Ep. 170 - When Merchants Can Switch: What Makes a Payments Business Defensible? With Oceanpayment, live from Money 20/20 USA 2026

In the latest episode of The Payments Shed Podcast, filmed live from Money20/20 USA 2026 in Las Vegas, Kara Parkey is joined by Dan Owens, Chief Strategy Officer at Oceanpayment, for a special Walk & Talk exploring how payment orchestration is reshaping the relationship between merchants and payment providers, why traditional merchant loyalty is being challenged and what it really takes to build a defensible payments business. For years, payment service providers and acquirers have relied on deep technical integrations to build long-term merchant relationships. But as orchestration platforms make it easier for merchants to connect with multiple providers through a single integration, the competitive landscape is changing. Dan takes us inside the evolving role of PSPs within the orchestration ecosystem, exploring why providers are increasingly looking to orchestration platforms as a route to distribution and how they can distinguish genuine new business opportunities from simply migrating existing transaction volumes. The conversation then turns to one of the biggest questions facing payment providers: are merchants becoming less sticky? Historically, the complexity and cost of switching payment providers created a natural barrier to merchant churn. With orchestration removing much of that friction, Kara and Dan explore what actually keeps merchants loyal when changing providers becomes easier, and whether performance, commercial value and service quality are replacing technical integration as the foundations of long-term relationships. A major focus is the difference between being connected to a merchant and being chosen to process their transactions. Kara and Dan also unpack what makes a payments business genuinely defensible in an increasingly competitive market. As merchants gain greater flexibility and control over their payment infrastructure, providers need to demonstrate why they deserve transaction volume rather than relying on the difficulty of switching. The discussion then shifts to Oceanpayment's OP Link proposition and the opportunity to simplify payments for international travellers visiting mainland China. With China's digital payments ecosystem heavily centred around local wallets, Western visitors can face challenges accessing familiar payment experiences. Plus, Dan returns to The Payments Shed's legendary Shelf of Shame. Having previously challenged the industry's use of the term "alternative payment methods", he turns his attention to the orchestration ecosystem and what the industry continues to get wrong as merchants gain more control over their payment choices. *** The Payments Shed Podcast is sponsored by Cyclops. Cyclops helps payments companies offer crypto acceptance, stablecoin settlement and payouts through one unified infrastructure platform. Find out more: https://cyclops.finance/ The Payments Shed Podcast is sponsored by Salesloft. Salesloft uses agentic AI to turn buyer, conversation, deal and forecast data into clear actions that help revenue teams sell smarter. Find out more: https://www.salesloft.com The Payments Shed Podcast is sponsored by Mastercard Open Finance. Mastercard Open Finance enables businesses to use consumer-permissioned financial data to create more connected and personalised financial experiences. Find out more: https://www.mastercard.com/global/en/business/open-finance.html The Payments Shed Podcast is partnered with PCN. PCN is a global boutique recruitment agency connecting leading talent and businesses across fintech, cybersecurity, SaaS, e-commerce and Salesforce. Find out more: https://teampcn.com/ Disclaimer: Views expressed are those of The Payments Shed Podcast hosts and guests, not their respective employers. Nothing discussed constitutes investment, legal, tax or financial advice.