Money20/20 through a merchant lens: Three game-changing trends reshaping commerce

From buzzword to business reality: Open banking's merchant revolution

Open banking has definitively moved beyond industry jargon into genuine business transformation. And the most compelling conversations weren't about technical capabilities—they were about real merchants sharing why they have implemented  bank transfer solutions in their checkouts and the tangible benefits they're experiencing.

But here's what's fascinating: despite these advantages, most consumers still aren't choosing bank transfer at checkout. Industry leaders consistently point to the same missing piece—a strong consumer brand or digital wallet that makes direct bank payments truly trusted, seamless, and intuitive.

Stablecoins: Hype or practical innovation?

Stablecoins was probably the single most discussed topic at Money 20/20 making people question whether it is overhyped at the moment? I even heard one stablecoin infrastructure company executive openly acknowledging that it is overhyped today, while maintaining genuine optimism about specific use cases.

The consensus seemed to be that the most promising use cases are around payouts, cross-border payments, and treasury management. One observation particularly captured my attention: that retail payments have become frictionless, seamless, and easy—but that hasn't happened yet for these other areas. This insight illuminates stablecoins potential. While consumers enjoy instant, effortless retail payments, businesses and individuals still navigate complex, expensive, time-consuming processes for international transfers, supplier payments, and financial management. Stablecoins could bring retail-level simplicity to these critical business functions.

Forward-thinking merchants should monitor this space carefully. Early adoption of stablecoin solutions for specific use cases could deliver substantial operational advantages.

Three takeaways that will define tomorrow's winners

Walking away from Money20/20, three strategic imperatives emerge for merchants determined to thrive in this rapidly evolving landscape.

1. Yesterday's innovations become today's standards. Features that impressed customers last year are table stakes today. Merchants must continuously evolve or risk irrelevance.
2. Today's innovations will be tomorrow's standards. Current cutting-edge solutions—advanced AI applications, sophisticated open banking integrations, strategic stablecoin implementation—will soon become market expectations. Early adoption creates temporary advantage; late adoption creates permanent disadvantage.
3. Payment strategy directly impacts business performance. The most successful merchants don't view payments as operational necessity—they leverage payment innovation as competitive strategy. How they manage transactions, which technologies they embrace, and how quickly they adapt is directly impacting their business outcomes.

The future belongs to the bold

Money20/20 Europe reinforced one fundamental truth: the payments landscape rewards bold action over cautious observation. The infrastructure exists, the opportunities are real, and the competitive advantages await merchants brave enough to lead rather than follow.

The question isn't whether these innovations will reshape commerce—it's whether your business will shape that transformation or simply respond to it. The choice, and the moment to make it, is now.