Fintech leaders hail digital payments & blockchain

Fintech executives are using World FinTech Day to highlight how digital payments, blockchain and data-driven lending are reshaping cross-border transactions and access to capital. Leaders from Bitpace, Kyriba and Merchant Growth say the industry has moved beyond experimentation and is now building infrastructure that supports everyday financial activity.

Digital payments sit at the centre of much of this change. Over the past decade, online and mobile payment services have replaced many slower, more manual processes in consumer and business finance. The focus is now shifting from speed alone to reliability, governance and access for users who have historically struggled to work with traditional banks.

Bitpace Chief Executive Officer Anil Oncu said the industry has already removed many barriers to moving money and is now entering a new phase shaped by blockchain and digital assets.

"World Fintech Day is a good opportunity to reflect on how far our industry has come. Not long ago, moving money internationally was slow, expensive and heavily dependent on traditional banking infrastructure. Today, digital payments have transformed the way people and businesses transact, making financial services faster, more accessible and increasingly global. Every wave of fintech innovation has removed friction from the movement of money. Looking ahead, blockchain technology and digital assets have the potential to remove even more.

Cross-border payments remain one of the biggest inefficiencies in global commerce, with businesses often waiting weeks for funds to settle or invoices to be paid. Faster access to capital means healthier cash flow, stronger businesses and ultimately a more efficient global economy. Blockchain-powered payments are not about replacing the financial system, but about improving it. By enabling near real-time, transparent and borderless value transfer, they complement existing infrastructure and help businesses operate with greater speed and certainty. As adoption continues to grow, we believe this technology will become an increasingly important part of the future of global payments," said Anil Oncu, Chief Executive Officer of Bitpace.

Blockchain-based systems are also advancing alongside the growth of stablecoins as a settlement option for companies handling high volumes of payments. Stablecoins are tied to reference assets such as fiat currencies. Corporations are beginning to test them in treasury functions that require precise control over liquidity, compliance and audit trails.

Bob Stark, Global Head of Market Strategy at Kyriba, said the conversation around stablecoins inside large finance teams is shifting as integration with existing systems improves.

"Stablecoins are moving from a fintech experiment into a corporate treasury story. The question is no longer whether stablecoins can move value quickly. It is whether finance teams can use them within the governance, controls and workflows required to operate at enterprise scale.

With USDC now integrated directly into Kyriba's enterprise treasury platform, stablecoin settlement can sit within existing payment and liquidity processes rather than operating as a separate experiment. That creates the potential for faster cross-border settlement, but speed alone is not enough. CFOs and treasurers also need auditability, policy controls, visibility and confidence in how digital liquidity fits alongside traditional cash. The next phase of fintech will belong to the companies that make emerging technology practical, governed and useful in everyday financial operations," said Bob Stark, Global Head of Market Strategy at Kyriba.

Access to finance for smaller firms remains a parallel concern as digital infrastructure for payments and liquidity management matures. Non-bank lenders and fintech platforms are using transaction data and alternative metrics to assess business health. Executives say this approach can support lending decisions for firms that do not fit standard bank risk models.

David Gens, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Merchant Growth, said data-driven underwriting can expand financing options for small businesses that fall outside traditional criteria.

"Access to capital remains one of the biggest challenges for small businesses. Many small business owners can see a clear opportunity to hire, purchase inventory or invest in growth, but still struggle to secure financing because their business does not fit neatly within traditional lending criteria.

The promise of fintech, especially digital financing like ours, is not simply moving an application online or delivering a faster decision. It is using more current business data to understand how a company is actually performing and make responsible financing more accessible. When the right capital reaches the right business at the right time, it can help turn a clear opportunity into sustainable growth," said Gens.