2026 Adyen Index: Hong Kong Retailers Embrace AI, but Checkout Remains the Ultimate Trust Barrier

Adyen, the global financial technology platform of choice for leading businesses, today unveiled the Hong Kong edition of its 2026 Adyen APAC Retail Index. With artificial intelligence (AI) adoption surging and consumer expectations fundamentally shifting, the report reveals that Hong Kong shoppers are eagerly embracing AI-assisted shopping; however, the checkout experience remains the ultimate trust barrier. 

As the industry races towards agentic commerce, where AI agents make purchases on a shopper’s behalf, securing the final transaction without compromising the customer relationship is proving to be the defining challenge for retailers.  

Consumers Are Ready for AI-Powered Shopping

A comprehensive survey of 1,026 Hong Kong consumers and 324 enterprise retail merchants (with annual turnovers of HK$150 million or more) reveals that AI has firmly cemented itself in mainstream product discovery. Nearly three-quarters of consumers (74%) have used AI assistants to enhance their shopping experience.

Among AI-assisted shoppers, 88% agree that AI helps them cut through online noise, and 73% say it provides faster shopping inspiration. Furthermore, 71% actively want to use AI to discover unique brands and experiences.

Gen Z is leading this behavioral shift. One in four (26%) use AI assistants daily for shopping, compared to 17% of Gen X and just 2% of Baby Boomers. 

However, the findings reveal that a trust gap exists. 45% of consumers are uncomfortable allowing an AI assistant to complete a purchase on their behalf, even if the consumers have reviewed and approved the product and price. 14% are staunch in only using AI for product discovery and not for payment, while 14% are only comfortable if additional security checks are in place.  

Security Signals Trust, but Payments Prove It

As AI introduces greater automation into the purchase journey, the reliability of payments becomes even more critical.

In Hong Kong, 66% of consumers say payment errors damage their perception of a retailer. 26% also say they would abandon a purchase and avoid the retailer after a payment issue, indicating that checkout friction is not just a conversion risk; it can affect reputation.

The research shows Hong Kongers prioritize reassurance over speed at checkout. Two in five (41%) of surveyed consumers feel more confident when retailers require two-factor authentication, and only 9% are willing to sacrifice security for a faster checkout. 

For retailers, this means visible safeguards – particularly at checkout – play a critical role in maintaining trust as automation increases.

“Consumers already consider payments as part of the wider brand experience, meaning that if checkout fails, trust breaks,” said Kai Tang, Head of Hong Kong, Adyen. “As agentic commerce moves closer to reality, the next challenge is making sure the retail backend systems can keep up while maintaining trust at every transaction.”

Agentic Commerce and the Integration Challenge

Agentic commerce is the next phase of the digital customer journey where AI agents browse, decide, and purchase on a shopper's behalf. The report finds that 94% of Hong Kong merchants are familiar with the concept, and 52% plan to integrate AI-driven or agentic commerce solutions as part of their 2026 revenue growth plans.

That said, Hong Kong merchants are clear-eyed about the barriers to scaling agentic commerce. The top concerns are the risk of losing direct customer relationships or brand control (43%), data privacy and security (38%), and the difficulty of integrating AI into existing systems (35%).

As AI platforms bring new agentic commerce surfaces to market, enterprise merchants face a growing integration challenge. Each platform operates on different protocols and requires unique product data formats and checkout processes. Without a universal translator, every new platform becomes a costly, resource-heavy integration project.

The Opportunity Ahead

As Hong Kong's retail sector rapidly evolves, the 2026 Adyen Index highlights a clear mandate: success lies in balancing cutting-edge AI innovation with foundational reliability. While consumers are eager for dynamic, AI-enhanced shopping experiences, they refuse to compromise on security or seamless omnichannel journeys. To thrive in this new era and build lasting consumer trust, retailers must meet these dual demands by breaking down the silos between online and in-store channels, prioritizing robust data protection, and delivering the hyper-personalized, frictionless checkout experiences that modern shoppers expect.  

Methodology

The 2026 Adyen APAC Retail Index was commissioned by Adyen and conducted online by YouGov Plc between March and April 2026. In Hong Kong, the study features a nationally representative consumer sample of 1,026 residents aged 18 and older, alongside a business sample of 324 merchants at the senior manager level or higher from companies with an annual turnover of at least HK$150 million.

About Adyen

Adyen (AMS: ADYEN) is the financial technology platform of choice for leading companies. By providing end-to-end payments capabilities, data-driven insights, and financial products in a single global solution, Adyen helps businesses achieve their ambitions faster. With offices around the world, Adyen works with the likes of Meta, LVMH, SHEIN, Uber, L'Oréal, Cathay Pacific, Grab, Klook, and Singapore Airlines.