Visa reported over $10 trillion in payment volume for 2024, and the share of digital wallets in global e-commerce exceeded 50 percent according to FIS Worldpay. Meanwhile, at least 134 central banks are testing or designing digital currencies (CBDC), according to the Atlantic Council, of which 21 have launched pilots with real users.

Fintech and digital payments are entering a phase where crypto infrastructure, CBDCs, and neobanks are no longer an experiment but are beginning to compete with traditional banks for the mass market. In 2025, the total volume of cashless transactions worldwide exceeded $1.3 quadrillion according to BIS estimates, and the share of crypto assets in payment scenarios is growing due to stablecoins and tokenized deposits. For corporate clients, this means the emergence of new payment channels, new regulatory risks, and competition for fees at every transaction link. For businesses in Kazakhstan and Central Asia, the window of opportunity is now: the market standards have not yet been established, and companies can integrate into new payment chains through integrators such as Alashed IT (it.alashed.kz).

Global fintech and digital payment trends 2026

Over the past two years, the fintech market has radically shifted its focus: from the race of neobanks to the infrastructure battle for control over payment rails. McKinsey estimates that the global payment industry's revenue in 2024 exceeded $3.3 trillion, and by 2027 it could reach $4 trillion. The main driver of growth is the transition to digital wallets and embedded payments (embedded finance). According to the Worldpay Global Payments Report 2025, digital wallets accounted for 52 percent of global e-commerce, and in some Asian countries their share already exceeds 70 percent.

Tech giants are increasing pressure on traditional banks: Apple, Google, PayPal, Stripe, and Adyen are scaling B2B platforms, offering businesses global payments, BNPL, and currency conversions 'out of the box'. In 2024, Stripe reported over $1 trillion in processed payment volume, while Adyen exceeded €1 trillion in annual processed volume in 2023. For banks, this means losing the 'interface monopoly' and the need to move into infrastructure roles, providing accounts, compliance, and liquidity.

At the same time, the structure of transactions themselves is changing: the share of instant payments is growing. According to ACI Worldwide and GlobalData, in 2023, over 266 billion instant payments were made worldwide, which is 42 percent more than the previous year. This trend is being picked up by new regional schemes such as Europe's TIPS, India's UPI, and systems in Latin America and national fast payments in several Asian countries. For integrators like Alashed IT, this means sustained demand for connecting corporate ERP and e-commerce to multi-format payment APIs.

There is a clear trend towards consolidation: large processing companies and acquirers are acquiring niche fintech players. FIS sold most of its fintech division, Worldpay, to GTCR for $18.5 billion, and American Fiserv continued active investment in payment infrastructure and banking platforms. This confirms that fintech is moving from the experimental phase to the phase of infrastructure strategic assets.

Cryptocurrencies, stablecoins, and blockchain payments in real business

After the market crash of 2022, the crypto industry underwent a painful but beneficial cleansing. By 2025, the market capitalization of crypto assets had exceeded $2 trillion again, according to CoinMarketCap, but the structure of this market has changed: the key driver has become stablecoins, used in settlements and trading. Visa and Mastercard began piloting stablecoin payments in USDC over the Solana and Ethereum blockchains in 2023–2024, and Circle and Coinbase have been actively promoting stablecoins as a corporate payment tool.

According to the 2024 Chainalysis report, the share of stablecoins in on-chain transaction volume approached 60 percent, and a significant portion of transactions are related to cross-border transfers and B2B payments. This is because stablecoins allow payments to be made within minutes at fees often not exceeding a few dollars, even for large amounts. For comparison: traditional SWIFT interbank transfers take from several hours to several days and cost tens of dollars per transaction.

Large banks and fintech companies are developing two parallel directions: using public blockchains for stablecoins and developing permissioned networks for tokenized deposits and securities. Consortia based on Hyperledger Fabric, R3 Corda, and consortium versions of Ethereum are actively testing the tokenization of corporate bonds, monetary claims, and other assets. For example, JPMorgan conducted several pilot deals in 2023–2024 to issue tokenized deposits and use the Onyx blockchain for interbank settlements.

Almost any medium and large business has the opportunity to accept crypto and stablecoin payments through integrators: Coinbase Commerce, Binance Pay, Circle, and regional gateways in different jurisdictions. Companies like Alashed IT are already offering architectural consulting on integrating crypto solutions (custody, multi-signatures, on-chain AML monitoring) with existing billing systems and CRM. This is not about replacing traditional payments but about creating an additional channel: for example, accepting part of export revenue in stablecoins with subsequent conversion at a favorable rate and faster capital turnover.

