A trio of new studies from global tech strategists Juniper Research has found that the value of global payments made via QR codes, digital ticketing, and near-field communication (NFC) will reach $32.2 trillion by 2031.
Rising from $17.3 trillion in 2026, the overall market will grow by an impressive 86%; split by:
Ticketing is seeing the fastest growth, as digital methods are increasingly the default for new and existing ticketing systems, particularly across different segments such as air travel, events, and bus/metro.
Digital ticketing is a vital precursor to other innovations, particularly agentic commerce. Juniper Research predicts that ticketing will be one of the first consumer journeys to be majorly impacted by AI agents; making the updating of payment infrastructure an essential task.
SoftPOS Catalysing Contactless Payments Growth
The reports highlight the role of Software Point of Sale (SoftPOS) in accelerating contactless payments growth. SoftPOS, where smartphones can become a payment terminal, removes the traditional requirement for expensive physical hardware for card payments. As such, contactless payments become more competitive versus QR codes for micro and small businesses; reshaping how cash will be replaced for smaller transactions.
VP of Research, Nick Maynard, commented: “SoftPOS is changing the scenario for how small businesses and sole traders accept payments; accelerating the displacement of cash. Contactless payments will not replace QR codes – both solutions will succeed in different countries and verticals. As ever, getting payment methods right will be a highly contextual decision.”
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Download a sample of the 2026-2031 Market Data reports for Contactless Payments, Digital Ticketing, and QR Code Payments.
Banking 4.0 – „how was the experience for you”
„To be honest I think that Sinaia, your conference, is much better then Davos.”
Many more interesting quotes in the video below:
