Ep. 171 - What Merchants Will Demand From Payments in 2027, with payabl, 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, Sarah Stapp is joined by Ugne Buraciene, Group CEO of payabl., for a special Walk & Talk exploring why payments have become increasingly complicated for merchants, how expectations of payment providers are evolving and why the next big opportunity in payments innovation could be everything that happens after checkout. For years, merchants have been encouraged to adopt more payment methods, integrate additional providers and introduce new technologies to improve performance. But has all that choice actually made payments harder to manage? Ugne takes us inside the growing complexity of the modern payments ecosystem, exploring how fragmented infrastructure, multiple relationships and disconnected financial tools can create operational challenges for businesses trying to scale. The conversation then turns to the shift towards more connected and consolidated payment solutions. With payabl.one bringing acquiring, business accounts and cards together into a single platform, Sarah and Ugne explore why merchants may increasingly favour simplicity and integration over managing multiple specialist providers. They discuss the commercial and operational benefits of bringing financial capabilities together and whether the industry's traditional best-of-breed approach is beginning to lose its appeal. A major focus is what merchants will actually expect from their payment providers in 2027. Simply processing transactions is no longer enough for businesses operating across multiple markets, currencies and sales channels. Sarah and Ugne also unpack the changing relationship between merchants and payment providers. As businesses demand more sophisticated financial capabilities, the role of the payment provider is expanding beyond transaction processing. The discussion then shifts to one of the most overlooked areas of payments innovation: everything that happens after checkout. While much of the industry's attention has traditionally focused on payment acceptance, conversion rates and the customer experience, merchants face an entirely different set of challenges once a transaction has been completed. They also explore where merchants should focus their attention to make the biggest operational improvements. With so many moving parts across the payments lifecycle, identifying the right priorities can be difficult. Plus, Ugne takes on The Payments Shed's legendary Shelf of Shame, challenging one of the persistent frustrations in merchant payments that the industry should have addressed long ago. *** 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.