Q1 2024 Trends in Payment Processing: Insights From Financial Reports
In a recent report, the frequency of certain keywords in earnings call transcripts was analysed to identify trends in the payment processing industry. The report offers a comprehensive review of the latest and historical earnings of several major publicly traded payment processors, including Adyen, dLocal, Fiserv, Global Payments, PayPal, Paysafe, Worldline, and Square.
However, the report does not include Worldpay's Q1 2024 figures due to its privatization. Worldpay's Q1 2024 figures are not available because a majority share of Worldpay was sold by parent company FIS to private equity firm GTCR in February, making it no longer publicly traded. Nevertheless, Worldpay's historical earnings are still included for comparison purposes.
The report highlights key trends and top performers across different metrics among these payment processors. For instance, Global Payments’ merchant services arm S-Payment grew revenue by 13% in 2024, with strong mobile payment adoption including Apple and Google Pay at POS. PayPal did not have explicit Q1 2024 data available, but reported a total liquidity of $13.7 billion and a net cash position of $2.2 billion by mid-2025, indicating strong financial health and manageable debt of $11.5 billion.
Some payment processors experienced slower revenue growth in Q1 2024 compared to previous years. Broader industry players like Trustly, although not included in the user list, saw volume increases of 54% and net revenue growth of 32% in 2024, with EBITDA up 50%, demonstrating strong profitability trends in open banking within payments.
The report also focuses on partnerships as a key driver of growth. Global Payments highlighted strong partnerships in mobile payments with Apple Pay and Google Pay, boosting revenue growth in these platforms. Trustly, a notable open banking player, retained the UK Government tax contract and expanded in US gaming, showcasing strategic partnerships driving volume and revenue.
Macroeconomic conditions are still a topic of discussion among payment processors. The payments industry is navigating mixed macroeconomic factors including cautious consumer spending and slow open banking adoption in key European markets like France and Germany, limiting near-term growth despite sizable market shares. Regulatory changes in the US, such as the striking down of the “click to cancel” rule, also impact subscription and payment models but were more indirect factors affecting the sector.
The report also discusses corporate development, with AvidXchange agreeing in mid-2025 to a $10 cash take-private deal, indicating M&A activity and liquidity events affecting payment processor valuations and ownership structures.
In summary, among the specified companies, Global Payments leads with a reported 13% revenue uplift in 2024, powered partly by mobile payment partnerships. PayPal's liquidity strength points to solid ongoing operations. Other firms like Adyen, dLocal, Fiserv, Paysafe, Worldline, and Square lacked publicly disclosed Q1 2024 performance details in the retrieved data. The payments industry is benefitting from strategic partnerships and new verticals but faces slow open banking growth and regulatory uncertainties in certain regions.
If more detailed Q1 2024-specific financials or insights on each company are needed, targeted earnings reports or investor releases should be consulted directly. The first quarter of 2024 saw continued growth for publicly traded payment processors, and Artificial Intelligence is becoming a focus of discussion among payment processors as they adapt to the evolving landscape.
The analysis of earnings call transcripts also touched upon the integration of technology in the payment processing industry. For example, Global Payments' growth was partially attributed to mobile payment partnerships with Apple Pay and Google Pay. (technology, finance)
Artificial Intelligence is increasingly becoming a topic of interest among payment processors as they adapt to the evolving landscape, signifying the growing influence of technology in the finance sector. (technology, finance)
