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

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 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.

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.

Read More: SalesTech for Stickiness: Why Service Layers Matter More Than Features?

“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.”