Although the digital revolution is over a decade old, its full effects are only now beginning to hit some business areas. When it comes to payments acquiring, new market dynamics and trends in consumer payments are leading to wholesale changes in how the business operates.
This new 2025 report examines what’s driving change — from regulation and the huge increase in merchants accepting electronic payments through to growing diversity in consumer payment options. We also explore the challenges these drivers have created for acquirers – and what acquirers must do to adapt and survive.
Key insights from the report:
- SoftPOS adoption: Projected to grow by 22% annually, enabling SMEs to accept payments without traditional POS hardware.
- Instant A2A payments: Expected to account for 30% of global transactions by 2030.
- Specialist vertical acquirers: Catering to specific industries like gaming and hospitality.
- Acquiring-as-a-Service (AaaS): Transforming the landscape by reducing costs while ensuring compliance and agility.
A final selection of report provides real world examples on how the above is applied in practice.