More than half a billion people in China will be paying with their phones in brick-and-mortar shops, cafes, and restaurants this year, according to the Statista Digital Market Outlook. That equals a penetration rate of more than 35 percent, the highest in the world. Yet, the overall annual transaction value per customer is higher in the US, the UK and France than in China. The average Chinese consumer is projected to spend around $1,100 with payment apps in 2019, compared to more than $2,400 in the UK and almost $3,000 in the U.S.