The Future of Payments and Remittances: Innovations, Real-Time Payments, and Global Financial Inclusion | IPR Global 2024

The payments and remittance industry stands on the brink of remarkable transformation, driven by innovative technologies, evolving consumer expectations, and a pursuit of frictionless digital transactions. This evolution raises essential questions about global economic inclusivity and whether security and compliance frameworks can keep pace with rapid advancements.

Leading voices in the industry share insights into the trends shaping this landscape, focusing on real-time payments, digital wallets, and groundbreaking technologies that are redefining global remittance.

Panellists:

Michael Bermingham, Co-Founder & Chief Business Officer, Nium

Anastasia Serikova, VP, Head of Revenue and Growth, Visa Direct at Visa

Kunal Choudhary, Money Transfers Strategy Lead, Worldpay

Mitchell Fordham, Chief Revenue Officer & Co-founder, eSIM Go

Moderator:

Oussama Kseibati, Business Development Officer, RemitONE

Key Trends Shaping the Payments and Remittance Landscape

Michael emphasised the rise of real-time payments and the profound impact of payment platforms like Pix in Brazil and UPI in India. He explained that real-time payments are no longer optional for financial institutions or payment service providers but are becoming essential for driving global business growth. Organisations must not only build connections to these networks but also invest in specialised teams to navigate and harness these systems effectively. Nium has dedicated teams to establish these vital connections, which, in turn, enable seamless cross-border payments.

Remittances are projected to continue rising, potentially reaching $800 billion by 2024, Anastasia shared. Digital-first providers are surpassing traditional channels, capturing an increasingly large portion of this growing market. This shift is driven by the demand for digital transactions and the push to simplify the payment ecosystem. Visa Direct is aiming to reduce intermediaries in the transaction process, enabling faster foreign exchange (FX) transactions, greater transparency, and ultimately, quicker payments—a key objective for G20 countries. She emphasised that promoting digital literacy is vital, empowering consumers to confidently navigate these streamlined digital systems.

A unique trend Oussama pointed out among Money Transfer Operators (MTOs) is the shift beyond traditional remittances, with services designed to deepen client engagement and retention. Now, instead of simply sending funds, customers can choose options like paying for subscription services (think Netflix) or providing vouchers for specific goods—a particularly popular option in markets like Africa, where recipients can redeem vouchers at designated locations. This shift, highlights the increasing personalisation of remittance services, giving recipients more versatile and meaningful ways to benefit from transfers beyond standard monetary transactions.

Industry Growth and Data Highlights

Some eye-opening stats shared by Kunal illustrate the rapid rise and evolution of payments and remittances, largely driven by digital transformation. According to Worldpay projections, global transaction volumes are set to soar, reaching an astounding $25 trillion by 2027—a growth trajectory powered by the steady shift toward digital and mobile-first solutions.

For instance, in 2023, digital wallets were used for half of all e-commerce transactions, with 30% of being point-of-sale (POS) transactions. It’s not just about online shopping; these trends are equally transformative in the remittance market, which is expected to hit $1 trillion in value soon, driven by technology and mobile innovation.

One standout example is Brazil’s Pix network, a real-time, low-cost account-to-account payment system that serves 160 million people, allowing for immediate transfers without hefty fees—an essential service for people who need to maximise the value of their transactions. According to a Worldpay’s recent Payments Performance Report, 88% of respondents expressed interest in adopting a similar system to Pix, signalling a broad appeal for efficient, direct payment solutions.

Mobile wallets are particularly significant for financial inclusion. In regions like Sub-Saharan Africa, where remittances play a critical economic role, mobile wallet usage has been growing at an impressive 20% annually. This growth, Kunal explained, stems from the accessibility, affordability, and transparency of mobile wallets, which provide a seamless option for people without traditional banking services to manage their finances and participate in the digital economy.

Innovative Technologies Revolutionising the Sector

eSIMs—short for embedded SIMs—are a digital alternative to traditional SIM cards, offering seamless, flexible mobile connectivity without the need for a physical SIM swap. While they’ve become especially popular in the travel space, eSIMs are also making waves in the remittance industry. Mitchell expressed how this technology is a game-changer for the unbanked and digitally underserved populations, enabling secure mobile access to financial services, regardless of physical location or device. EsimGO is empowering financial businesses to offer fully digital services to consumers, which not only boosts transaction volumes but also gives companies a competitive edge. As an example, esimGO’s partnerships with Western Union and various neobanks help create resilient, inclusive financial solutions that are built on accessible mobile technology.

