Market Trends of Japan Real Time Payment Industry
Digital Payment Adoption Will Drive the Market
- Digital payments have been widely adopted and are growing in popularity in the country. Mostly used digital payment methods include QR code payments, mobile payments, contactless card payments, and others. This adoption is driven by the convenience and increased security offered by digital payment platforms.
- Digital payments are helping to facilitate real-time payments by providing a fast and efficient payment infrastructure in various ways, including instant transfer, real-time processing, easy reconciliation, and convenient access to the users. According to FIS, Japan's share of cash point-of-sale payments fell 15% yearly (YoY) in 2021, compared to a 7.8% YoY reduction the year before. Consumers have opted for digital payments to avoid touching currency during the pandemic.
- According to the government of Japan, cashless transactions are expected to account for at least 40% of all transactions in Japan by 2025, up around 20% from 2021. It believes that expanding digital payments will boost tourism and stimulate financial sector innovation in the country. This will eventually lead to a greater demand for real-time payments.
- Furthermore, the Japanese government is planning to introduce a system for companies to pay salaries digitally without going through bank accounts by spring 2023, and 30% of companies are considering implementing this system. Such initiatives are further supporting the growth of the real-time payment market.
- The younger population in Japan is becoming a significant part of the consumer economy and demanding a change to digital to match their technology-friendly habits. Also, massive political efforts to bring digital payment adoption by giving consumer rewards and cash rebates are likely to grow the adoption of digital payments in Japan.
Understand The Key Trends Shaping This Market
Download PDF
Increased Smartphone Penetration to drive the Market
- Increasing smartphone penetration in Japan is playing a key role in the growth of real-time payments in various ways, such as mobile payments, mobile banking, increased accessibility, and improved user experience. It is contributing to market growth by making digital payment methods more accessible and convenient for consumers.
- In Japan, about 92% of persons aged 30 to 39 will use smartphones to access the internet in 2021. In the case of those in their twenties, the percentage was slightly lower. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, only 12.1% of those aged 80 and older used cell phones to access the internet (Japan).
- According to a survey conducted by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (Japan) in September 2021, a leak of one's personal information or browser history was by far the most common reason for Japanese respondents to feel insecure when using the internet, with more than 90% mentioning it. Computer virus attacks and fake billings or frauds followed privacy concerns.
- Furthermore, the survey revealed that most people in Japan feel anxious when using the internet, with the older generations having a higher tendency to feel this way. Such trends are expected to hamper the growth of the real-time payments market in every demography of the Japanese population. Leaking personal information is something that can also impact the payments habit of the younger population.
- The growth of M-commerce is also contributing to the market growth as the smartphone penetration increased the buying and selling of goods and services in the country. According to the Mobile Content Forum, the m-commerce market size in Japan reached around JPY 4.9 trillion as of 2021.
