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Real-time account-to-account (A2A) payments are rapidly reshaping digital commerce worldwide. According to a new report by Boston Consulting Group (BCG), nearly one in four retail digital transactions globally now take place through A2A systems, with adoption surging in markets like India and Brazil.

India and Brazil Lead the A2A Payments Revolution

The BCG report, The Future is (Anything But) Stable, highlights that A2A payments exceed 50% of all transactions in India and Brazil, driven by domestic infrastructures:

India’s UPI (Unified Payments Interface): More than 400 million users

Brazil’s Pix: Over 160 million users

In both markets, real-time payments (RTPs) have grown well beyond peer-to-peer transfers. They now cover merchant payments, enterprise transactions, and recurring bills, enabled by features like automatic debits.

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Rising Adoption in Middle East and Africa

While real-time systems are still in early stages across the Middle East and Africa, the report forecasts that A2A adoption will surpass 50% by 2030, signaling a massive shift in global payment behavior.

Agentic AI to Transform Digital Commerce

Beyond payments, the BCG report points to the rise of agentic artificial intelligence (AI). These AI-powered agents are expected to drive over 50% of global e-commerce spending in the coming years.

Key Use Cases of AI Agents

- Managing daily purchases and budgeting
- Automating bill payments and dispute resolution
- Offering personalized price comparisons
- Enhancing fraud detection and onboarding processes

The top spending categories expected to be influenced include household supplies, restaurants, hygiene, and beauty products.

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India’s B2B Fintechs at the Forefront

In India, B2B fintechs like Cashfree Payments and Razorpay are leveraging AI to simplify backend systems for merchants. A critical tool in this shift is the Model Context Protocol (MCP), described as a “universal connector” similar to a USB-C port.

The MCP enables AI agents to interface directly with core APIs, streamlining system integration for businesses of all sizes and making AI-driven payments more scalable.

Conclusion

With A2A payments already powering nearly a quarter of global digital transactions and AI agents set to shape more than half of e-commerce spending, the payments industry is entering a new era. Markets like India and Brazil are showing what the future looks like: real-time, AI-driven, and seamlessly connected.