Emerging payment trends fuel bigger in-game purchases and expand digital finance opportunities for gamers worldwide.
A new report from Newzoo in collaboration with Tebex highlights shifting payment habits in the global gaming market, showing that cryptocurrency and “buy now, pay later” (BNPL) options generate higher transaction values, even as traditional card payments remain dominant.
Regional Gaming Market Snapshot
The study projects the global gaming market will reach $188.9 billion by 2025, with North America and Europe accounting for 46% of total spending, despite representing just 20% of the world’s players.
Asia-Pacific remains the largest region in terms of paying users, with 742 million players, followed by the Middle East & Africa (222 million), Europe (264 million), Latin America (171 million), and North America (162 million).
North America continues to lead in revenue per paying user, with an average of $324.9 annually. Europe, however, is growing faster, with a projected 3.1% annual increase in paying players between 2023 and 2027, compared with 1.1% in North America.
Payment Trends: Bigger Buys with BNPL and Crypto
The report finds that “Buy Now, Pay Later” (BNPL) and cryptocurrency payments lead to higher average transaction values than traditional card payments in North America, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand.
Although crypto still accounts for only a small portion of overall purchases, the median transaction is notably larger, suggesting these payment methods are used for bigger, premium buys rather than replacing standard card transactions.
Player Spending Habits: Content vs. Deals
Player spending habits differ by region. In North America, people are dropping cash mostly to unlock new content (34%), play with friends or family (30%), and deck out their in-game stuff (29%).
Over in Europe, discounts and special offers pull in 28% of purchases, and 21% pay just to skip ads.
Geme Revenue by Genre and Platform
Revenue patterns differ across regions and game types. Shooters, RPGs, and puzzle games generate the most revenue in the U.S., while sports titles lead in Europe.
Console subscriptions account for 21% of U.S. console spending, though premium games are still more frequently purchased outright on consoles than on PCs.
Why This Matters
Emerging payment options like cryptocurrency and BNPL are enabling larger in-game purchases, while offering crypto users expanding real-world applications for their digital assets. This convergence of gaming and digital finance is creating new opportunities for both communities.
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