REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Aug. 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The U.S. Payments Forum today announces the publication of a new white paper, “Contextual Payments Considering Artificial Intelligence, 5G, and Internet of Things,” examining how these converging technologies are reshaping commerce and payment experiences.
Contextual payments allow transactions to occur automatically within the flow of an activity without the consumer initiating a traditional checkout process by leveraging stored payment credentials, contextual triggers, and prior consent. This model underpins emerging agentic commerce, in which AI “agents” can make purchases on behalf of consumers, anticipating needs and preferences. According to recent analyst predictions, agent-driven experiences could lift global e-commerce conversion by 1.5–2.5% annually, unlocking over $240 billion in incremental retail revenue. This is one of many areas of opportunity for contextual payments.
In this white paper, the Forum outlines how the combination of AI, 5G, and IoT creates the infrastructure for contextual payments across a range of environments. This includes retail, mobility, smart homes, healthcare, entertainment, infrastructure, and business services. Together, these technologies can support …