Delving into payment trends 2025 for gaming industry
Payment systems and fintech are not missing with trends; they are constantly evolving and bringing something new into daily lives of people and businesses. To stay on the top of changes and integrate them into your business processes, read Monoup's media on payment systems. We discuss the most relevant fintech issues, and today we will review one of them.
As per our tradition, we will dedicate the final article of this year to trends and innovations in payment industry and discuss what to expect very soon — in 2025.
Cryptocurrency
As one of the old-new trends, cryptocurrency is making a splash in 2025 and will become a major trend for many fintech products. At the same time, further development of crypto in some countries looks, if not foggy, then somewhat unpredictable. The world is still divided into two camps: those who are fully " ready for" cryptocurrency and those who are resolutely "against." Europe has taken a nearly middle position on this issue and does not prohibit crypto (since it is already clear that doing so would be impossible), but is set to regulate it to the maximum extent. The MiCA regulatory package, which has already caused quite a stir, is proof of this.
What will crypto look like in 2025?
Most familiar fintech services will consider or actively implement crypto. Some, like USDT, did not benefit much from regulation, while others, like the creators of USDC, saw a significant opportunity. Regulated and backed by banks or financial institutions, cryptocurrencies will penetrate people's lives even faster and attempt to replace familiar, non-transparent coins. Crypto payment on a website is no longer an additional option but a mandatory one, although in iGaming understands it like no one else. On the contrary, gaming projects are ready to give preference to crypto, but audience is more inclined towards fiat currencies and this is not yet possible.
Artificial Intelligence
Throughout 2024, we have already seen several successful fintech products based on AI. Artificial intelligence has firmly established in minds of ordinary users and also in banking and fintech industry. The most successful AI implementations have been in the form of chatbots and anti-fraud tools. Fraud, in turn, can also be called an issue (thankfully, not a trend) that is always present, and measures to anticipate fraud are always relevant. Especially considering that fraudsters, like bankers, are improving their skills.
AI has proven particularly useful in combating fraud due to its ability to learn and process large amounts of data at once. While traditional monitoring and anti-fraud systems needed to be manually configured after studying results of previous periods, AI can now learn independently in real-time and change its approaches "on the fly." This allows for the detection of more suspicious activity and ensures that new fraud techniques are not overlooked.
Additionally, AI has been successfully deployed in routing payment methods for large corporations, including gaming and iGaming sites. Real-time routing can handle updates faster and respond to the slightest fluctuations in the stability of payment system. While AI cannot yet replace humans, it shows good results in data processing and can help speed up and increase efficiency of many tasks. In 2025, we expect an expansion of its application and new solutions based on AI.
Wallets and Super-Apps
Electronic wallets emerged and developed thanks to online gaming industry. Here, the issue of anonymity and convenience of payments has always been acute, and bank cards could not assure this.
Later, wallets became not just a tool for a narrow part of population but firmly became useful for many. We all know Skrill, PayPal, and other local electronic wallet options, such as Touch and Go in Malaysia or Alipay in China. Wallets are striving to move beyond their niche even more and are transforming into so-called super-apps. These are, in the literal sense, "super-applications" that can offer a range of different, unrelated services. Thus, the wallet will offer not only payments on supported websites but also investment products, savings schemes, bonuses, lending, and much more.
One of the bright examples of such a development is Kaspi in Kazakhstan. Development of this fintech over the years of its operation is truly impressive, and the current state of application is indeed a super-app. Since most users do not need other applications, everything is already available in Kaspi. Many other wallets aim to achieve the same effect, and in 2025, we will see active movements in this direction.
Contactless Payments and Biometrics
Not just online! Offline payments are also striving for new heights, specifically working to simplify the process of contactless payments. Payments with a physical credit card can already be considered something outdated, as this payment method is used less. Most banks and fintechs are doing everything possible to ensure their clients do not need to carry a card to the store.
Among the most popular contactless payment methods in the world, QR codes, as well as Google Pay and Apple Pay, are leading the way. But besides them, local developments of payment methods supported by banks and financial associations in different countries are also being conducted. For example, palm payment in UAE. By combining palm print scanning technology and financial system, developers have achieved a balance: since the veins of each person form a unique pattern on the palm, it is impossible to replicate or deceive the system. This helps protect against fraud and confirm payments in the most effective way that cannot be disputed.
Payment by face, smile, or palm — all of this is no longer a TV show about the future; it is the reality in 2025.
Simple International Payments
The most global trend of coming year is simplification of international money flows. Cooperation between economies is growing worldwide, and so is the need to send payments quickly and efficiently.
Wise has made notable strides in this direction by connecting directly to SWIFT system. This will allow payment system to manage its finances and conduct payments much faster without involvement of correspondent banks. This unprecedented case, which has not gone unnoticed in the banking world, clearly indicates a shift in power in finance. Banks, lagging behind technological progress, have long existed due to their leading position in the financial hierarchy. But everything is changing, and these changes have forced even regional payment solutions, like SEPA, to accelerate and meet the requirements of modern users. Payments within 10 seconds are promised to appear in the Eurozone very soon in 2025 and will significantly change payment landscape for Europeans. Although many banks have stated that they cannot update their systems by the deadline (almost two-thirds of all banks), we can assume that development will be quite delayed.
Open banking has been at the top of financial news for several years, and in the next year, we expect its further implementation in new geolocations and more widespread use by merchants and individual users. Serious steps in this direction are being taken right now by the USA and post-Soviet countries.
In conclusion, we note that current year has shown significant progress in the financial industry and marked beginning of some trends mentioned today. And in 2025, we expect even more convenient, fast, and efficient payments. Monoup can help your business with this! Be sure to contact us and get a New Year promotion on a consultation.
