Payments

People’s decisions about where to shop and how to pay their bills hinge on a series of factors, including their grasp of technology, social media influences, demographics, and access to credit. Javelin’s analysts monitor this ever-changing landscape to provide data and insight through three practices: payments, cryptocurrency and small business digital banking & payments.

What shapes consumer transactions and payment technologies, and where is it going?

Any conventional wisdom about payments—how they’re made, the currencies being used, the cards presently in favor—doesn’t last long before the next wave of technology, innovation, and regulation. Javelin’s analysts conduct research at the forefront of payments, identifying the emerging trends for financial services companies and payments providers and offering insight into how they can best position themselves not just for what is current but also for what is coming.

Payments Research

Reports

American Express and Walmart's Bluebird

Impact Note
Date: February 26, 2013
Author(s): Patricia Hewitt
Research Topic(s): Debit

The U.S. card industry sat up and took notice when American Express launched its Bluebird general purpose reloadable (GPR) prepaid card product in October 2012 with Wal-Mart Inc. as its strategic partner. This action signaled the card network's ...

U.S. EMV Timeline Beyond the Road Maps: How Long Will Conversion Really Take?

Javelin Report
Date: February 19, 2013
Author(s): David Kaminsky
Research Topic(s): Emerging

Mercator Advisory Group's new research report, U.S. EMV Timeline Beyond the Road Maps: How Long Will Conversion Really Take? explains the motivation for the U.S. to adopt EMV at this time and clarifies the card networks' road maps for U.S. EMV a...

International Payments Market Outlook 2013

Impact Note
Date: February 11, 2013
Author(s): Terry Xie
Research Topic(s): Global

Mercator Advisory Group expects 2013 to be a year of slow growth for the global payments market as major changes continue in the business ecosystem, regulations, and new products and services.

Update on the Small Issuer Marketplace

Javelin Report
Date: February 4, 2013
Author(s): Ken Paterson
Research Topic(s): Credit

At the start of 2012, Mercator Advisory Group examined the small issuer marketplace and the buzz about potential new entrants buoying the segment. We concluded then that the small issuer pond was unlikely to refill; unfortunately we were correct...

Checking In on the Mobile Giants

Javelin Report
Date: January 29, 2013
Author(s): David Kaminsky
Research Topic(s): Emerging

In early 2012, Mercator Advisory Group published a report establishing five organizations as the giants of the mobile payment industry. This research note revisits the topic, reviewing the major events of 2012, and determining whether those five...