Digital Wallets And Ecommerce

Digital wallets (DWs) are the number 1 and fastest growing payment method globally. Yet not all DWs are the same. This is an analysis of the different players and business models behind them. These are 3 reasons why you should pay attention to DWs: —  5.2 bn users globally by 2026 —  50% e-com global share ($3.1 tn) —  30% POS global share ($10.8 tn) To understand how DWs differ (#strategy, positioning) we need to categorize them. These are my criteria: 1)  The types of players that are behind them: SuperApps, BigTechs, e-commerce players, banks, crypto providers, telecoms, big brands, etc. 2)  How they manage funds: DWs such as Apple or Google Pay (pass-through) don’t have their own balance, others such as PayPal process funding and #payments in separate stages, whereas Alipay and WeChat Pay are stored wallets, pre-loaded with funds. 3)  The kind of use cases they support (online or in-store with P2P, C2B, B2C, B2B, C2G and G2C variations). 4)  Their #technology: QR-codes (widespread in Asia) vs NFC (popular in Europe) or crypto wallets are examples. 5)  Their target audience: merchants, marketplaces, big brands, niche users, etc. 6)  The payment methods they support: credit or debit cards, bank accounts (A2A transfers), crypto, etc. Based on the above, I have identified 10 distinctive DW plays: 1. SuperApps in Asia that have evolved from simple wallets facilitating payment use cases to huge ecosystem behemoths with multiple plays (consumer, merchant, government, lending, etc).   2. Bigtechs like Apple and Google using DWs as vehicles to monetize their user base and expand beyond their core offering. 3. #ecommerce platforms like Amazon, Mercado Pago or Rakuten looking to boost their business and create new growth opportunities. 4. Ecosystem players in local or regional markets that use DWs to bring payments, digital platforms and mobile banking functionalities under one umbrella. 5. Banks looking to compete with new value-chain challengers (fintechs, platforms) on their own (front-end) customer-facing game. 6. A2A players like Venmo or Zelle focusing on social features, P2P payments, instant transfers, bank integration and competitive pricing to expand their offering. 7. Niche players using customization, vertical focus, rewards and loyalty programs and specialized offerings to service specific use cases (i.e. gambling, gaming, FX). 8. Crypto & blockchain players using DWs to bridge the gap with the fiat world and to offer new use cases. 9. Big brands like Starbucks leveraging DWs to build closed-loop FS ecosystems. 10. Telecoms in Africa employing DWs as a replacement for core-banking infrastructure.   DWs’ spectacular rise is not only democratizing access to #payments and to broader FS faster than any other point in history but it is also forcing players across the value chain (providers, merchants, banks, platforms, fintechs) to re-think their entire positioning and strategy. Opinions and graphics: Panagiotis Kriaris

A client came to us frustrated. They had thousands of website visitors per day, yet their sales were flat. No matter how much they spent on ads or SEO, the revenue just wasn’t growing. The problem? Traffic isn’t the goal - conversions are. After diving into their analytics, we found several hidden conversion killers: A complicated checkout process – Too many steps and unnecessary fields were causing visitors to abandon their carts. Lack of trust signals – Customer reviews missing on cart page, unclear shipping and return policies, and missing security badges made potential buyers hesitate. Slow site speeds – A few-second delay was enough to make mobile users bounce before even seeing a product page. Weak calls to action – Generic "Buy Now" buttons weren’t compelling enough to drive action. Instead of just driving more traffic, we optimized their Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) strategy: ✔ Simplified the checkout process - fewer clicks, faster transactions. ✔ Improved customer testimonials and trust badges for credibility. ✔ Improved page load speeds, cutting bounce rates by 30%. ✔ Revamped CTAs with urgency and clear value propositions. The result? A 28% increase in sales - without spending a dollar more on traffic. More visitors don’t mean more revenue. Better user experience and conversion-focused strategies do. Does your ecommerce site have a traffic problem - or a conversion problem? #EcommerceGrowth #CRO #DigitalMarketing #ConversionOptimization #WebsiteOptimization #AbsoluteWeb

