Global payments revenue is projected to reach $2.4 trillion by 2029, according to Boston Consulting Group’s (BCG) 23rd annual Global Payments Report.
While overall global growth is expected to slow to 4% annually, Africa and Kenya in particular—are set to stand out as high-growth markets driven by mobile money and fintech innovation.
The report, The Future Is (Anything but) Stable, points out five structural shifts reshaping payments worldwide among them the rise of agentic AI, digital currencies like stablecoins, fintech disruption, real-time account-to-account (A2A) systems, and ongoing cost transformation.
Kenya’s Payments Market
Kenya’s payments revenue is projected to grow from $0.5 billion in 2024 to $0.8 billion by 2029, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8%.
Transaction-based revenues will be the main growth driver, supported by the country’s world-leading mobile money ecosystem and increasing adoption of real-time payments.
Also Read: CBK Extends Time for Kenya’s Bulk Payment Settlement System
“Kenya’s payment revenues are set to expand steadily, underpinned by strong transaction growth and digital innovation,” said Takeshi Oikawa, Managing Director and Partner at BCG Nairobi.
“This momentum is not only advancing financial inclusion but also unlocking new opportunities for businesses and consumers. Kenya’s progress underscores how fintech and mobile solutions can power Africa’s rise as a payments growth leader.”
Africa’s Payments Growth
Across the continent, payments revenues are forecast to nearly double from $9 billion in 2024 to $19 billion in 2029, growing at about 10% annually—outpacing Europe, North America, and Asia-Pacific.
Transaction-based revenues are expected to drive this expansion, while innovations in mobile money and real-time systems accelerate the shift from cash to digital.
Globally, BCG report shows traditional growth levers are losing momentum, but emerging technologies are setting the stage for transformation.
In this case is the agentic AI which is projected to influence over $1 trillion in e-commerce spending, while stablecoins, though still concentrated in crypto trading, recorded $26 trillion in volumes.
This even as payments-focused fintechs are growing three times faster than incumbents, backed by $135 billion in equity funding since 2000.
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