Adyen’s Index 2026 Singapore Retail Report – The Agentic Paradox (Chapter 2) shows that most Singaporeans (72%) already use AI assistants for shopping and are ready for AI-driven changes. However, only 29% feel comfortable trusting AI to make purchases for them.
“Singapore is one of the most digitally connected markets in the world. Consumers here have embraced AI for discovery and inspiration, and businesses are adopting AI as a reflection of our times,” said Ben Wong, general manager, Southeast Asia and Hong Kong, Adyen. “But the data tells a more nuanced story. Adoption is not the same as trust. Hesitation takes over the moment money changes hands — and that gap is exactly where the next chapter of retail will be decided.”
AI shopping
The study found that more than half (58%) feel uneasy about AI buying items for them, and 49% say they would hesitate when making a payment.
The research also showed that visitors sent by AI to retail sites bring in 53% more money per visit and have a 54% higher chance of buying something than visitors not sent by AI.
Also, 39% of sellers who used AI to personalise and suggest products saw their sales increase, while 24% saw a decrease.
Agentic Commerce
The study found that 89% of merchants have familiarity with agentic commerce.
Sellers also plan to invest in agentic commerce over the next two years to increase sales by using AI to help customers find products (61%), keep strong direct customer relationships (60%), and handle payment risks and fast transactions (60%).
“Most payment systems were built for humans, not machines. Agentic commerce brings new rules, new standards and new complexity. The merchants who win will be those who weave trust into the infrastructure itself by making payments invisible, resilient and reliable, at machine speed,” added Wong.