🇪🇬Egypt: Turning into a Booming Payments Market Let's dive into Egypt’s Payments Ecosystem: First, some info about the Payments Ecosystem in Africa: As one of the earliest innovators and adopters of Mobile Money technology, Africa has witnessed a transformation in its delivery of financial services. Key Drivers: 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘇𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿 ► Due to the surge in mobile phone ownership brought on by telecommunications privatization, the percentage of people with landlines is now only about 2% 𝗠𝗼𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗲 & 𝗦𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗽𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗔𝗱𝗼𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 ► In Sub-Saharan Africa, smartphone adoption stood at 51% as of 2022, while it is anticipated to reach 87% by 2030 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗙𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝘁𝗼 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗜𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 ► Testing grounds for FinTech innovation include the Bank of Mauritius, the National Bank of Rwanda, the Reserve Bank of South Africa, and the Bank of Nigeria 𝗟𝗼𝘄 𝗣𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝘀 𝗥𝗼𝗼𝗺 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵 ► Although mobile money is becoming more and more popular, there is still a lot of opportunity for growth due to the prevalence of cash payments in many African countries ► Additionally, point-of-sale payments are still not widely used throughout the continent Now, over to Egypt🇪🇬 Egypt’s relatively young and tech-savvy population (~50 million people under 30 years) presents a significant FinTech opportunity. However, due to low levels of financial inclusion, cash still dominates the country’s payments split. While the merchant payments segment across Africa remains largely underserved, players such as Fawry have capitalized on the opportunity by creating value for merchants through digital payments and cash management services. In 2022, the adoption of a broader range of digital payment methods have accelerated; according to Mastercard’s New Payment Index 2022, 88% of people in Egypt have used at least one emerging payment method in 2022, 35% of which used tappable smartphone mobile wallets while 27% used a digital money transfer app, and the remaining 24% used QR codes. There is also high awareness of Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) installments as a budgeting instrument among users. The Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) said that as of June 2023, the number of e-wallets on the Egyptian market reached 34 million, up 20% Y-o-Y, with the number of monthly transactions reaching 85 million, representing 130% annual growth. I highly recommend downloading and reading the complete "Fintech in Africa" report by Financial Technology Partners / FT Partners for more interesting info and stats: https://lnkd.in/ewdJqv_i Find this helpful? [ 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁 ] Anything to add about this subject? [ 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 ] Nice story, Marcel. Next! [ 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 ] 

𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐖𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐭, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐨 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧🙌🏽   Recently, my attention has been drawn again to the concept of staged wallet. In this ever-changing digital era, the continuous technological evolution leads the industry to explore boundless possibilities and opportunities, amongst which the digital wallets and their unique approach to financial transactions💪🏽.   Staged digital wallets have gained particular attraction in the Middle East and African regions. They have emerged as an instrumental tool to achieve financial inclusion for many people in these regions where access to formal traditional banking systems are fairly inaccessible or limited.   𝗟𝗲𝘁'𝘀 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗳𝘂𝗿𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿...   ➡️Staged wallet breaks down transactions into two distinct stages, namely the funding stage and the payment stage.   ➡️During the funding stage, users can load their wallets with funds through various channels, such as linking bank accounts, credit cards, or mobile money services📱.   ➡️The magic happens in the payment stage, where the staged wallet takes on the role of a trusted intermediary between the purchaser and the merchant.   In the context of financial inclusion, staged wallets leverage the mobile phones infrastructure, telecom providers, financial institutions, and fintech companies to bridge the gap between the unbanked and the formal financial system. Unlike traditional mobile wallet applications that require downloads and installations, staged wallets can be accessed directly through mobile devices using existing features such as SMS messaging, USSD technology, or even web browsers. Additionally, staged wallets can facilitate cross-border transactions and international remittances, further promoting financial inclusion and connectivity across geographical boundaries.   This accessibility has been a game-changer, as it eliminates barriers to entry for users with limited access to smartphones or limited data connectivity and extend the reach of financial services to remote and underserved communities.   According to FXC Intelligence latest report, the e-wallet market in the MEA region continues to be favourable for mobile money e-wallets as mobile phone ownership far outpaces bank account ownership in this region:   👉 54% of the African population is unbanked and mobile phone ownership is at 61%.   👉For the Middle East, mobile phone penetration is at 81%, but bank account ownership is even less mature than in Africa, at 38%.    Link to report in comments   𝙋𝙖𝙮𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙨 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙩𝙨, 𝙖𝙣𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤 𝙖𝙙𝙙?🎤   ---- 𝙇𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙩?   Follow Paypr.work [Consultancy • Training • Content Strategy]   ☑️Comment/Repost/Tag experts🤓 ☑️Become a Member https://lnkd.in/euRg2jF9💫 ☑️Collect a FREE ebook: https://learn.paypr.work 🚀   #paymentsinfographics #payprwork #fintech #payments101 #payments #stagedwallet #financialinclusion #mobilemoney

