POS Terminal Market Size, Share, Growth, and Industry Analysis, By Type (Fixed POS Terminals, Mobile POS Terminals, Self-Service Kiosks), By Application (Retail, Hospitality, Healthcare, Transportation), Regional Insights and Forecast to 2033

POS Terminal Market Overview

The POS Terminal Market size was valued at USD 107.58 million in 2024 and is expected to reach USD 216.41 million by 2033, growing at a CAGR of 9.13% from 2025 to 2033.

The global POS terminal market is an integral backbone for retail, hospitality, healthcare, and transportation industries. As of 2024, there are more than 180 million active POS terminals installed globally, facilitating billions of transactions daily. North America and Europe together account for more than 50% of installed terminals, while Asia-Pacific remains the fastest-growing region for new POS deployments.

Mobile POS systems now account for over 30% of all units sold worldwide due to increasing demand for flexible payment options and contactless transactions. More than 70% of retailers worldwide have upgraded their POS hardware and software in the last five years to support omni-channel payment methods, loyalty integration, and inventory management.

In the hospitality sector, over 80% of restaurants and cafes now rely on POS terminals that can manage table orders, process split payments, and sync with back-office systems in real-time. Emerging markets in Southeast Asia and Africa are seeing a surge in mobile POS and self-service kiosks as more than 2 billion people join the cashless economy. With rising digital payments, chip cards, and NFC-enabled mobile wallets, the POS terminal market is evolving rapidly to handle diverse transaction volumes securely and efficiently.

Key Findings

DRIVER: Increasing demand for cashless payments and digital wallets is driving retailers and businesses to deploy modern POS terminals that handle high transaction volumes securely.

COUNTRY/REGION: North America holds the largest share with over 60 million active POS terminals in 2024, driven by retail and hospitality digitization.

SEGMENT: Fixed POS terminals remain the largest segment, making up more than 50% of global POS terminal installations due to their use in supermarkets, department stores, and chain outlets.

POS Terminal Market Trends

The POS terminal market is shaped by rapid technological advancements and changing consumer preferences. Contactless payments are at the forefront — over 80% of new POS terminals shipped in 2024 support NFC and tap-to-pay transactions. North America continues to upgrade legacy systems; more than 25% of US merchants replaced older fixed POS units with newer, cloud-connected models last year alone. Europe is seeing a strong push for integrated POS solutions that combine payments, inventory, and customer data in one platform — over 500,000 new units were installed in the UK, Germany, and France during 2024. Asia-Pacific is driving mobile POS adoption, with more than 30 million mobile POS devices active in 2024. Small businesses and street vendors in India, Indonesia, and Vietnam account for more than 40% of mobile POS growth in the region. Self-service kiosks are another trend reshaping the market. Over 2 million self-service POS kiosks were deployed globally in 2024, mainly in QSR chains, airports, and large retail chains, allowing customers to place orders and pay without cashier interaction. Security enhancements are key as well. More than 90% of new POS systems shipped in 2024 include EMV chip card readers and end-to-end encryption modules to prevent fraud. Cloud-based POS is becoming the default choice for new deployments — more than 70% of small and mid-sized retailers adopted cloud POS platforms for real-time updates and remote management. Integration with e-commerce is also driving demand. Over 50% of retail chains now link in-store POS terminals with their online stores to provide unified inventory, loyalty points, and personalized promotions. The rise of buy-now-pay-later (BNPL) and QR code payments is influencing POS software capabilities too. In 2024, more than 15% of global POS transactions were processed using QR code-based apps in Asia-Pacific alone. As consumer expectations evolve, POS vendors are embedding AI tools to analyze transaction patterns and recommend upselling opportunities directly at checkout.

POS Terminal Market Dynamics

POS terminal demand is driven by rapid urbanization, digital payment growth, and consumer expectation for fast, frictionless checkout. In 2024, more than 80% of retail and hospitality businesses used POS systems capable of handling multiple payment methods, real-time reporting, and loyalty integration.

