The Capgemini Research Institute's World Payments Report 2025, published on September 10, 2024, marks the 20th anniversary of the influential report and highlights significant transformations in the payments industry. It forecasts that by 2028, instant payments will constitute 22% of all non-cash transaction volumes globally. The report notes that non-cash transaction volumes reached 1,411 billion in 2023 and are expected to rise to 2,838 billion by 2028, driven primarily by the demand for frictionless payment experiences. The Asia-Pacific region stands out as a key growth area, with a projected 20% year-over-year increase in non-cash transactions for 2024.
The report emphasizes the role of account-to-account (A2A) instant payment solutions as they present cost-effective alternatives to traditional card networks, potentially offsetting 15-25% of future card transaction volume growth. Despite the potential of instant payments, the report reveals that only 25% of banks currently have the capacity to receive them. Jeroen Hölscher, Global Head of Payment Services at Capgemini, stressed the importance of collaboration between private and public sectors to realize the full potential of instant payments. With the October 2025 Instant Payment Regulation deadline approaching for EU banks, the report calls for urgent action to enhance readiness for the future of payments.
