Daniel Kornitzer, Head of Global Partnerships, Ebanx
with Daniel Kornitzer, Ebanx
Daniel Kornitzer reflected on the growing influence of emerging markets as centres of innovation rather than simply sources of talent. He explained how regions across Latin America, Africa and Asia are increasingly driving technological progress by solving local challenges through innovative financial infrastructure.
Drawing on examples such as Brazil’s Pix and India’s UPI, Daniel highlighted how emerging markets have been able to leapfrog traditional banking infrastructure and accelerate financial inclusion through real time payments and digital identity systems. These innovations, he argued, are reshaping the global payments landscape and creating entirely new opportunities for consumers and businesses.
The conversation also explored the impact of open APIs and changing financial infrastructure. Daniel suggested that as access to payment rails becomes more widely available, competitive advantage will increasingly come from performance, local expertise and the ability to optimise payment experiences. He emphasised that understanding the nuances of individual markets remains critical for improving conversion rates and customer outcomes.
Looking ahead, Daniel shared his perspective on agentic commerce and autonomous purchasing. While fully autonomous transactions will require new layers of trust, authentication and accountability, he believes marketplaces and trusted ecosystems are likely to be the first environments where agent driven commerce gains meaningful adoption.
Kunal Galav, VP of Pleo Embedded, Pleo
Kunal Galav, Pleo
Kunal Galav discussed the challenges facing small and medium sized businesses across Europe as they attempt to manage increasingly fragmented financial ecosystems. Many businesses now operate across multiple bank accounts and software platforms, creating complexity and inefficiencies when managing cash flow and expenses.
He explained how embedded spend management can simplify these challenges by bringing financial tools directly into the platforms businesses already use. By creating a more unified view of financial activity, organisations can make better informed decisions without relying on disconnected systems and manual processes.
The discussion also examined the concept of the “Great Rebundling”, a major theme at Money20/20 Europe. Kunal argued that businesses increasingly need consolidated platforms that provide access to critical financial information and insights at the point of need, rather than requiring users to piece together information from multiple providers.
On AI, Kunal described a future where organisations remove friction not only from workflows but also from decision making. Rather than simply automating processes, agentic AI has the potential to automate routine judgement based tasks, helping organisations move faster while maintaining oversight. However, he stressed that trust must be built gradually, with AI first providing insights and recommendations before taking on more autonomous responsibilities.
Sophie Condie, Chief Executive Officer, Shieldpay
with Sophie Condie, Shieldpay
Sophie Condie shared insights into the legal and professional services sector and the unique challenges organisations face when managing client money.
She explained that many law firms continue to underestimate both the pace of change in financial crime and the sophistication of modern fraud threats. While handling client money has historically been part of legal services, Sophie argued that many firms are not equipped to operate as financial institutions and should increasingly rely on specialist providers to manage these responsibilities.
The discussion highlighted the importance of embedding risk controls earlier in payment journeys. Technologies such as Confirmation of Payee, automated reconciliation and real time verification can significantly reduce fraud by preventing issues before they occur rather than attempting to resolve them afterwards.
Sophie also discussed stablecoins and the future of payments infrastructure. While she believes stablecoins will play an important role in global payments and treasury management, she expects adoption within legal services to be slower due to the sector’s naturally cautious approach to change.
Looking ahead, she suggested that the future of settlement will be defined not simply by faster payments but by smarter payments, supported by richer data, greater transparency and improved coordination across complex transaction ecosystems.
John O’Beirne, CEO and Executive Director, Square International, Block
with John O’Beirne, Square International, Block
Returning to the podcast, John O’Beirne discussed how businesses in sectors such as hospitality and food and beverage continue to face economic pressures including rising costs, increased regulation and changing customer expectations.
He explained how Square’s strategy focuses on building highly integrated platforms that help merchants manage all aspects of their business from a single ecosystem. Rather than offering isolated services, the goal is to combine payments, inventory management, customer engagement, marketing and analytics into a unified experience.
John also explored the concept of the Great Rebundling through the lens of platform development. While financial services have become increasingly fragmented over the past decade, businesses are now looking for simpler, more connected solutions that provide actionable insights and operational efficiencies.
AI was another major theme. John described how Block is incorporating AI into its platforms to help merchants make better decisions and automate repetitive processes. However, he emphasised that accountability must remain with people. AI can improve decision making and efficiency, but organisations must retain appropriate oversight when dealing with customer finances and regulated activities.
James Neville, Chief Executive Officer, Yaspa
with James Neville, Yaspa
James Neville discussed the intersection of payments, identity and financial health, outlining how Yaspa combines open banking, AI and machine learning to simplify compliance and reduce friction in regulated industries.
Reflecting on Money20/20’s major themes, James pointed to AI as the most transformative force currently impacting financial services. Within Yaspa, AI is already being used to assess financial health, identify behavioural patterns and support risk assessments, while also improving internal development and operational efficiency.
The conversation also explored the challenges of regulation, particularly across Europe. While regulatory frameworks provide important safeguards, James highlighted the contrast between the pace of technological innovation and the slower processes often associated with regulatory approval and licensing.
On trust and identity, he argued that financial institutions, insurers and telecommunications providers remain key pillars of digital trust. While AI has enormous potential, James believes meaningful human oversight remains essential, particularly when making high impact decisions that affect consumers.
Finally, the discussion turned to agentic commerce and stablecoins. James suggested that near term agentic use cases are likely to focus on routine and repetitive purchasing activities, while broader adoption of stablecoins will depend on improved infrastructure, regulatory clarity and greater consumer familiarity. Although stablecoins are gaining momentum globally, he believes widespread adoption across Europe remains some way off.
Anthony Peculic, Interim Chief Product Officer, Marqeta
with Anthony Peculic, Marqeta
Anthony Peculic closed the episode with a discussion on the future of stablecoins, digital financial infrastructure and flexible payment experiences in Europe.
He explained how regulatory frameworks such as MiCA are providing the clarity needed for innovation to accelerate, giving businesses greater confidence to build and launch new products. Anthony highlighted cross-border payments, settlement optimisation and business to business transactions as some of the most promising use cases for stablecoins, particularly as organisations look to improve efficiency and liquidity management.
The conversation also explored the growing role of flexible financial products. Anthony described how debit, credit and instalment payment options are increasingly being brought together into unified customer experiences, reflecting the way consumers manage money in everyday life.
Finally, he discussed Marqeta’s expanding partnership with Banking Circle and the importance of embedding account and money movement capabilities directly into financial products. As financial services continue to evolve, Anthony believes the future will be defined by greater flexibility, deeper integration and more seamless payment experiences.
Key Themes Across the Discussions
Several common themes emerged throughout the episode. Trust continues to sit at the centre of innovation across payments, AI and financial services. Whether discussing digital identity, agentic commerce, embedded finance or stablecoins, speakers consistently highlighted the need for transparency, accountability and strong governance.
AI is increasingly moving beyond experimentation and into practical deployment. Organisations are using it to automate processes, improve decision making and enhance customer experiences, while carefully balancing innovation with appropriate human oversight.
The conversations also demonstrated how financial infrastructure continues to evolve. From emerging market payment systems and embedded finance to digital assets and integrated platforms, the industry is moving towards more connected, efficient and customer centric experiences.
As financial services become increasingly digital and interconnected, success will depend not only on adopting new technologies but also on maintaining the trust that underpins every transaction.