DRIVER

Rising demand for cashless payments and omni-channel retail

The biggest driver is the shift to digital payments and the rise of omni-channel shopping. More than 3 billion consumers worldwide made card or mobile wallet payments in-store in 2024. Over 70% of large retailers upgraded to smart POS systems to process high transaction volumes securely. The expansion of contactless cards and QR-based apps fuels adoption of mobile POS and kiosks in stores, restaurants, and transport hubs.

RESTRAINT

Demand for refurbished equipment

One key restraint is the high upfront cost of modern POS systems, which has pushed small businesses in emerging markets to rely on refurbished terminals. In 2024, more than 10 million refurbished units were shipped globally, slowing growth for new hardware sales. Limited internet connectivity in remote areas also hinders the use of cloud-based POS solutions that rely on real-time data sync.

OPPORTUNITY

Growth in smart kiosks and mobile POS for small businesses

An important opportunity is the rise of self-service kiosks and mobile POS terminals for micro-merchants and small retailers. In Asia-Pacific alone, more than 5 million new mobile POS devices were deployed in 2024. Restaurants and transport operators are investing in self-checkout stations — over 1 million new kiosks were installed in fast-food chains and airports last year. These segments open growth avenues for vendors to expand into new customer categories with low-cost, easy-to-deploy solutions.

CHALLENGE

Rising costs and expenditures

Rising hardware costs, software licensing fees, and payment gateway commissions challenge profitability for merchants and POS vendors alike. In 2024, more than 30% of small businesses cited transaction fees and service charges as major burdens. Keeping up with frequent software updates and security certifications also adds to ongoing expenses. Vendors face pressure to balance innovation and affordability while complying with strict payment security standards.

POS Terminal Market Segmentation

The POS terminal market is segmented by hardware type and application to reflect evolving use cases. Fixed POS terminals, mobile POS units, and self-service kiosks each have distinct customer bases and operational models.

By Type

• Fixed POS Terminals: Fixed POS terminals make up over 50% of all deployed units worldwide. In 2024, more than 100 million fixed terminals were in operation, mainly in supermarkets, department stores, and chain restaurants. These terminals offer stable transaction handling for high-volume retail with integrated scanners, cash drawers, and receipt printers.
• Mobile POS Terminals: Mobile POS units have surged in popularity, with over 50 million active units globally. Small vendors, street food operators, and pop-up shops deploy handheld POS devices that connect via Bluetooth or cellular networks. Asia-Pacific accounts for 60% of new mobile POS deployments, driven by low entry costs and ease of use.
• Self-Service Kiosks: Self-service kiosks numbered over 2 million globally in 2024. Airports, cinemas, fast-food chains, and transport hubs use kiosks to enable customers to place orders, pay, and print receipts independently. Large retail chains are also experimenting with self-checkout islands to cut wait times and improve customer flow.

By Application

• Retail: Retail is the biggest application, using more than 120 million POS terminals globally in 2024. Supermarkets, department stores, and small shops rely on POS for secure payments, inventory updates, and loyalty programs.
• Hospitality: The hospitality industry used over 30 million POS terminals in 2024. Restaurants, cafes, and hotels demand table-side payment, order tracking, and tips management features.
• Healthcare: Hospitals and clinics deployed over 5 million POS terminals to handle patient payments, insurance co-pays, and pharmacy sales, ensuring secure data handling.
• Transportation: Transit operators and parking facilities used over 2 million POS units for ticketing, toll collection, and passenger self-check-in at terminals and stations in 2024.

Regional Outlook for the POS Terminal Market

The regional outlook for the POS terminal market highlights North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the Middle East & Africa as key hubs for growth and innovation. North America remains the largest regional market, with over 60 million active POS terminals deployed in 2024. The United States leads with more than 50 million units, driven by high demand from supermarkets, department stores, and QSR chains that require secure, EMV-compliant, and NFC-enabled payment systems. More than 10 million outdated terminals were replaced in North America last year alone, reflecting strong investment in contactless payment capabilities and cloud-based POS solutions.

