Cross-Border Selling Challenges

It’s an oxymoron, but in the era of AI moving funds from one account to another has been signaled as one of the major payments’ trends. Where’s the catch? Let’s take a look. Transferring funds between accounts is not a novelty, but rather one of the oldest and more basic payments’ use cases. And yet if you look at today’s increasingly complicated payments landscape, there is an entire debate going on, hooked on the principle that Account-to-Account (A2A) payments can lead the next wave of payments #innovation. The numbers from the 2024 Global Payments Report are telling: —     A2A was in 2023 the leading #ecommerce payment method in Finland, Malaysia, The Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Poland, Sweden and Thailand —     In established card markets (Australia, Canada, UK, USA) A2A growth has been considerably slower —     In emerging markets (i.e. India, Brazil) A2A schemes have risen mainly due to strong government support as a means to achieve financial inclusion and promote digital payments, whereas in more advanced markets the use of A2A schemes is driven by collaborative initiatives between banks Despite their differences, A2A schemes across the globe have one common denominator: they are all local. Interoperability is almost non-existent (Alipay+ is an exception), reflecting a plethora of challenges: different geographies, local consumer preferences, infrastructure, regulation, etc. The rise of A2A #payments is driven by: 1. The proliferation of real-time rails that bring novel use-cases 2. The growth of Open Banking schemes (OB payments are by default A2A Payments) 3. Major actors (merchants, payments players) in an increasingly digital and mobile-first FS ecosystem looking for reliable, efficient and price-competitive payment alternatives 4. Regulation - the recently adopted Instant Payments Regulation (IPR) in Europe is a primary example Despite all the above and the attractiveness of the model, there are 2 main challenges holding back #A2A payments and schemes from dominating, especially in card markets: —  The lack of all the bits and pieces adding value around simple payments’ transactions: chargebacks, disputes, exceptions and fraud protection. These are areas where the big schemes (i.e. Visa, Mastercard) have a competitive advantage, having spent decades optimizing them —  Loyalty schemes and premium perks (i.e. hotel credits, airline miles, discounts) funded from card interchange fees (that don’t exist in A2A set-ups) that drive card adoption These challenges notwithstanding a significant part of the payments’ innovation is heading back to where it started from: the bank account. It’s not therefore by accident that the card networks have bought their way into the space (i.e. Mastercard has bought Finicity and Aiia and Visa has acquired Tink). In the new, multi-rail payments landscape A2A is here to stay. Opinions: my own, Graphic sources: Arkwright Consulting, The Paypers

The digital payment ecosystem is transforming at rapid speed. Having worked in this field for eighteen years, I have witnessed some amazing changes firsthand. Here's how I think the world of digital payments will evolve in 2025 1. Cross-Border Payments in Real Time 2024 Highlight: "Real-time payment connectivity between Singapore's PayNow and India's UPI systems was introduced. My prediction is that India will keep growing its UPI network and establish new cross-border payment connections with MENA nations. India will become a key actor in the global payments scene as a result. Furthermore, when other nations join the network, real-time payment systems will be further integrated, Under the direction of the Bank for International Settlements – BIS, Project Nexus will be critical in interlinking fast payment systems, ensuring that cross-border payments are just as fast as local ones. 2. There is embedded finance everywhere. 2024 Highlight: Payments are becoming an unseen but essential component of consumer experiences in everything from e-commerce to healthcare. My prediction is that the embedded banking revolution will be spearheaded by digital-first platforms with sizable user bases, Superapps in these markets 3. ML and AI in Payments 2024 Highlight: AI-driven solutions are greatly enhancing fraud detection, personalisation, and customer insights. Large banks incorporated AI-powered systems that examine transaction patterns to spot irregularities and stop fraud before it begins. AI-powered chatbots & virtual assistants are becoming mainstream My prediction is that these trends will continue to gain traction. AI will also make proactive compliance management possible, guaranteeing organisations continue to adhere to changing compliance rules. 4. The Evolution of Digital Wallets 2024 Highlight: 90% of Southeast Asian and Indian consumers, according to a research, favour local co's over multinational giants. Local digital wallets like Paytm, PhonePe, GrabPay, and Gojek are controlling the market throughout South & SEA My Prediction: As localised features and integrations satisfy regional preferences, the "local eats global" trend will persist in the world's fastest-growing markets. 5. Increase in Contactless Transactions 2024 Highlight: Contactless payments are currently the preferred method of payment in developed economies, with nearly 90% of American consumers regularly using them. UK (93.4%), Australia (95%), Singapore (97%) have the highest adoption rates. Using NFC technology & QR-based solutions to reach a variety of populations, emerging nations are also rapidly catching up. In my opinion, contactless payments will eventually take the role of cash for in-store transactions worldwide. The adoption of mobile wallets and government incentives will hasten the transition in emerging nations. 👉 What patterns do YOU observe in the payments industry? Post your thoughts in the comments section! #BigIdeas2025 #LinkedInNewsIndia

