April 24, 2025
April marked an exciting and insightful month for the Cardstream team, as we attended two major industry events—Pay360 and the Retail Technology Show. Both events offered a front-row seat to the latest developments across the payments and retail sectors, providing opportunities to connect with peers, Partners, and pioneers who are shaping the future of commerce.
Pay360: The Future of Payments
Held annually, Pay360 is a cornerstone event in the payments calendar, bringing together senior leaders, innovators, and regulators from across the financial ecosystem. This year’s event didn’t disappoint, with a packed agenda that reflected the fast-evolving landscape of payments technology.
Among the key themes were AI-powered innovation, open banking advancements, and the increasing role of real-time data in decision-making. However, what stood out most for the Cardstream team was the growing momentum around embedded finance—a shift that aligns closely with our own strategy.
Increasingly, businesses are seeking financial services that are seamlessly integrated into the platforms they already use. The demand for flexible, accessible funding, value-added services, and streamlined onboarding continues to rise. Our embedded lending and onboarding solutions, as part of Cardstream’s Open Payment Network, directly respond to this shift—empowering Merchants, Payment Service Providers (PSPs), and Independent Sales Organisations (ISOs) with tools that enhance both user experience and commercial growth.
The event also provided valuable opportunities to exchange insights with Partners, explore potential collaborative opportunities, and stay current on emerging regulatory and technological trends. It was a strong reminder of how dynamic and interconnected the payments ecosystem has become.
Retail Technology Show: Innovation in Commerce
The Retail Technology Show is where the retail and tech industries converge to explore the next generation of in-store and online experiences. This year’s event featured over 300 innovative exhibitors, dozens of expert-led sessions, and some familiar faces—including Joe Wicks, who brought energy to the main stage, and Steve Hewitt, former CEO of Gymshark, who shared insights on leadership, brand building, and digital transformation.
For Cardstream, the standout message was clear: payments are no longer just a back-end process—they are a central part of the customer experience.
Speakers and exhibitors alike emphasised the importance of integrating payments seamlessly into retail ecosystems, ensuring that every transaction is not only secure but also intuitive and invisible. Whether it’s contactless payments in-store, flexible online checkouts, or multi-channel loyalty programmes, the ability to offer frictionless payment options is now a competitive necessity.
The show also showcased new technologies in mobile payments, self-service, and omnichannel retailing—all of which underline the critical role of flexible, API-first payment infrastructure like Cardstream’s.
A Unified Takeaway
Across both events, a shared vision emerged: the future of payments lies in flexibility, speed, and seamless integration. Whether it’s through embedded finance, enhanced customer journeys, or smarter Merchant services, businesses are looking for Partners who can offer not just solutions but ecosystems.
At Cardstream, that’s exactly what we aim to provide through our Open Payment Network—bringing together gateway services, acquiring, transaction monitoring, onboarding, and lending into a single, cohesive offering.
As the industry continues to evolve, we remain committed to delivering innovative, reliable, and accessible technology that supports our Partners and their Merchants—today and in the future.
