Our Scans · (FS.8.01) Future of Payments · Weekly Summary

• [New] With three-quarters of the world's population expected to be active users of digital wallets by 2030, the next phase will see banking infrastructure more deeply embedded in mobile ecosystems, with payment networks linking into mobile-first platforms and identity frameworks. Forbes
• [New] Travel will accept major credit and debit cards, digital wallets such as Apple Pay and Google Pay, and potentially cryptocurrency payments. eVTOL.Travel
• [New] Driven by Vision 2030 and AI adoption, Middle East fintech is rapidly emerging as a government-backed financial hub, reshaping payments, banking, and digital ecosystems. Global Finance Magazine
• [New] In connection with the crypto payments for merchants, Circle stated that stablecoins have advantages such as programmable payment rails, less settlement friction, global transferability, and on-chain transparency of transaction history that will ease adoption. Bitcoin Foundation
• [New] Globally, the value of payment app transactions climbed to $10.6 trillion last year from $9.3 trillion in 2024, with a forecast projecting growth to approximately $15.6 trillion by 2030. Amplify ETFs
• [New] While strong card markets in the U.S. and many European countries are shifting to digital wallets more slowly than Asia, that will change as younger consumers - who prefer mobile-first payment experiences - become a larger proportion of the consumer base. LinkedIn
• [New] There are exemptions for a merchant accepting digital assets as payment for goods or services and for a person whose California-related digital financial asset business activity is reasonably expected to total $50,000 or less annually. Internet Lawyer Blog
• Seven groups of signals matter for a 2030 view written in 2026 rather than 2022: trust and truth, agent-mediated transactions, the grid ceiling on AI, currency and payments rewiring, climate adaptation as a priced operating cost, the workforce composition shift, and China's industrial-base lock-in. Shaping Tomorrow
• For Nauru, digital payments could help modernise public services, reduce reliance on paper-based systems, support government-to-person payments and make everyday transactions more efficient. The Fintech Times
• Emerging players like Moovit, Citymapper, SkedGo, and IoMob capitalize on escalatory tech investments, and the future opportunities in MaaS center on integrating AI-powered predictive routing, open-loop unified payment systems, and Level 4 autonomous vehicle fleets. Precedence Research
• The European Payments Council has repeatedly warned about increasing cases involving fake bank representatives, fraudulent customer support agents, fake accommodation providers, and impersonation attacks targeting digital payment users. Mexico Business
• Instant payment systems are projected to grow from 16% of total payment transactions in 2023 to 22% by 2028, and banks that can only offer dollar-denominated wires will find themselves at a growing disadvantage as more corridors shift toward local-currency settlement. Acceleron Bank
• A partial collapse of key ecosystems could increase annual global - sovereign debt interest payments by $162 billion. ASLA
• The fintech firms segment is expected to grow at a significant CAGR in the coming years, owing to their digital-first models and strong demand for AI-powered automation across payments, lending, compliance, and engagement services. Precedence Research
• Payment-processor pressure: Stripe, PayPal, and Square have terminated merchant accounts found to be processing flavored vape sales into California addresses, citing both PACT Act risk and state-law violations. CannabisRegulations.ai
• Global digital payments are on track to surpass $361 billion by 2030. The Fintech Times
• That the share of U.S. credit card payments in stores will decline to 36% and debit cards will slide to 25% as digital wallet use rises. The Ohio Society of CPAs
• Over 50% of North American ISVs already offer embedded payments, and 74% of digital platforms are expected to embed a financial capability by 2030. Apideck
• Fastest-Growing Region: Asia Pacific is anticipated to be the fastest-growing region, holding approximately 34.8% share, fueled by rapid e-commerce growth in China, India, and ASEAN, rising smartphone and digital payment penetration, and strong government support for retail digitalization. Persistence Market Research
• The Worldpay report forecasts a decline in the share of credit card payments at U.S. brick-and-mortar stores as digital wallets gain popularity. The Ohio Society of CPAs
• The National Disability Insurance Agency will get A$ 358.5 million ($260 million) over five years to develop a new digital enrolment and payment system to improve payment integrity and reduce fraud. Healthcare IT News
• Cross-border payment revenues globally are projected to exceed USD 300 billion annually by 2030 due to rising digital transaction volumes and fintech expansion. Spherical Insights

Last updated: 16 July 2026