Pyramid Research analysis, NTT Hits Light-Speed -- "NTT East, NTT West, and NTT Communications recently announced plans to spend an estimated JPY800bn (US$7.4bn) over the next five years to create the world's largest fiber optic network. Specifically, the NTT companies will upgrade 30m connections nationwide to fiber thereby allowing them to offer a wider array of value-added services on top of traditional voice. As Japan analyst Jane Buenaventura states, the justification for this expense is simple: survival in the increasingly competitive Japanese broadband market."
Alternative Payment Methods (APMs) – comprising digital wallets, instant payments, and QR payment systems – are experiencing explosive growth that's reshaping the global financial services marketplace. According to the latest worldwide market study by ABI Research , the combined global transaction value for APMs is projected to reach $142 trillion by 2030. What's particularly fascinating is the underlying driver behind this trend: a growing desire for financial sovereignty, with nations developing domestic payment ecosystems rather than remaining dependent on international financial networks. Payment Ecosystem Market Development In 2024, approximately 45 percent of the global population used digital wallets – a remarkable adoption rate for a technology that barely existed a decade ago. China leads this transition, with 95 percent of its population using WeChat's payment functionality. WeChat exemplifies the "super app" phenomenon, where payment capabilities are in...