Cross-border payment expectations outpace experiences with banks as businesses gain more choice, Nium and Celent research finds.

 65% of businesses want payments completed within minutes or instantly, but only 18% get that speed from their banking partners, reflecting intensifying competition for cross-border volume amidst growing range of cross-border payment options.

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Nium, the infrastructure platform for global money movement, today released new research examining how growing payment choice is reshaping business expectations for moving money across borders. Commissioned by Nium and conducted by Celent, the study surveyed 210 businesses and 210 banks across 17 markets in North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East. 

Nearly two-thirds (65%) of businesses want cross-border payments completed within a few minutes or instantly, yet only 18% say they currently receive that level of speed from their banking partners. Meanwhile, just 29% of banks believe their business clients expect these types of payments to move that quickly. This gap matters in an increasingly competitive market, as nearly two-thirds (64%) of businesses now use at least one non-bank method for outgoing international payments and more than 15% of surveyed cross-border payment volume moving through non-bank methods.

Despite the growing range of payment options, banks remain central to how businesses expect to move money internationally. While 69% of business respondents say bank networks need to evolve their cross-border payments offerings, corporates still view banks as key partners. And yet 49% say they expect their reliance on banks to decrease in coming years. The result is a market where banks remain important but face greater competition.

"The future of money movement isn't going to be defined by banks or non-bank providers alone," said Anupam Pahuja, Chief Business Officer at Nium. "Businesses increasingly have different ways to move money depending on what they need. The challenge now is making those options work together without adding more complexity, while giving businesses the choice, speed, and certainty they expect."

Corporate clients expect greater speed and certainty

Speed alone does not define cross-border payments value for businesses. When choosing how to make a cross-border payment, 32% ranked ease of payment as their top consideration, compared with just 19% that ranked total cost first.

Business respondents also identified the top areas needing improvement. These include cut-off times, visibility into payment timing, and transparency around costs. Together, the findings point to a broader demand for certainty around knowing when a payment will arrive, what it will cost, and whether it will succeed.

Failed payments turn uncertainty into business costs

When cross-border payments fail, the impact can extend beyond the payment itself. Among businesses surveyed, 34% cited vendor or partner dissatisfaction and attrition as the biggest impact of delayed or failed payments; 28% pointed to delayed orders and supply chain disruption. Based on payment volumes, failure rates, and repair costs reported by corporate respondents, Celent estimates that failed payments cost the average business surveyed $108,823 per year.

Amid growing competition, banks see opportunity in cross-border payments

Half of banks surveyed describe cross-border payments as an area of great opportunity, while 53% say new technology and partnerships mean they plan to expand what they do. On the corporate side, 58% say additional or related services from their bank would make them loyal to that bank.

The findings suggest that greater payment choice does not diminish the role of banks, rather it raises the stakes for how they compete for cross-border payment relationships.

Cross-border payment trends vary by market

Regional findings include:

• North America: 78% of businesses in the U.S. said additional or related services from banks would make them loyal to their banks, versus 58% globally.
• Europe: 60% of businesses want cross-border payments completed within a few minutes or instantly, compared with 20% that currently receive payments at that speed.
• Middle East: 65% of banks believe new forms of money, including stablecoins, tokenized deposits, and CBDCs, will help them expand their coverage.
• Asia Pacific: 73% of businesses want cross-border payments completed within a few minutes or instantly, compared with just 10% that currently receive payments at that speed.
• Latin America: 67% of banks plan to expand their cross-border payments business through new technology and partnerships.

To read the full Nium and Celent report, The Value of Certainty in Uncertain Times, visit www.nium.com/premium/celent-report.

Methodology 

This study surveyed 210 banks and 210 corporates across 17 markets: Canada, the United States, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.

About Nium

Nium is building the infrastructure to move money as freely as information. Its global, compliance-first platform gives banks, fintechs, and enterprises the rails to collect, convert, send, and spend funds across 100+ currencies, borders, and blockchains through one unified platform. Nium holds regulatory licenses in 40+ countries and operates its cross-border payout network across 190+ markets, with more than 100 settling in real time and with funds disbursed to bank accounts, wallets, and cards. As a principal member of schemes including Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and UATP, Nium issues over 41 million card credentials annually. The company is co-headquartered in San Francisco and Singapore. For more information, visit www.nium.com.