PUBLISHER: The Business Research Company | PRODUCT CODE: 1847448
PUBLISHER: The Business Research Company | PRODUCT CODE: 1847448
Direct carrier billing is a mobile payment method that enables consumers to make purchases by charging payments directly to their mobile phone bill or deducting them from their prepaid balance. This method eliminates the need for credit or debit cards and is commonly used for purchasing various digital goods and services, including app purchases, in-game items, digital content, and subscriptions.
The primary types of direct carrier billing include limited direct carrier billing (DCB), pure direct carrier billing (DCB), MSISDN forwarding, and other variations. Limited direct carrier billing (DCB) imposes restrictions on the maximum amount users can spend on digital purchases using their mobile phone bill or prepaid balance. Authentication methods for limited DCB can include single-factor or two-factor authentication, and it serves various end-users such as applications, games, online media, and other digital services.
Note that the outlook for this market is being affected by rapid changes in trade relations and tariffs globally. The report will be updated prior to delivery to reflect the latest status, including revised forecasts and quantified impact analysis. The report's Recommendations and Conclusions sections will be updated to give strategies for entities dealing with the fast-moving international environment.
The sharp rise in U.S. tariffs and the ensuing trade tensions in spring 2025 are having a significant impact on the information technology sector, especially in hardware manufacturing, data infrastructure, and software deployment. Increased duties on imported semiconductors, circuit boards, and networking equipment have driven up production and operating costs for tech companies, cloud service providers, and data centers. Firms that depend on globally sourced components for laptops, servers, and consumer electronics are grappling with extended lead times and mounting pricing pressures. At the same time, tariffs on specialized software and retaliatory actions by key international markets have disrupted global IT supply chains and dampened foreign demand for U.S.-made technologies. In response, the sector is ramping up investments in domestic chip production, broadening its supplier network, and leveraging AI-powered automation to improve resilience and manage costs more effectively.
The direct carrier billing market research report is one of a series of new reports from The Business Research Company that provides direct carrier billing market statistics, including direct carrier billing industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with a direct carrier billing market share, detailed direct carrier billing market segments, market trends and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the direct carrier billing industry. This direct carrier billing market research report delivers a complete perspective of everything you need, with an in-depth analysis of the current and future scenarios of the industry.
The direct carrier billing market size has grown rapidly in recent years. It will grow from $52.67 billion in 2024 to $59.97 billion in 2025 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.9%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to mobile phone penetration, digital content consumption, expanding e-commerce and m-commerce, the rise of subscription-based services, and the expansion of mobile gaming.
The direct carrier billing market size is expected to see rapid growth in the next few years. It will grow to $98.27 billion in 2029 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.1%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to the rise of digital subscriptions, focus on financial inclusion, growing preference for mobile-first experiences, enhanced user experience, and expansion into new verticals. Major trends in the forecast period include personalization and targeted marketing, contactless payments and NFC Integration, blockchain and cryptocurrency Integration, expansion into IoT and smart devices, and voice-activated payments.
The forecast of 13.1% growth over the next five years reflects a modest reduction of 0.7% from the previous estimate for this market. This reduction is primarily due to the impact of tariffs between the US and other countries. Tariffs on mobile payment gateways and cloud-based billing systems from international developers may raise transaction costs for U.S. telecom providers using direct carrier billing models. The effect will also be felt more widely due to reciprocal tariffs and the negative effect on the global economy and trade due to increased trade tensions and restrictions.
The growth of the direct carrier billing market is expected to be propelled by the increasing number of mobile phone users in the foreseeable future. Mobile phone users, individuals who utilize mobile devices for telecommunications services, are witnessing a rise owing to the accessibility of affordable smartphone technology and the expanding internet reach, particularly in emerging markets. Direct carrier billing streamlines in-app purchases on mobile phones by enabling users to charge transactions directly to their phone bills or prepaid balances, simplifying payment processes and improving accessibility. For example, data from Uswitch Limited indicates that the UK saw 71.8 million mobile connections in 2022, marking a 3.8% increase from 2021. Hence, the growing mobile phone user base is propelling the direct carrier billing market's growth.
Key players in the direct carrier billing market are concentrating on innovating their offerings, such as introducing direct carrier billing for mobile games, to maintain a competitive advantage. Direct carrier billing for mobile games allows users to make purchases within gaming apps and charge them directly to their mobile phone bills or prepaid balances. For instance, in January 2024, TPay recently launched direct carrier billing for PUBG Mobile in Egypt in collaboration with Tencent Holdings Ltd., facilitating convenient in-game currency purchases. This method eliminates the necessity for credit cards or traditional payment methods, enabling instant service access with a single click for users with mobile subscriptions or prepaid plans.
In November 2023, Viveri Group bolstered its capabilities by acquiring Dynamic Mobile Billing, a UK-based provider of telecom carrier billing and payment optimization solutions. This acquisition enhances Viveri Group's ability to offer multi-channel automated engagement across digital platforms, backed by a comprehensive payment suite featuring crypto, open banking, and direct carrier billing options.
Major companies operating in the direct carrier billing market report are Vodafone Group Plc; Telefonica; ZTE Corporation; Singtel; Telenor Group; Global Message Services AG; Amdocs Limited; Twilio Inc.; Infobip Ltd; Digital Turbine Inc.; OpenMarket Inc; Aeris Communications; Oxygen8 Communications UK Ltd; Boku Inc; Telecoming S.A.; BlueSnap; Paymentwall; Logia Group; Bango plc; Fortumo OU; Comviva Technologies Limited; Centili Limited; TPay; ImpulsePay Limited; Empello Ltd.; QPay Europe SA
North America was the largest region in the direct carrier billing market in 2024. Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period. The regions covered in the direct carrier billing market report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa.
The countries covered in the direct carrier billing market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.
The direct carrier billing market includes revenues earned by entities by providing services such as payment processing, customer support, user authentication, in-app purchases, compliance, and regulation. The market value includes the value of related goods sold by the service provider or included within the service offering. Only goods and services traded between entities or sold to end consumers are included.
The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD, unless otherwise specified).
The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.
Direct Carrier Billing Global Market Report 2025 from The Business Research Company provides strategists, marketers and senior management with the critical information they need to assess the market.
This report focuses on direct carrier billing market which is experiencing strong growth. The report gives a guide to the trends which will be shaping the market over the next ten years and beyond.
Where is the largest and fastest growing market for direct carrier billing ? How does the market relate to the overall economy, demography and other similar markets? What forces will shape the market going forward, including technological disruption, regulatory shifts, and changing consumer preferences? The direct carrier billing market global report from the Business Research Company answers all these questions and many more.
The report covers market characteristics, size and growth, segmentation, regional and country breakdowns, competitive landscape, market shares, trends and strategies for this market. It traces the market's historic and forecast market growth by geography.
The forecasts are made after considering the major factors currently impacting the market. These include the technological advancements such as AI and automation, Russia-Ukraine war, trade tariffs (government-imposed import/export duties), elevated inflation and interest rates.