Assessing the development of the European retail payments market from a historical perspective received

Abstract

Changing consumer expectations are shaping the retail payments market at the global level. Within the European Union, the renewed regulatory framework, the revised Payment Services Directive, gives a further boost by fostering innovation and com-petition in the European retail payments market. In this evolving payment landscape, assessing the current state and forecasting potential development paths may benefit from a look at the past.This paper reviews past developments, discusses potential regulatory implications, and outlines a vision of future developments in the European retail payments market. It concludes that an evolutionary path is more likely than a revolutionary one. Regarding the future regulatory framework for retail payments, it proposes that the movement from entity-based towards more activity-based regulation should be continued.