UK merchants expect agentic commerce to grow rapidly, but uncertainty around liability, fraud, and standards is slowing readiness.

Stablecoins are moving into mainstream finance, reshaping payments, trade, and regulation as institutions explore faster, programmable settlement.

A forward-looking overview of key regulatory developments across payments, crypto and financial services, with timelines and practical implications.

Insights from 7,595 PAY360 delegates and 115 MT360 merchants on payments challenges, priorities and opportunities shaping the industry in 2026.

AI is everywhere in financial crime, but weak governance and low autonomy leave firms exposed to rising regulatory, financial and operational risk.