An updated edition of the December 15, 2025 article.

Mobile payments are steadily displacing physical wallets at the point of sale, reducing dependence on cash and traditional ATM networks, even in historically cash-driven regions. This helps money move faster and smarter, reshaping the digitally connected global economy. What began as a convenience-led shift has matured into a structurally important financial ecosystem built on data-driven efficiency. Digital wallets, such as Apple Pay, Google Pay and PayPal, supported by technologies including Near Field Communication (NFC), QR codes and in-app checkout, are now central to how consumers and merchants transact worldwide.

This transformation is being accelerated by rising smartphone penetration, wearables, tablets, expanding broadband access and continuous fintech innovation, with Gen Z and Millennials driving adoption. Artificial intelligence and blockchain are strengthening fraud prevention, enhancing transparency and compressing settlement cycles, improving reliability across payment networks. Meanwhile, super apps such as WeChat Pay, Alipay and PhonePe are redefining user behavior by consolidating messaging, commerce, banking and payments into single platforms.

Mobile payments are now entering a new phase as conversational commerce gains traction. In October 2025, OpenAI launched a pilot in India that enables purchases and UPI payments directly within ChatGPT, signaling how agentic AI and automated interfaces could further reduce friction across digital transactions. According to Fortune Business Insights, the global mobile payments market reached $4.97 trillion in 2025 and is projected to surge to $46.62 trillion by 2034, indicating a powerful 28% compound annual growth rate.

E-commerce growth and expanding digital infrastructure are reinforcing this momentum. For small businesses and self-employed operators, mobile payments improve cash flow velocity, lower operating friction and enable greater financial visibility. Digitization also generates transparent audit trails, supporting broader financial inclusion and compliance. Payment platforms increasingly serve as integrated financial hubs, linking cards, accounts and value-added services through unified dashboards. Our Mobile Payments Screen helps surface the most compelling opportunities in this rapidly evolving space.

As growth accelerates, competition is intensifying. Companies including Nu Holdings Ltd. (NU Quick QuoteNU - Free Report) , Global Payments Inc. (GPN Quick QuoteGPN - Free Report) and Remitly Global, Inc. (RELY Quick QuoteRELY - Free Report) are scaling through deeper partnerships with banks, merchants and marketplaces. In parallel, regulators are modernizing frameworks around security, data privacy and financial inclusion, from FedNow in the United States to Europe’s PSD2 and India’s UPI, reinforcing long-term industry credibility and adoption.

Explore 37 cutting-edge investment themes with Zacks Thematic Investment Screens and discover your next big opportunity.

3 Mobile Payments Stocks to Buy Now

Nu Holdings delivers mobile payment capabilities through its digital banking platform, Nubank, which embeds payments directly into a single, app-based financial ecosystem. Its app offers contactless tap-to-pay features and Pix-based transactions. These functions act like a built-in mobile payment solution tied to users’ Nu accounts. Its debit and credit cards enable seamless in-store and online payments, while Nu-tap, the company’s in-app wallet, allows users to manage transactions and receipts entirely through their smartphones, supported by robust encryption and security controls.

Nu’s mobile payments footprint is strongest across Latin America, particularly in Brazil, Mexico and Colombia, where smartphone adoption and instant payments infrastructure are accelerating. As of the third quarter of 2025, the company served more than 127 million customers globally, with engagement exceeding 83%, highlighting strong platform stickiness. In Brazil, Nubank is deeply integrated into the Pix ecosystem, including NFC-enabled tap-to-pay Pix transactions on Android devices, positioning it at the center of the country’s rapidly growing real-time payments market.

Last September, it applied for a U.S. national bank charter, a strategic move that could unlock access to one of the world’s largest digital payments markets. The company currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Global Payments is a leading merchant acquirer and payments technology provider, enabling mobile, contactless and digital wallet transactions across physical, online and in-app channels. Rather than operating a consumer wallet, the company sits at the core infrastructure layer, powering how merchants accept and process mobile payments globally. It completed the Worldpay acquisition in January 2026, whose Payrix embedded payments are scaling GPN’s mobile capabilities globally.

Its mobile payments stack includes NFC-based tap-to-pay acceptance, mPOS systems, softPOS and digital wallet processing for Apple Pay, Google Pay and other contactless methods. Its support for Apple’s Tap to Pay on iPhone allows merchants to accept contactless payments directly on smartphones without external hardware, significantly lowering setup costs for small and mobile businesses.

Global Payments generates revenues primarily through transaction-based fees, earning a spread on every mobile payment processed. As mobile and contactless adoption accelerates, transaction volumes rise, driving highly recurring, scalable revenues across its merchant base. Its omnichannel capabilities allow seamless integration of in-store, online and mobile checkout, making it a strategic partner for retailers pursuing digital-first commerce strategies. It currently has a Zacks Rank #2.

Remitly Global operates a mobile-first digital payments platform focused on international remittances, enabling consumers to send money seamlessly across borders using smartphones. The company’s app-based ecosystem supports payments through bank transfers, debit and credit cards, and mobile wallets, while offering multiple delivery options, including bank deposits, mobile wallet credits, cash pickup and home delivery. This fully digital infrastructure eliminates reliance on physical branches, improving speed, transparency and cost efficiency.

Remitly’s proprietary global payments network connects with banks, wallet providers and payout partners across more than 170 countries. This integration enables real-time transaction tracking, dynamic foreign exchange pricing and rapid settlement, positioning the platform as a core conduit for cross-border mobile payments. Its technology-driven model supports scalability across high-volume remittance corridors.

Customer adoption continues to accelerate, supported by rising smartphone penetration and increasing migration toward digital money movement. Active customers reached 8.9 million in the third quarter of 2025, while total send volume climbed 35% year over year to $19.5 billion. Revenues increased 25%, reflecting improving transaction density and expanding use cases. Engagement remains high as repeat usage strengthens network effects.

Remitly is steadily expanding partnerships and payout capabilities to deepen geographic coverage and accelerate settlement times. As global labor mobility and cross-border commerce continue to rise, the company remains well-positioned to benefit from the long-term shift toward mobile-first international payments. It has a Zacks Rank #2 at present.