Ep. 89 - The Announcement: Mastercard Open Finance x Xryma - Cracking Cross Border A2A Payments - LIVE from Money 20/20 Europe 2026

Recorded live from Money20/20 Europe in Amsterdam, Grant Evans is joined by Ian White, Senior Vice President, Open Finance Europe at Mastercard, and Nikogiannis (John) Karantzis, CEO of Xryma, to discuss one of the event's major announcements: a new partnership designed to accelerate cross-border account-to-account payments.The conversation explores why A2A payments have historically struggled to scale beyond domestic markets, despite years of industry excitement around open banking and real-time payments. Ian and John unpack the challenges around settlement, currency conversion, reconciliation, and refunds that have limited broader adoption, and explain why the market is finally ready for a more seamless cross-border approach.They also dive into what Mastercard and Xryma are each bringing to the partnership, how the solution is designed to simplify cross-border payment experiences for merchants and platforms, and whether A2A can genuinely emerge as a viable alternative to traditional payment rails for global commerce.***The Payments Shed Podcast is headline sponsored by Damisa.Damisa is a regulated cross-border payments and treasury infrastructure provider. Using a blend of traditional banking rails and stablecoin technology, Damisa helps businesses move money faster, cheaper, and more transparently across global markets. Its platform supports collections, settlements, disbursements, and liquidity management, while maintaining a strong compliance-first approach. Damisa is building the next generation of global payment infrastructure.Learn more at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.damisa.xyz/⁠⁠⁠⁠***The Payments Shed Podcast is supported by PCN.PCN is a boutique recruitment agency rooted in Amsterdam, driven by a singular mission: connecting top talent with industry leaders. PCN specialises in five core pillars — Fintech, Cybersecurity, SaaS, E-Commerce, and Salesforce — backed by a global network across borders.Learn more at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://teampcn.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠***Disclaimer: Any views or opinions referenced in this podcast episode are our own, or those of our respective guests, and they do not represent any views, opinions, or statements from our respective employers, or those of our guests. Additionally, any views expressed here are not intended as investment, legal, tax, or financial advice.