The payments industry is poised for significant advancements in 2025, driven by consumer behaviour, technological innovation and evolving market dynamics.
Payment Expert looks to outline some of the key trends that will shape the year, with insights from industry leaders Chloe Mayenobe, President and COO at Thunes, and Francesco Simoneschi, Co-Founder and CEO of TrueLayer.
Simoneschi believes that the payments industry is on the brink of transformative change, naming two major forces that will shape the future of the payments landscape. The first of these is consumer adoption.
He said: “Whether it’s the incredible growth of Pix in Brazil or UPI in India, or the rapid growth we’re seeing here in the UK and EU, the global trend is clear: consumers want the simplicity and security of account-to-account payments and are shifting behaviours to embrace it.”
As Simoneschi points out, account-to-account (A2A) payments have been a hot topic in 2024 and are expected to maintain momentum into 2025.
Take Pix, for example. Launched by the Central Bank of Brazil in 2020, it now has over 150 million users and has become an essential tool in Brazil due to its 24/7 availability, ease of use and real-time capabilities – all of which have become the standard for customers globally.
Earlier this year, Pix expanded to Portugal and Spain, becoming the first two European countries to offer the service to tourists. This highlights its growing popularity as a preferred method for both person-to-business (P2B) and person-to-person (P2P) transactions.
Meanwhile, Mayenobe believes that real-time payments will see significant growth in the business-to-business (B2B) sector in 2025.
This forecast is supported by research from the Faster Payments Council, which shows that B2B transactions via Pix are outpacing the growth of peer-to-peer (P2P) transactions, as billers and merchants realise significant cost savings with Pix compared to other payment methods.
“Real-time payments have surged in recent years, with huge growth in cross-border transactions – however, the B2B space remains relatively untapped. In 2025, we anticipate significant growth in B2B real-time payments, driven by enhanced interoperability and the growing need for streamlined corporate operations,” Mayenobe said.
“This will help bolster market competition but also enhance transaction security and efficiencies – a critical demand as businesses move faster than ever in the global economy.”
The “battle of the checkout”
Thunes’ President and COO predicts that digitisation will transform e-commerce, with mobile wallet adoption continuing to grow quickly. This shift is making payment technology more accessible and driving unprecedented levels of economic participation.
Mayenobe added: “At the same time, partnerships between fintechs and traditional financial giants focused on expanding payments networks will further fuel financial inclusion. With digital wallets expected to account for over 50% of e-commerce transaction value globally by 2025, the implications for economic participation are immense.”
This idea aligns with Simoneschi’s second major force, which he mentions in his predictions. He foresees a “battle of the checkout,” as more consumers push back against traditional card networks like Visa and Mastercard.
Simoneschi noted: “Solutions like Pay by Bank are stepping up, offering payments that are faster, more secure and more reliable. So, 2025 will be a battle for checkout share among Pay by Bank, BNPL, Card payment schemes and others.
“Expect to see a dogfight that brings long overdue innovation and pricing competition to consumers and merchants.”
Regulatory change
Mayenobe highlights that in 2025, companies will need to adopt stronger compliance measures and stay agile in adapting to emerging regulations, particularly around cross-border transactions, data privacy and new technologies like AI and blockchain.
The urgency for regulatory updates will intensify as payment technologies advance and global financial systems become more integrated. As geopolitical complexities grow, businesses will face an increasing array of compliance challenges.
Moreover, as the world becomes more interconnected, the pressure on regulators will increase, requiring them to act more quickly to keep pace with the rapid emergence of new innovations.
“As geopolitical complexities intensify, robust compliance frameworks will be non-negotiable in 2025. Companies operating across multiple geographies will need to be quicker on their feet to respond to regulatory change, and we expect to see corporates ramping up their compliance investments in 2025 to stay ahead,” Mayenobe concluded.
“Adapting to this rapidly changing landscape will be key to driving trust and operational resilience in a more interconnected yet uncertain world.”
