Wage Payments into Accounts Statistics in South Africa (2026)
In 2024, 23.7% of adults in South Africa received wage payments into an account, according to World Bank Global Findex data. Down from 35.4% in 2021 to 23.7% in 2024 (−11.6 percentage points). South Africa ranks #4 of 36 economies in Sub-Saharan Africa on this measure, and #70 of 140 globally.
Key Statistics
- Latest value (2024)
- 23.7% (2024)
- Wage Payments into Accounts in South Africa as of 2024, the most recent observation in World Bank Global Findex data.
- Change since 2021
- −11.6 pp (2024)
- Down from 35.4% in 2021 to 23.7% in 2024 (−11.6 percentage points).
- Earliest value in this dataset (2014)
- 26.8% (2014)
- Earliest observation in this dataset, which covers 1990 onward (the source series may begin earlier). Down from 26.8% in 2014 to 23.7% in 2024.
- Peak value (2021)
- 35.4% (2021)
- Highest value in the available series; the 2024 value is 23.7%.
- Rank in Sub-Saharan Africa
- #4 of 36 (2024)
- South Africa ranks 4 of 36 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa with data, based on each country's latest value.
- Global rank
- #70 of 140 (2024)
- South Africa ranks 70 of 140 countries with data globally.
- Sub-Saharan Africa average
- 12.4% (2024)
- South Africa (23.7%) is above the average of 12.4% across the 36 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa with data.
- Among women (2024)
- 20.7% (2024)
- Value for women in South Africa, same 2024 World Bank Global Findex data.
- Among men (2024)
- 27.2% (2024)
- Value for men in South Africa, same 2024 World Bank Global Findex data.
- Gender gap (women minus men)
- −6.5 pp (2024)
- In 2024, the figure was 20.7% for women and 27.2% for men — 6.5 percentage points lower among women.
- Internet use in South Africa (2024)
- 78.4% (2024)
- 78.4% of the population in South Africa used the internet in 2024 (World Bank); shown for context only.
- Population (2024)
- 64 million (2024)
- South Africa had a population of 64 million in 2024 (World Bank); shown for scale only.
Trend, 2014–2024
| Year | % of adults (age 15+) | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 23.7% | −11.6 pp |
| 2021 | 35.4% | +13.1 pp |
| 2017 | 22.2% | −4.5 pp |
| 2014 | 26.8% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What share of adults in South Africa received wage payments into an account?
23.7% of adults in South Africa received wage payments into an account in 2024, according to World Bank Global Findex data.
Is there a gender gap in wage payments into accounts in South Africa?
Yes — in 2024 the figure was 20.7% for women and 27.2% for men, a gap of 6.5 percentage points in favor of men.
When did wage payments into accounts in South Africa peak?
The highest value in the available series was 35.4% in 2021; the latest (2024) value is 23.7%.
How recent is the wage payments into accounts data for South Africa?
The most recent observation is from 2024. World Bank Global Findex data is reported with a lag, so 2024 is the latest available year for South Africa.
Source & methodology
Source: World Bank Global Findex, indicator
fin32.acc, retrieved .
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 .