Canadian retail payments totalled $12.9 trillion across 26.7 billion transactions in 2025, according to Payments Canada. Payment value rose 5.7% from 2024, while 52% of Canadians expressed interest in real-time payments. The findings arrive ahead of the planned fourth-quarter 2026 launch of Canada’s Real-Time Rail, supporting instant, data-rich domestic transfers around the clock.
Payment delays remain a significant challenge for 37% of small and medium-sized businesses. Credit and debit cards accounted for 68% of transaction volume, while electronic funds transfers represented 63% of value. Interest in AI-driven shopping was lower, with only 24% finding agentic commerce appealing, the research found.
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