Company News • 07.05.2013

Online and mobile payments are increasing globally, with new channels emerging

The recent "Global Online Payment Methods 2013 - First Half 2013" report by Hamburg-based secondary market research company yStats.com provides information about the worldwide movement toward online and mobile purchase transactions. The report is based on recently published information from a variety of sources and details the latest trends and news on the topic, with projections of continued growth in the next few years.

The emergence of new online payment channels and development of alternative payment methods are expected to drive further growth. Near Field Communication (NFC) based e-wallets came on the scene in 2012 as one of the most promising new mobile payment methods. NFC mobile spending worldwide is expected to increase exponentially by 2017 and account for over half of total mobile payments made worldwide. Hybrid payments combining online and mobile methods are expected to emerge in 2013. MasterCard already introduced such a solution earlier this year, while Visa entered a partnership with Samsung to encourage development of mobile payments. PayPal surpassed its revenue targets in 2012, more than tripling the value of processed payments.

New payment methods build on the infrastructure and consumer preferences already in place, so regional differences exist. In the USA, the major trend on the electronic payment market is the move toward mobile payments. Traditional payment providers, such as card issuers and processors, online payment players, retailers and mobile operators are entering the field in increased masses. The mobile payment transaction value in the USA reached a two-digit figure in billions of Euros in 2012 and is expected to grow further as mobile commerce increases and more brick and mortar stores accept mobile payments.

In Latin America in general, credit card was the most popular payment method in B2C E-Commerce in 2012. In Brazil, the local payment solution Boleto Bancario was used widely, while several payment providers introduced new online and mobile payment tools in the country. In Mexico, cash still dominates the general payment environment, but the use of online card payments was on the rise and is expected to increase further.

In Central Europe, awareness of mobile payment methods was relatively high in 2012, reaching over two-thirds of mobile Internet users in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The usage rates, however, were much lower, reaching a small two-digit percentage share. The most used online payment methods in German B2C E-Commerce in the second half of 2012 were credit card, invoice and PayPal. Mobile NFC-based payments were not yet spread in Germany in 2012, but are expected to increase in use as banks, credit card companies and telecom operators test the technology involved. The Otto Group launched the mobile payment project called Yapital in early 2013.

In Western Europe, the United Kingdom and France are on the path to adoption of alternative payment methods. In the UK, payment by card held the largest share of total payments in B2C E-Commerce in 2012, followed in distant second by micropayment services. Mobile payments are expected to increase in use in the UK, as the UK Payment Council plans to launch a secure mobile payment service in spring 2014 and PayPal plans to offer a mobile payment solution with the name of PayPal Here in summer 2013. In France, bank card was the preferred online payment option in B2C E-Commerce in 2012, followed by micropayment services.

Countries in Eastern Europe are also participating in the movement to online and mobile payments. In Russia, cash remained the main payment method in B2C E-Commerce in 2012, but online payments gained in both awareness and usage. By far the most popular among online payment methods in the beginning of 2013 was bank card, followed by E-Money and online banking. Electronic payment providers in Russia saw a significant growth in revenue in 2012. Payment via Internet bank was the most preferred payment method in B2C E-Commerce in Poland in 2012. In Turkey, online payments by bank cards grew by a third in 2012. Mobile payments were also on the rise in Turkey, reaching a high double-digit number in millions of Euros. By 2015, it is expected to reach a large triple-digit figure.

Meanwhile, in the Asia-Pacific region, mobile payment methods increased in awareness of consumers in 2012, with over two-thirds of those acquainted with the methods willing to use digital wallets and SMS payments in 2013. In Japan, the e-money market was dominated by payment providers operated by large retailers, banks and mobile operators. In South Korea, the e-money grew in popularity as a payment method in online shopping, while card remained the main online payment method. In 2013, financial authorities in South Korea plan to tighten regulations on mobile and online payment market, especially in online gaming. The total online payment transaction value in China demonstrated strong quarter-on-quarter growth in 2011-2012. Third-party online payments, which are used by around a third of online shoppers in China, were especially on the rise. Also, Alipay launched a mobile wallet application in China, offering online-to-offline payments. In India, direct debit accounted for over a half of B2C E-Commerce payment transactions in 2012.

Other regions of the world also are seeing growth in the use of mobile and online payment methods. In Australia, credit cards dominated the online payments market, while in New Zealand mobile payments developed due to increasing share of smartphone users conducting online banking via their mobile devices. In Africa, the mobile payment market has outpaced banking services, with mobile payment users outnumbering the bank accounts holders in 2012, and more mobile payment outlets being present than bank outlets. In countries of the Middle East, the number of online payment providers increased in 2012, while the cash-dominating economies in the region are expected to experience a more substantial growth in online payments when banking services become more widespread and regulations more encouraging. In Middle East and Africa PayPal started to accept locally issued bank cards in 2012, planning to double its market share in the region by 2015.

In addition to the full report on global online payments, yStats.com has reports available on development of online payment methods by region.

For further information, see: www.ystats.com

Quelle: ystats

channels: mobile payment