On this special edition of Pay It Forward, host Emma Lawton, EMEA Payments & Global Kinexys Public Relations lead, takes you inside the electrifying world of Money 20/20, where the brightest minds, breakthrough technologies, and boldest ideas in payments and fintech converge. Step onto the conference floor with Emma and hear firsthand from J.P. Morgan Payments leaders, including Max Neukirchen, Trish Devine, Prashant Sharma, Naveen Mallela, Kate Walton, Ron Karpovich, and Michael Marinello, as they share candid reflections on the energy, innovation, and inspiration that defined this year’s event. From the palpable buzz that greeted attendees to the thought-provoking conversations happening at every turn, you’ll get an authentic look at what it’s like to be at the heart of the payments industry’s “Super Bowl.” Discover how our live biometrics demo captivated crowds and sparked some of the most exciting discussions about the future of seamless, personalized payments. Plus, explore the themes that kept surfacing: the rise of AI, the mainstreaming of digital currencies, the power of embedded finance, and the human connections driving it all forward. Whether you’re a fintech enthusiast or just curious about what’s next in payments, this episode offers a front-row seat to the momentum, creativity and culture shaping the future. Don’t miss it! Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of J.P. Morgan, its affiliates, or its employees. The information set forth herein has been obtained or derived from sources believed to be reliable. Neither the author nor J.P. Morgan makes any representations or warranties as to the information’s accuracy or completeness. The information contained herein has been provided solely for informational purposes and does not constitute an offer, solicitation, advice or recommendation, to make any investment decisions or purchase any financial instruments, and may not be construed as such. Any mentions of third-party trademarks, brand names, products and services are for referential purposes only and any mention thereof is not meant to imply any sponsorship, endorsement, or affiliation.© 2025 JPMorgan Chase & Co. All Rights Reserved.
On this special edition of Pay It Forward, host Emma Lawton, EMEA Payments & Global Kinexys Public Relations lead, takes you inside the electrifying world of Money 20/20, where the brightest minds, breakthrough technologies, and boldest ideas in payments and fintech converge.
Step onto the conference floor with Emma and hear firsthand from J.P. Morgan Payments leaders, including Max Neukirchen, Trish Devine, Prashant Sharma, Naveen Mallela, Kate Walton, Ron Karpovich, and Michael Marinello, as they share candid reflections on the energy, innovation, and inspiration that defined this year’s event. From the palpable buzz that greeted attendees to the thought-provoking conversations happening at every turn, you’ll get an authentic look at what it’s like to be at the heart of the payments industry’s “Super Bowl.”
Discover how our live biometrics demo captivated crowds and sparked some of the most exciting discussions about the future of seamless, personalized payments. Plus, explore the themes that kept surfacing: the rise of AI, the mainstreaming of digital currencies, the power of embedded finance, and the human connections driving it all forward.
Whether you’re a fintech enthusiast or just curious about what’s next in payments, this episode offers a front-row seat to the momentum, creativity and culture shaping the future. Don’t miss it!
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of J.P. Morgan, its affiliates, or its employees. The information set forth herein has been obtained or derived from sources believed to be reliable. Neither the author nor J.P. Morgan makes any representations or warranties as to the information’s accuracy or completeness. The information contained herein has been provided solely for informational purposes and does not constitute an offer, solicitation, advice or recommendation, to make any investment decisions or purchase any financial instruments, and may not be construed as such. Any mentions of third-party trademarks, brand names, products and services are for referential purposes only and any mention thereof is not meant to imply any sponsorship, endorsement, or affiliation.© 2025 JPMorgan Chase & Co. All Rights Reserved.
Narrator (00:02):
Welcome to Pay It Forward, a podcast by J.P. Morgan Payments for J.P. Morgan Payments. Get to know our business and gain a better understanding of where we sit at the intersection of technology and finance. Did you know we move over $10 trillion globally each day through over 170 countries and 120 currencies at more than 5,000 transactions per second? Join us as we take you inside the stories, technology, and people that make it all happen.
Emma Lawton (00:38):
Welcome to Pay It Forward. I'm Emma Lawton, EMEA Payments and Global Kinexys Public Relations Lead.
(00:45):
We recently returned from Money20/20 in Las Vegas, and wow, what an experience. If you're not familiar, Money20/20 is the event for the payments and FinTech world. It's where the biggest names, the newest tech, and the boldest ideas all come together under one roof. Imagine thousands of innovators, leaders, and disruptors all buzzing with energy and ready to shape the future of how we pay and get paid, and J.P. Morgan Payments was there in full force. We didn't just show up. We shined. From our eye-catching booth to our hands-on demos and conversations, we made a real impact. I saw first-hand how our team brought energy, expertise, and a little bit of fun to the event.
