Trusted, interoperable payments infrastructure will be critical to UK competitiveness as stablecoins, AI and global money movement evolve.
For years, payments infrastructure has been viewed primarily as a driver of economic growth, and I still firmly believe that.
But today, the conversation has evolved.
As businesses increasingly operate across borders and financial services become more interconnected, the UK’s long-term competitiveness will depend not only on innovation, but on building trusted, interoperable infrastructure that enables businesses to move and manage money globally with certainty.
Resilience and long-term competitiveness are becoming defining priorities for economies and governments; regulators and industry all have a role to play in ensuring the infrastructure supporting money movement remains trusted, interoperable and fit for the future.
That requires continued collaboration to advance regulatory frameworks, technical standards and financial infrastructure that support innovation while giving businesses the confidence to scale globally.
Trust comes first
As infrastructure providers, our first responsibility is to build trust.
Trust is built through high standards of regulation, technical resilience and interoperability.
Businesses should not have to navigate different regulatory frameworks, payment rails and blockchain networks simply to move money internationally. Our responsibility is to remove that complexity.
That means maintaining the highest standards of compliance while building technology that connects traditional payment rails with stablecoin networks, enabling businesses to focus on developing their products rather than managing fragmented financial infrastructure.
Interoperability will define the next generation of payments
Businesses are looking for faster, more transparent and more cost-efficient ways to move money.
They are not interested in choosing between fiat or stablecoins. They simply want infrastructure that works.
Over the next five years, the companies that lead the market will be those able to deliver seamless interoperability across payment rails. That requires both the regulatory permissions and the technology to support businesses wherever they operate.
Ultimately, payments infrastructure should become invisible. Businesses should be able to move money globally without worrying about the complexity behind it.
AI should strengthen expertise
Artificial intelligence is still in the early stages of adoption across financial services.
Today, we’re seeing businesses apply AI across customer onboarding, transaction monitoring, fraud prevention and customer support. These are practical applications where machine learning can improve efficiency while strengthening compliance.
The longer-term opportunity is agentic payments, where much more of the payment lifecycle becomes automated.
But I don’t believe AI replaces people.
The greatest opportunity comes from combining human expertise with machine learning. Technology should enhance decision-making, improve operational efficiency and strengthen trust, not replace the experience that regulated financial services depend on.
The UK has a strong foundation
The UK remains one of the best places to build a fintech business. We have exceptional talent, regulatory certainty and strong collaboration between policymakers and industry.
The opportunity now is to maintain that momentum.
As stablecoin regulation, digital assets and AI continue to evolve globally, the UK must continue advancing its regulatory agenda to ensure it remains competitive alongside the US, Europe and other leading markets.
If we continue to work together to build trusted, interoperable infrastructure, the UK is well placed to remain a global leader in payments innovation.
The future of payments will not be defined by a single technology. It will be defined by the infrastructure that brings them together—giving businesses the confidence to move and manage money globally.
