Payment Processing Industry Statistics: Global Trends, Metrics, and Forecasts

A woman using a laptop to pay for a service online.

Credit: Adaptiv Payments

Max Brasseaux

Payment Processing Expert | More

Published April 30, 2026

Reviewed and fact-checked by Luke Deviney

The payment processing industry serves to provide a seamless customer experience by encrypting banking information during transit. Payment gateways and payment processors are crucial for fraud prevention, especially with digital assets like contactless payments.

According to Globe Newswire, the payment processing industry is expected to have a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.4%, growing from USD 71.15 billion in 2026 to USD 122.08 billion by 2031. This article explores how the industry is impacting the shape of online payments, revenue, growth, and fraud detection across high-risk industries like those served by Adaptiv Payments.

Industry Growth Statistics

Payment processing has become a highly competitive landscape over the past few years, with new processors challenging traditional financial institutions and well-known payment service providers. Currently, PayPal Holdings accounts for 45.52% of the payment systems market, but many merchants use multiple payment rails.

These technological advancements are driving growth across global market sectors. These are the expected CAGRs across a range of industries, reflecting how enhanced payment acceptance improves revenue.

Alcohol: 5.95%
Sports Betting, Gambling, and Casinos: 4.79%
Gaming: 10.72%
Fantasy Football: 11.8%
Training, Coaching, and Consulting: 9.91%
Automotive: 3.15-6.77%
Online Dating: 7.4%
Event Ticketing: 8.2%
Digital Services (SaaS, Tech Service, SEO, SEM): 8.35%
Fintech: 16.3%
High-Volume and Wholesaling: 6%
Ecommerce: 18.7%
Credit Repair: 13.87%
Debt Collection: 9.7%
Medical Billing: 11.3%
Telehealth: 18.9%
Timeshares: 7.1%
Subscriptions: 14.3%
Firearms: 4.6-6.3%
Pawn Shops: 3.4%
Precious Metals: 6.4%
Gym: 8.83%
Beauty: 7.7%
MLMs: 5.4-6.9%
International Sales: 14.3%
Logistics: 5.6-8.36%
Supplements and Nutraceuticals: 6.4-10.58%
Pharmacy: 6.08%
Travel: 9.1%
CBD: 13.70%
Vape/E-Cig, Kratom, Smoke Shops, Tobacco: 14.3%

Embedded Finance Trends

Embedded finance integrates payments directly into an application or website, such as Buy Now, Pay Later arrangements or in-app purchasing. This offers a seamless experience for customers, as they do not have to be redirected to their bank account.

One survey found that 99% of decision-makers had adopted some form of embedded finance, and nearly all of them had cited enhanced customer satisfaction as the primary goal.

Additional research revealed:

The embedded finance industry has an estimated CAGR of 23.8% from 2024 to 2029.
20 to 25% of lending revenue will likely be attributed to embedded channels by 2030.
Revenue is expected to reach $89.59 billion globally in 2030.
96% of sponsor banks have more than 5 arrangements with fintech platforms.

Digital Assets and Digital Payment Statistics

Digital payment methods are an essential part of payment processing. Consumer expectations have shifted, with many now expecting large and small businesses alike to allow digital wallets. The share of ecommerce made by digital payments is expected to hit 65% by 2030, representing significant growth. Approximately 68% of digital wallet transactions were mobile payments through a cell phone or tablet.

While these payment systems are gaining traction in every industry, some remain focused on legacy systems like credit card payments or bank transfers. These statistics show the percentage of industry transactions completed through alternative payment systems, such as mobile wallets.

Alcohol: 4%
Sports Betting, Gambling, and Casinos: 28%
Gaming: 45%
Fantasy Football: 85%
Training, Coaching, and Consulting: 64%
Automotive: 59%
Online Dating: 70%
Event Ticketing: 58%
Digital Services (Fintech, SaaS, Tech Service, SEO, SEM): 50%
High-Volume and Wholesaling: 62%
Ecommerce: 39%
Credit Repair and Debt Collection: 88%
Medical Billing and Telehealth: 8-15.5%
Subscriptions: 35%
Firearms: 15%
Pawn Shops: 65%
Precious Metals: 16%
Gym: 70%
Beauty: 41%
MLMs: 60%
International Sales: 66%
Logistics: 85%
Supplements and Nutraceuticals: 25%
Pharmacy: 15%
Travel: 74%
CBD: 39%
Vape/E-Cig, Kratom, Smoke Shops, Tobacco: 18.6%

Instant Payments and Real-Time Payments Statistics

Instant transactions allow immediate account-to-account transfers, often using digital money. This allows businesses a competitive advantage, though it may also pose security risks for some sectors.

Nearly two-thirds of businesses would use instant payments if offered by their banking institution, but in 2023, RTPs only accounted for 1.3% of all transactions. Given how small a sector this is in the global payments infrastructure, specific industry data is not available.

However, interest is growing rapidly, and these alternative payment methods are likely to become a mainstay of the global economy soon. Additional statistics include:

RTPs are expected to grow by 289% between 2023 and 2030.
51% of companies now use instant payments.
Approximately 86% of businesses have used faster or instant payments in the last 12 months.
By 2027, almost 70% of global payments are expected to be instant, led primarily by growth in India and Brazil.

Cross-Border Payments to Emerging Markets

Cross-border payment trends show the increasing interconnectivity of the world. It's expected that the cross-border payment market will hit $3 trillion by 2030, driven by expanding market sizes in Latin America, the Middle East, and the Asia-Pacific region. The Association for Financial Professionals states that 80% of all transactions involve cross-border payments at some point in the process.

However, joining these markets means navigating multiple currencies, understanding different compliance requirements, and protecting against economic volatility. Businesses may also need to handle different customer expectations driven by cultural norms.

