Alternative
payment methods
More ways into the checkout

People have their own ways of paying for everyday things across the markets of the future. For millions, that might mean an eWallet, A2A payments, BNPL, mobile money or even paying cash for something they bought online.

The payment mix might look different for businesses used to card-heavy markets, but these are just the ways people pay. Over the next three years, alternative payment methods (APMs) are expected to represent around 59% of global eCommerce payments across the biggest emerging markets.

59%

APMs should account for almost six in ten eCommerce payments across the main emerging markets

Source: PCMI & dLocal’s internal estimations. Markets analyzed include: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Thailand, Türkiye & Vietnam

By region

The mix changes as you travel

The role alternative payment methods play can look very different from one region to the next. And even within these regions, no two markets look quite the same. Later in the journey, we’ll visit markets across each one to see what people are reaching for at checkout.

57%Sub-Saharan Africa

Well over half of transactions are made via APMs

32%Middle East & North Africa

Almost one in three transactions happen through APMs

76%Asia-Pacific

More than three in four transactions go through APMs

50%Latin America

Half of digital commerce transactions use APMs

Source: 2026 data from PCMI & dLocal’s internal estimations. Markets include: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Thailand, Türkiye & Vietnam

57%

Sub-Saharan AfricaWell over half of transactions are made via APMs

32%

Middle East & North AfricaAlmost one in three transactions happen through APMs

76%

Asia-PacificMore than three in four transactions go through APMs

50%

Latin AmericaHalf of digital commerce transactions use APMs

50%

Latin AmericaHalf of digital commerce transactions use APMs

76%

Asia-PacificMore than three in four transactions go through APMs

57%

Sub-Saharan AfricaWell over half of transactions are made via APMs

32%

Middle East & North AfricaAlmost one in three transactions happen through APMs

50%Latin AmericaHalf of digital commerce transactions use APMs

76%Asia-PacificMore than three in four transactions go through APMs

57%Sub-Saharan AfricaWell over half of transactions are made via APMs

32%Middle East & North AfricaAlmost one in three transactions happen through APMs

Tokenized APMs

Tokenized APMs: Made to pay again and again

APMs weren’t built like cards. Some use a key, others run through their own account rails. And for a long time, that made them less suited to the “charge me again next month” kind of payment. But that’s changing. Tokenization is making them reusable, so consumers can come back, subscribe, renew and purchase again.

Tokenization turns a customer’s local payment credential into a secure token that a merchant can store and reuse for future payments. That opens the door to subscriptions, repeat purchases and recurring bills, so APMs can stay with the customer beyond the first payment.

As these alternative methods become more essential to online commerce, reuse is the natural next step. Pix Automático in Brazil is a great example of what that looks like in practice, and how regulators are helping make recurring payments possible too.