Payments on Fire™ Episode 285 - Fanning the Flames - What We're Watching in Payments in 2026
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Jan 21, 2026 Chris, a payments regulation and fraud specialist; Russ Jones, a strategist on digital assets and stablecoins; and Drew Edmond, an expert in commerce and subscriptions. They preview 2026 trends. Topics include agentic commerce and tokenization, stablecoin momentum and regulatory headwinds, instant and cross-border payments, subscription management, card interchange and surcharging, and evolving fraud controls.
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Stablecoins Face Multiple Competitive Headwinds
- Fast legacy rails, tokenized deposits, and CBDCs all challenge stablecoins' advantages.
- Russ Jones notes SWIFT speed, interconnected fast payments, and CBDCs reduce stablecoin edges.
Instant Payments Move From P2P To P2B
- Instant/fast payment systems are spreading rapidly, especially in developing markets, and increasingly support P2B use.
- Joanna cites rapid rollouts and growing merchant payments in UPI and PIX as key trends for 2026.
Instant Systems Are Growing Up
- The definition of an instant payment system is expanding to include fraud controls and payee confirmation.
- Simon expects these overlays to become core components as systems mature and address scam growth.