These statistics demonstrate the percentage of transactions involving international payments by industry:

Alcohol: 12.4% (wine) and 2.4% (beer)
Sports Betting, Gambling, and Casinos: 14-15%
Gaming: 70% (mobile gaming)
Fantasy Football: 2.6% (from DraftKings data)
Training, Coaching, and Consulting: 72% work with international customers
Automotive: 50%
Online Dating: 7.43%
Event Ticketing: 18.8%
Digital Services (SaaS, Tech Service, SEO, SEM): 50.3%
Fintech: 80%
High-Volume and Wholesaling: 44%
Ecommerce: 18%
Credit Repair: 4-12%
Debt Collection: 10%
Telehealth: 17% (for travel consultations)
Timeshares: 4%
Subscriptions: 26%
Firearms: 2.2%
Precious Metals: 34% (some markets)
Gym: 40% (fitness coaching)
Beauty: accounts for 35% of all global ecommerce
Logistics: 30%
Supplements and Nutraceuticals: 17%
Pharmacy: 40%
Travel: 59% of travel is international
CBD: 6%
Vape/E-Cig, Kratom, Smoke Shops, Tobacco: 32.4%

Certain industries, such as online dating, MLMs, and pawn shops, are almost entirely domestic, offering an opportunity for those considering international expansion.

Chargeback Rates by Industry

Chargebacks occur when the customer requests that a transaction be reversed due to dissatisfaction, missing product, or fraud. A chargeback rate above 1% may lead to regulatory scrutiny or issues with payment processing. The average chargeback rate across all industries is 0.6%, but industries vary widely.

Alcohol: 0.12%
Sports Betting, Gambling, and Casinos: 3.5%
Gaming: 2%
Fantasy Football: 3.5%
Training, Coaching, and Consulting: 1.02%
Automotive: 0.75%
Online Dating: 2%
Event Ticketing: 0.9%
Digital Services (SaaS, Tech Service, SEO, SEM): 0.66%
Fintech: 0.55%
High-Volume and Wholesaling: 0.5%
Ecommerce: 0.5%
Credit Repair: >1%
Debt Collection: 1%
Medical Billing and Telehealth: 2.5%
Timeshares: >1%
Subscriptions: 0.5%
Firearms: >1%
Pawn Shops: >0.6%
Precious Metals: 1.5%
Gym: 0.86%
Beauty: 2.73%
MLMs: 0.5%
International Sales: 2%
Logistics: 0.47%
Supplements and Nutraceuticals: 1.7%
Pharmacy: 1%
Travel: 0.5%
CBD: 2.5%
Vape/E-Cig, Kratom, Smoke Shops, Tobacco: >1%

Friendly Fraud (First-Party Fraud) Statistics

First-party fraud, also known as friendly fraud, is when customers request a chargeback to their credit or debit card without having a legitimate dispute. This may be due to overdrafts, accidental purchases, or unauthorized spending by a friend or family member.

Merchants suspect that approximately 45% of chargeback requests are fraudulent, underscoring the need for strong fraud protection measures to safeguard businesses. Additional statistics regarding friendly fraud reveal:

43% of consumers admit to committing friendly fraud.
60% of consumers who committed friendly fraud cited financial hardship as the reason.
Business decision-makers estimated that 17% of fraud was committed knowingly by consumers.
Chargebacks can cost a business $70 per case, representing significant operational losses.

True Fraud (Third-Party Fraud) Statistics

Third-party fraud is true fraud when someone knowingly takes control of another person's account. Mastercard determined that approximately 80% of chargebacks were due to unauthorized third parties committing fraud during card-not-present (CNP) transactions, suggesting that the number of consumers committing friendly fraud is far lower than the number of bad actors in the marketplace.

Statistics for further context:

67% of institutions reported an increase in fraud.
91% of decision-makers in the financial industry state that AI applications are increasing fraud.
Online banking accounted for 44% of all fraud at financial institutions.
1 in 5 institutions lost over $5 million per year due to fraud.
92% of decision makers state that fraud protection measures have improved their business operations.
According to respondents, 38% of all fraud was perpetrated by financial criminals or fraud rings.
44% of respondents stated that synthetic identity fraud was the primary form of fraud, showing how new technologies are being misused.

Artificial Intelligence Adoption Statistics

AI agents are increasingly being used for fraud management, to ensure compliance with industry regulations, or to resolve customer complaints before they escalate into chargebacks. These may be embedded into the company's infrastructure or cloud-based systems, depending on the use case.

Harvard Business estimated that up to 88% of all companies are using some form of AI, but actual adoption practices and rates vary significantly across industries. Additional statistics about AI and payment processing include:

Losses from AI fraud surged 1,120% last year, suggesting the need for additional guardrails.
Businesses that implement AI-powered fraud detection experience a 40% improvement in detection accuracy.
The global AI fraud management market is expected to be valued at $67.12 billion in 2026.
AI-driven identity fraud now accounts for at least 42.5% of attempts, underscoring the need for stronger monitoring and regulatory changes.

How Adaptiv Payments Supports High-Risk Merchants With Compliant, Secure Payment Processing

Adaptiv Payments provides comprehensive payment processing solutions for high-risk merchants, ensuring that they can offer a seamless experience for all customers. Our industry specialists understand the unique needs of merchants in your sector and will customize services based on your specific business model, which can improve both revenue and operational efficiency.

Our global payment processing lets you accept payments in numerous currencies, while our transparent pricing structure makes it easy to assess operational costs. Seamless integration with most ecommerce platforms also helps improve your cash flow.

We provide PCI-DSS-compliant checkout solutions, including real-time fraud monitoring and enhanced dispute resolution processes. Our charge mitigation services also protect your banking relationships while ensuring customer satisfaction.