Digital Dirham is moving from concept to code - here’s why banks can’t afford to hit snooze (and why wallets could smell opportunity) The Central Bank of The UAE just confirmed a two-tier, intermediated model for their CBDC: it will mint the CBDC, while licensed financial institutions and SVF licensed fintechs run customer wallets My Translation? • Banks stay in the loop… • …but any wallet with the right licence can control the front-end relationship —————— Programmability + Limits → Payments, not deposits The Digital Dirham will be non-interest bearing with tiered holding caps and automatic “reverse-waterfall” top-ups from bank accounts when limits are breached (i.e surplus CBDC auto-sweeps back to your bank account). Which is great for P2P, QR and micro-txns; less great for parking savings Deposits are safer than many feared (CBUAE simulations suggest CBDC could take c.5% of broad money) but payment volumes could potentially migrate fast 💨. For daily spends such as your coffee, taxi, bills, the Dig Dirham’s instant, programmable nature will be superior to cards/cash; also Merchants may prefer it because fees will be close to 0️⃣; consumers will adopt if the checkout experience is frictionless —————— 4️⃣ live use-case pilots are already in-flight: ➖ tokenised real estate ➖ tourist wallets ➖ programmable social benefits ➖ parent/child sub-wallets Combine the above with UAE’s role in mBridge (multi-CBDC cross-border settlement) and you have potentially a regional payments shake-up in the making Digital Dirham might just turn out to be a once in a decade opening for telco & remittance wallets to move from “billpay & remittance app” to “national payment utility” but only if they out innovate banks on UX and ally with them on compliance. —————— Winners (if they act!): ✅ Agile banks that expose CBDC ready APIs, embed wallets in their apps and monetise compliance-as-a-service. Slow banks that wait for “clarity”—they’ll watch fees and customer data flow to nimbler rivals. ✅ Telco & super-app wallets that can bolt a Digital Dirham SDK onto existing UX ✅ Cross-border treasury desks ready for atomic FX via mBridge —————— What banks must do 🏦: ➖ Publish a developer portal for CBDC wallet APIs before fintechs partner with someone else ➖ Stress-test liquidity; even with caps, 3-5% of deposits could drift into Digital Dirham balances overnight ➖ Upgrade AML/analytics for on-chain transaction monitoring (a regulatory must have) Digital Dirham is not a fringe experiment - it’s programmable, retail-ready money that lets any licensed wallet ride centralbank rails. Banks that treat it as “just another payment rail” risk waking up as the utility backend while fintechs and telcos own the customer. Those that seize the distribution and compliance layers will bank new fee pools and be part of the team which writes the playbook for #futureoffinance in the UAE & GCC. #CBDC #DigitalDirham #Fintech #BankingTransformation #UAE

While mentoring a young founder I noticed something She pulled out her phone to pay for coffee, then showed me her startup's dashboard where 92% of her customer transactions happen digitally. Her suppliers? All on UPI Her credit card? Applied for the day after her first funding closed to build her credit score early She's 24. And she represents exactly what Amazon Pay India Kearney's "How Urban India Pays 2025" report captures: India isn't just going digital. We're fundamentally rethinking how money moves. The numbers are staggering. India's retail digital payments are projected to cross $7 trillion by 2030 The real story: this isn't about tech adoption only, its about behavioral transformation across every demographic What caught my attention: ↳80% of women entrepreneurs now run cashless businesses ↳UPI dominates (34%), followed by cards(20%) & wallets(8%) These aren't convenience choices. They're strategic decisions about financial control and business efficiency. ↳65% of Gen Z professionals applied for credit cards immediately after their first job. ↳Not for impulse purchases, but to manage expenses with a credit line (32%), earn cashback (30%), and build credit scores early (23%). That's financial literacy in action. ↳Small towns are catching up fast ↳Digital payment preference in offline purchases jumped from 42% to 50% in just one year ↳The gap between metro cities (62%) and small towns (50%) is closing faster than anyone predicted ↳The shift I'm seeing in my work: When I mentor fintech teams or advise on payment infrastructure, the conversation has changed Five years ago, we focused on driving adoption Today, we're optimizing for trust, personalization, and seamless experiences across multiple payment modes 61% of users stay loyal to a digital payment method because of convenience But 60% of Gen Z switch platforms regularly, chasing better rewards (33%) or faster transactions (28%) The market needs both stability and innovation Trust remains the foundation. 47% actively assess safety measures before trying new payment methods 45% seek platform trustworthiness Even with widespread acceptance, 36% of cash users cite merchant acceptance issues as their barrier to going fully digital ↳What this means for India's financial future: This isn't just a payments story It's about women taking charge of business finances It's about young professionals building credit profiles from day one It's about tier-2/3 cities leapfrogging traditional banking infra The question isn't whether India is ready to go cashless. It's whether we're building the next layer of financial services that these digitally native, financially savvy users will need next. What's driving your payment choices these days: convenience, rewards, security, or something else entirely? You can read the full report here: https://lnkd.in/gPwWGfxs #AmazonPay #KearneyIndia #HowUrbanIndiaPaysReport #DigitalPayments

