Mobile Proximity and Peer-to-Peer Payments 2018: How Starbucks, Walmart and Zelle Are Leading in Mobile Payments

WHAT’S IN THIS REPORT? This report gives an overview of our forecasts for US mobile proximity payments and US mobile P2P payments. It delves into some reasons holding up their widespread adoption and gives some examples of ways to use mobile wallets for marketing. Executive Summary US proximity mobile payments continue to grow in volume and users, but at an increasingly tepid pace. Mobile payment services offered by players such as Google Pay, Apple Pay and Samsung Pay have yet to unseat credit cards as the payment option of choice or reach mass adoption levels. Starbucks currently has more users than any other proximity mobile payment service in the US at 23.4 million. That’s more than either Google Pay or Apple Pay. Starbucks has built up its user base by tapping into a habitual purchase—buying coffee—while bundling its payment service with its loyalty plan. Other retailers like Walmart have also found success with their payment offerings for similar reasons. Mobile peer-to-peer