This week saw the publication of our first report produced in partnership with Money20/20: How Will Asia’s Money Move In The Future? 2025’s View Of 2035. Drawing on our own market sizing data and expertise, as well as a survey of over 100 fintech leaders operating across the continent, this is an exploration of the future of cross-border payments infrastructure in Asia with some insightful findings.

Our market sizing data shows that non-wholesale cross-border payments originating from Asia-Pacific saw flows totalling $12.8tn in 2024, but this is set to grow significantly over the next few years – reaching $23.8tn in 2032. Notably, it will also grow faster than global averages, with the share of global flows coming from APAC set to increase from 32.2% in 2024 to 36.8% in 2032.

However, increased flows are also expected to be accompanied by a transformation in the payments infrastructure serving the continent, with 93% of those surveyed expecting to see significant or moderate change in Asia’s payments infrastructure by 2035.

This doesn’t necessarily mean less fragmentation, with respondents fairly divided on whether this would increase or decrease over the next decade. However, there is expected to be better interconnectedness, with 88% of those surveyed expecting interoperability to be either very or extremely important to the future of cross-border payments in Asia.

Technology is also expected to play a significant role, but when it comes to which technologies are set to dominate the future of cross-border payments infrastructure in Asia, answers were mixed, with many experts identifying multiple technologies that they see playing a key role.

However, real-time payments systems were most widely identified as key to the continent’s payment infrastructure, with 66% identifying the technology as important, followed by digital wallets (59%). 

Beyond technology, 86% also saw regulatory policy as key to Asia’s future cross-border payments infrastructure, while 79% also saw consumer habits as key.

The full report, which includes additional analysis across technology, policy, companies and countries, can be downloaded via Money20/20’s website.

Read ‘How Will Asia’s Money Move In The Future? 2025’s View Of 2035’

Lucy Ingham

LinkedIn

Lucy is Head of Content & Editor-in-Chief at FXC Intelligence, overseeing all content and taking deep dives into the trends and data driving changes in payments. Before joining FXC Intelligence, Lucy worked as a technology journalist and editor, interviewing CEOs and major names across enterprise technology, including fintech. She has an MSc in Development Anthropology from Durham University.