(01:26):
So in this edition of Pay It Forward, I'll take you behind the scenes to hear from some of our leaders on the ground including Max Neukirchen, Trish Devine, Prashant Sharma, and more as they share their perspectives on everything from biometrics and digital assets to embedded finance and agentic AI. We’ll explore why Money20/20 matters, not just for the industry, but for all of us at J.P. Morgan Payments. Let's dive in.
(01:39):
Day one always kicks off with a rush of energy and excitement. The halls were buzzing as attendees poured in, eager to connect, learn, and explore what's new in payments and FinTech. Everywhere I looked, there was energy, people swapping ideas, discovering innovations, and setting the stage for an unforgettable week. The anticipation was real and you could feel that great things were about to happen.
(02:01):
Here's Michael Marinello, Global Head of Communications for J.P. Morgan Payments, who also happens to be my boss, describing it from the floor.
Michael Marinello (02:09):
Money 20/20 is the Super Bowl for payments and FinTech. It's where everybody comes from all around the world to sort of meet, exchange ideas, they share best practices, even from the communication standpoints. And they have Money 20/20s all over the world, but the one here in Vegas is really the showcase for the entire payments and FinTech space.
Emma Lawton (02:26):
Mike calls it the Super Bowl of payments, and honestly, he's spot-on, except here you'll find even more acronyms, and dare I say better swag? The energy all around the city was palpable with everyone excited about what was happening and what was to come.
(02:41):
Here's Max Neukirchen, Global Co-Head of J.P. Morgan Payments, capturing the spirit of this year's event.
Max Neukirchen (02:47):
I love the focus at Money20/20 on innovation. There's so many new trends in payments being displayed here, and I think the combination of digital currencies and AI will truly transform payments.
Emma Lawton (02:59):
And you could literally see the innovation Max talks about. Every conversation circled around what's next: AI, digital currencies, identity, loyalty. Kate Walton, our Chief Commercial Officer for Merchant Services, said it best.
Kate Walton (03:15):
Certainly right now, the buzz is all around AI. It's quickly becoming real. You've got various companies that you can now buy via an agent. I think next year is going to be the year where you've got a broad number of companies where you want to purchase your favourite bag or shoes and you now have a place to go. I think we really have the opportunity to play on both the loyalty and the identity components of an omnichannel environment.
Emma Lawton (03:39):
Let's dive into the Payments Pressery because honestly, it was the star of the show this year. Right in the heart of the conference floor, our team transformed paying for juice into the most talked about demo at Money20/20. I caught up with Prashant Sharma, Executive Director of Biometrics and Identity Solutions, who explained exactly what had everyone lining up. (Disclaimer: Future capabilities of payments hardware and biometrics are under development; features and timelines are subject to change at the Bank’s sole discretion.)
Prashant Sharma (04:00):
At Money20/20, we have something we call a Payment Pressery where the users can enroll and just use their face to be able to buy the juice. It showcases seamless (1) and personalized shopping experience for the consumers. What we are showcasing at our booth is how biometrics can enable very personalized and seamless checkout journey. So what the users saw over here is after a one-time enrollment, you can come to one of our devices, just scan your face. It identifies who you are and you can very quickly make a purchase.
Emma Lawton (04:31):
Watching it all unfold was a really fun experience. People approached with curiosity, some a little skeptical, but after that first scan and smile, they were hooked. Prashant saw it too, the moment when the technology just clicked for people.
Prashant Sharma (04:45):
I've been just looking at people's face when they scan the face and you see the smile, how quickly it identifies people. It remembers their past orders so that they don't have to select the same items over and over again. So they have been very pleasantly surprised and we are super excited to bring this innovation to the consumers.
Emma Lawton (05:03):
The Pressery wasn't just a crowd-pleaser, it was a glimpse into the future, biometrics, identity, and seamless experiences all coming together in one moment. And for our team, seeing months of hard work come to life right there on the floor, that was the real win.
(05:18):
If the Pressery gave us a taste of what's possible, the conversations happening all around the conference made one thing clear: the future is arriving faster than we think. I spoke with Naveen Mallela, Global Co-Head of Kinexys, J.P. Morgan Payments' blockchain business unit, and his excitement was contagious.
Naveen Mallela (05:36):
So far, the vibe always has been, is it real? It has always been a question of if. This year, that's no longer the case. It's not a question of if. This has become mainstream. Every single conversation is about digital currencies. The question now is how do we really scale? How do we get along? How do we start the journey?
