Finix Executive Discusses AI and the Future of Payment Processing at Money20/20 2026

October 28, 2026 - 00:32

Emanuel Pleitez, Head of Finance and Business Development at Finix, sat down for a fireside chat at Money20/20 USA 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The in-person interview was conducted with Editor-in-Chief John Jannarone, covering the company's ambition to become a leading global payments processor.

The conversation centered on Finix's strategy of building scalable API infrastructure that allows businesses to handle payment processing directly rather than relying on third-party providers. Pleitez described how transaction transparency sits at the core of the company's approach, giving merchants clearer visibility into the flow of funds and the fees attached to each transaction.

Artificial intelligence emerged as a major theme of the discussion. Pleitez outlined how AI tools are beginning to reshape the payments industry, from fraud detection and risk management to customer support and operational efficiency. He noted that processors which fail to integrate these capabilities risk falling behind as merchants demand faster settlement, smarter routing and more detailed reporting.

The session also touched on the competitive pressure facing payment companies as software platforms move deeper into financial services. Pleitez argued that flexible infrastructure, rather than legacy systems, will determine which processors can scale globally and serve increasingly complex merchant needs.