Crowning a New Term: “Iceberg Metrics” 🧊 ✨ I’m calling it: Iceberg Metrics represent KPIs that only reveal the tip of what’s really happening below the surface. Metrics like abandoned carts seem simple but often mask much more—checkout friction, hidden costs, trust issues, and more. To truly understand and optimize, we need to dig deeper. Here’s how to dive into the “iceberg” of abandoned cart rates: 1. Establish Baseline Metrics: Start by gathering data on current abandoned cart rates, session times, and bounce rates using heat maps and session recordings to see where users drop off. 2. Segment the Audience: Analyze users by behavior (first-time vs. repeat visitors, mobile vs. desktop) and traffic source (organic, paid, email). 3. Experiment Hypotheses: Develop hypotheses for abandonment reasons—shipping costs, checkout friction, distractions, or lack of trust signals—and test them. 4. Run A/B Tests: Test variations like simplifying the checkout process, showing shipping costs earlier, adding trust badges, or retargeting abandoned cart emails. 5. Use Heat Maps & Session Recordings: Examine user behavior in real time. Look for confusion or hesitation, where users hover, and whether they engage with key information. 6. Contextualize Results: Analyze how changes impact overall user flow. Did simplifying checkout help, or did other metrics like bounce rate increase? 7. Ecosystem Approach: Examine how tweaks affect the full journey—from product discovery to checkout—balancing short-term improvements with long-term goals like lifetime value. 8. Iterate: Refine solutions based on experiment findings and continuously optimize the customer journey. This one’s mine, folks! #IcebergMetrics #OwnIt #DataDriven #EcommerceOptimization #NewMetricAlert Cheers, Your cross-legged CAC and CLV buddy 🤗

💥 FinCrime Mythbusters 💥 〰️ Myth#10 〰️ Cryptocurrency ❌ Myth: Cryptocurrency is completely anonymous and only used by the criminals ✔️ Reality: Cryptocurrency is pseudonymous. Every transaction is recorded on a public blockchain, creating a permanent digital trail. With the right tools, investigators can often trace flows of funds more effectively. 👉 Regulatory check ✏️ UK regulators, including the FCA and HM Treasury, treat crypto exchanges and custodian wallet providers as ‘obliged entities’ under the UK MLRs. This means they must conduct KYC checks, monitor transactions, and report suspicious activity. ✏️ Blockchain analytics firms have helped trace ransomware payments, sanctions breaches, and even funds linked to terrorism. For example, the takedown of darknet marketplaces has often relied on following Bitcoin trails. ✏️ While criminals do exploit privacy coins, mixers, and cross-chain swaps to obscure funds, regulators are catching up. FATF’s ‘Travel Rule’ and the UK’s implementation of it are aimed at reducing anonymity in crypto transfers. 🛠️ How Crypto challenges legacy transaction monitoring systems? 🖍️ Data mismatch: Legacy TMS consume structured banking data. Crypto transactions are pseudonymous wallet addresses and hashes. Without blockchain analytics integration, red flags go unseen. 🖍️ Identity gaps: Banks monitor verified customers, however in crypto; the counterparty could just be a wallet address. UK MLRs force exchanges to KYC customers, but self-hosted wallets continue to remain a blind spot. 🖍️ New risk typologies: Traditional rule-based systems continue looking for structuring or cross-border fiat layering. Crypto introduces mixers, cross-chain swaps, and DeFi obfuscation. 🖍️ Speed & scale: Fiat monitoring often runs in daily batches. Crypto moves in seconds, 24/7. By the time an alert triggers, funds may already be through five wallets and a mixer 🌪️ 🏹 A little story I have worked on a series of crypto SARs where money mules are tricked into moving money, believing they are helping with a job or a relationship. I have seen victims fall for fake 'investment platforms' and lose everything before they even realized what happened. Don't consider SAR as a paperwork, it is a chance to catch the pattern, break the chain ⛓️, and protect the next person from being exploited. Park the crypto transactions leaving via MSB's and see how it unfolds 🔓 ⚔️ Crypto does not replace legacy transaction monitoring, it infact exposes its limitations. Without blockchain analytics and new typology libraries, traditional systems risk becoming as outdated as a Valyrian steel sword left to rust. #FinCrimeMythbusters #AML #TransactionMonitoring #RiskCoverage #FinancialCrimePrevention #TMStrategy #RegTech #cryptocurrency

