When discussing payment patterns, one cannot simply refer to payment cards anymore. Now, consumers use digital wallets, peer to peer payments, installment payments, and a lot of other payment methods, depending on their location and the type of purchase. This is an important aspect to keep in mind for investors involved in fintech and commerce businesses, since it may be indicative of how well a certain company is acquainted with its customers.
The change is already visible in recent results, for instance, according to Worldpay’s Global Payments Report 2026, in 2025 the share of digital wallets comprised 56% of total value of the global e-commerce transactions and 33% of total value of the personal transactions. The research involved more than 63000 consumers from 42 countries. Although cards are still relevant today, these indicators provide insight into the importance of payment facilities for online businesses.
A recent example comes from XBO.com and its investment arm, XBO Ventures. In September 2026, XBO Ventures led a $1.5 million seed round in Singapore-based travel platform Laters.com. Formerly known as Fly Fairly, the company has built its model around flexible payment options. The investment provides a useful case study of why investors are looking at businesses where payment infrastructure is part of the product rather than simply a checkout function.
Payment behaviour is becoming more fragmented
One checkout cannot assume one preferred method
There are significant variations in payment preferences among different markets. According to Worldpay, in countries where cards are the main medium, the payment wallet serves mainly as a channel to link credit and debit cards. In markets where account-to-account systems already exist, it provides a direct link with the banks. Hence, the key for businesses that operate in different places is to learn the preferences of the local people and not only replicate their own methods.
This changing environment also explains why developments covered by Cryptocurrency News increasingly overlap with payments, fintech and e-commerce. Digital assets are only one part of the picture. Consumers may combine cards, wallets, bank transfers, BNPL services and cryptocurrencies according to the transaction. For investors, companies capable of managing several methods through a coherent customer experience can therefore become particularly interesting.
Long-term data from Worldpay confirms this change in the payments landscape. Payment apps such as digital wallets, account to account payments, BNPL, and cryptocurrencies now make up 67% of global e-commerce by 2025, compared to 34% for digital payments in 2014. Cards still exist, but the payment system also offers a diverse variety of other options.
Why travel provides a useful testing ground
Cross-border purchases expose payment friction
It is through travel that one can see these changes more clearly. In addition to making reservations with businesses located abroad, customers tend to pay in foreign currencies and transact relatively large amounts of money. This means that a payment method which is convenient when buying a small product domestically may be less effective when booking an airline ticket for a trip abroad.
Laters.com is a good example of a company that has been set up to take advantage of this situation. As per the company, its customers can find flights from more than 650 airlines and choose from over 100 different payment methods. These include digital wallets, stablecoins, and more than 70 cryptocurrencies, as well as approximately 40 BNPL and installment plans.
The more interesting signal for investors may be how customers actually use those options. Laters.com reports that most of its payment volume already comes from methods outside traditional card networks. It also says customers paying with cryptocurrency spend more than twice as much as its average customer, particularly on long-haul journeys and higher cabin classes. These figures come from the company and should be treated as reported operating data rather than independently verified market statistics.
Early traction matters alongside payment innovation
Technology becomes more convincing when customers use it
Having multiple methods of payment may seem pioneering, but it is essential for a company to show that customers are interested in this option. Thus, commercial success and technical knowledge are equally important for the given operations. As Laters.com reported, it achieved monthly profitability already in February 2025. The funding received from XBO Ventures should be used for branding, as well as for the development of both travel business and new product categories. It should also be noted that this investment does not create an obligation to integrate with XBO.com on the technical level.
Along with the payment mechanisms, the engagement strategies of the companies are evolving. Businesses working in the digital space may provide customers with contests, seasonal events, daily bonuses, and other methods of stimulus to encourage them to return for more purchases. However, while engagement mechanisms may work as motivators, they cannot replace the product that solves people’s problems or needs.
Payment flexibility is becoming part of the investment thesis
Investors are watching behaviour rather than replacing cards
Looking beyond card-based payment systems does not mean thinking that cards are about to vanish from the marketplace. According to Worldpay, customers spent over $16 trillion through credit, debit, and prepaid cards in 2025 in the countries considered in its research. Therefore, cards remain critical to international commerce.
What is changing is the premise that cards are the only default payment method. In fact, organizations are operating in a number of markets where consumers have different payment preferences. The use of such means of payments as e-wallets, installments, bank-based methods, or digital assets can remove the friction if customers really want these payment options.
An important question for investors is thus larger than just whether a startup is involved in cryptocurrency or other emergent technologies. They can probe whether payment flexibility enhances customer experience, whether noncard alternatives bring considerable volume, and whether the business in question is providing evidence of commercial progress.
The example of Laters.com illustrates this trend best. Its importance is not only that the company involved in digital assets participated in the funding round but also that it demonstrates why the paying process itself becomes important. Due to globalization, businesses that can adapt to the payment preferences of their clients become more important than those that rely on a single payment mechanism.
