The Future of the Payments Ecosystem

In this episode of the Merchant Sales Podcast, James sits down with payments industry veteran and consultant Ken Musante to explore how the payments ecosystem is evolving. From processor cost structures and software platforms to reseller programs, integrated banking, AI, and the growing influence of companies like Square, Stripe, and Clover, they discuss the trends reshaping the industry and what they mean for ISOs, agents, and payment providers. The conversation also covers the importance of specialization, continuous education, and choosing the right technology stack to stay competitive as software, payments, and banking become increasingly interconnected. Plus, Patti Murphy's Today in Payments segment breaks down Stripe's reported interest in PayPal, Fiserv's debit networks, Cash App's multi-state settlement, and Square's latest AI-powered commerce initiatives.