Stablecoins are moving from crypto rails to mainstream payments infrastructure. Regulatory support and institutional investment are accelerating adoption, but consumer trust gaps, fragmentation, and liquidity risks pose near-term hurdles for digital payments.

UK ecommerce is entering a steady, mature phase—but there are still opportunities for growth.

The travel co-brand card market is splitting fast. Premium products are pushing upmarket as rewards debit cards pull in younger users, while AI-driven discovery is eroding loyalty—forcing issuers to rethink relevance and clarity to capture spend in 2026.

In 2026, economic uncertainty is quietly reshaping consumer payment behavior, driving shifts across cards, cash, BNPL, and emerging alternatives as households adapt how they manage spending and access liquidity.

Financial services ad spending will continue to grow in 2026, even as momentum cools from the 2024 high. Digital remains the center of gravity, intensifying competition and shaping how advertisers balance channels, formats, and budgets.

The AI Platform Is Closer Than Some Rivals, but It Still Faces Barriers

Growing consumer adoption of AI tools is positioning AI platforms as an alternative shopping channel—but most AI-driven transactions are still completed on retailer websites.

Google’s Universal Commerce Protocol promises a common standard for agentic commerce. But AI-driven checkout will remain small for the foreseeable future, keeping the focus on how AI influences discovery rather than where transactions are completed.

Trust in consumer banking varies widely in 2026. Primary banks still anchor core products. But confidence differs by generation, product, and channel, with honesty, transparency, and security shaping how consumers evaluate financial providers.

Sluggish fixed point-of-sale (POS) terminal sales are forcing providers to rethink their strategies. From adding softPOS capabilities to adding AI tools and vertical-specific offerings, POS software is becoming the real competitive battleground.

Social commerce has hit a turning point as creators, younger shoppers, and built-in checkout push spending higher. Growth is accelerating, but it’s uneven—favoring platforms and strategies that turn attention into action.

Major shifts from aging cohorts to rising media time and uneven AI adoption set the stage for another unpredictable year. Here are five charts to help your business understand these changes and kick-start the new year.

Social commerce is booming in the UK, but the era of hyper-growth is coming to an end. Even so, social will continue gaining share of the digital wallet through 2029.

From Gen Alpha’s social video boom to millennials’ tech anxieties and boomers’ ecommerce power, this report spotlights the generational forces that will drive consumer behavior in 2026.

Digital account openings are rebounding as faster onboarding reshapes expectations, even as tighter credit and entrenched incumbents temper how quickly digital challengers expand.

In 2026, commerce media will shift toward the core mechanics of shopping, as retailers reorganize, stores become high-impact media showcases, agentic AI opens new monetization, and financial platforms move closer to shoppable environments.

In 2026, a new financial ecosystem will form around five trends—stablecoins, agentic AI, consolidation, financial media networks, and AI search—blurring boundaries between banking, technology, and commerce.

In 2026, stablecoins, agentic commerce, and AI-driven rewards will reshape the payments industry. Providers need to bet early or risk being sidelined by faster, cheaper, and more intuitive payment experiences.

Mobile will account for nearly half of US online sales in 2026 and become the dominant channel in 2027. To make the most of this shift, retailers and brands should enhance integration of their shopping apps and loyalty programs.

Thanks to open banking and real-time payments, pay by bank has become a promising card alternative, offering speed, low costs, and security. But US adoption remains limited. This report dives into what’s holding it back and what can boost growth.

US proximity mobile payment spending is growing faster than its user base as tapping phones to pay becomes an ingrained habit. Leading wallets must now focus on maximizing usage.

Automation, new commerce models, and a fresh generation of consumers are transforming the rules of connection and creativity. Explore the 11 trends shaping the digital future.

OpenAI’s push into commerce took a major step forward with the launch of in-app shopping on ChatGPT, though it will take time to gain traction as a meaningful retail sales channel.

AI is reshaping how payment providers attract, serve, and retain customers. Those who act now to integrate AI across the life cycle—from discovery to checkout to support—will gain an edge, while those who wait risk losing loyalty and control.

As credit card loyalty wanes, staying top-of-wallet is getting harder for issuers. Our fifth annual study dives into which emerging features will help cash-back credit card programs meet customers' growing expectations.