Children are shopping and gaming online. Payment safety needs to keep up

Digital commerce is now part of everyday life for Egypt’s next generation. Visa’s Stay Secure 2026 study found that 35% of parents in Egypt have children who can access mobile payment apps or digital wallets. For these families, children’s online activity now moves easily between gaming, shopping, and the payment prompts built into the apps they already use.

That access creates a new safety challenge. When children shop, game, or tap through payment prompts online, they can encounter offers, links, and in-game purchases before they fully understand the risks behind them.

The study shows how visible that concern has become. In Egypt, 91% of consumers report that children in their lives struggle to recognize deceptive online activity, while 61% have seen a child fall victim while gaming or shopping online.

For banks, merchants, payment providers, and platforms, protection has to appear before the payment decision. That means clearer prompts, safer payment flows, recognizable checkout cues, and alerts when something looks suspicious.

As more young users enter digital commerce, payment safety has to be built into the design of the payment experience. A safer payment journey gives parents clearer reassurance, stronger control, and more confidence at the point of purchase.