Wage Payments into Accounts Statistics in Ireland (2026)

As of the 2021 data, 45.2% of adults in Ireland received wage payments into an account, per World Bank Global Findex. Up from 40.4% in 2017 to 45.2% in 2021 (+4.8 percentage points). Ireland ranks #22 of 46 economies in Europe & Central Asia on this measure, and #34 of 140 globally.

Key Statistics

Latest value (2021): 45.2% (2021); Wage Payments into Accounts in Ireland as of 2021, the most recent observation in World Bank Global Findex data.
Change since 2017: +4.8 pp (2021); Up from 40.4% in 2017 to 45.2% in 2021 (+4.8 percentage points).
Earliest value in this dataset (2014): 37.9% (2014); Earliest observation in this dataset, which covers 1990 onward (the source series may begin earlier). Up from 37.9% in 2014 to 45.2% in 2021.
Record high (2021): 45.2% (2021); The 2021 value is the highest in the available World Bank Global Findex series for Ireland.
Rank in Europe & Central Asia: #22 of 46 (2021); Ireland ranks 22 of 46 countries in Europe & Central Asia with data, based on each country's latest value.
Global rank: #34 of 140 (2021); Ireland ranks 34 of 140 countries with data globally.
Europe & Central Asia average: 43.6% (2021); Ireland (45.2%) is above the average of 43.6% across the 46 countries in Europe & Central Asia with data.
Among women (2021): 41.3% (2021); Value for women in Ireland, same 2021 World Bank Global Findex data.
Among men (2021): 49.4% (2021); Value for men in Ireland, same 2021 World Bank Global Findex data.
Gender gap (women minus men): −8.1 pp (2021); In 2021, the figure was 41.3% for women and 49.4% for men — 8.1 percentage points lower among women.
Internet use in Ireland (2024): 97.2% (2024); 97.2% of the population in Ireland used the internet in 2024 (World Bank); shown for context only.
Population (2024): 5.4 million (2024); Ireland had a population of 5.4 million in 2024 (World Bank); shown for scale only.

Trend, 2014–2021

Wage Payments into Accounts in Ireland by year (% of adults (age 15+))
Year	% of adults (age 15+)	Change
2021	45.2%	+4.8 pp
2017	40.4%	+2.5 pp
2014	37.9%	—

Fig. 1 — Wage Payments into Accounts in Ireland, 2014–2021

Frequently asked questions

What share of adults in Ireland received wage payments into an account?

45.2% of adults in Ireland received wage payments into an account in 2021, according to World Bank Global Findex data.

How recent is the wage payments into accounts data for Ireland?

The most recent observation is from 2021. World Bank Global Findex data is reported with a lag, so 2021 is the latest available year for Ireland.

Where does the wage payments into accounts data for Ireland come from?

The data comes from the World Bank Global Findex (indicator fin32.acc). The latest observation for Ireland is from 2021; the snapshot was retrieved on 2026-06-10.

How has wage payments into accounts in Ireland changed over time?

World Bank Global Findex data show a rise from 37.9% in 2014 to 45.2% in 2021.

How does Ireland compare with other countries in Europe & Central Asia?

Ireland ranks 22 of 46 countries in Europe & Central Asia with data, with 45.2% versus a regional average of 43.6% (latest values per country).

Source & methodology

Source: World Bank Global Findex, indicator fin32.acc, retrieved 2026-06-10.

Figures are shown exactly as published in the source dataset; only the change column of the trend table is computed from adjacent published values.Read more on the methodology page. All figures are estimates and projections; this is not financial advice.

Last updated 2026-06-10.