Cover for the PYMNTS Intelligence Summer School 2026: The Payment Stack Strikes Back. PYMNTS Intelligence reports how Bank of America, Worldpay and Nium use payments, AI and better data to support growth.a

How AI Shopping Agents, Stablecoins and Smarter Checkout Drive Business Growth

The Payment Stack Strikes Back: Six Lessons for the Next Era of Commerce

What do AI shopping agents, stablecoins and a nine-click checkout have in common? Six industry leaders explain how better payments and stronger data can turn new technology into real business growth. It’s the final class in PYMNTS Summer School.

Inside Summer School 2026

  • Most businesses would consider changing software providers to gain better payment capabilities. This creates a major opening for platforms that make payments part of the core product.
  • One utility payment journey required nine clicks before a customer could use Apple Pay. The example shows how extra steps can turn a ready customer into a lost payment.
  • Transaction-level analysis found foreign exchange spreads of about 2% at one global payments company. Applied to $100 million in cross-border payments, that could equal $2 million in annual losses.

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