e-commerce
Payments shift from utility to growth driver, KPMG report finds
60 per cent banks to boost spend; 66 per cent cite legacy systems as key barrier.
MUMBAI: Money may talk, but in today’s economy, it’s also thinking, learning and demanding better. A new report by KPMG International suggests that payments are no longer just a backend function but a frontline growth lever, as banks and retailers rethink how money moves in an increasingly real-time, digital-first world. Titled Partnering for Payment Modernisation, the study draws on insights from 1,000 banking and retail executives globally and highlights a clear shift: payments are now central to customer experience, operational resilience, and competitive differentiation.
For India, where real-time payments already operate at population scale, the conversation is moving beyond access. The focus is now on building systems that are resilient, interoperable, and ready for innovation capable of handling rising transaction volumes and more contextual, embedded commerce.
The data points to growing investment momentum. Around 60 per cent of banks expect to increase spending on payment modernisation over the next year, while 54 per cent of retail executives see it as critical to their future. Yet alignment remains a challenge only 53 per cent of retailers believe their banking partners fully understand their modernisation goals.
Collaboration is emerging as the new currency. About 51 per cent of banks say future leaders in payments will be those with the strongest partner ecosystems, while 47 per cent of retailers expect to work with multiple payment service providers over the next five years.
Still, the path forward is far from frictionless. Around 66 per cent of both banks and retailers cite legacy infrastructure and cost constraints as the biggest barriers to transformation. In response, organisations are increasingly turning to modular, API-driven systems and partnership-led models to balance agility with reliability.
In India, this shift is already visible. Banks are positioning themselves as platform enablers, while retailers are using modern payment tools to reduce checkout friction, improve conversion rates, and build trust in a crowded digital marketplace.
Budget trends reflect cautious acceleration. Retailers expect their payment modernisation budgets to rise by 2.5 per cent, while one in five banks anticipates a sharper increase of 5 to 9 per cent.
The report also underscores a broader reality: modernisation is no longer just about technology. Leading organisations are aligning business, tech, and risk functions to deliver seamless omnichannel experiences and unlock richer data insights.
As Dr Puneet Mansukhani of KPMG notes, consumer expectations are setting the pace leaving little room for delay. In a payments landscape where speed, convenience, and choice are non-negotiable, the message is simple: adapt quickly, or risk being left behind at checkout.
e-commerce
Amazon unveils first Trustworthy Shopping Experience Report
32,000 bad actors targeted, 15 million fake products removed in 2025.
MUMBAI: In a marketplace where trust is the real currency, Amazon is showing its receipts. Amazon has released its first-ever Trustworthy Shopping Experience Report, offering a detailed look at how it polices its vast digital shelves from counterfeit crackdowns to scam detection and review authenticity. At the heart of the report is a four-pronged strategy, proactive controls, risk anticipation, enforcement against bad actors, and consumer protection. The scale is staggering. Since 2020, Amazon’s Counterfeit Crimes Unit has pursued over 32,000 bad actors globally through litigation and criminal referrals spanning 14 countries.
The clean-up drive accelerated in 2025, with the company identifying and disposing of more than 15 million counterfeit products worldwide. Legal action also led to the takedown of over 100 websites linked to fake reviews and scams, an ongoing battle in the age of algorithmic manipulation.
Behind the scenes, artificial intelligence and machine learning are doing the heavy lifting. Amazon says it monitors billions of daily interactions across listings, reviews, and seller activity to spot trouble before it surfaces. Its predictive systems can even flag potentially infringing listings for trending products before brands raise the alarm.
Tools like Omniscan, which verifies product safety information at scale, and SENTRIX, designed to detect and eliminate phishing websites, are part of this expanding tech arsenal. Together, they aim to reduce risk while keeping the platform usable for legitimate sellers.
That balance between protection and friction is a tightrope Amazon acknowledges. Rohan Oommen, Vice President of Worldwide Customer and Partner Trust, noted that while safeguards are critical, they must not stifle genuine businesses. Features like the Account Health Dashboard are meant to give sellers clearer visibility into compliance and performance.
Consumer-facing measures are also getting sharper. From direct safety alerts to recall notifications and refund guidance, Amazon is leaning into transparency, backed by partnerships with consumer organisations to raise awareness.
The report’s release follows the expansion of Amazon’s Counterfeit Crimes Unit into India, signalling a deeper push into one of its fastest-growing markets, with closer coordination planned between brands, sellers, and law enforcement.
In short, as online shopping grows more complex, Amazon is betting that trust built through data, enforcement, and a fair bit of algorithmic vigilance will be its most valuable product yet.
