Payments enter their main character era for digital industries

For a long time, payments have been something digital businesses bolted on to a user journey. You chose a provider, got up and running, and moved on to focus on product and marketing. That approach no longer holds.

In 2026, payments increasingly shape how systems are designed, how quickly companies can scale and how regulators assess overall risk. Across video gaming, digital health, live streaming and AI-powered apps, monetization strategies are evolving, and payments now can act as either a growth accelerator or a hard constraint.

Digital experiences are fragmenting, regulation is tightening, and trust and loyalty are competitive advantages. These point to a new phase of global commerce in which flexibility, compliance and user-centric design matter as much as reach and scale.

Here are five key changes redefining how digital businesses think about payments.

Video games: The end of single-gatekeeper billing

For more than a decade, mobile game economics were shaped by app store rules. Game developers traded margin for access, accepting high platform fees in exchange for distribution and built-in billing. That balance is now shifting.

Regulatory action in the U.S. and Europe has led to platform owners like Apple and Google allowing alternative payment methods and external billing links inside games. As a result, developers can reduce their reliance on built-in billing systems, experiment with user journeys and lower transaction costs.

Just as importantly, they gain more control over the player relationship. Owning the payment flow can mean better data, more pricing flexibility and the ability to build loyalty beyond the app store.

The challenge now is execution. Supporting multiple payment options across regions while staying compliant and maintaining a smooth player experience adds complexity. For studios and publishers that get it right, though, this shift can fundamentally alter mobile game economics.

Digital health: Subscriptions are the new normal

Health has gone digital. Telemedicine platforms, fitness apps and wellness services are no longer occasional purchases for niche groups. For many consumers, they are must-haves that lead to ongoing relationships with providers. As a result, subscription-based billing has become a dominant model.

Subscriptions bring predictable revenue and ongoing engagement, but they also raise expectations around payments. Signing up must be simple and fast. Pausing or resuming a service must feel fair. Cancelling must be easy and compliant with consumer protection rules. In healthcare-adjacent services, these details affect brand reputation and patient trust as well as income.

Regulators are watching closely, particularly where health data, recurring charges and long-term commitments intersect. Digital health companies that treat easy subscription management as a core product feature may be better positioned to reduce churn and withstand regulatory scrutiny. In this space, payments are part of the care experience itself.

Live streaming: Monetization in the moment

The popularity of live streaming continues to grow, and so does the role real-time monetization can play in the experience. Instead of relying on monthly subscriptions, platforms increasingly enable micro tipping and instant purchases during live sessions. Viewers buy bits, badges, emojis and limited-time perks to participate more deeply in the moment. They can strengthen engagement without requiring long-term commitment.

Individually, these payments may be small, but they add up. Timing is everything, though. Any friction that breaks the excitement – whether a delay, a failed transaction or a confusing checkout – can instantly reduce participation.

This makes payment performance a front-line concern.

AI apps: Trust must be front and center

AI-powered applications were among the fastest-growing digital products in 2025, and they’re influencing purchasing behavior in different ways. In some cases, AI is the product itself, used to generate content or insights users request. These applications tend to secure income through use-based pricing or premium feature tiers.

In other cases, AI operates quietly in the background, shaping discovery and decisions. Recommendation engines, AI-powered search and conversational interfaces increasingly influence users’ choices. Here, payments can be embedded directly into the experience.

With the growth in AI comes heightened scrutiny. When algorithms shape what users see and how they transact, questions around transparency, bias and data move to the forefront. Regulators and consumers want clarity on how payments are authorized, including protecting younger people and their guardians from transactions that may not yet have the necessary security built in, potentially leading to increased disputes and chargebacks.

In this environment, trust is a prerequisite. AI-driven businesses that invest in compliant payment flows, strong fraud controls and clear user consent may be better positioned for success.

The agentic balance: Convenience vs. control

The next shift pushes automation even further. Agentic payments allow AI agents to execute transactions autonomously on a user’s behalf, from renewing subscriptions to making in-app purchases or managing services.

The value proposition is clear: fewer clicks, less friction and more convenient commerce. The risks are clear, too. How is user intent verified? How much autonomy is too much? What safeguards exist if an agent is compromised or behaves unexpectedly?

Adoption will depend on solving these questions. Clear authorization models, transaction transparency and strong security controls will determine whether users feel comfortable delegating financial decisions to agents. The balance between convenience and control will define how quickly agentic payments move from experimentation to everyday use.

• Read more about agentic commerce for digital industries.

Designing payments for digital businesses

Across these sectors, a consistent theme emerges. Payments have moved upstream.

Supporting multiple payment methods, currencies and staying across compliance regimes is no longer optional for global digital platforms but can be a fundamental requirement for resilience, innovation and sustainable growth.

We see these five points in action every day. The companies that succeed are often the ones that design payments into the customer experience, align monetization closely with user expectations and make trust visible at every step.

Payments’ role in shaping digital growth has never been more central.

Find out more about payments for digital industries or contact us.