Analyzing Worldpay’s Global Payments Report: A Merchant’s Playbook for 2025
If there’s one thing I’ve learned from years of dissecting payment data, it’s that every year, we see a ton of research and bold predictions about the future.
But when it comes to merchants, the ones who actually have to roll out new payment options, handle cross-border sales, and keep the checkout experience friction-free, not all reports hit the mark.
However, one report that has stood out to me for the last 10 years is the Global Payments Report (GPR) from Worldpay.
It’s more than just a snapshot of how consumers are paying right now; it dives into where and how we can anticipate some of the biggest shifts in consumer behavior, real-time rails, and even BNPL usage in 2025 and beyond.
In this edition of my newsletter, I’m turning these new GPR insights into an actionable playbook for all the merchants out there, whether you’re a boutique e-commerce store looking to break into cross-border commerce or a global brand rethinking your checkout experience.
Let’s see how you can harness the GPR to make better decisions, boost conversion, and maybe even future-proof your payment stack.
Let’s dive in.
Why Merchants Should Care About This Year’s GPR
Whenever I work with merchants on their payments strategy, I always ask, “What’s your North Star?”
The answer is usually “growth,” “customer satisfaction,” or “expanding globally.”
However, the underpinning of all these goals is the payment experience.
According to the 2025 GPR, global e-commerce is expected to exceed $10 trillion by 2030.
That’s a major pie.
The question is: How do you, as a merchant, claim your slice?
It’s no longer about slapping on a credit-card-only checkout and calling it a day.
Consumers want digital wallets (with an eye-popping 79% share of global e-commerce value predicted by 2030), instant payments, and frictionless cross-border support.
In short, ignoring these trends is a surefire way to leave money on the table.
Let’s walk through the five major takeaways that the GPR suggests can propel a merchant’s success in 2025 and beyond.
1. Local Payment Methods Aren’t Just “Nice to Have”, They’re Non-Negotiable
One of the biggest GPR headlines for 2025 is the continued explosion of digital wallets.
According to the report, digital wallets have soared from just 3% of global in-person transaction value in 2014 to 38% in 2024, and they’re only picking up speed.
But it’s not just about Apple Pay or Google Pay in well-developed markets. Depending on the region, local wallets (e.g., GCash in the Philippines, BLIK in Poland, MoMo in Vietnam) can be the difference between double-digit abandonment rates or double-digit growth.
Action Step: If you’re expanding into a new market, ask yourself:
“Which wallets are used daily by local shoppers?”
“Am I forcing them to use methods they don’t trust, or do I meet them where they already are?”
By being locally adapted, merchants can yield outsized returns. Implement local wallets, display them prominently at checkout, and watch your conversion rate climb.
2. BNPL: It’s Not Just for Millennials
Remember when Buy Now, Pay Later was the next big fad, and some folks thought it would fizzle?
The GPR reveals BNPL value jumped from $2.3 billion in 2014 to about $342 billion in 2024 for online commerce alone.
It’s predicted to keep growing, fuelled by both younger and older demographics looking for flexible instalments.
This means if your store is only offering credit cards and PayPal, you might be missing out on an entire customer segment that expects instalments at checkout.
Action Step:
Pilot a BNPL option in your store to see if it reduces cart abandonment.
Compare different providers based on fees, user interface, and the regions they serve.
Monitor your authorization and repayment rates to ensure BNPL is driving net positive results.
(Pro tip: Keep an eye on local BNPL providers in each region. They often partner with big local banks or wallets, and that brand recognition can win the trust of local shoppers.)
3. Real-Time Payments: More Than Just Faster Settlement
If you’re following markets like India (UPI) or Brazil (Pix), you already know real-time payments have gone from an afterthought to a mainstay for millions of consumers.
The GPR shows that real-time rails can handle trillions of dollars of consumer transactions by 2030, especially in emerging markets. This isn’t just a novelty. It reduces friction for customers (no need for a card) and can speed up your own receivables.
Action Step:
Evaluate whether connecting to local real-time payment rails can meaningfully improve customer experience or your working capital.
If you operate in multiple emerging markets, consider a payment partner that has direct connections to real-time rails so you’re not constantly playing catch-up with each new region’s system.
4. Mobile Commerce = The New Normal
The GPR’s data reveals 57% of global online shopping is already happening on mobile. By 2030, that number creeps closer to 64% (and some markets will be even higher).
Mobile optimization is old news, but the bigger story is making the payment flow on mobile as seamless as a native app. Because the moment your mobile checkout feels clunky, users bounce, and often, they don’t come back.
Action Step:
If you do nothing else this quarter, stress test your mobile checkout.
Make sure autofill, one-click payments, or wallet integrations (like Apple Pay, Google Pay, or local equivalents) are easy to spot.
Keep data entry minimal and friction non-existent.
5. Rising Importance of A2A Transfers
Direct account-to-account (A2A) payments used to be the domain of B2B or big invoices.
Not anymore.
With e-commerce solutions like BLIK in Poland or real-time rails in Southeast Asia, we see A2A creeping into consumer transactions. By 2030, the GPR forecasts that A2A for retail value could approach $3.8 trillion globally.
If that’s not a wake-up call, I don’t know what is.
Action Step:
Investigate which markets you serve that already have popular A2A solutions.
Integrate them to open up yet another friction-free option for your customers.
Putting It All Into Practice: A Quick Checklist
So, if we put all of the above together, as a merchant, you would get the following checklist:
Audit Your Checkout
See if your top 5 geographies have the payment methods GPR says are essential there.
If not, prioritize adding them in Q2 or Q3.
Map Out BNPL
Pilot one BNPL provider in each major region; measure conversion vs. cost.
Evaluate Real-Time Payment Rails
Especially if you do business in APAC or LATAM, look at direct or PSP-led integrations.
Optimize for Mobile
End-to-end journey on a phone must be fast, minimal data entry, and wallet-friendly.
Monitor A2A Trends
Look up which A2A options you have access to and how easy it is to accept them in new markets.
As you can see, instead of fixating on just data, the GPR allows me to identify real opportunities for growth that any merchant should be able to implement.
Next Moves: Download the Full GPR & Share Your Take
Honestly, I’ve only scratched the surface here.
The 2025 Global Payments Report digs even deeper into vertical-specific insights, regional payment method breakdowns, and longer-term trends.
If you’re a merchant (or work with merchants) looking to expand or optimize your payment mix, you owe it to yourself (and your team) to check it out.
Download the full GPR 2025 here: GLOBAL PAYMENTS REPORT 2025
Final Thoughts
As the GPR underlines, the payments world is moving faster than ever.
Digital wallets, BNPL, real-time rails, and a relentless drive toward mobile-first commerce aren’t just trends; they’re shaping entire merchant roadmaps.
Ignoring them could mean slower growth and higher churn, but embracing them can set you apart in a crowded market.
Just ask yourself:
Which part of the GPR data resonates with you the most?
Which shift should your team be focusing on right now?
And are you taking action on it?
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