Forget Cards—Here's What You'll Be Using to Pay in 2030

In this episode of The Issuer Academy podcast, host Merusha Naidu is joined by Jeff Parker, CEO of Paymentology, and Christian Rau, Senior Vice President of Global Partnerships, Digital Assets, Blockchain, and Fintech Enablement at Mastercard. Together, they explore the evolving payments landscape, from the future of cash and plastic cards to the transformative impact of tokenization and cloud-first infrastructure.

What You’ll Learn:

Why cash and plastic cards won't disappear completely by 2030
How tokenization is revolutionizing payment security while improving customer experience and approval rates
The impact of Mastercard's decision to phase out 16-digit card numbers and transition to token-based payments
How AI and data analytics are reshaping fraud prevention and creating more intelligent payment experiences
The role of cross-border payment solutions in serving increasingly globalized businesses

With vast experience in digital payments and blockchain technology, Christian leads Mastercard's initiatives in integrating CBDCs, stablecoins, and multi-rail payment solutions. His expertise in global payment standards and tokenization has been instrumental in shaping the future of digital transactions.

Under Jeff's leadership, Paymentology has expanded its cloud-first payment infrastructure and acquired strategic companies like Tutuka and MeaWallet, enhancing their tokenization capabilities and global processing presence. His vision focuses on simplifying payment solutions while maintaining robust security measures.

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