Martin Henke, Executive Director Banking & Payments at Capco Munich, joined PayTechTalk host Jan Jaap Omvlee to explore the future of European payments — and whether Wero, the EPI-backed pan-European wallet, can hold its own against established players like PayPal and win over merchants at the point of sale.

Martin shared his perspective on the competitive dynamics reshaping the European payments landscape by:

• Assessing Wero's viability as a pan-European wallet and its ability to compete with PayPal at the point of sale
• Examining whether the digital euro would undercut the case for bank-led payment initiatives
• Exploring why banks remain sceptical about new payment schemes while facing mounting pressure to innovate

The episode explores how banks and payment service providers must navigate the tension between strategic caution and the urgency of innovation, in a market where new technologies, shrinking margins, and regulatory ambition are forcing fundamental choices about the future of European payments.

Úna Dillon, Regional Director, Europe, at PCI SSC, joined PaytechTalk host Jan Jaap Omvlee to explore the evolving landscape of payment security and the PCI Security Standards Council's role in protecting the digital payments ecosystem. Úna shared how PCI SSC is advancing payment security standards by:

• Developing validation programs tailored for payment facilitators and software vendors
• Enhancing security requirements for contactless payments and mobile wallets
• Promoting security-by-design principles in fintech innovation
• Ensuring compliance frameworks keep pace with emerging payment technologies

The episode also explores how PCI SSC is fostering global collaboration among stakeholders—from merchants and acquirers to technology providers—to build trust in digital commerce while balancing security imperatives with the need for seamless payment experiences in an increasingly complex regulatory environment.

Live from the MoneyPot stage, Fexco’s Head of Product & Partnerships, @John Faherty, joined PaytechTalk host @Jan Jaap Omvlee to explore the next chapter in embedded finance and introduce payUnite—Fexco’s new global payments orchestration platform.

John shared how payUnite is designed to help acquirers, merchants, and end users navigate today’s fragmented payments ecosystem by:

· Reducing friction across channels

· Enabling intelligent, contextual payment experiences

· Supporting SMEs in scaling and internationalising

· Leveraging real-time data while remaining compliant with evolving regulations such as PSD3 and the AI Act

The episode also explores how Fexco is positioning itself in a crowded market by combining regulatory insight with product innovation—and what payments might look like by 2028.