KIAN JACKSON

If you have spent any time in the back offices of a Tier-1 bank or a scaling fintech lately, you have likely heard the term "ISO 20022" whispered with the kind of dread usually reserved for tax audits or surprise regulatory probes. For most, it is framed as a massive IT headache: a mandatory compliance hurdle that forces legacy systems to speak a new language before the old ones are sunsetted. But here is the reality: if you view ISO 20022 as just a compliance box to tick, yo

For decades, the global payments landscape has been less of a competitive market and more of a settled duopoly. If you’re tapping your phone at a cafe in Melbourne or swiping a piece of plastic in Paris, chances are the transaction is being routed through the rails of two American giants: Visa or Mastercard. But in Europe, a new challenger is finally moving from the "theoretical PowerPoint" stage into the "real-world execution" phase. It’s called the European Payments Initiat

For decades, we’ve thought of Visa as the giant behind the plastic in our wallets. They were the "pipes" of the financial world: the invisible infrastructure that made sure when you tapped your card for a flat white in Sydney or a souvenir in Paris, the money moved from point A to point B. But the world of payments is changing, and the "toll booth" model of taking a tiny slice of every transaction is under threat. Regulation is tightening, competition from real-time payment r

There's a quiet revolution happening in fintech boardrooms across Australia and beyond. The traditional C-suite model: where every executive role demands a full-time, fully-committed hire: is getting a serious rethink. In 2026, we're seeing a growing number of fintechs opting for fractional leaders instead of full-time execs, and it's not just a cost-cutting exercise. It's a strategic shift that's fundamentally changing how fintech companies build their leadership teams. If y

The payments landscape is experiencing a seismic shift as merchant acquirers embrace stablecoin settlement infrastructure. With the global stablecoin market reaching close to $250 billion as of May 2025, traditional payment rails are being reimagined through blockchain technology. But which acquirers are actually leading this transformation, and what does it mean for the future of commerce? The Payment Giants Setting the Pace Mastercard's Comprehensive Ecosystem Approach M

In an era where data breaches cost businesses an average of $4.88 million and payment fraud continues to evolve at breakneck speed, tokenisation has emerged as the security backbone that's quietly revolutionising fintech payments. While many leaders understand tokenisation conceptually, few grasp how profoundly it's reshaping not just security protocols, but entire business models and competitive advantages in the fintech space. Tokenisation replaces sensitive payment data wi

The payments landscape is about to experience its biggest transformation since the introduction of contactless cards. As we head into 2026, startups and fintechs need to understand the seismic shifts reshaping how money moves, how consumers pay, and where the biggest opportunities lie. After analysing market data, regulatory developments, and emerging technologies, here are the key trends that will define the next wave of payment innovation – and what they mean for your busin

The AI hype train has been running full steam ahead in fintech for the past few years, but cracks are already starting to show. With 42% of companies having scrapped the majority of their AI projects by early 2025: up from just 17% a year earlier: we're witnessing the early signs of what could become a full-blown bubble burst. So what happens when the music stops? The answer isn't pretty, but it's not the apocalypse either. Let's dive into the real-world implications for fint

Digital transformation isn't just a buzzword anymore, it's survival for fintech companies. Yet here's the kicker: 93% of digital banking...

In fintech, where change is the only constant, great technology alone won’t help you thrive—your true game-changer is leadership. Many...

Scaling a fintech isn’t just about adding headcount, hitting bigger numbers, or outpacing competitors. The real edge comes from your...

The fintech industry is on fire in 2025, with startups scaling at an unprecedented rate and established firms racing to reinvent...

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