• North America

North America remains the largest POS terminal market, driven by high card payment penetration and widespread adoption of digital wallets. In 2024, the region had over 60 million active POS terminals, with the United States alone accounting for more than 50 million units. Major retailers and restaurant chains in North America replaced over 10 million older terminals with new EMV and NFC-enabled devices last year to support contactless payments and tap-to-pay. Canada’s retail and hospitality sectors added over 2 million mobile POS devices in 2024 to expand curbside pickup and self-service checkout.

• Europe

Europe continues to modernize its POS infrastructure to meet consumer demand for frictionless payments. Over 50 million POS terminals were in use across Europe in 2024, with the UK, Germany, and France as the top adopters. Contactless card usage accounted for more than 80% of face-to-face transactions in the region. Self-service kiosks are gaining popularity in European airports, quick-service restaurants, and grocery chains — over 500,000 new kiosks were installed in 2024 to cut queues and reduce staffing costs.

• Asia-Pacific

Asia-Pacific is now the fastest-growing region for POS deployment. In 2024, more than 60 million POS units were active in Asia-Pacific, with China, India, and Southeast Asia leading growth. Mobile POS devices are the biggest contributor, accounting for over 30 million units in the region. Small businesses, food stalls, and taxi services continue to adopt low-cost handheld devices linked to mobile wallets and QR code payments. Self-service kiosks also saw growth, with over 400,000 new units installed in fast-food chains and shopping malls.

• Middle East & Africa

The Middle East & Africa region remains an emerging POS market but is expanding steadily. In 2024, more than 5 million POS terminals were deployed in GCC nations, South Africa, and key urban centers across North Africa. The UAE and Saudi Arabia lead the push for cashless transactions, with over 1 million contactless POS devices added in 2024. New investments in smart kiosks at airports and malls are helping modernize payment systems and reduce cash dependency.

List of Top POS Terminal Companies

• GK Software SE (Germany)
• Newland Payment Technology (China)
• PAX Technology (China)
• Qashier PTE Ltd (Singapore)
• VeriFone System Inc. (USA)
• Ingenico SA (France)
• Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd (South Korea)
• NCR Corporation (USA)
• Micros Retail Systems Inc./Oracle (USA)
• HP Development Company LP (USA)

VeriFone System Inc. (USA): VeriFone remains a dominant player with millions of POS terminals deployed in more than 150 countries. In 2024, VeriFone delivered over 5 million new EMV and NFC-enabled devices, serving major global retail chains and QSRs.

Ingenico SA (France): Ingenico holds a leading share in Europe and Latin America. The company shipped more than 4 million new POS terminals in 2024, including self-service kiosks and mobile solutions, with a strong focus on secure payment processing and integrated software.

Investment Analysis and Opportunities

Investments in the POS terminal market remain strong due to rapid digital payment adoption and the shift to cashless economies. In 2024, global investment in new POS terminals, kiosks, and mobile solutions exceeded 20 million units shipped. North American retailers and hospitality chains alone spent billions to upgrade over 10 million legacy units with contactless-enabled devices to meet the surge in tap-to-pay usage. Cloud-based POS solutions are attracting venture capital as businesses shift to SaaS models for real-time data management and remote monitoring. Europe’s major supermarket chains and transportation networks continue to invest heavily in self-service kiosks and smart checkout lanes. Over 500,000 new self-checkout kiosks were installed in 2024 across major retail chains and airports. Governments in the EU region are also incentivizing merchants to adopt secure payment systems to combat fraud and promote cashless transactions. Asia-Pacific is the hottest region for new investments, with more than 15 million mobile POS units deployed in 2024. Small businesses and micro-merchants in India, Vietnam, and Indonesia increasingly rely on affordable handheld POS devices linked to mobile payment apps. Chinese payment providers are investing in AI-driven POS systems to integrate loyalty programs and real-time analytics for over 1 million merchants. Middle East & Africa see growth opportunities in smart kiosks at malls, airports, and transit hubs. GCC countries allocated large budgets to modernize transport payment systems with contactless POS devices and digital ticketing kiosks. Africa’s emerging cities are rolling out mobile POS solutions for street vendors and local retailers, adding over 1 million low-cost terminals in 2024.

