AI is already changing the way banks, fintech companies, payment service providers (PSPs) and businesses design services, make decisions and safeguard customer trust. Against a backdrop of automation, agent-based AI, embedded payments and new anti-fraud challenges, the financial sector is now being called upon to ask itself: is artificial intelligence merely a tool for speeding up processes, or can it enable us to rethink the future of financial services?

Payment is no longer just the last mile of a purchase: it is an integral part of the experience. That is why, today, innovation means above all removing obstacles. Discover 5 innovative trends in the payments sector—from digital wallets to Pay by Bank—that can make a difference in an increasingly complex checkout process.

Agent-led payments shift commerce from user-driven checkout to an experience where an AI agent—within clear consent and rules—can choose the best payment method, execute the transaction, and manage post-purchase flows (returns, refunds, loyalty). For retailers and merchants, this means rethinking visibility, trust, and conversion: not only being discoverable to customers, but also to the agents buying on their behalf.