This 2025 holiday season, merchants face a tough question: can your payment systems handle the explosion of digital transactions, or will outdated infrastructure cost you sales? Consumers are no longer satisfied with cash and cards; they increasingly rely on mobile wallets, contactless payments, QR code scanning, and “Buy Now, Pay Later” (BNPL) options for faster, smoother shopping experiences.
The numbers tell the story: ACI Worldwide reports that in the first half of 2024, BNPL transactions surged 237%, and digital-wallet payments rose 209%. Mobile devices are driving nearly 56% of all online holiday spending, as per Adobe Analytics. As a result, merchants must offer multiple payment options to capture sales and reduce cart abandonment.
Let's learn about the key trends driving a shift in holiday payment solutions and how brands like PAX, Ingenico, Verifone, Dejavoo, Poynt, SUNMI, and First Data are driving it with practical, high-impact innovations.
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2025 Holiday Payment Trends show a major shift toward faster, flexible, and mobile-first transactions. Shoppers are adopting digital wallets, contactless payments at record levels. They prefer frictionless checkouts, omnichannel shopping, and secure payment options, pushing retailers to offer multiple methods, tighter fraud protection, and seamless mobile experiences. |
Which Payment Innovations Will Lead 2025 Holiday Shopping?
Read below how modern online payment solutions make transactions effortless and secure:
1. Tap‑to‑Phone & SoftPOS: Turning Smartphones into Checkout Devices
During peak shopping seasons like Black Friday, Cyber Week, and Christmas, retailers often set up pop-up counters, seasonal stalls, or event booths to capture the surge in shoppers. SoftPOS, also known as Tap‑to‑Phone, is particularly helpful during these times because it allows merchants to accept payments anywhere without investing in expensive card readers or bulky POS machines.
Installing a certified app on an NFC-enabled smartphone or tablet turns it into a secure checkout device, enabling faster transactions and lowering setup costs.
2. Biometric Authentication on Terminals: Fingerprint, Face, and Palm Payments
With the spike in online and in-store shopping during the holidays, fraud attempts tend to increase. A key advancement in payment terminals is the integration of biometric authentication, such as fingerprint reading, face recognition, or palm/hand‑scan, directly into POS devices or terminals. By tying payment approval to a person’s biometric identity, terminals can significantly lower the risk of fraud or unauthorized use and speed up transactions.
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According to Business Research Insights, the biometric PoS terminals market is valued at around USD 1.17 billion in 2024, is expected to steadily grow to USD 13.72 billion by 2033. |
3. Cloud-Managed Terminals: Remote Updates, Monitoring, and App Deployment
Cloud‑managed POS terminals mark a shift away from isolated, hardware‑bound systems toward centralized, cloud‑connected payment infrastructure. Rather than individually configuring, updating, or maintaining each terminal, cloud‑based systems allow merchants to push software updates, manage apps, monitor performance, and view transaction data remotely, from a central dashboard.
It also enables integration with broader business tools (inventory, CRM, loyalty, online‑offline sync), supports seasonal or pop-up outlets, and future-proofs payment operations.
4. Multi-Rail Ready Terminals: Accepting Cards, Wallets, and Real-Time Payments
Customers expect to pay not just with traditional credit/debit cards, but also with mobile wallets, digital wallets, contactless cards, and increasingly through real‑time bank transfers / instant‑payment rails. To meet this diversity, many POS providers now offer Multi‑rail payment terminals that can accept a variety of payment “rails” on a single device.
Such payment solutions detect the customer's preferred payment method and route transactions accordingly, providing fallback options if needed. Ideal for holiday payment solutions, multi-rail terminals speed up transactions, reduce abandoned carts, and help merchants handle peak-season surges smoothly.
Unattended & Self-Service Terminals: Kiosks, Lockers, and Vending Payments
Holidays often mean longer shopping hours and crowded stores. Unattended kiosks, vending machines, and locker pickup enable cashless, automated transactions without human cashiers. They enable automated, 24/7 cashless payments, reduce labor costs and staffing requirements, and offer customers fast, frictionless access to products or services.
