Almond FinTech maps cross-border future with 2025 trends

After a landmark year for cross-border payments, Almond FinTech has published its top 10 trends that shaped 2024 and are set to play a pivotal role in the year ahead.

The report, written by Howard Davidson, Chief Marketing Officer at Almond FinTech, points to real-time payments as the most significant trend in cross-border payments.

Davidson wrote: “Speed has become a critical factor in cross-border transactions. Real-time payments are rapidly replacing traditional methods like checks and wire transfers, offering instant settlement and enhanced transparency.”

Payment Expert observed this trend as numerous financial institutions turned to fintechs for software solutions enabling faster cross-border transactions. In October, Temenos introduced a SaaS platform designed to streamline payments across multiple countries for Payment Service Providers (PSPs).

Speed was a critical feature of this initiative, with Temenos emphasising its significance amidst industry pressure to enhance cross-border payment processes. This aligns with the G20’s 2027 targets, which focus on improving transaction speed, reducing costs, increasing transparency and expanding service access.

Interestingly, Davidson highlighted how partnerships between banks and fintechs, similar to the Temenos initiative, played a pivotal role in accelerating innovation throughout 2024.

“Collaboration between traditional banks and fintech startups is driving innovation in crossborder payments. Banks bring regulatory expertise and established networks, while fintechs offer agility and technological know-how,” he said.

“Together, they are developing tailored solutions that address specific needs, such as dynamic currency conversion, real-time settlements, and enhanced fraud detection.”

Unsurprisingly, technologies like AI and blockchain featured prominently in Davidson’s list of trends. In 2024, AI became the industry’s latest focal point, with new use cases emerging nearly every week, including its application in cross-border transactions.

AI is being used to minimise errors, speed up processing times and empower businesses to make more informed financial decisions. Additionally, AI-powered payment automation is helping companies manage increasing transaction volumes more efficiently, requiring fewer resources.

In 2024, stablecoins emerged as a game-changer in blockchain-driven cross-border transactions.

Davidson noted that by combining the reliability of traditional finance with the advantages of decentralised systems, stablecoins like PayPal’s PYUSD transformed international payments.

He believes that these digital assets offer stability and transparency while reducing intermediary costs and enabling near-instant transactions – features that make them especially valuable in the context of global financial transfers, where speed and cost-effectiveness are essential.

The report also discussed other trends shaping the financial landscape, including the growing adoption of mobile wallets, advancements in Open Banking, initiatives driving financial inclusion, the ongoing decline of cash usage and a heightened focus on cybersecurity.

Davidson concluded: “For payments providers, more is increasingly being asked of them when it comes to speed, security and transparency. Many of the trends found in our report – whether it’s the increased use of real-time payments or the growth of AI-driven automation – are in pursuit of these goals.

“The bar correctly keeps getting set higher. So understanding and leveraging these trends isn’t just beneficial – it’s essential for staying competitive in a rapidly evolving global market.”

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