Now in its 5th year, Appdome’s global survey reveals a dramatic shift in what mobile users expect from the brands they trust. For the first time, the research spans 12 countries, including new markets like Indonesia – providing an unprecedented global view of how fraud, identity threats, and AI-driven attacks influence trust, loyalty, and mobile engagement.
Across every country surveyed, mobile fraud remains the #1 fear, with identity fraud emerging as the most damaging and decisive trigger for app abandonment.
Users now expect apps to use AI-powered protections to stop:
• Synthetic identity attacks
• Account takeovers
• Deepfake and impersonation fraud
• Malware and on-device fraud
• AI-driven bots and automated attacks
This year’s data shows a persistent and dangerous pattern:
A majority of consumers believe their apps already have strong fraud, privacy, and AI threat protections – even when they don’t.
This false security gives fraudsters and criminal organizations a massive advantage and leaves mobile businesses exposed to:
• Preventable fraud losses
• Costly reimbursements
• Erosion of user trust
• Reputational damage
For the fifth year in a row, nearly 70% of global mobile users say that if they discover missing or weak protections in fraud, identity, or privacy, they will:
• Stop using an app
• Delete it permanently
• Switch to a competitor
This number has remained remarkably consistent across all the countries surveyed, proving that security is a top driver of retention and loyalty worldwide.
Consumers no longer see AI as just a threat, they also see it as the solution. Consumers around the world expect mobile businesses not only to defend against AI-driven attacks, but to fight AI with AI and believe that:
• Apps must use AI to detect and prevent modern attacks
• AI can make mobile defenses smarter and faster
• AI-powered protections are essential for identity safety
• Brands that leverage AI will be more trustworthy and more secure
In addition to the core findings, this year’s survey highlights how quickly consumer expectations are evolving. Mobile users are no longer satisfied with basic protections and now expect brands to take a proactive, AI-first approach to fraud and identity safety. The report also uncovers clear behavioral patterns that help teams understand what drives trust, retention, and long-term loyalty in mobile experiences.
For organizations planning their 2025 strategy, these insights provide a practical signal for where to focus security and product investments.
• Product strategies
• Security roadmaps
• AI investment priorities
• Fraud and risk operations
• Customer retention programs