Most eCommerce brands obsess over revenue and ROAS. But the real game is in the metrics no one talks about. Here are 10 overlooked KPIs that actually drive growth (and how to optimize them): ~~ 1. LTV:CAC Ratio (The Ultimate Health Check) LTV:CAC = Customer Lifetime Value ÷ Customer Acquisition Cost 1:1 = You’re bleeding money 3:1 = Healthy 5:1+ = Printing cash If you’re below 3:1, either: ✅ Lower CAC (better targeting, UGC ads, referrals) ✅ Increase LTV (subscriptions, upsells, memberships) == 2. 90-Day Repurchase Rate If a customer doesn’t buy again within 90 days, they probably won’t. Fix it by: • Winback campaigns with targeted incentives • Selling bundles that create habits • Building a loyalty program that rewards repeat buyers == 3. Contribution Margin (What’s Actually Left?) CM = Revenue – (COGS + Shipping + Discounts + Ad Spend) If your CM is under 30%, you’re scaling a business that won’t survive. Get margins up by: • Cutting discount dependency • Negotiating lower fulfillment costs • Adding Onward shipping protection == 4. Subscription Churn Rate (The Silent Killer) High churn = your brand is a leaky bucket Fix it by: • Adding pause & skip options via SMS (Skio for example) • Add more delivery options and product variety • Sending an email 7 days before renewal reminding them potential lost perks == 5. Time to Second Purchase (T2P) Track how long it takes for a customer to place their second order—then cut that time in half. Tactics to speed it up: • AI-based Email/SMS flows with hyper-targeted recommendations • Exclusive discounts for second-time buyers • Reorder reminders based on average usage time == 6. Gross Margin per Order (The Scaling Checkpoint) At scale, 40%+ gross margins keep you profitable. If you're below that: • Increase prices (test 10% bumps) • Reduce discounting, do Cashback instead (@ Onward) • Negotiate better supplier terms (carrier rates, 3pl, etc) == 7. Refund & Return Rate A high return rate = a CAC multiplier. Fix it by: • Charging for returns (but offering free exchanges) • Clearer product descriptions & sizing charts • Post-purchase emails on how to use the product == 8. Organic vs. Paid Revenue Ratio If 60%+ of your sales come from paid ads, you’re in trouble. Brands with real staying power win on organic channels. The fix? • SEO & content marketing • Affiliate & referral programs • Retention tactics (VIP, loyalty, subscriptions) == 8. SKU Concentration Risk If 80%+ of your revenue comes from one product, you’re vulnerable. Great brands expand without overextending. Turn one-time buyers into multi-SKU customers with: • Bundles • Exclusive add-ons • Subscription perks == 9. % of Revenue from Returning Customers A healthy DTC brand makes 40%+ of revenue from repeat buyers. If you’re below that, focus on LTV levers: • VIP memberships • Personalized email/SMS offers • Post-purchase nurture flows Follow Josh Payne for deep dives on DTC, SaaS, and investing.

It’s 2025. If your website or mobile app still doesn’t support digital wallets, you’re quietly killing your own conversion rates. Why? Because the way people pay has fundamentally shifted. Digital wallets are the norm. Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal, these aren’t “nice extras” anymore, they’re the default payment method for a huge percentage of consumers. People are used to tapping their phone or clicking once and being done. Checkout friction = lost sales. Every extra step at checkout bleeds conversion. Making someone reach for their card, type 16 digits, expiry, CVV, billing address… it’s just too much. The moment of purchase is fragile, and too many businesses still make it harder than it needs to be. Your competition is already doing it. If another brand offers one-tap checkout and you don’t, you’ve basically invited your customer to go shop with them instead. The irony is that enabling wallet payments isn’t some radical innovation anymore. It should just be BAU. It builds trust, reduces abandonment, and in many cases even increases average order value because the experience is so smooth. Yet I still see sites and apps that force customers through outdated checkout flows. In 2025, that’s madness. Because let’s be honest: consumers aren’t going backwards. No one’s going to say, “Actually, I’d love to type in all my payment details manually today.” 👉 If you haven’t enabled wallets yet, it should be at the very top of your roadmap. 👉 If you already have, great, but make sure it’s front and centre in your checkout, not buried behind a bunch of clicks. Digital wallets are no longer about innovation. They’re about conversion survival.