What you need to know about today’s consumer payments

The cross-border payments ecosystem is undergoing a significant transformation. According to Unlocking the Future: Banking on Cross-Border Payment Habits—a report by Visa based on a survey of 6,500 consumers across 13 countries—77% of respondents made at least one cross-border payment in the past year. Additionally, 67% shop internationally online every month, and 45% send or receive remittances with the same frequency.

This frequency of international transactions reflects a growing demand for payment solutions that are fast, secure, and aligned with today’s digital expectations. Yet, the same study reveals that only 16% of consumers have a preferred cross-border payments provider, highlighting a lack of brand loyalty—and a major opportunity for businesses to offer more efficient and reliable solutions.

Fragmentation as symptom and opportunity

Consumers today use an average of four different methods to make international payments, according to the Visa report. This fragmentation not only reflects the absence of dominant solutions, but also the active pursuit of options that offer greater control, agility, and predictability in their financial transactions.

The global cross-border payments market is expanding rapidly. Statista reports that the total value of cross-border payments reached $190.1 trillion in 2023, with projections estimating a rise to $290.2 trillion by 2030. A significant portion of this growth is being driven by consumer-initiated payments.

For Payment Service Providers (PSPs) and money transfer companies, this landscape poses a dual challenge. First, they must offer solutions that meet new consumer expectations: transactional experiences that are intuitive, secure, and truly global. Second, they must deliver these solutions through platforms that don’t replicate the inefficiencies of the past—but instead support adaptability, regulatory compliance, and real-time transparency.



The infrastructure behind the experience: What really matters

In this context, the conversation around payments can no longer be limited to user interface or convenience. The true competitive edge lies in the underlying infrastructure powering these experiences. Forward-thinking companies are now exploring architectural models that prioritize:

• Simple and scalable integration: Unified APIs that allow operations across multiple countries without separate integrations or local banking arrangements.
  
  
• Liquidity without prefunding: Immediate access to funds without the need to hold idle balances in each market.
  
  
• Built-in regulatory compliance: Solutions designed from the ground up to operate within diverse legal frameworks without compromising speed or security.
  
  
• Decentralized technology: Blockchain and stablecoins as underlying technologies that reduce reliance on traditional networks and add a new layer of reliability.

These features are essential to ensure operational efficiency within demanding regulatory environments.



Toward a new logic for payments

Statistics show that over 60% of global consumers now make international purchases every month, with a growing share sending or receiving money just as often.

This reality can no longer be addressed by systems built for a world where “international” was the exception. Today, cross-border is the norm.

This shift is not only technological but also strategic. Companies must move beyond a localization mindset and start designing solutions with a truly global perspective. The question is no longer which methods exist, but rather: which architecture allows us to respond more swiftly to an environment shaped by constantly evolving consumer habits.