In a region where digital transformation is both a challenge and an opportunity, global payments leader Visa is actively working to bridge the financial gap through inclusive innovation.
In the recent Innovation PNG Conference 2025 in Port Moresby, Visa Country Manager for New Zealand and the Pacific Islands Anthony Watson revealed an ambitious 2030 vision to drive further economic growth in Papua New Guinea.
The vision, Watson said, complements the PNG Government’s goal to connect 70 percent of the population to the internet by 2030.
Visa “supports economic growth in mining, agricultural, forestry and fishing sectors which rely on foreign trade,” he said.
“These are the sectors PNG has a strong reliance on in foreign trade. Therefore, by offering a secure digital payment solution that is reliable and fast to move funds between consumers, businesses and government agencies, Visa supports PNG in foreign trade,” he added.
Visa plans to introduce new, low-cost, mobile-based services that help sellers get paid quickly and safely, secure eCommerce services, and enable international money movement for foreign trade services.
To support this vision, strong fraud protection will be critical. In a media release, Visa revealed global investments of over $10 billion over the last five years into technology and innovation to reduce fraud and increase network security.
“This advanced technology, including AI-driven fraud prevention tools, will be critical in protecting PNG consumers against sophisticated threats,” it said.
In an exclusive interview with PNG Business News, Watson shared his strategic vision for Papua New Guinea and the broader Pacific market, painting a compelling picture of a region on the cusp of rapid financial evolution.
Anthony has been with Visa for 15 years, starting in Melbourne, Australia back in 2009. He has held senior roles across Client Services, Product, Sales and Strategy working in several countries in Asia Pacific.
With a background in product development, risk, and digital business operations, Watson has a passion for supporting tech entrepreneurs in developing new businesses models that help support growth in digital commerce and access to financial services.
Visa continues to explore opportunities and partnerships in PNG and the wider Pacific region, the Country Manager said.
“The message is clear: a collaborative, forward-thinking, and inclusive digital payments ecosystem is not just a vision, it’s a mission in motion,” he added.
“My role as Country Manager is to develop and execute the market strategies we have. I’m also in charge of our business operations and provide leadership to our team across the markets in which we operate.”
Watson acknowledged the complexity and opportunity in the local market.
“Visa operates in over 200 countries globally. So, we are a very inclusive organisation, taking the needs and considerations of local markets into the types of products and solutions that we've developed,” he said, while highlighting PNG’s unique geographic diversity and the variety of communities that necessitates tailored approaches.
“Our observations have been, there has been a growing population adopting more of mobile technologies, meaning e-wallets become quite interesting. The adoption of internet banking has been strong,” he said, emphasizing the need for small businesses to move away from cash handling.
“Businesses really need to look and see the trends that are occurring globally are moving much more to digital capabilities, including online. Even just the fundamental face-to-face transaction... being able to transact digitally is going to be really important, as we think about the behaviours that are shifting as the younger generation starts to come through.”
Innovation, FinTech, and the PNG Payments Ecosystem
On the role of innovation and financial technology (FinTech) start-ups in PNG’s evolving payments landscape, “there is so much opportunity,” Watson said.
“Particularly as we start to see more of the new technology that's out there converging with payments. That creates an interesting dynamic for start-ups, FinTechs, or young entrepreneurs who are looking at opportunities across the country to solve some fundamental challenges,” he said.
These opportunities extend beyond just small business support, Watson pointed out. He expressed optimism for the FinTech landscape in PNG, but acknowledged that challenges remain.
“It cuts across new consumer experiences, local governments; what they’re doing in terms of disbursements and collections, and even large opportunities like cross-border payments.
“There’s still a lot of work to be done. But being able to pick up those global trends and apply them in a relevant local context is going to be important,” he added.
Mobile and Digital Identity: The Future of Payments
Asked what innovations in the digital payment space excite him the most, Watson didn’t hesitate to answer: “First would be mobile.”
“I’m very excited when we think about PNG’s growth and adoption that’s occurring across mobile infrastructure. I can see an enormous adoption starting to occur over the next decade, particularly on smartphone infrastructure.”
He also highlighted the potential of a digital identity as a “transformative element” and emphasized the need to support small and micro-businesses.
“Where we start to look at digital identity becoming an underlying credential that payments link to for authentication, online shopping, and a bunch of different use cases, that certainly excites me,” he said.
“Solving for the small merchant challenge, how they can collect funds efficiently using low-cost technology, particularly mobile-oriented, is critically important. We have several solutions already deployed globally that we believe are very relevant to the local market context.”
PNG’s Place in the Global Digital Payments Landscape
With experience leading Visa operations in multiple countries, Watson was asked how PNG compares in terms of digital payment evolution.
“Firstly, it’s really difficult to always compare one country specifically to others... They’re all vastly different,” he explained. “But I also see a lot of similarities.”
“Sometimes we overestimate what we can achieve in 12 months, yet we underestimate what we can achieve in 5 to 10. That is an important context when we think about PNG.
“It’s not just about looking at the near-term opportunities; it’s a bit of a marathon. The type of solutions we bring into the market must reflect that.”
Cybersecurity was another major focus
“Fraud, scams, and cyber security are really top of mind. That’s globally, of course, but certainly applies across the Pacific Islands as well. We're using available technology, particularly AI, to help protect consumers, businesses, and governments,” he said.
Finally, he spoke about reinventing the consumer experience.
“There’s such a great opportunity for us to redevelop and rethink the consumer experience across PNG. I think there’s going to be a lot we can do in terms of new experiences and value propositions.”
Watson stressed the importance of constructive regulation in collaboration with regulators and financial institutions in Visa’s engagement to support an inclusive ecosystem.
“Visa as an organisation is in favor of regulation. When it is done correctly and applied in the local market, it creates a nice set of guardrails that allows the industry to move fast,” he said.
“Foreign investors, tech companies, and FinTechs welcome regulation because it provides certainty on what they can expect.”
He added that good regulation leads to positive outcomes.
“We want principle-based outcomes. We need to ensure that it’s not bad regulation that creates a productivity drag on the economy.”
“The role that Visa plays across the country in terms of economic growth is vital, and infrastructure is key to achieving those outcomes. We welcome further engagement with government in support of what they are trying to achieve.”
