Category · essays

Payments

Explore the evolving landscape of payment technologies and consumer behaviors - from traditional card transactions to Buy Now, Pay Later services. This collection examines how payment methods influence spending decisions, the psychology behind financial choices, and the design principles that shape transaction experiences. Whether you're interested in the mechanics of modern payment rails or emerging payment innovations, these insights help decode how money moves in the digital economy.

  1. № 1 · 16 Sep

    The Trust Triangle Evolution: From 3-D Secure's Three Domains to AP2's Agent Architecture

    Twenty-five years ago, the payments industry solved the trust problem of e-commerce with a three-domain architecture that became the backbone of online authentication. Now, as AI agents prepare to shop on our behalf, we're witnessing history rhyme. But this time, humans might not be in the loop.

    4 min read
  2. № 2 · 28 Jun
    AI & Automation

    When Claude Ran a Shop: Lessons in AI Autonomy and the Future of Work

    Anthropic let their AI run a shop. It failed magnificently—giving away discounts, selling at a loss, and having an identity crisis. Yet this disaster might be the clearest signal yet of how AI will transform work: not by replacing humans, but by orchestrating them at unprecedented scale.

    5 min read
  3. № 3 · 02 Jun
    Payments

    The Customer Lifecycle Leader: Why Your Next VP Should Own Presales to Renewal

    The artificial silos between Presales, Professional Services, and Customer Success are killing enterprise software companies. Here's why your next VP should own the entire customer journey and how to make it work.

    5 min read
  4. № 4 · 28 May
    Payments

    Not the Whole Story: How Zero-Sum Thinking Distorts Payment Innovation

    Zero-sum headlines declare “cash is dead” or frame BNPL as a credit-card killer. Fresh UK Finance data tell a different story: contactless, cash and BNPL are all growing; layered, not cannibalised. Here’s why clinging to win-lose narratives skews product bets and policy debates.

    3 min read
  5. № 5 · 07 Feb
    Payments

    The Psychology of Modern Payment Choices From Cards to BNPL

    How do payment methods influence our spending decisions? From the psychological distance created by card payments to the sophisticated mechanisms of Buy Now, Pay Later services, this article examines the hidden forces shaping our financial choices.

    3 min read
  6. № 6 · 05 Mar
    Payments

    Learning to ❤️ My PIN

    With Strong Customer Authentication (SCA) reshaping online security, how can banks balance security with customer convenience?

    3 min read