Study: Moroccan consumers embrace AI shopping, remain wary of online payments

Moroccan consumers are increasingly turning to artificial intelligence and social media platforms for online shopping, but many remain reluctant to trust technology with completing financial transactions, according to Visa’s Stay Secure Study 2026.

The study, conducted in partnership with Switch Al Maghrib, found that 83% of Moroccan consumers have already used AI-powered tools during the shopping process. Respondents said they primarily rely on AI to compare prices, search for gift ideas, read product reviews and discover new brands and retailers.

The report also found widespread confidence in the benefits of emerging technologies, with 97% of respondents saying AI and related digital tools make online shopping faster and more convenient.

Despite this growing adoption, consumers remain cautious when it comes to payments. Only 23% of those surveyed said they would trust an AI-powered agent to complete a purchase on their behalf, suggesting that many shoppers still prefer to retain direct control over financial transactions.

The study highlights the rapid expansion of social commerce in Morocco, where 87% of consumers reported purchasing products directly through social media platforms. However, the growth of online shopping has been accompanied by rising concerns about fraud and cybersecurity.

Nearly one-third of respondents, 30%, said they had experienced a financial scam during the previous 12 months. Among those affected, 53% reported that the fraud originated on social media platforms, making them one of the most common channels for online scams.

Children and teenagers are also increasingly exposed to digital risks. According to the survey, 92% of respondents expressed concern that children struggle to identify online scams, while 61% said they had witnessed a child become the victim of a scam while gaming or shopping online.

The report further found that 17% of Moroccan parents have children with access to mobile payment applications or digital wallets, raising additional concerns about online security and financial literacy among younger users.

Consumers overwhelmingly believe that institutions should bear primary responsibility for protecting users against online fraud. Only 9% said individuals should be mainly responsible for safeguarding themselves. By contrast, 49% pointed to banks and financial institutions as the principal actors responsible for fraud prevention, followed by government regulators at 47%, online marketplaces at 29%, and payment providers at 26%.

The study also identified a demand for more visible security measures. Nearly two-thirds of respondents, 64%, said they would feel more secure if banks or payment applications provided real-time alerts when suspicious activity is detected. Another 36% said the presence of a familiar and trusted logo during the checkout process would increase their confidence.

Visa said the findings demonstrate that while online shopping, social commerce and AI-powered consumer tools continue to expand, trust remains a critical factor in the evolution of digital commerce. The company stressed the growing importance of secure payment systems as the retail sector moves toward more automated and AI-assisted purchasing experiences.

Switch Al Maghrib echoed those concerns, noting that artificial intelligence is reshaping the fraud landscape. The company said AI can serve both as a powerful tool for detecting suspicious activity and as a method used by cybercriminals to develop more sophisticated scams. It called for stronger national infrastructure and advanced AI-driven monitoring systems capable of identifying fraudulent transactions in real time.

The Stay Secure Study 2026 was commissioned by Visa and conducted by Wakefield Research between January and February 2026. It surveyed 5,800 adults aged 18 and older across 17 markets in Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa, including Morocco.

The findings reflect a broader transformation of Morocco’s digital economy, where consumers are increasingly embracing new technologies while expecting stronger protections from banks, regulators, payment providers and online platforms to ensure secure digital transactions.