Nearly Two-Thirds of Global Retailers Say Payment Method Flexibility Drives Revenue Growth, ACI Worldwide Survey Finds

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New report highlights the growing importance of multi-acquirer strategies, alternative payment methods (APMs), and AI in global retail expansion. OMAHA, Neb. & LONDON --(BUSINESS WIRE)-- With payments emerging as a battleground for driving revenue growth, global retailers are accelerating their multi-acquirer strategies to stay ahead, according to a new survey conducted by ACI Worldwide (NASDAQ: ACIW) and Payments Dive. The report Unlocking Opportunity: How Payments are Powering Merchant Growth reveals that 97% of global retailers are already working with multiple acquirers, and that 96% of those using two or more acquirers report an increase in revenue. The research also highlights the surge in alternative payment methods (APMs), including real-time payments and cryptocurrencies, as well as the growing importance of AI. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251007435437/en/ Key Findings at a Glance: Drivers for Multi-Acquiring Strategy: 53% of tier-one global retailers say the need for additional payment options is the top objective when adding additional acquirers, followed by expansion into new markets (51%) and improving authorisation rates (48%). 86% of retailers report cost savings from working with two or more acquirers. Global expansion demands localised payment strategies : 85% of retailers plan to enter new global markets within the next 12 months. To meet local expectations, 69% are adding local acquirers, and 58% are prioritising acquirers that support local payment methods. Rise in cryptocurrency: Crypto is gaining momentum among Millennials and Gen Z. 55% of retailers say cryptocurrency payments influence their choice of acquirer. The growing interest is driven by stablecoins, which offer lower transaction fees and faster settlement. APMs now mainstream: 83% of retailers ranked mobile wallets a top consideration when choosing new acquirers, followed by Account-to-Account payments (67%) and BNPL (57%). Artificial Intelligence (AI) use cases: 70% use AI in acquiring strategies, primarily for fraud detection (65%) and predictive analytics (63%). Payment Orchestration Platforms (POPs): 90% of retailers are using or planning to adopt POPs to streamline multi-acquirer management and enhance fraud prevention. As retailers scale, managing multiple acquirers becomes increasingly complex. Payment Orchestration Platforms (POPs) provide a powerful solution by unifying acquirers, gateways, and payment methods through a single interface. "The next wave of retail growth is being driven by AI-powered tools and insights, enabling merchants to optimize performance and increase customer engagement, while embracing emerging payment methods such as mobile wallets, A2A payments, and digital currencies," said Adriana Iordan , global head of merchant, ACI Worldwide . "As retailers adopt a multi-acquiring strategy, the growing complexity underscores the need for smarter payment infrastructure. Intelligent payments orchestration isn't just about improving efficiency; it's about unlocking new revenue streams and transforming payments into a powerful catalyst for revenue uplift." The full survey report, "Unlocking Opportunity: How Payments are Powering Merchant Growth", is available at www.aciworldwide.com/MA-Survey -End- Methodology This survey, commissioned by ACI Worldwide and conducted by Payments Dive, provides insights from 105 Tier 1 consumer retail leaders, examining how they are using various payment strategies and technologies to manage payments and grow their businesses. All respondents hold senior roles across Payments, Treasury , Finance and IT departments at organizations that operate in the consumer retail industry with a minimum annual revenue of $500 million . The majority of respondents (53%) reported annual revenues between $1 billion and $4.9 billion . The remaining 47% were split between $500 million to $1 billion (23%) and over $5 billion (24%). Respondents indicated that the majority of their business is conducted in either North America (49%) or Europe (51%). The survey was translated into French, German, and Italian to ensure accuracy and cultural relevance across the sample. About ACI Worldwide ACI Worldwide , an original innovator in global payments technology, delivers transformative software solutions that power intelligent payments orchestration in real time so banks , billers , and retailers can drive growth, while continuously modernizing their payment infrastructures, simply and securely . With 50 years of trusted payments expertise, we combine our global footprint with a local presence to offer enhanced payment experiences to stay ahead of constantly changing payment challenges and opportunities. © Copyright ACI Worldwide, Inc. 2025 ACI, ACI Worldwide , ACI Payments, Inc. , ACI Pay, Speedpay and all ACI product/solution names are trademarks or registered trademarks of ACI Worldwide, Inc. , or one of its subsidiaries, in the United States , other countries or both. Other parties' trademarks referenced are the property of their respective owners. View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251007435437/en/ Media Contacts Katrin Boettger | Communications and Corporate Affairs Director I [email protected] Source: ACI Worldwide

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