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
Members 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.
10:15am
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.
11:00am
Artificial Intelligence: View from the Hill
Bill Foster
Member of House Financial Services Committee and House Task Force on Artificial Intelligence
U.S. House of Representatives (D-IL)
11:20am
Payment Tokens: Implementing the GENIUS Act
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.
11:45am
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
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.
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 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.
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.