We are saying a fond farewell to 2022 as we wrap up recording the last Payments on Fire® episodes of the year that will be released throughout January. Looking forward to 2023, we realized that we are approaching Episode 200 – raising the question of what should be featured for this milestone? A lot has happened in payments in the past eight years since that first episode during which George Peabody, Scott Loftesness, and Terence Spies discussed “Bitcoin and other math-based currencies”.
For some 200th Episode inspiration, we took a look at the all-time top downloaded episodes since Payments on Fire launched in 2014. The list has a bit of a zeitgeist feel to it – a peek into what has been “top of mind” for payments professionals. So which episodes currently hold the gold, silver, and bronze for most downloaded?
Casting an eye across the list, it is not surprising to find Episode 83 – Carol Coye Benson’s master class in interbank settlement systems takes gold. Interbank settlement has always been the backbone for the flow of funds in open-loop payment systems. With the growth and increasing sophistication of fast payment (or instant payment) systems, interbank settlement is having “a moment”. We are observing innovation in this space to control liquidity and other settlement risks that emerge or amplify when funds are available to recipients in mere seconds. Plus everyone really wants to know, “How does the money actually move?”
Episode 154, a lively conversation with Kyle Pexton and Nick Starai of NMI recorded in 2021, takes silver. Here we have a trifecta of favorite payments topics rolled into one episode. First there is a discussion on what, exactly, is a gateway – a question that comes up at least once a week in our workshops. Then there is the payments facilitator as a stakeholder and what providers, such as independent software vendors, need to think about when it comes to payment facilitation. Last but not least, a discussion on what it takes to meet the needs of small-to-medium businesses and the role of a new breed of providers in reaching this merchant segment.
Coming in for the bronze is Episode 98 – a deep dive on Google Pay with Steve Klebe. Recorded in 2019, the popularity of this episode is a reflection of the continuing interest in the evolution of major digital wallets such as Google Pay, Apple Pay, Alipay, Wechat, and others.
It would be remiss not to mention that updates on RTP® appear twice in our top ten. Not surprising as fast payments systems are increasingly important systemic payment systems around the world. The popularity of this topic will likely heat up in 2023 as we witness the launch of FedNow in the United States.
We look forward to bringing you more on the ever evolving payments industry in 2023.
If you have a suggestion for a guest you would like to hear on Payments on Fire® or the topic for our 200th Episode, send us an email at: paymentsonfire@glenbrook.com.
On behalf of everyone at Glenbrook, best wishes for a Happy New Year. Thanks for listening!