Neobanks, super apps, and competition for the customer

Neobanks have experienced a wave of correction, but the strongest have survived. Nubank in Brazil exceeded 100 million customers in 2024 and showed stable profitability, Revolut received banking licenses in several European countries, and Monzo and Starling continued to grow, focusing on the SME segment. The general trend is the shift from 'bank in a phone' to a financial platform where the customer receives not only cards and payments but also investments, insurance, accounting, and subscription management.

At the same time, the phenomenon of super apps is intensifying. Asian giants Grab, GoTo, Kakao, and others combine transport, marketplaces, finance, and microloans in one interface. According to McKinsey, super app users in Asia make up to 30–40 financial transactions per month within one ecosystem app. This scenario is gradually spreading to other regions through WhatsApp Pay, WeChat Pay in corresponding jurisdictions, and fintech widgets within social networks and marketplaces.

For small and medium businesses, this means that the customer entry point is increasingly becoming not the company's website or even a classic internet bank, but payment buttons within a marketplace, messenger, or super app. Competition is shifting to the question of 'who owns the interface' and 'who controls customer data and payment behavior'. Neobanks strive to become the primary financial account for the user, while traditional banks protect themselves with partnerships and white-label solutions.

Companies like Alashed IT help businesses adapt to this new reality: integrating several payment providers and neobank APIs into a single billing, building data platforms for transaction analysis, setting up dynamic routing rules for commission optimization. As a result, the enterprise can communicate with the customer through familiar channels while maintaining control over data and reducing dependence on a single platform or bank.

CBDC and the future of payment infrastructure

Central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) are becoming a key topic for regulators. According to the Atlantic Council tracker, as of 2026, 134 countries and currency unions (over 98 percent of global GDP) are at the research, development, or pilot stages of CBDCs. Already, 21 jurisdictions have launched full-fledged retail or wholesale digital currencies, and 11 states have deployed CBDCs in industrial exploitation, including Nigeria (eNaira) and several Caribbean countries.

The European Central Bank is completing the preparatory phase of the digital euro and moving to the implementation phase, which may take up to three years. Sweden with its e-krona, Brazil with Drex, and India with digital rupee pilots are testing scenarios from P2P payments to offline transactions and programmable payments for subsidies. The key question is how to deploy CBDCs without disrupting the banking system and causing a massive inflow of deposits into central bank accounts.

Special attention is paid to wholesale CBDCs and multi-currency platforms. The BIS Innovation Hub is actively developing mBridge and Mariana projects for cross-border payments between central banks and financial institutions. The goal is to reduce the time and cost of international transfers, reduce dependence on correspondent networks, and lower securities settlement risks. Such platforms can radically change the model of correspondent banks and international processing.

For businesses, the introduction of CBDCs means the emergence of new payment instruments, including programmable ones. For example, it will be possible to set conditions for the expenditure of budgetary funds, grants, or targeted loans at the smart contract level, as well as automate logistics and supply chain payments. Integrators like Alashed IT will be in demand for connecting corporate systems to the APIs of national CBDC platforms, building hybrid schemes where CBDCs work with commercial banks, stablecoins, and traditional payment networks.

How businesses can prepare for the new fintech reality

Given the explosive growth of cashless transactions and the emergence of new infrastructure players, businesses need to review their payment strategy within the next 12–24 months. First of all, it is about diversification: relying on one bank and one acquirer is becoming a risk. Practice shows that connecting a second and third payment provider can reduce the share of payment failures by 10–30 percent and lower the average commission due to provider competition.

The second direction is preparing to use blockchain tools where it really makes sense: in cross-border payments, payments to freelancers and suppliers, and loyalty programs. Here, it is important for businesses not to become a crypto exchange but to use the existing infrastructure of custody providers and proven payment gateways. Companies like Alashed IT help build an architecture where keys, limits, KYC/AML, and accounting are integrated with ERP, and the risk of losing access to funds is minimized.

The third direction is working with data and compliance. New payment technologies are accompanied by an increase in regulatory requirements: from PSD2/Open Banking in Europe to local AML rules and personal data storage requirements. Companies need to invest in building a transaction data management center: a single repository, monitoring system, anti-fraud, and channel analytics. This is not just an expensive IT project but a tool to reduce fraud by 20–40 percent and increase payment conversion by more accurate 3DS settings, limits, and routing rules.

Finally, the human factor is important: training financial and IT teams. New products like stablecoin payments, CBDC payments, and neobank integration require basic literacy in cryptography, API integrations, and regulation. Businesses should allocate a separate budget for this and plan joint pilot projects with fintech partners and integrators. By testing new payment channels on a limited customer sample within 3–6 months, businesses can test the effect on capital turnover speed and commission, and then scale the solutions to the entire customer base.

