BEIJING, July 29 -- The adoption rate of fintech in China's small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) ranked first in the world, according to the report, Global FinTech Adoption Index 2019, released by Ernst & Young Global Limited (EY).

The adoption rate of fintech in China's SMEs reached 61 percent, while that in the United States came in second at 23 percent.

SMEs in emerging markets are particularly heavy users of banking and payment services, with 63 percent using services in that category. In China, the rate is 92 percent.

As for consumers' use of fintech, the consumer fintech adoption rate in both China and India reached 87 percent, far ahead of the global average of 64 percent, which indicates the wide application of financial platforms and ecosystems in China.

Money transfer and payment is the most common category. In China, where money transfer and payment apps are pervasive, the adoption rate is 95 percent.

The report was based on online surveys of more than 27,000 consumers in 27 countries and regions and 1,000 SMEs in the United States, UK, China, Mexico and South Africa.