NEWS
NEWS
Fourthline report reveals European consumers’ trust in banks but rising fraud fears
Anew survey from digital identity verification specialist, Fourthline, shows high trust in banks across Europe, despite growing concerns over fraud and the security of online verification processes.
The 2025 Fourthline Fraud and Authentication Report, based on responses from 6,000 consumers in France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and the UK, found 82 % trust their bank to handle finances securely and 69 % believe banks act in their best interests. Traditional banks remain dominant, with 66 % of respondents using them exclusively, compared with 8 % for digitalonly banks and 27 % using both.
Fraud remains a significant concern, with 19 % of consumers reporting they have been victims. This figure is higher among customers of digital-only banks( 27 %) than traditional banks( 16 %). AI-driven fraud and deepfakes are emerging threats, with 49 % expressing concern.
KYC preferences highlight a divide: 52 % favour in-person verification, rising to 60 % among traditional bank customers, while only 30 % of digital-only bank customers prefer it. UK respondents were more open to digital KYC methods, while German consumers were least likely to share ID documents digitally.
Biometric authentication is regarded as the most secure method by 65 % of respondents, increasing to 76 % in the UK. However, 78 % want to choose their authentication method.
“ While overall trust in banks remains high, consumers are concerned about how fraud is evolving,” said Krik Gunning, Cofounder and CEO of Fourthline.
UAE firms face late payment pressure as bad debts climb to 8 %
The UAE’ s B2B payment landscape is becoming more polarised, with businesses facing rising financial pressure as bad debts hit an average of 8 % of overdue invoices, according to the latest Atradius Payment Practices Barometer survey.
Conducted in the second half of Q2 2025, the survey found 43 % of companies reported no change in payment behaviour, while the rest were split between faster and slower settlements. Half of all B2B sales in the UAE are on credit, with terms averaging 47 days. However, 58 % of these are paid late, often due to administrative bottlenecks or financial distress among customers, squeezing working capital.
“ The findings highlight a dual reality in the UAE market,” said Roeland Punt,
Regional Director for Atradius in the Middle East.“ While some businesses continue to experience stable payment behaviour, others are facing growing financial strain. The increase in bad debts and overdue invoices is a clear signal that companies need to reinforce their credit risk frameworks.”
Sector view
Pharmaceuticals reported 50 % of sales on credit with 60 % overdue, and 61 % expecting more customer insolvencies. Steel and metals firms saw 55 % of invoices overdue but 69 % did not expect insolvencies to rise. FMCG businesses kept terms shorter at 40 days but 56 % forecast more insolvencies.
Half of all UAE companies expect insolvencies to increase in the next 12 months, with geopolitical risks, regulatory changes and environmental pressures adding to uncertainty.
10 www. intelligentfin. tech