Payment trends for 2023

The last few years have inevitably accelerated the digitization process in which the payments sector, like many others, was involved. From the decrease in the use of cash to new payment methods such as Bizum or payment with mobile devices or smart watches, there have been many changes. A few weeks ago we published the results of the survey we conducted from PaynoPain to know the "New habits in payment methods in Spain" and if there is a clear conclusion to highlight, it is that users want to make their payments in a comfortable, simple and safe way. This is how we detected that almost 94% of respondents prefer to use methods such as cards rather than cash or that more than half of them pay in their daily life through a wallet. After analyzing the survey data together with our 11 years of experience in the payment industry, we want to share what will be the next trends in the industry for the year 2023.  

Wallets

The use of alternatives such as Apple Pay or Google Play have gained millions of followers this past year and are expected to continue to do so in the near future. Due to their convenience, simplicity and, above all, speed, they have become one of the most widely used options. In addition, with the inclusion of "express checkouts" in stores, wallets are a great option for the transaction to be carried out in the most agile way possible. With this, users who want to make a purchase can skip all the intermediate steps (registering on the web, entering the shipping address, personal data, etc.) and place the order in one click.  

Instant transfers

  Spain is the leading country in instant transfers in Europe according to the latest report from the National Payment Commission of the Bank of Spain. This is largely due to the success of Bizum in our country, which already exceeds 22 million users and 39,000 merchants. According to the same report, immediate transfers in our country account for 48.8% of all transfers processed and the forecast is that this trend will continue over the next few years. An example of this is that at European level work is being done on the creation of a standard based on QR, NFC or Bluetooth technology to facilitate retail payments through immediate transfers.  

Payment Initiation

An alternative that allows users to make online payments without the need to use any means of payment at the time of the transaction. In other words, it is not necessary for the user to provide a credit card or bank account at the time of the transaction, but this information is transferred to an external provider. This service lowers transaction costs, provides security and speed for the buyer and guarantees the merchant that the payment has been successfully completed.  

Buy now, Pay later

Buy now, pay later has been gaining momentum in the last few months of this year and may become the perfect ally for merchants to deal with the runaway inflation we are currently facing. With this payment option, users can finance their purchases in convenient installments, establishing how many installments they want to pay and the amount of each one of them. An alternative that provides maximum flexibility to the buyer who will not have to reduce the amount of his basket. It is a booming trend and due to the large number of companies that have been emerging to offer this service, interest rates are quite low. We can find different payment options from starting to pay the installment after 30 days since the customer made the purchase to an online financing in installments with a fixed interest, all so that the user can choose the one that best suits their needs.  

Tap2 Phone

A new technological solution that will replace the traditional dataphones with mobile devices. Although POS terminals are far from disappearing, Tap2 Phone solutions open up a new horizon that will allow any cell phone to receive payments immediately through contactless technology. This is a solution for different sectors but with a common key factor: they are on the move and need a convenient and flexible means of payment, so this solution brings great advantages as it can facilitate the logistics related to payment devices and associated costs.   The future of the payments industry lies in digitization and a focus on user experience, offering great convenience and prioritizing user comfort, simplicity and security.