Wiseasy and the Thunderbird School of Global Management introduce a compelling concept—Fourth Generation Payment Networks (4GPN)—as the next frontier in digital payments. The whitepaper frames 4GPN as a convergence point across four layers: 1. Universal Interoperability Beyond traditional card networks, 4GPN integrates real-time account-to-account payments, EMV, QR, CBDCs, stablecoins, and mobile wallets—designed to work seamlessly across channels, devices, and jurisdictions. 2. Embedded Intelligence and Compliance Risk mitigation is no longer limited to firewalls or fraud checks. 4GPN incorporates biometric authentication, AI-led fraud detection, and regulatory logic into its operational core—shifting compliance from reactive to real-time and contextual. 3. Inclusion as Infrastructure The report highlights that while 1.7 billion adults remain unbanked, 1.1 billion own mobile phones. 4GPN aims to bridge this gap by embedding mobile-first rails and digital identity into the network design—not as an overlay, but as native functions. 4. Modular Global Design From super-app ecosystems in APAC to mobile-led bancarization in LATAM, 4GPNs are meant to adapt. Their architecture supports plug-and-play modules tailored to local regulatory, linguistic, and operational conditions. The projected growth of the digital payments market—from $10.18 trillion in 2024 to over $32 trillion by 2033—is not just about volume. It’s about the need for systems that are resilient, open, and purpose-built for a multipolar, multi-asset future. This evolution will test existing networks, challenge siloed platforms, and redefine how we think about payment processing, compliance, and financial access. The whitepaper raises a few important questions: • Can real-time payments scale without shared trust frameworks? • Are central bank digital currencies being designed for interoperability from day one? • What role should private infrastructure providers play in bridging regulatory and technical standards globally? As we enter a decade of accelerated change, frameworks like 4GPN offer a useful lens—not just to imagine what’s possible, but to assess what’s necessary. https://lnkd.in/gt_7XMAW Industry insights Wiseasy #payments #banking #instantpayments #centralbanks #cbdc #stablecoins

Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance, Cambridge Judge Business School - The Next Frontier in Digital Asset Market Infrastructure: Lessons from Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) - The latest report from CCAF maps the global transformation of market infrastructure through the lens of DPI — from real-time payments to digital IDs and consent-based data sharing. - The implications for the future of digital assets and tokenized finance are massive. Five Insights on the Infrastructure Shaping Digital Markets: 1. DPI Meets Traditional Financial Market Infrastructure (FMI) - DPI like India’s UPI and Brazil’s Pix are converging with FMIs such as RTGS and clearing houses — redefining how value moves in a digital economy. - The ability for non-banks to directly settle in central bank money, as seen in Brazil’s Pix, shows how market rails are opening up. 2. Modular & Open-Source Infrastructure as a Competitive Edge - Open APIs, modular infrastructure, and consent-based data sharing create composable financial ecosystems. - Think of it like Lego blocks for finance — enabling fintechs, banks, and DeFi protocols to build faster, more tailored solutions, but governance and interoperability will be key to prevent fragmentation. 3. Emerging Markets Are Proving Grounds for Infrastructure Innovation - With 113 jurisdictions deploying at least one DPI pillar, emerging markets like India and Brazil are setting global precedents. - For example, India’s UPI processes over 17 billion transactions monthly, outpacing even Visa and Mastercard domestically 4. Regulatory Coordination is Lagging Infrastructure Development - The report warns of a regulatory "knowledge gap" — the pace of market infrastructure innovation is outstripping regulators' capacity to oversee risks like data misuse, concentration, and exclusion. - Coordinated, cross-border regulatory frameworks will be critical as DPI and tokenised markets mature. 5. DPI as a Catalyst for Tokenisation and Digital Assets - By embedding digital identity, instant payments, and secure data sharing, DPI creates the foundation for broader adoption of tokenised assets, programmable finance, and embedded financial services. - Without such infrastructure, digital asset markets remain siloed and friction-laden. Real-World Parallel - In tokenisation, the European Union’s DLT Pilot Regime is laying new rails for trading digital securities — but it’s jurisdictions with mature DPI that will have a competitive advantage in scaling these markets. So What? - For digital asset innovators, policymakers, and financial institutions: DPI is not just about financial inclusion — it’s the infrastructure layer for the future of digital markets. - The race is on to build, govern, and standardise this infrastructure globally — those who lead will define the next era of finance. Great work Pavle Avramović, Sanya Juneja, Yue Wu, krishnamurthy S and Bryan Zhang

