Agenda
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17
8:30am
Coffee & Breakfast
9:10am
The Five Forces Reshaping Payments
Artificial intelligence, digital assets, open banking, faster payments, and an active policy environment are converging at once. Jodie Kelley draws on ETA's vantage point across the full payments ecosystem to name the five forces redefining the industry and the strategic questions every payments leader should be asking through 2030.
JODIE KELLEY
CEO
ETA
9:25am
Congressional Priorities for AI, Innovation & Main Street
A Member of Congress leading on AI and small business policy join for individual conversations on the opportunities and challenges facing Main Street as AI and other emerging technologies transform how businesses operate, compete, and serve their customers — including the role of payments and financial technology in enabling innovation.
Hillary Scholten
Member of House AI Caucus and Small Business Committee
U.S. House of Representatives (D-MI)
9:50am
Powering America's Small Businesses
Digital payments have become essential infrastructure for millions of small businesses — helping entrepreneurs accept payments, manage cash flow, reach new customers, and compete in an increasingly digital economy. This session explores how payments providers fuel small business growth and what policymakers should understand as they consider changes affecting merchants and consumers alike.
10:20am
Open Banking After Section 1033: The Road Ahead
The CFPB has published the second rulemaking for 1033. Open banking remains one of the most consequential developments in payments and financial services. These two fireside conversations explores the future of consumer financial data, completion, liability, and toward a secure open banking ecosystem from two different but related perspectives.
11:20am
Payment Tokens: Implementing the GENIUS Act
With enactment of the GENIUS Act, attention now turns to implementation. Industry leaders discuss how payment stablecoins are entering the financial system, where they create value, how banks and fintechs are approaching adoption, and which policy questions remain unresolved.
11:45am
Inside the Regulatory Agenda
Senior officials from federal regulators, including the Federal Reserve, discuss the supervisory and rulemaking priorities shaping payments over the coming year, from GENIUS Act implementation and open banking to AI, fraud prevention, and emerging technologies.
12:15pm
Lunch
1:35pm
Fireside Chat: Empowering Small Businesses Through Innovation in Payments
Small businesses are the backbone of the global economy, and the payments industry plays a critical role in helping them start, grow, and thrive. Hear how innovative payment solutions are expanding access to customers, improving cash flow, enhancing security, and creating new opportunities for entrepreneurs.
Together, they will explore the evolving needs of small businesses, the role of digital payments in driving growth and resilience, and how industry collaboration can help equip business owners with the tools they need to succeed in an increasingly digital world. Attendees will gain insights into the trends shaping the future of commerce and the impact the payments ecosystem can have on empowering small businesses at every stage of their journey.
1:55pm
Winning the Fight Against Fraud, Scams, and Identity Theft
Fraud has become one of the defining public policy challenges facing financial services. As criminals increasingly leverage artificial intelligence and sophisticated social engineering tactics, industry and government are responding with new technologies, partnerships, and regulatory approaches. This discussion examines emerging threats and the next generation of fraud prevention.
2:20pm
AI in Payments: From Automation to Competitive Advantage
Artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming foundational to modern payments. From fraud prevention and risk management to customer experience, operations, and commerce, industry leaders discuss where AI is delivering measurable value today — and where it could fundamentally reshape payments tomorrow.
3:00pm
Agentic Commerce: Preparing for Autonomous Transactions
AI agents capable of initiating and completing transactions are moving from concept to reality. This discussion examines the legal, regulatory, and commercial questions surrounding authorization, liability, identity, consumer protection, and trust — and what policymakers and industry must do today to prepare for tomorrow's autonomous commerce ecosystem.
3:45pm
State Capitals, National Impact
State legislatures continue to shape the future of payments through policy on digital assets, privacy, AI, interchange, consumer protection, and financial innovation. This session examines the trends emerging across state capitals — and what they mean for companies operating in a national marketplace.
4:15pm
Closing Remarks
JODIE KELLEY
CEO
ETA
4:20pm
The Payments and Financial Innovation Caucuses Reception
Members of the Payments and Financial Innovation Caucuses join attendees for the final hour of the forum, a once-a-year opportunity for the industry and its policymakers to engage in direct, informal conversation.