Digital payments infrastructure – the underlying technology networks, switches, processors, and clearing systems that enable electronic payments – is experiencing significant investment and transformation across emerging markets. Payment switch providers, real-time payment network operators, payment gateway companies, and payment processing infrastructure businesses are all evaluating new market entry opportunities as emerging market central banks build national payment systems and fintech ecosystems demand better underlying infrastructure. GreyRadius helps payments infrastructure businesses validate central bank and bank buyer demand, navigate regulatory requirements, execute GTM plans, and raise capital.
Why now? Central banks across Southeast Asia, South Asia, and Africa are building national real-time payment systems – India's UPI has demonstrated the transformative potential of government-backed payment infrastructure, and similar systems are being built in Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, Nigeria, and several Gulf states. The technology companies providing the infrastructure for these systems have a once-in-a-generation market entry opportunity.
$180B+
Global payments infrastructure market by 2028
Growing at 10% annually as real-time payment network expansion and cross-border payment infrastructure investment both scale.
30+
Primary interviews per payment infrastructure mandate
Central bank officials, bank technology heads, and payment network managers – every engagement grounded in direct primary research.
8 weeks
Market entry strategy delivery
AI-augmented central bank programme mapping and bank procurement research delivers payment infrastructure market entry strategies efficiently.
Global payments infrastructure market is projected to reach $180B by 2028 – growing at 10% annually as real-time payment network expansion, cross-border payment infrastructure, and payment security investment all scale.
Real-time payment network adoption is accelerating globally – UPI in India, PromptPay in Thailand, PayNow in Singapore, and similar systems in Malaysia, Indonesia, and Africa are transforming domestic payment economics.
Cross-border payment infrastructure is the next frontier – connecting national real-time payment systems through interoperability frameworks is creating significant infrastructure investment in payment corridors across Asia and Africa.
ISO 20022 payment messaging migration is creating replacement infrastructure demand – global migration to the ISO 20022 payment data standard is requiring banks and payment providers to upgrade core payment processing systems.
If you recognise your situation below, we can help.
Central bank and bank buyer demand validation
You need to validate central bank programme requirements and commercial bank technology procurement priorities in your target payment market.
Regulatory certification and approval pathway
You need to understand payment system certification, security audit requirements, and regulatory approval processes in your target market.
GTM for payment infrastructure technology
You have a payment switch, real-time payment platform, or payment processing system and need a go-to-market strategy covering central bank and commercial bank acquisition.
Raising capital for a payments infrastructure venture
You are raising investment and need a pitch book grounded in payment volume data and infrastructure market sizing.
Integration and partnership strategy
You need to identify bank core banking system vendors and payment consultancies as integration and channel partners.
Competitive intelligence
You need to understand how competing payment infrastructure companies are positioned in your target market.
Every engagement is grounded in primary research and delivers a measurable outcome.
Validate central bank and commercial bank demand for payment infrastructure in a new market. Covers central bank programme mapping, bank technology buyer interviews, competitive analysis, and a Go/Defer/Kill recommendation.
Learn more →Full financial and operational feasibility for payment infrastructure investments. Covers transaction volume modelling, certification cost, integration economics, and investor-ready projections.
Learn more →End-to-end market entry for payment infrastructure companies. Regulatory certification pathway, central bank and bank ICP, integration partner identification, and first-deployment milestone.
Learn more →Embedded GTM team for payment infrastructure platforms. Central bank and bank outreach, integration partner pipeline, and first-revenue milestone tracking.
Learn more →Investor-ready pitch books for payment infrastructure ventures. Transaction-volume-validated market sizing, regulatory approval narrative, and investor identification.
Learn more →AI use-case prioritisation in payments infrastructure – from real-time fraud detection and anomaly monitoring to payment routing optimisation and predictive liquidity management.
Learn more →80% of our insight comes from first-party interviews with buyers, competitors, and regulators – not secondary data that everyone else has.
Our AI layer compresses research timelines by 60% and surfaces pattern-matching from 200+ prior mandates – so you get faster, deeper answers.
We measure success by first contracts signed, capital raised, and markets entered – not deliverables produced. Every mandate has a milestone.
200+
Projects delivered
100+
SaaS & tech clients
80%
Primary research-led
4
Countries / offices
Not sure where to start?
Answer 3 questions about your business stage and market entry goal. Takes 90 seconds. We will tell you which GreyRadius service applies and what a first engagement would look like.
Free. No commitment. No sales pitch in the first call.
100+
mandates delivered since 2017
30+
primary expert interviews per engagement
4
geographies – India, Gulf, Southeast Asia, Africa
8+
years of emerging market engagements
What clients say
“
The 80-interview research programme was the most valuable thing we did before Series A. We walked into investor conversations knowing our ICP, our win reasons, and our product roadmap – all evidence-backed.
“
We almost entered UAE through the wrong channel. GreyRadius's retail format analysis showed us that the channel we assumed was right had the worst margin structure for our category. We pivoted before we spent a dirham.
Fintech / Payments · Market Entry
Fintech / Payments · GTM
Fintech / Payments · Assessment
All three. We work with payment switches on market entry and central bank engagement, payment gateways on market entry and GTM, and payment processors on GTM and fundraising.
Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Gulf, and Africa – markets with active national payment system investment and growing fintech ecosystem demand.
Typically 8–12 weeks given the complexity of central bank programme mapping and regulatory certification research.
We map the programme landscape and identify the right engagement approach – formal regulatory submissions are managed by the company.
GreyRadius research notes, market entry signals, and sector briefs – delivered weekly. No fluff.
Not sure which engagement fits? Take our free 2-minute diagnostic →
When you get in touch
Discovery call
30 minutes. We learn your situation. You learn how we work.
Within 48 hours
Engagement scoped
Scope, research plan, and outcomes agreed before work begins.
Week 1
Primary research
30+ expert interviews. Buyers, regulators, distributors, competitors.
Weeks 2–5
Recommendation delivered
Go/Defer/Kill with the primary evidence your board needs to act.
Week 6–8
Choose the option that matches where you are right now. No commitment required at any stage.
Starting out
Run our free diagnostic
Answer 3 questions about your situation. Get a personalised service recommendation in 90 seconds.
Start the diagnostic →Evaluating options
See how we structure an engagement
Download our one-page overview – scope, timeline, deliverable format, and what primary research produces.
Request the overview →Ready to start
Book a 30-minute call
Speak with a GreyRadius partner. No pitch – we will tell you what primary research in your sector and market would actually reveal.
Book the call →Typical first response within 4 business hours.