Architect Eero Saarinen designed the soaring, singular, iconic Gateway Arch in St. Louis. He also designed the sculptural, almost organic TWA Flight Center at JFK. These buildings look nothing alike. Saarinen believed in "the style for the job." Amazingly, across wildly different buildings throughout his career, his work remained unmistakably his. Not because it all looked the same, but because he applied consistent principles to unique problems. As marketers, we grapple with this tension: How do we build a consistent brand while staying adaptable? Many marketers go the rigid route, forcing the same tone, visual system, and approach regardless of the situation. Other marketers are scattered, changing everything so often that nothing feels connected. Saarinen shows us a third way. Be consistent in your principles and adaptive in your expression. Saarinen didn't have a "signature curve" he put on every building. He had a signature commitment: understand the context, honor the function, create something that belongs exactly where it is. That's the consistency. The adaptability is how it shows up. In marketing terms: Your crisis response shouldn't sound like your product launch. Your B2B pitch shouldn't read like your consumer campaign. Your recruitment message shouldn't look like your Super Bowl ad. Not because you lack brand consistency. Because you understand that the job changes. Most brands mistake consistency with repetition. They build guidelines that say "always use this tone" or "never deviate from this visual system." Then they wonder why their apology letter sounds tone-deaf, why their B2B content lacks connection, and why their profound moment lacks gravitas. The versatility is the sophistication. Saarinen's buildings don't all look alike. But they're all unmistakably his because they demonstrate the same mastery: deep understanding of context, commitment to solving the right problem, and a willingness to let the solution emerge from the situation rather than forcing a predetermined style. Your brand can maintain a clear identity while still adapting. You can be recognizable without being repetitive. You can retain continuity while changing your expression to fit the context. The secret isn't sameness, it's the power of principles.

Luxury today: East and West are not reading the same codes One of the recurring mistakes in luxury strategy is to assume that desirability is interpreted in the same way across markets. It is not. The same brand can be admired for very different reasons depending on the region. In many Asian markets, luxury still operates strongly as a language of visible success, social mobility, and earned recognition. In much of Europe, and to some extent in parts of the US, luxury is more often expected to signal discernment, personal taste, cultural fluency, and restraint. These are not minor nuances. They affect communication, product emphasis, retail expression, and the role of brand visibility itself. In several Asian growth markets, the link between ownership and success remains particularly strong, and consumers are often more willing to pay for brands whose image resonates with them. In China, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Thailand, possessions can still function clearly as social markers. By contrast, Northern and Western European markets are far less aligned with that logic. This helps explain why visible codes, logos, and overt status signals can still perform strongly in some regions, while understatement, craftsmanship, and quieter forms of distinction resonate more naturally in others. That said, reducing this divide to logos versus quiet luxury would be too simplistic. In Asia, the attraction of luxury is not only about display. It is also about authority, reassurance, and the weight of global brand equity. Heritage, craftsmanship, and trusted brand names remain extremely important, even as the market becomes more selective and consumer expectations become more demanding. In other words, visibility still matters, but it now operates alongside stronger scrutiny. For brands, the implication is clear. Global consistency should not mean cultural uniformity. A maison must remain coherent, but it cannot communicate identical value in identical ways everywhere. In some markets, desirability is reinforced by visibility and affirmation. In others, it is reinforced by selectivity, understatement, and the intelligence of the signal. What matters is not choosing one model for the whole world. It is understanding what role luxury is expected to play in each market, then aligning product, communication, distribution, and client experience accordingly. As a senior luxury consultant with more than 25 years of global experience, I help brands decode these differences, refine their market approach, and build strategies that remain coherent while locally relevant. I can help luxury and premium brands adapt their communication, distribution, and client strategy without diluting their authority or identity. #LuxuryStrategy #LuxuryConsulting #BrandPositioning #InternationalExpansion #BusinessOfLuxury

