The 2026 McKinsey Global Payments Report: Operational excellence in an invisible world
By McKinsey & Company ·
McKinsey's annual payments report puts global payments revenue at about $2.6 trillion in 2025, from 3.8 trillion transactions and roughly 41 percent of banking revenue, with growth slowing to about 4 percent a year to around $3.2 trillion by 2030. The report shifts the focus from volume growth to operational excellence and estimates that agentic AI could put about $75 billion of payments revenue at risk by 2030, while AI productivity could be worth up to $110 billion a year.
Key figures
| Figure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Global payments revenue, 2025 | about $2.6 trillion, from 3.8 trillion transactions | p. 3 |
| Share of total banking revenues | roughly 41 percent | p. 3 |
| Expected growth, 2025-30 | about 4 percent annually, to approximately $3.2 trillion by 2030 | p. 3 |
| Revenue at risk from agentic AI by 2030 (base case) | roughly $75 billion ($160 billion aggressive) | p. 8 |
| AI productivity opportunity in payments | up to $110 billion of annual value | p. 22 |
- Global