The news: Early Warning Systems released “Paze. It Checks Out,” a national campaign starring Gabrielle Union and Elizabeth Banks, per a press release.

EWS plays on Union’s and Banks’ last names to connect that both banks and credit unions offer Paze as a streamlined digital wallet. 

The actresses highlight Paze’s efficiency: Cards are stored securely with no need to reenter passwords or card information.

Why this matters: Paze has struggled to gain traction with consumers, while EWS’s Zelle has rapidly picked up volume. The P2P provider reported 20% volume growth YoY in February. A national campaign could help Paze gain visibility with consumers who bank with participating financial institutions.

Pumping ad dollars into Paze may make more consumers aware of the digital wallet, but its checkout opportunities are limited: Only 27 merchants partner directly with Paze, per the digital wallet's merchant directory. 

Paze’s tie-up with Worldpay could help usher in thousands more US merchants—however, its previous GoDaddy partnership in 2024 likely wasn’t a growth engine, given marketing effort two years later. 

For consumers who already have ingrained payment behaviors with major wallets like PayPal or Apple Wallet, choosing Paze—or even finding it at checkout—is unlikely. 

Implication for mobile wallets: Ecommerce retail sales may be the easiest way for mobile wallets to capture payment volume, but a push into in-store retail could drive more dramatic growth. 

Integrating NFC tech can expand mobile wallet functionality—as long as it’s coupled with a robust acceptance network. We forecast that 125 million people, or 43.7% of the US population, will use mobile proximity payments this year. 

However, new mobile proximity payment wallets will have to demonstrate why choosing to tap to pay with them has advantages over the convenience of Apple, Google, or Samsung Pay that come predownloaded on their smartphones.

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