dLocal launches the 2025 Emerging Markets Payments Handbook: the blueprint to lead across the Global South

MONTEVIDEO, July 8, 2025 – dLocal, the leading cross-border payment platform specializing in emerging markets, today announced the release of the second edition of its "Emerging Markets Payments Handbook." This comprehensive guide is meticulously curated for international businesses, blending deep data analysis with authentic, on-the-ground insights to provide the understanding needed to expand into the world's fastest-growing economies, especially given their projection to drive 65% of global growth by 2035.

The 2025 dLocal Emerging Markets Payments Handbook delves into the complex landscape of preferred alternative payment methods (APMs), consumer behaviors, industry shifts, and regulatory updates across Africa & the Middle East, Asia, and Latin America. It outlines key trends on how people’s payment habits will evolve, offering unparalleled insights into the opportunities emerging markets present for businesses and consumers alike.

What’s inside:

• In-depth analysis of high-growth markets: Gain a deep understanding of demographics and payment ecosystems across Africa & the Middle East, Asia, and Latin America, empowering readers with the tools needed to unlock vast potential.
• The rise of Alternative Payment Methods (APMs): Explore how APMs like eWallets, real-time payments (RTPs), BNPL, cash, and bank transfers are becoming the primary way to pay, not just alternatives. 
• Regional trends and projections: Discover evolving payment trends and behaviors, including the surge of mobile money in East and West Africa, the dominance of eWallets in Asia-Pacific (accounting for 70% of eCommerce payments), and the rapid adoption of real-time payments in Latin America, projected to see the world’s fastest growth by 2027 (29% CAGR).
• Strategic insights into local realities: Understand how markets like Nigeria—with its youthful, fast-growing population—Brazil, through its Pix-driven transformation, and Pakistan, with a vast unbanked base, are among the local forces reshaping the future of digital commerce.
• Regulatory evolution and innovation: Learn about the proactive regulatory environments fostering innovation and laying the groundwork for more inclusive and efficient digital finance.

"The most significant growth story in global commerce isn't unfolding in traditional centers; it's taking shape in the dynamic, fast-growing economies of the Global South," said Pedro Arnt, CEO of dLocal. "With 85% of the global population residing in emerging markets and their middle class projected to double by 2034, the opportunities are immense. However, these markets are incredibly diverse and fragmented, with digital demand rising fast and a diverse array of local payment methods rewriting the rules of engagement. This Handbook is designed to help businesses navigate this intricate landscape and truly unlock the future of payments."

dLocal’s 2025 Emerging Markets Payments Handbook is the essential guide to the future of payments, combining data-driven insights with local expertise.

About dLocal

dLocal powers local payments in emerging markets, connecting global enterprise merchants with billions of emerging market consumers across APAC, the Middle East, Latin America, and Africa. Through the “One dLocal” concept (one direct API, one platform, and one contract), global companies can accept payments, send pay-outs and settle funds globally without the need to manage separate pay-in and pay-out processors, set up numerous local entities, and integrate multiple acquirers and payment methods in each market. For more information, visit https://www.dlocal.com 

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