Most of the world is still debating real-time payments. Brazil and South Africa already moved on to what comes after. This Nuvei report looks at how these two countries are using payments to grow online commerce, and why they’re no longer side markets for global merchants. Here are my key takeaways: 🔶 PIX already accounts for a third of ecommerce payments in Brazil. It’s fast, free, and used everywhere from big cities to rural towns. 🔶 PayShap in South Africa is doing something similar, but through mobile-first rails that reach users who never had formal bank accounts. 🔶 Brazil’s cross-border ecommerce is projected to reach $51B by 2027, and South Africa’s is doubling, despite regulatory hurdles and shipping delays. 🔶 In Brazil, domestic credit cards still matter, especially because of installment plans. Ignore them and you lose the middle class. 🔶 South African consumers expect price transparency, flexible payments, and localised platforms, mainly in rural and multilingual areas. 🔶 Both markets are seeing digital wallets rise, SnapScan, PicPay, VodaPay, yet PIX and PayShap are pulling ahead due to lower costs and instant transfers. 🔶 Fraud concerns are still high, especially in Brazil. Merchants that show security cues, offer clear refunds, and support trusted methods build faster traction. 🔶 There’s still friction: high import fees, patchy rural logistics, and tight regulations. But merchants that use local delivery networks and MoR partners can figure around them. 🔶 None of this works if you copy-paste global playbooks. What wins here is adapting to the rhythm of local consumers—from social commerce patterns to payment habits. Brazil and South Africa are showing what practical, accessible ecommerce can look like when payments get out of the way. #fintech #payments #emergingmarkets #couchonomics #embeddedfinance #digitalassets #futureofmoney #futureoffinance NORBr Onalytica Favikon ⁠Global Finance & Technology Network Thinkers360 - ⁠- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 👍 Hit like ♻️ Share it with your network 📢 Drop a comment 🎙️ Check out my podcast Couchonomics with Arjun on YouTube 📖 Get my weekly newsletter on LinkedIn: Couchonomics Crunch 🕺💃 In the MENA region? Join our Fintech Tuesdays community. 🤝 Let's connect! - ⁠- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

🚀 Boosting Electronic Payment Adoption: Lessons from Tanzania, India, Brazil, and Algeria 🌍 Digital payments are reshaping economies, with emerging markets leading the way. Recent innovations from Tanzania, India, Brazil, and Algeria showcase transformative strategies for accelerating adoption and enhancing financial inclusion. Here’s how these nations are driving change: 🌟 4 Inspiring Strategies 1️⃣ Tanzania – Breaking Barriers with Fee Removal • By eliminating fees on card transactions, Tanzania is paving the way for a cash-lite economy, ensuring digital payments are affordable for consumers and merchants. • Takeaway: Removing financial barriers at the point of use is a simple yet powerful way to encourage adoption. 2️⃣ India – Scaling Through Subsidies • India’s UPI platform, backed by government subsidies, offers zero fees for consumers and most merchants. With over 8 billion transactions monthly, UPI has become a global benchmark for scale and accessibility. • Takeaway: Public investment in digital infrastructure can create a massive, inclusive payment ecosystem. 3️⃣ Brazil – Balancing Low Costs and Sustainability • The PIX system, centralized by Brazil’s Central Bank, provides free transactions for individuals and minimal fees (0.5%-1%) for merchants. This model ensures both affordability and system sustainability. • Takeaway: A modest fee for merchants can sustain growth while driving widespread adoption. 4️⃣ Algeria – Incentivizing Inclusion with Tax Relief • Launching DZ MOB PAY in 2025, Algeria plans to offer free payments for users and merchants. Banks will cover costs through tax offsets, aligning with the nation’s goals for modernization and financial inclusion. • Takeaway: Tax incentives can motivate private-sector participation and foster a modern, inclusive payment ecosystem. 🌍 What Emerging Economies Can Learn To build a thriving digital payment ecosystem, nations can: 1. Eliminate Cost Barriers: Ensure low or nonexistent fees for consumers and merchants. 2. Leverage Public-Private Partnerships: Share costs through subsidies or tax incentives. 3. Prioritize Infrastructure: Develop secure, interoperable systems that scale effectively while earning user trust. 4. Promote Awareness: Educate citizens, especially in underserved areas, to build trust and adoption. 🌟 The Vision for a Cash-Lite Future Affordable, inclusive, and innovative payment systems are the cornerstone of a cash-lite economy. Emerging markets can draw inspiration from Tanzania, India, Brazil, and Algeria to empower citizens, modernize financial systems, and unlock economic potential. 💡 What do you think? Could these strategies work in your country? Let’s exchange ideas and shape the future of payments together! #DigitalPayments #FinancialInclusion #EmergingMarkets #Tanzania #India #Brazil #Algeria #Innovation #CashLiteEconomy

