- How will the contest between cards and account-to-account payments reshape the Nordic payments market, and what factors will decide which models gain scale?
- As payments shift into wallets, merchant apps, fintech platforms and embedded experiences, who will own the customer relationship — and who will control the point of initiation?
- How can the Nordics balance open competition and global interoperability with strategic autonomy, resilience and the development of strong regional payment infrastructure?
- As payments become more invisible and AI agents begin initiating transactions, how can the industry protect trust, security, consumer choice and commercial value?
- What should the Nordic payments model look like by 2030, and what must banks, fintechs, payment providers and policymakers do now to shape it?
The Nordic payments ecosystem is entering a new era of competition, as the battle for control shifts from the payment rails to the point where a transaction begins. Banks, card networks, digital wallets, merchants, fintechs and platforms are competing to own the customer relationship, shape the payment experience, and capture value from every transaction. As account-to-account (A2A) payments challenge cards, embedded finance transforms checkout and payment initiation moves beyond traditional banking channels, what will determine the winners in the next generation of payments? And how will changing consumer behaviour and merchant priorities influence the future of payment methods across the Nordics?
At the same time, the region faces critical questions about the future of its payments infrastructure. As European initiatives, domestic payment schemes and global networks evolve, the balance between interoperability, competition, and strategic autonomy is becoming increasingly important. How can the Nordics preserve their reputation for payments innovation while strengthening resilience, reducing dependencies and maintaining consumer choice? From instant payments and open banking to cross-border interoperability, fraud prevention and shared financial crime intelligence, the industry must consider how to build a payments ecosystem that is open, secure and fit for the future.
Looking further ahead, agentic commerce, tokenisation, programmable money and AI-driven payment journeys are challenging conventional assumptions about who initiates and authorises a transaction. As payments become increasingly invisible and intelligent, agents begin to act on behalf of consumers and businesses, questions of trust, authentication, accountability and commercial control will become more pressing. Who owns the customer relationship when an AI agent makes the payment, and how can financial institutions and payment providers remain relevant as commerce becomes increasingly automated? With the Nordic payments model at a crossroads, the industry must decide what it wants the next decade to stand for — and who will control the payment experience of 2030.
Register for this Finextra NextGen Nordics webinar, to join our panel of industry experts who will discuss what the Nordic payments model should look like by 2030, and what must banks, fintechs, payment providers and policymakers do now to shape it.
Speakers
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Madhvi Sonia
Vice President, Content, Finextra [Moderator]