How Are Modern Consumer Habits Transforming Global Payments in 2025?

With 2025 officially here, the emphasis has once again shifted towards the global payments space, and with-it consumer expectations that will ultimately shape this space. Finance Magnates spoke with industry experts and insiders at Visa Direct for their perspective on the trends, challenges, and opportunities that will define this sphere in the year ahead.

Payments are always an interesting talking point that represent a collision between multiple industries and overall growth. While payments can often be cited as a pain point for many businesses, others see these as the greatest potential for efficiency gains and opportunity. An interesting question may be why there is such a dissonance in expectations and execution surrounding payments, namely as it ranges from company to company.

In light of these trends, Finance Magnates hosted a live webinar with Visa Direct executives to help address this space. The webinar included Andrew Nelson, Head of FX Brokers at Visa Direct and Damian George, Director of UKFX Holdings and Travel FX, hosted by Andrea Badiola Mateus, Chief Commercial Officer at Finance Magnates. The full-length webinar can be viewed via the following link.

These distinguished experts touched on cross-border transfers, seamless in-store purchases, and the efficacy and growth of a global payments industry. As we look ahead in 2025, there has been a lot of hype surrounding frictionless payment solutions as an agent for change in both businesses and financial institutions. This discussion takes a deep dive into these trends and also how operations can keep up and what the future holds.

Whether you are viewing this topic through the lens of internal payment reconciliation or looking to expand your business in a new jurisdiction, this is one discussion you cannot afford to miss.