Anastasia also delved into several recent innovations from Visa that highlight the evolving landscape of global payments. One standout feature allows users to send money internationally using just a mobile phone number—an ideal solution for those who prefer not to share sensitive account details, providing an added layer of security and peace of mind. Another innovation is Visa’s unified API for multi-currency payments, known as “cash pulling.” This allows customers to convert and hold multiple currencies, manage FX rates, and access a wide range of payout options—all through a single, streamlined API. Whether it’s bank accounts or digital wallets, this unified approach creates a smooth, predictable cross-border experience for both businesses and consumers.

Further enhancing the digital wallet ecosystem, Visa Direct has partnered with Thunes and TerraPay to expand Visa Direct’s reach, adding over 1.5 billion new digital wallet endpoints, connecting even more users to the financial system.

What next?

At RemitONE, our commitment is to provide you with cutting-edge technology, compliance solutions, an expansive network, and expert guidance to navigate the ever-evolving landscape of remittances. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to scale your business, we’ve got you covered.

Want to see how RemitONE can elevate your business? Book a free consultation to discover how we can supercharge your business

Revolutionising Money Transfers: 4 Key Trends Shaping the Future

This article is brought to you in partnership with Worldpay, written by Kunal Choudhary, Money Transfers Strategy Lead at Worldpay.

The landscape of international money transfers is going through a shift, driven by evolving consumer expectations and technological advancements. For money service businesses (MSBs), staying ahead of these changes could be key to success.

Let’s explore these trends and how Worldpay could help businesses navigate this transformation.

The need for speed

In today’s hyper-connected world, consumers need convenience, speed and security when it comes to moving their money. A recent study revealed that over three-quarters of consumers (77%) now expect instant payments¹. Money transfers are often time sensitive, so long waits for funds to clear may mean switching to an alternative provider. This shift in expectations is compelling MSBs to revamp their infrastructure to facilitate fast transfers while adhering to complex international regulations.

As a leading payment processor², we could help you to provide the quick, secure, and cost-effective money transfers your consumers are looking for. By incorporating our decades of expertise and authentication solutions, you can expand your reach and offer faster transfers around the world.

Digital wallets on the rise

Industry projections suggest that by 2027, digital wallets are projected to account for almost half ($25 trillion) of global transaction value³. This surge is fuelled not only by the ease of paying with just one tap, but also by the built-in two-factor authentication and tokenisation, this payment method offers.

One in five financial services customers would switch platforms if their preferred payment method was unavailable⁴. That’s why it’s important to incorporate secure and flexible options that meet those needs and help with enhancing loyalty. Worldpay’s solutions could facilitate direct integration between MSB platforms and popular wallet apps, simplifying orchestration and compliance while enabling a dynamic user experience.

The Personalisation Paradigm

Today’s consumers are increasingly looking for tailored experiences that reflect their individual needs and preferences³. One-size-fits-all approaches are no longer sufficient.

To keep pace with consumers, MSBs might look into innovative technology such as artificial intelligence (AI) as a route to personalisation. AI could empower merchants to understand and predict customer needs better, offer customised solutions, and of course, automate. Worldpay is harnessing AI and machine learning together with extensive transaction and biometric data to help you make intelligent decisions in real-time.

The Fraud Prevention Imperative

With the volume of digital transactions rising⁵, the risk of fraud is also becoming a major concern⁶. Ensuring a safe environment for online money transfers is becoming a top priority for maintaining customer trust and compliance with regulations.

Worldpay’s fraud solutions use rich data from 52bn annual transactions to help detect and predict fraudulent activity to help protect consumers.

Embracing the Future

The money transfer industry stands at a crossroads, with emerging technologies and shifting consumer preferences reshaping the landscape. MSBs that can successfully navigate these trends – offering rapid transfers, embracing digital wallets, personalising experiences, and fortifying fraud protection – might be best positioned to thrive in this dynamic market.

Collaborating with an experienced payment provider could be a game-changer for MSBs looking to stay competitive. By tapping into advanced solutions and deep industry expertise, businesses can accelerate their transformation and deliver the smooth, secure, and personalised experiences that modern consumers expect.

To chat to one of Worldpay’s experts today, please visit https://www.worldpay.com

Sources:

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