Here are six predictions involving AI, unified payment platforms, embedded payments, payment security technologies, data-driven personalization and payment orchestration platforms
Today, commerce and payments move at the speed of data, generating insights that enhance efficiency, security, and growth.
According to our research and insights, six trends for 2025 will stand out in the global payments landscape.
- The impact of AI will grow
Last year, firms started using generative AI (GenAI) to enhance compliance and operational efficiency. GenAI is also being used to enhance digital wallets. This year, AI automation tools are expected to take the technology to the next level, via “super wallets” that accept voice commands for transferring money, showing account balances, making online purchases and providing spending and payment analysis.
In terms of fraud detection, larger enterprises are concerned about data privacy, while small- and medium-sized firms (SMEs) are more eager to actively use the technology to improve payment processes. This is creating a divide among organizations. As AI faces increasing regulatory scrutiny, organizations must weigh the benefits against risks in their AI implementations.
- More innovations from unified payment platforms
As more consumers warm up to e-commerce, e-retailers will be enhancing their online presence through strategies such as social commerce and live commerce, supported by existing payment platforms that offer turnkey expertise to create seamless, predictable, and optimized shopping experiences. For example, some platforms allow consumers to buy directly through social media, highlighting the need for integration. New e-commerce tools are also available to enable content creators to link products for instant purchases and live commerce events.
Despite the focus on digital channels, physical stores are expected to remain a priority for SMEs this year, as the unique connection offered by physical locations will likely continue to hold significant importance for such businesses.
- Embedded payments will grow in the B2B space
More B2B transactions will facilitate embedded finance for greater efficiency and seamless experiences. Gaining traction this year are commerce-linked apps or in-car transactions (for payments at electric-vehicle charger stations). Automatic Clearing House (ACH)-linked Pay-by-bank models (Account-to-Account) are also predicted to grow in popularity among young consumers in Europe, due to lower transaction fees.
Even SMEs will rapidly increase their investments in embedded finance to enhance cash flow, reduce payment cycles and cart abandonment, and create smoother checkout processes.
- Data will increasingly drive seamless point-of-sale experiences
This year, businesses will increasingly leverage digital payment tools and point-of-sale processes to gain insights into customer preferences, enabling improved personalization, loyalty programs, and marketing engagement.
This evolution generates valuable customer data, allowing businesses to improve their understanding of consumer trends and improving supply chain efficiency. Real-time information from payments will aid in improving inventory management, reducing returns, and optimizing pricing strategies.
In some service-oriented industries such as F&B, integrated payment systems will make it painless for consumers to find what they want, compare and choose among options easily, and select delivery options seamlessly.
- Payment orchestration will evolve further
As payment orchestration platforms evolve, they will provide new ways for software vendors to engage with merchants. For instance, large retailers can now instantly disperse payments to numerous vendors upon transaction completion, streamlining the payment process and reducing back-end friction. Additionally, orchestration platforms can manage various payment methods through a single interface, while the advent of new AI tools is expected to enhance the benefits offered to corporations.
By automating payment processes, businesses can customize payment policies for each customer, making it significantly harder for fraudulent invoices or unauthorized payments to occur.
