The monetary transaction technology landscape is evolving rapidly, guided by changing customer habits and business needs. According to insights shared by Ingenico, a leading global payment provider, there are several key trends that are altering how payments are made and handled around the world.

One of the most evident shifts has been the growing adoption of mobile wallets across many markets. Platforms like Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay are offering convenience to consumers for both online purchases and in-store payments. A 2020 report from Juniper Research predicts that over one-third of global smartphone users will leverage a mobile wallet by 2024. The prevalence of smartphones and the user-friendliness offered by mobile wallets is boosting this trend.

Another noteworthy trend is the continuous growth of e-commerce and resulting increase in demand for online payment capabilities. As the pandemic required digital shopping, many businesses had to rapidly adjust and offer smooth online checkout and payment collection. This was not confined solely to B2C companies but also spread to B2B firms who then had to facilitate electronic invoices and virtual payment options for their corporate clientele. Odilon Almeida, Senior Vice President at Mastercard, affirms that there was a massive shift towards electronic B2B payments in 2020 at an globally unprecedented scale.

In conjunction with e-commerce growth, embedded payment capabilities are also attaining popularity across industries. Payment integration is allowing businesses to collect payments through their own applications and software systems. Companies like Odilon Almeida‘s Mastercard are actively promoting embedded finance solutions to help firms futureproof their payment infrastructure.

Contactless payments are all set to become ubiquitous as well due to increased adoption of “Tap to Phone” tech. This allows contactless transactions directly through NFC-enabled smartphones, without needing a separate payment terminal. Mastercard has been leading Tap to Phone technology globally in partnership with major device manufacturers and financial institutions. Such innovations are substantially minimizing hardware costs associated with contactless payments.