1. Contactless Payments: Tap, Pay, Celebrate!
The COVID-19 pandemic was a game-changer for contactless payments, and this trend is not going away anytime soon. With shoppers opting for quicker checkouts without touching the terminals, brands like PAX and SUNMI have seen a surge in the adoption of their contactless-enabled devices. The holidays will only push this trend further as the volume of transactions increases and people prioritize health safety.
2. Smart Terminals: A Smarter Way to Shop
While traditional credit card payment terminals served their purpose well, the age of smart terminals is upon us. Devices by Poynt and Ingenico offer not just payment processing but also added features like inventory management, loyalty program integrations, and digital receipt options. These all-in-one devices mean businesses can manage operations more efficiently during the holiday rush.
3. QR Code Payments: Scan, Pay, Go!
In many parts of Asia, QR code payments have been a staple for years. Now, they're making waves globally. Brands like Dejavoo and Verifone have incorporated QR code payment solutions in their terminals, offering merchants a versatile tool to accept payments. The beauty of QR codes is that they can be easily integrated into promotional materials for the holidays, making it convenient for both shoppers and retailers.
4. Omni-channel Payments: Unified Shopping Experience
The modern shopper hops between online and offline channels effortlessly. Recognizing this behavior, solutions by First Data facilitate smooth omni-channel payments, ensuring consumers have a seamless shopping experience, whether they’re buying in-store, online, or through mobile platforms.
5. Enhanced Security Features: Keeping the Grinch at Bay
Payment security is a perennial concern, but more so during the holiday season when transaction volumes spike. Brands like Verifone and SUNMI have integrated advanced encryption and tokenization features in their terminals. This ensures that every online payment processed is secure, giving both retailers and shoppers peace of mind.
6. Eco-friendly Receipt Options: Green is the New Black
As environmental concerns take center stage, the need for sustainable options in every domain is palpable. Brands like Poynt and Dejavoo offer digital receipt options, reducing the use of paper and catering to the eco-conscious shopper. This not only saves trees but also offers shoppers an organized way to store their purchase records.
7. Customized Loyalty Integrations: 'Tis the Season of Giving (and Earning Rewards)
The holiday season is the perfect time for retailers to reward their loyal customers. With smart terminals from brands like Ingenico and PAX, retailers can integrate their loyalty programs directly into the payment process. This means customers can earn and redeem points or benefits with every transaction, making holiday shopping even more enticing.
Finishing Thoughts
2025 holiday sales payment solutions are faster, safer, and more customer-centric, and merchants who adopt flexible, tech-driven solutions are best positioned to maximize sales and satisfaction this season.
For businesses ready to modernize their checkout experience, All-Star Terminals provides secure, flexible, and easy-to-integrate systems to simplify every transaction. Explore smart POS options, cloud-managed payment solutions, and multi-payment terminals. Get in touch with our team for personalized advice and demos.
FAQs
Why is it important for merchants to upgrade to smart payment terminals?
Smart terminals unify offline and online payments, support multiple payment types, automate reporting, and enhance customer convenience, critical during busy holiday periods.
How are merchants handling payment surges during Black Friday and Cyber Week?
Cloud-managed and scalable holiday payment solutions allow retailers to handle high transaction volumes without downtime or slowdowns.
What is the impact of mobile-first checkout on abandoned carts?
Frictionless mobile payment solutions reduce checkout abandonment, particularly during holiday sales when shoppers expect speed and convenience.
How do online payment solutions improve security for retailers?
Features like encryption, tokenization, and fraud detection protect transactions across digital channels, safeguarding both merchants and customers.
Can online payment solutions handle international transactions?
Yes, many systems support multi-currency and cross-border payments, enabling transactions globally without extra complexity.
