As we close out the first full day of the 2025 Innovative Payments Conference, we’re reflecting on the conversations, connections, and critical issues that shaped today’s agenda.

From the opening session on protecting the gift card ecosystem from fraud to our closing look at the payments threat landscape, every discussion reinforced the pace of change—and the need for collaboration—in the evolving world of fintech and payments.

We kicked things off with a fireside chat between IPA CEO Brian Tate and former FDIC Chair Jelena McWilliams, who shared her candid perspective on regulatory oversight, deposit insurance, and lessons learned from the Synapse bankruptcy. Her insights into institutional resilience and the complexities of managing failure offered a thoughtful lens on what’s ahead.

That theme of future-thinking carried through the rest of the morning:

• A panel on the future of the payments value chain explored how AI, faster payments, and global perspectives are reshaping how we build and deliver financial products.
• Stephen Middlebrook then provided a detailed look at two recent Executive Orders targeting federal payments modernization and fraud prevention, urging us to think more critically about digital infrastructure and operational integrity.

After lunch, Roy Sosa and Kate Lybarger inspired the room with a special presentation chronicling Roy’s 26-year journey from $750 and a vision to launching Cambio, a new multi-currency debit product focused on building credit and serving underbanked communities.

The afternoon sessions brought both clarity and urgency:

• A panel of legal and compliance experts addressed how bank–fintech partnerships are shifting in the wake of consent orders and third-party risk scrutiny.
• Another session tackled the fast-growing world of Earned Wage Access (EWA)—a product reshaping financial wellness for millions of workers but still navigating a patchwork of regulatory frameworks.
• Conversations on gift card fraud and the role of government and industry collaboration highlighted how organized retail crime is forcing innovation in legislative response.
• And we closed the day with Visa’s Dan Munson, who walked us through the latest intelligence from Visa’s Payment Ecosystem Risk and Control team—giving attendees actionable strategies to protect against scams, system misconfigurations, and emerging threats.

Information provided to members by OGR

This week marks an important moment in Washington, with Congress returning from recess, the Trump Administration hitting its 100-day milestone, and major budget and regulatory battles ahead.

OGR has provided an in-depth analysis of the current political landscape, covering critical updates on the administration’s upcoming budget plans, Congressional priorities, and the intense work underway on budget reconciliation and regulatory rollbacks.

Among the highlights:

• A spending rescission package and budget proposal from the White House are expected soon.
• Congressional leaders are racing to extend 2017 tax cuts and navigate the debt ceiling deadline.
• Major policy debates are unfolding over entitlement reforms, tax provisions, and environmental regulations.

This is just a preview — full details, including committee markups and strategic analysis on what's ahead for the House and Senate, are available exclusively to our members.

Stay informed. Stay ahead.
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If you are a member and not receiving this information, contact us. Not a member? Join now!

April is financial literacy month, which is a good time to reflect on how much the knowledge needed to be financially literate has grown over the past few years.

The growth of new financial products means that learning money management requires training in money-related topics, technical skills, and even self-defense.

 At its core, being smart about money always will require understanding core concepts like budgeting, credit, and saving. But with the arrival of products like small dollar investing, cryptocurrencies, and gambling apps, individuals are presented with the promise of rewards and need to understand the risks that go along with the opportunities.

Additionally, smartphones mean that now everyone is carrying their financial lives in their pockets. They need to understand safe and efficient ways to manage their technology along with their money. People now need to understand whether the products they want to use are compatible with the technology that they have.

The need for technical education will increase as artificial intelligence tools, including agents that can make decisions on behalf of customers, become widespread. Customers using these tools will lead to learn how to correctly prompt AI to achieve their goals.

Finally, all the new products and new technology have been a bonanza for scammers of all kinds. So, the users of all these tools need to learn cyber self-defense including having anti-malware tools, recognizing the ways scammers approach people, and knowing what to do if they are compromised.

What does all this mean for payments providers?

The best customers are the ones who use products well, are happy with them, and turn into repeat customers. These are the ones who bring their friends.

So, providers need to make sure that they are providing the right education to their customers and prospective customers. Research shows that people respond best to just-in-time financial education that comes when they need to make a decision.
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Regulations require a lot of disclosures to be provided to customers, so it’s tempting to think that those disclosures are the end of the story. But companies should think about when and where they have opportunities to provide financial education that helps their customers be successful.

The Innovative Payments Association (IPA) today announced that three leading payments organizations—the Money Services Business Association (MSBA), the Canadian Prepaid Providers Organization (CPPO), and the Payments Innovation Forum (PIF) based in the United Kingdom—will participate in the 2025 Innovative Payments Conference (IPC). Their involvement highlights how IPC reflects the increasingly borderless nature of the payments landscape.

“Payments are no longer defined by geographic boundaries; they are global, fast-moving, and interconnected,” said Brian Tate, President and CEO of the IPA. “By welcoming CPPO, MSBA, and PIF to IPC 2025, we are bringing together the best and brightest from the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. to ensure that the conference delivers the insights, strategies, and connections payments professionals need to thrive in today’s marketplace.”

Taking place April 29–May 1 in Washington, D.C., IPC 2025 will feature expert perspectives on the regulatory, technological, and operational forces shaping the future of payments. The presence of these international organizations gives attendees the opportunity to learn from and engage with innovators and thought leaders across three major markets.

The conference will explore how different regions are approaching innovation, consumer needs, and regulatory change, and how shared insights can help move the global payments industry forward. Key sessions at IPC 2025 include:

• Insights into fraud trends and prevention strategies
• The future of banking as a service (BaaS)
• Fireside chats with regulators and fintech leaders

By bringing together key voices from the U.S., Canada, and the U.K., the IPA is fostering a truly international dialogue around payments—and helping professionals position their organizations for long-term success.

For more information about the 2025 Innovative Payments Conference or to register, visit www.ipa.org/ipc. Members of CPPO, MSBA, and PIF are eligible for discounted registration. Please contact your association directly for details.
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About the Innovative Payments Association

The Innovative Payments Association (IPA) is the leading voice of the electronic payments industry, representing prepaid products, mobile wallets, and P2P payment technologies for consumers, businesses, and governments. IPA works to advance the adoption of electronic payments, promote financial inclusion, and advocate for the industry before legislative and regulatory bodies.