Purpose – Trust in e-government has emerged as a key topic of interest among academicians and policymakers. Research reports that approximately 60% of e-government projects failed to deliver the expected results due to a lack of users’ trust. Owing to the centrality of trust in the e-government’s success, the purpose of this study is to look beyond the factors influencing trust in e-government and focus on the trust formation process. In addition, this study also aims to understand how cultural values and norms impact the trust formation process, as most studies have performed single-country analyses. Design/methodology/approach – This study uses trust transfer theory and perceived risk as theoretical bases. It also incorporates country-culture dimensions (indulgence and power distance) as moderators. A meta-analysis was conducted by synthesizing the outcomes of 43 studies to assess the formation of e-government trust across diverse cultural contexts. Findings – This study provides key insights into the trust formation process in e-government services. It highlights the role of inter-channel and intra-channel trust transfer in building e-government trust. Policymakers should note that users do not automatically trust e-government services; they must have confidence both in the service providers (the government) and the delivery channel (the internet). Findings also demonstrate how country-culture dimensions facilitate/inhibit initial e-government trust formation, thus offering a valuable understanding of cross-cultural differences. Originality/value – This study addresses the gap in the existing literature by focusing on the trust formation process in e-government. It takes a step further by incorporating cultural dimensions as moderators and providing unique insights into the interplay between cultural norms and e government trust formation.