New Product Development

Innovation remains at the heart of the POS terminal market as vendors respond to consumer demand for faster, smarter, and more secure transactions. In 2024, VeriFone launched its next-gen cloud-connected POS terminal series with built-in AI to predict transaction trends and auto-recommend upgrades to store managers. Ingenico unveiled its latest self-checkout kiosk, which supports biometric authentication and digital receipts, installed in over 500 large retail stores across Europe. PAX Technology rolled out an Android-based mobile POS device with multi-language support and instant QR code payment processing — over 1 million units were shipped across Asia-Pacific in 2024. NCR introduced an all-in-one fixed POS workstation with contactless, chip, and mobile wallet payment capabilities. The system is already in use at more than 100,000 checkouts in North America. Samsung Electronics expanded its retail tech portfolio by integrating POS systems with its smart display units, enabling dynamic in-store promotions at the checkout counter. HP Development Company launched a new compact POS solution for small retailers, which includes wireless connectivity, mobile payment readers, and integration with e-commerce platforms. Qashier PTE Ltd debuted a smart mobile POS solution tailored for Southeast Asia’s street vendors, featuring dual SIM slots and offline payment capabilities for regions with patchy internet coverage. GK Software SE invested in AI-powered software updates that help supermarkets and QSRs optimize real-time inventory and detect fraud patterns directly at checkout. Payment security remains a key driver for innovation. More than 90% of new devices introduced in 2024 use EMV chip readers, point-to-point encryption, and PCI DSS-certified software. Biometric authentication and tokenization are increasingly built into self-service kiosks and mobile POS devices to secure sensitive data.

Five Recent Developments

• VeriFone deployed 5 million cloud-connected smart terminals with AI-powered analytics for global retail chains.
• Ingenico installed over 500,000 biometric-enabled self-checkout kiosks across Europe’s top supermarkets.
• PAX Technology shipped more than 1 million Android mobile POS units with QR code payments in Asia-Pacific.
• NCR upgraded 100,000 retail checkouts in North America with its new all-in-one fixed POS workstations.
• Qashier launched a dual-SIM smart POS solution supporting offline payments for micro-merchants in Southeast Asia.

Report Coverage of POS Terminal Market

This report covers the global POS terminal market in full, detailing every major hardware type, software integration trend, and real-world application across retail, hospitality, healthcare, and transportation sectors. In 2024, more than 180 million active POS terminals were deployed worldwide, handling trillions of transactions each year. Fixed POS units remain the backbone of supermarkets and big-box stores, with over 100 million units in service globally. Mobile POS devices numbered more than 50 million, expanding digital payment access to millions of micro-businesses and food vendors. Self-service kiosks continue to gain traction, with over 2 million units installed globally, enabling customer-led transactions that reduce queues and labor costs. North America leads global POS terminal adoption with over 60 million units in daily use. Europe remains at the forefront of self-service and contactless payments, adding over 500,000 new kiosks in 2024. Asia-Pacific has emerged as the key region for mobile POS growth, with China, India, and Southeast Asia adding more than 15 million devices last year alone. Leading vendors such as VeriFone and Ingenico continue to innovate with AI-powered devices, biometric security, and cloud-enabled real-time reporting. Small businesses and large retailers alike increasingly demand integrated POS solutions that sync with inventory, loyalty, and e-commerce platforms. The push for buy-now-pay-later, QR code payments, and mobile wallets drives rapid updates to POS hardware and software. With comprehensive segmentation by type and application and detailed profiles of major global providers, this report gives retailers, hospitality brands, and technology buyers all the data they need to choose next-gen POS solutions that align with the growing demand for secure, frictionless digital payments worldwide.

Frequently Asked Questions