Decoding apple pay adoption the interplay of trust, convenience, and perceived risk

Abstract

In these days, mobile payments have played a crucial role in daily activities with the support of current developments in technology. Particularly, Apple Pay mobile payment system has become one of important payment methods all over the world with the aim of providing iPhone user with the most advanced technology experience called near field communication (NFC). This study investigates the influence of Trust, Convenience, and Perceived Risk on the intention to use of Apple Pay. Using survey data from 301 participants across diverse industries in Vietnam and PLS-SEM analysis and Necessary Condition Analysis (NCA) by SmartPLS 4.1, results indicate that both Convenience (CON) and Trust significantly enhance user intent, which in turn positively predicts intention to use. However, Perceived Risk (PR) negatively affect user’s intent (PC = -0.093, p= 0.007), implying that while Apple Pay wallete may be convenient, risk is likely to be a negative factor to lessen users’s intent. This study is expected to contribute to the understanding of Apple Adoption in Vietnam and emphasize the challenges of risk perception in emerging markets. Practically, the research offers practical implications for banks and policymakers in designing strategies with the aim of developing digital finance in Vietnamese market sustainably. Research purpose: The purpose of this research is to examine how Trust, Convenience, and Perceived Risk influence Vietnamese users’ intention to use Apple Pay. By integrating the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) with extended constructs and applying PLS-SEM and Necessary Condition Analysis (NCA), the study aims to identify the key drivers and barriers affecting user adoption of Apple Pay in an emerging market context. The research seeks to deepen theoretical understanding of digital payment acceptance and provide practical insights for enhancing mobile payment strategies in Vietnam. Research motivation: The motivation for this study stems from the rapid growth of digital payments in Vietnam and the recent introduction of Apple Pay as a new mobile payment method in 2023. Despite its global success, Apple Pay adoption in Vietnam remains limited, largely due to concerns about trust, convenience, and perceived risk among users. Existing research has mainly focused on traditional e-wallets or mobile banking, leaving a gap in understanding cross-border mobile payment adoption in emerging markets. This study is therefore motivated by the need to clarify the behavioral and psychological factors influencing Apple Pay usage, thereby supporting the development of a secure and sustainable digital payment ecosystem in Vietnam. Research design, approach, and method: This study employs a quantitative research design using a survey-based approach to examine the proposed model of Apple Pay adoption. Data were collected from 301 Vietnamese respondents across various industries through an online questionnaire. The constructs of Trust, Convenience, Perceived Risk, and Intention to Use were measured using established Likert-scale items adapted from prior studies. The data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to test the hypothesized relationships, complemented by Necessary Condition Analysis (NCA) to identify essential factors influencing adoption intention. This mixed analytical approach provides both sufficiency and necessity insights into the determinants of Apple Pay usage. Main findings: The study finds that both Trust and Convenience have a significant positive impact on users’ intention to use Apple Pay, while Perceived Risk exerts a negative influence. Results from the Necessary Condition Analysis (NCA) further reveal that Trust and Convenience are necessary conditions for forming intention, whereas Perceived Risk is not a mandatory barrier. Specifically, Trust serves as a foundational prerequisite for adoption, and Convenience becomes crucial at higher levels of user intention. These findings highlight that enhancing users’ confidence in Apple Pay’s security and usability is key to fostering broader adoption in Vietnam’s emerging digital payment market. Practical/managerial implications: The findings provide valuable insights for Apple Pay managers, banks, and policymakers aiming to expand digital payment adoption in Vietnam. First, building and maintaining user trust should be prioritized through transparent security measures, strong data protection, and clear communication of privacy policies. Second, efforts to enhance convenience—such as improving transaction speed, ease of use, and cross-platform integration—can strengthen user satisfaction and loyalty. For commercial banks, fostering seamless integration with Apple Pay and offering responsive customer support can improve adoption rates. From a policy perspective, establishing clear regulatory frameworks and promoting digital financial literacy are essential to create a secure, trusted, and user- friendly digital payment environment.