scams. A significant 42% have seen a child fall victim to a scam while gaming or shopping online.

Consumers Expect Institutions to Lead on Fraud Protection

When it comes to protecting against fraud while shopping online, consumers look first to institutions rather than themselves. 38% believe banks or financial institutions should be primarily responsible, followed by government authorities or regulators (34%) and payment providers (28%). Only 12% believe consumers themselves should hold primary responsibility.

They also want more proactive reassurance. 72% would feel secure receiving real-time alerts from their bank or payment app when something looks suspicious, while 21% would feel more comfortable seeing a familiar, trusted logo at checkout.

“Visa’s Stay Secure study shows that while online shopping and social commerce continue to grow, scams and fraud are evolving too. Consumers see fraud protection as a shared responsibility, but they expect financial institutions, governments, and payment providers to take the lead, underscoring the importance of secure-by-design payment systems,” said Larisa Makarova, Senior Director of Risk Management for CIS and SEE at Visa,

She continued, “As commerce moves toward more agentic, AI-powered experiences, the study shows that consumers are embracing the convenience AI can bring to shopping but remain cautious when it comes to AI completing purchases on their behalf. With Visa Intelligent Commerce, we are helping enable the next era of commerce built on trust, control and confidence.”

About the Stay Secure Study 2026

The Stay Secure study was commissioned by Visa and conducted by Wakefield Research from January to February, 2026. It involved a survey of 5,800 adults aged 18 years and older across 17 CEMEA markets, including Bahrain, Côte d'Ivoire, Egypt, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Morocco, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia (KSA), Serbia, South Africa, Ukraine and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Disclaimers:

Study results reflect consumer perceptions at the time of the research and do not predict future behaviour or outcomes.
Results may vary depending on the country, demographic group, and market conditions in the surveyed regions.
The study findings reflect consumer observations and perceptions and should not be interpreted as expert guidance on child safety or online behaviour.
References to artificial intelligence reflect supporting technologies and insights only. AI‑based tools do not replace human judgment and do not constitute legal, financial, compliance, or professional advice.

About Visa

Visa (NYSE: V) is a world leader in digital payments, facilitating transactions between consumers, merchants, financial institutions and government entities across more than 200 countries and territories. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, convenient, reliable and secure payments network, enabling individuals, businesses and economies to thrive. We believe that economies that include everyone everywhere, uplift everyone everywhere and see access as foundational to the future of money movement. Learn more at Visa.com.

Media Contact

Jovana Tufegdzic
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