Your IP strategy that worked in the US won't work in India. This isn't a minor tweak. It's a complete rethink. Every country builds its IP laws around its own economic priorities, industries, and policy goals. What's patentable in Europe or the US can be flatly rejected in India. Businesses find this out the hard way, after filing. India's patent law has stricter criteria than most Western systems. An innovation that clears the bar abroad may still fail scrutiny here if it doesn't meet India's specific standards for novelty and inventive step. The Indian Patent Office processed over 68,000 applications in 2025 alone. And in 2026, new patentability guidelines were introduced. The rules you researched last year may already need a second look. Here's what businesses entering India often overlook: → Trademark classes and filing conventions differ from WIPO norms → Prior disclosure rules can invalidate a patent if timelines aren't managed carefully → Enforcement mechanisms work differently. Registering your IP is only half the job The good news: India is actively refining its framework. Processing times have already dropped 20% following recent amendments. The system is getting sharper — but so must your strategy. Copying a global IP playbook into the Indian market is one of the most expensive assumptions a business can make. Have you had to rethink your IP approach specifically for India — or are you still working off a global template?

What makes some brands impossible to forget? They get these 7 things right. And they repeat them relentlessly. Examples of each point given too. 1. Clear brand strategy: Asian Paints "Har ghar kuch kehta hai” Not about paint, but about “home.” Anchoring strategy in emotion to become inseparable from homemaking. 2. Sharp positioning: Surf Excel “Daag acche hain” Turned stains into life lessons. Shifted detergent from cleaning utility to emotional connection. 3. Strong brand identity: Amul girl “Utterly butterly delicious” Playful, topical, cultural. A mascot that became a national icon, instantly recognizable. 4. Memorable tagline: LIC “Zindagi ke saath bhi, zindagi ke baad bhi” A promise of lifelong security that crossed generations and cemented trust. 5. Consistent messaging: Fevicol “Majboot jod” From decades of ads of stuck buses to comic exaggerations, the central idea has never changed. 6. Consistency with trust: Tata salt “Desh ka namak” Created trust so deep, Tata became synonymous with salt itself across households. 7. Brand recall over generations: Maggi “2-minute noodles” Of course it was about fast cooking time. But it became a comfort in a bowl, and an evergreen cultural icon for people of all ages. These brands didn’t rise overnight. Neither did they rely on pricing (there were always cheaper options). What makes them unforgettable is strategy built for the long haul, shown through identity, messaging and execution. Added with: - Emotions - Storytelling - Repetition - Affecting habits & culture For IT channel, SaaS & B2B tech founders: Your skills, pricing and products will evolve. But your brand strategy - your identity, message & consistency - will build recall. Of course, these giants had decades, deep pockets and mass-market budgets. You may not. But the least you can do is look at these 7 levers and ask: which of these do we already tick? And which ones do we need to start building today? Food for thought over the weekend. ---- Rajeev Mamidanna Fixing what most tech founders miss out - Brand Strategy, Marketing Systems & Unified Messaging in 90 days & helping you with continuous Marketing