The just released study by consulting firm KPMG put up the jawdropping number: By 2015, mobile payments will top $1 trillion, andin the process the volume of mobile payments will spike up byaround 100% per year.

Fueling the growth, said KPMG, is smartphone and tablet computerpopularity, which are lifting consumer comfort with paying viaportable silicon-based devices.

The report predicted measurable drops in cash and credit cardpayments.

“The data also show that 21% of retailers already view m-paymentcapability as important enough to be their 'main activity or, atleast, a key enabler'. Just 2% see m-payments as unimportant,believing it will have no bearing on their organization,” said aKPMG statement on the report.

“Growth in the m-payments marketplace will be driven bycustomers' increasing need for convenience and the development of araft of new applications enabling commerce in the palm of ourhands. Today premium SMS dominates mobile payments, but by tomorrowcontactless and cloud-based services will dominate, with anexpected market share for contactless of 37 percent by 2015,” saidDavid Hodgkinson, senior manager in KPMG's customer and channelconsulting team.

That, in effect, is a buoyant outlook for the future of NFC payments.

Gerry Penfold, a KPMG partner, said in a statement, “There iscertainly scope for collaboration between smartphone manufacturers,telecom companies and retailers but the big, unanswered questionrevolves around who the customer will trust with their data andtheir m-cash. Battle lines will be drawn around issues such assecurity, infrastructure and interoperability of devices. Forconsumers, speed and security of payment will be the mark ofsuccess, but for technology and telecoms companies, speed to marketwill be critical and how quickly they can respond will depend onthe impact of regulation. Clearly, though the winners will be thecompanies that can provide the richest consumer experience with thegreatest convenience.”