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The news: Klarna, Affirm, and Zip will be available as autofill payment options through Google Pay on Chrome for cart sizes of $35 or more. Our take: Increasing the ease and availability of a payment method for US consumers can increase volume for BNPL providers and Google.

The news: PayPal launched PayPal World, a global platform linking major international payment systems and digital wallets. Our take: While PayPal’s starting list of key partnerships represents Latin America, India, and China, the payment provider could penetrate further into European markets by tying up with the European Payments Initiative and the Wero wallet—as well as with top US wallets like Apple Pay and Google Pay or the nascent Paze.

The news: Cash App Business sellers now have access to Tap to Pay on iPhone through the Cash App iOS app, per a press release. Our take: Block has been pushing into contactless payments for both Cash App and Square Handheld. Cash App microbusinesses now have the room to grow through Block’s offerings as their business matures.

The news: Google is launching Offerwall, a new Ad Manager tool that lets users unlock publisher content through ads, surveys, or payments—part of a broader effort to mend relationships with publishers facing traffic loss from AI Overviews and eroding ad share. Publishers say Google pays less than rivals like PubMatic and Magnite, and AI-driven zero-click searches have dropped site traffic significantly. Our take: With a DOJ remedies trial looming and ChatGPT traffic rising fast, Google’s publisher outreach isn’t just damage control—it’s existential. If AI is to remain useful and ethical, supporting the content it’s trained on is a must.

The news: Google Pay added Klarna to its in-app BNPL roster of Affirm, Zip, and Afterpay. Our take: Klarna’s late adoption of a physical card like Affirm’s Affirm Card in the US set the BNPL provider back in terms of capturing a wider user base and payment volume. Integrations like Google Pay and Apple Pay can help overcome that gap—though Affirm also has partnerships with both Google Pay and Apple Pay.

Competitors are moving in on Apple’s home iPhone turf.

We look at how retailers can improve their shopping experiences for younger customers to meet their avoidant preferences.

This launch could revolutionize PayPal’s in-store ambitions—and provide real competition for Apple Pay

Proximity mobile payments are on a growth tear, driven by strong spend per user. Here’s how providers are using wallet integration and new features to make proximity payments stickier.

PayPal is the most popular mobile payment app that US adults typically use, with over twice as many users as the next most popular choice, Venmo, according to November 2024 data from YouGov.

The rule would require larger payment apps to be regulated like banks. Ending this rule would be a win for Apple Pay and Google Wallet

Gen Z is the first mobile payments-native generation. By 2028, 67.8% of US adults will be mobile wallet users, per our forecast. Gen Zers are already way ahead: 85.1% made an in-store or online payment using their phone in 2023, according to Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta.

With the release of Square Handheld, Live Nation Canada staff can use its portability to serve a contactless-friendly Gen Z consumer base: We forecast that 67% of 18- to 24-year-olds will use contactless mobile payments in 2025. This opportunity could get a boost from the growing use of NFC wristbands designed for rapid payment at major festivals and concerts.

Indeed, Gen Alpha wants innovative payments solutions, with 25% of the digital-first cohort preferring tap-and-go mobile payments, biometric payments, QR codes, and mobile wallets to cash and manual card entry, per a Mastercard study. What banks can learn from this: Studies show that banks have a strong role to play in educating young consumers about healthy financial behaviors.

We forecast that 38 million US Gen Zers will pay with proximity mobile payments this year—or 57.2% of all US Gen Zers. Edging out the competition: Venmo is coming off of a robust first quarter, with revenues growing 20% YoY, Pay with Venmo’s total payment volume up more than 50%, and the number of Venmo Debit Card monthly active cardholders up 40%.

Proximity mobile payments are finally reaching a critical mass of users, fueling spending growth. While it will slow in the coming years, providers are capitalizing on growth by building multifunctional ecosystems that expand their captive audience and tighten relationships.