Что это значит для Казахстана

For Kazakhstan and Central Asia, the current fintech boom is not a theoretical global story but a very practical window of opportunity. According to the National Bank of Kazakhstan, the share of cashless payments in retail turnover exceeded 80 percent, and the number of cashless transactions in the country in 2024 is already measured in tens of billions of operations. The Kaspi.kz, Halyk, Jusan, and other players' ecosystem is forming local 'super apps' where payments, marketplaces, and financial services are closely intertwined.

At the same time, Kazakhstan is developing its payment infrastructure: the Fast Payment System, national cards, open API projects, and discussions of the digital tenge as a potential form of CBDC. For export-oriented companies in the region, especially in IT services, logistics, and e-commerce, it is critical to have a flexible payment architecture: accepting payments from different countries, working with foreign fintech platforms, connecting crypto and stablecoins where it is beneficial and regulatory permissible.

Integrators like Alashed IT (it.alashed.kz) can become the link between local banks, international payment providers, and blockchain infrastructure. This involves practical tasks: adjusting billing for multi-currency settlements, connecting several acquirers, adding crypto gateways, automating compliance, and building a data platform for payment analytics. Given that Kazakhstan is actively positioning itself as a regional IT hub for Central Asia, companies that adapt to the new payment infrastructure first will be able to offer partners faster settlements, lower fees, and more transparent documentation.

According to the Atlantic Council, by 2026, 134 central banks (over 98 percent of global GDP) are researching or testing digital currencies (CBDC).

Fintech and payment infrastructure are entering a phase where the boundaries between banks, IT companies, and blockchain platforms are virtually erased. For businesses, it is no longer enough to have one settlement account and standard internet acquiring: competitiveness will be determined by the flexibility of working with various payment rails. Stablecoins, CBDCs, neobanks, and super apps create new monetization channels and customer entry points, but at the same time, they increase compliance and IT architecture requirements. Companies that build a multi-channel payment strategy and find a technological partner like Alashed IT will gain a significant advantage in capital turnover speed and resilience to regulatory changes.

Часто задаваемые вопросы

What is CBDC and how does a central bank digital currency differ from cryptocurrency?

CBDC (Central Bank Digital Currency) is a digital form of national currency issued and guaranteed by a central bank. Unlike cryptocurrencies, it is not decentralized but fully regulated by the state and pegged to the fiat currency on a one-to-one basis. According to the Atlantic Council, by 2026, 134 central banks are studying or testing such solutions, and 11 countries have already launched them in industrial exploitation. For businesses, CBDC means faster and more predictable payments, but with the mandatory observance of national regulatory requirements.

When does a business really need to accept payments in cryptocurrency and stablecoins?

Accepting crypto and stablecoins makes economic sense if more than 10–20 percent of your revenue can potentially come from countries and industries where such payments have become the norm. This is especially true for IT services, freelance platforms, and digital products with a global customer base. Practice shows that using stablecoins can reduce cross-border transfer time from several days to 10–30 minutes and reduce fixed fees from $30–50 to a few dollars per transaction. It is important to consider that integration with proven crypto gateways and regulatory assessment in a specific jurisdiction will be required.

What risks do blockchain payments pose for a company and how to minimize them?

The main risks are regulatory (AML/KYC violations), operational (loss of keys, errors in smart contracts), and reputational (working with unverified counterparties). They can be reduced by using custodial services and crypto gateways with licenses in developed jurisdictions, implementing KYC/AML procedures, and transaction monitoring using on-chain analytics. According to market experience, the implementation of such systems reduces the risk of suspicious transactions by 50–70 percent compared to manual verification. Integrators like Alashed IT help build an architecture where keys are distributed, limits are set, and business processes are aligned with regulatory requirements.

How long does it take to implement a new payment infrastructure for a medium-sized business?

Pilot connection of a second acquirer and one or two international payment providers usually takes 4 to 8 weeks, including API integration and testing. Adding crypto gateways and basic on-chain compliance can extend the project to 3–4 months, considering legal expertise and internal regulation setup. A full-fledged payment architecture transformation with a unified billing and data platform often stretches to 6–12 months. Companies like Alashed IT help break the project into phases so that businesses get the first results within 1–2 months without stopping current operations.

How can a business save on fees for digital payments and fintech services?

The most effective way is to diversify providers and include competition: having 2–3 acquirers and several payment channels usually reduces the average commission by 0.2–0.8 percentage points. Additionally, optimizing payment routing by country and card type helps, which can reduce the failure rate by 10–30 percent and, accordingly, increase revenue without increasing marketing costs. For large companies, savings on fees alone easily reach tens of thousands of dollars per year with a turnover of over $5–10 million. Integrators like Alashed IT analyze transaction structures and select the optimal combinations of providers and tariffs for a specific business.

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