A Market Exploding in Growth
The shared powerbank rental market has quietly become one of the fastest-growing segments in consumer technology. Valued at approximately $7.5 billion in 2024, the industry is projected to reach $25 billion by 2033 — a compound annual growth rate of over 14%.
What's driving this explosive growth? The answer lies in our collective dependency on smartphones and the infrastructure gap that traditional charging solutions can't fill.
The Numbers Tell the Story
The smartphone segment accounts for 67% of all powerbank rentals, reflecting just how central our phones have become to daily life. Whether it's navigation, payments, communication, or entertainment, a dead battery means being cut off from essential services.
Asia-Pacific currently leads the market with 51% global share, largely due to China's mature powerbank sharing ecosystem. Companies like Monster Charging have deployed over 2.1 million stations across Chinese urban centres. But Europe and the UK are catching up fast.
Why Tourists Are Leading Adoption
International travellers demonstrate 3-4 times higher rental frequency than local users. This makes perfect sense — tourists rely heavily on their phones for maps, translation apps, booking confirmations, and capturing memories.
Tourist destinations represent the ideal expansion opportunity. Hotels, airports, attractions, and restaurants in high-footfall areas are seeing the strongest demand for powerbank stations.
The Mobile Payment Connection
The rise of powerbank sharing directly correlates with mobile payment adoption. With over 2.8 billion mobile payment users worldwide, the scan-pay-use model has become second nature. No apps to download, no accounts to create — just tap and go.
This frictionless experience is exactly what modern consumers expect, and it's accelerating adoption across all demographics.
What This Means for UK Venues
The UK market is still in its early growth phase, presenting a significant opportunity for venues to get ahead of the curve. As the market matures, early adopters will benefit from:
- Established customer habits — users who discover powerbank rentals at your venue become repeat users
- Brand association — being seen as a venue that solves real customer problems
- Revenue from day one — unlike many technology investments, powerbank stations generate immediate returns
The powerbank sharing revolution isn't coming — it's already here. The question for venues is whether to lead or follow.
Sources: Consegic Business Intelligence, Emergen Research, Mordor Intelligence, Cognitive Market Research