The adoption of mobile-based payments, particularly mobile wallets, increased significantly during the pandemic, especially in cash-reliant low-income economies. In the post-pandemic era, customers have greater flexibility in choosing their preferred payment methods, making customer retention vital for businesses. Therefore, it is essential to identify the factors influencing customer loyalty to mobile wallet apps. This study, conducted in Pakistan, seeks to identify the factors influencing customer loyalty toward mobile wallet apps in the post-COVID-19 era. Using data from 298 customers, the study uses Smart PLS to examine the relationships within the proposed model. The outcomes revealed that perceived usefulness (β = 0.201, p = 0.000), perceived ease of use (β = 0.177, p = 0.000), information quality (β = –0.094, p = 0.001), user satisfaction (β = 0.367, p = 0.000), hedonic motivations (β = 0.168, p = 0.000), and customer involvement (β = 0.141, p = 0.000) are the primary factors that determine whether or not a customer becomes loyal to mobile wallets. Moreover, customer involvement moderates the association between perceived ease of use (β = –0.146, p = 0.000), information quality (β = 0.125, p = 0.000), user satisfaction (β = 0.195, p = 0.000), hedonic motivations (β = –0.151, p = 0.000) and customer loyalty. In conclusion, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, user satisfaction, hedonic motivations, customer involvement and information quality are key determinants of customer loyalty in the new normal.