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 the Next Era of Financial Innovation
Members of Congress leading on financial innovation join for individual conversations on the legislative agenda for AI, stablecoins, open banking, faster payments, and digital identity, including where bipartisan movement is realistic in this Congress.
Ritchie Torres (INVITED)
U.S. House of Representatives (D-NY)
9:45am
Open Banking After Section 1033: The Road Ahead
Jelena McWilliams, former Chairman of the FDIC, joins Jodie Kelley for a conversation on where consumer financial data rights go next: the liability questions still unsettled after Section 1033, the competitive stakes for banks and fintechs, and what a workable framework looks like from inside the industry.
10:05am
Powering America's Small Businesses
Payments infrastructure now underpins millions of small businesses. Leaders from Plaid and PayPal discuss what merchants need from providers to manage cash flow, reach customers, and compete, and what policymakers should understand before changing the rules that govern acceptance and access.
10:35am
Stablecoins Move Mainstream: Implementing the GENIUS Act DEPOSIT TOKENS
One year after enactment of the GENIUS Act, implementation is where the open questions live. Leaders from Kinexys by J.P. Morgan and FIS discuss how payment stablecoins and deposit tokens are entering the financial system, where banks and fintechs are placing early bets, and which rulemakings will shape adoption.
11:00am
Winning the Fight Against Fraud, Scams, and Identity Theft
Criminals are adopting AI and social engineering faster than most institutions can respond. Risk and policy leaders from FIS, Global Payments, and Adyen examine the threats heading into 2027, the technologies and partnerships showing results, and where industry and government coordination needs to go next.
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.
Jeff Ernst
Manager, Innovation Policy
Federal Reserve
12:10pm
Reading the Congressional Landscape
How do financial services fit within Congress's broader economic and political agenda? Congressional leaders discuss committee priorities, bipartisan opportunities, and the legislative dynamics likely to shape fintech and payments over the next year.
12:25pm
Lunch
1:25pm
Congress and the Race to Govern AI
Congress is weighing how to encourage AI innovation while protecting consumers and strengthening U.S. competitiveness. Members leading the debate discuss where AI legislation stands, what could move in this Congress, and what the outcome means for financial services.
MIKE ROUNDS (INVITED)
U.S. SENATE (R-SD)
1:30pm
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.
2:40pm
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.
3:15pm
Agentic Commerce: Preparing for Autonomous Transactions
AI agents that initiate and complete transactions raise questions no current framework answers: who authorized the payment, who holds liability, and how identity verification and consumer protection apply. This session maps what industry and policymakers must resolve before autonomous commerce scales.
3:45pm
State Capitals, National Impact
Interchange, privacy, AI, and digital asset policy are moving faster in state capitals than in Washington. Erica Woods of Stripe examines the trends emerging across state legislatures and what they mean for companies operating in a national marketplace.
Erica Woods
State & Local Policy
Stripe
4:10pm
Closing Remarks
JODIE KELLEY
CEO
ETA
4:15pm
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.