(06:08):
Now, for all the talk of AI, blockchain, and biometrics, another thing that stood out this year was embedded finance. Here's Ron Karpovich, Head of Client Solutioning for Embedded Finance and Solutions, sharing what embedded finance is ultimately all about.
Ron Karpovich (06:19):
As we work on embedded finance, we're finding that the ability to connect to customers where they want to be within their environments, be that a FinTech, be that a marketplace, be that an online service, allows us to provide our products, but at the point where the clients are interacting with the customers who utilize them.
Emma Lawton (06:38):
That sense of connection is what truly powers the payments industry. It's not just about speed. It's about making every experience feel personal and effortless.
(06:47):
I wanted to know if Ron could redesign one part of the payments journey, where would he start?
Ron Karpovich (06:53):
I would start with the end-to-end payment experience where right now most of our engagement with our customers can tell them about what we do as a bank to get their payment out the door. Being able to have an end-to-end solution where we can talk more so about where their payment has gone, what's happened to it after the fact, and give them better data around that whole process would allow for more use cases to be deployed faster.
Emma Lawton (07:18):
That's the power of vision, seeing not just where payments begin, but where they go next. And when it comes to imagining the future, Max Neukirchen provided an inspiring perspective.
Max Neukirchen (07:28):
I hope that in five years from now, I can make a payment by just being authenticated through biometrics and then an AI agent is doing everything else for me.
Emma Lawton (07:38):
A world where technology fades into the background and the human experience takes center stage, that's the experience we're building. Of course, none of this innovation happens in a vacuum. It's all about momentum, and it takes creativity, trust, and teamwork. Trish Devine, Global Head of Corporate Sales, captured that energy perfectly.
Trish Devine (07:57):
So the energy at Money20/20 is always great. The buzz on the floor is spectacular. I've never been more excited about payments than I am today. I think we are at a pivotal moment, particularly with respect to the digitization, innovation, and the globality of what we are doing at J.P. Morgan Payments. We constantly innovate, and I can't be more proud of my team. Every day, their focus is our clients. And as a sales team, that's really important, how we deliver end-to-end for our clients every day, regardless of the market conditions or what's happening around them, and they've done a phenomenally good job, particularly in volatile and transforming times, doing that.
Emma Lawton (08:40):
It's true. This isn't just a change happening in payments. It's something bigger. It's what happens when technology meets trust and creativity meets teamwork. It's that spark you feel when people come together with a shared purpose to make things simpler, smarter, and more connected for everyone. And that teamwork was on full display at Money20/20, but what most don't know is that it's exactly the same behind the scenes every single day.
(09:05):
Here's Michael Marinello again on what makes the payments team truly special.
Michael Marinello (09:28):
So I think one of the best things that Max and Umar have done for the culture, which has allowed me to do it myself, is to bring my true self to the table, when we're having tough conversations about the business, when we're having fun conversations about the future, and when we're even talking about our own people. So I think authenticity comes through, you know diversity comes through, but as a payments team, we all fit together.
Emma Lawton (09:31):
That authenticity Mike talks about runs deep in our culture at J.P. Morgan Payments. It's what I love most about this team. We're spread out across the globe, but we're all connected. Everyone brings their own style, background, and ideas, and together it's the perfect mix of personality and purpose. It's a culture defined by the people who live it every day, like Max, who described it this way.
Max Neukirchen (09:53):
The J.P. Morgan Payments team culture is client-focused, collaborative, and innovative.
Emma Lawton (09:59):
As our time at Money20/20 Vegas comes to a close, I hope I've given you a glimpse into what it's really like to be at the heart of this event, surrounded by the ideas that are shaping the future of payments. What inspired me most wasn't just the technology or the demos, but the passion and purpose behind every conversation, from seamless biometrics to bold visions of AI and blockchain, and the human connections that make it all matter.
(10:23):
Money20/20 reminded me that progress happens when we come together, challenge each other, and imagine what's next. I hope this episode sparked your curiosity and gave you a sense of the momentum and excitement that's really driving our industry. Until next time, keep looking ahead, keep finding inspiration in the possibilities, and of course, keep paying it forward.
Announcer (10:46):
Thank you for tuning in to Pay It Forward, a podcast by J.P. Morgan Payments for J.P. Morgan Payments. Stay up to date on the latest stories, technology, and people powering payments by subscribing on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or your favorite podcast platform. Keep pushing boundaries and we'll keep moving the payments world forward one transaction at a time.
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