Alliance Members,

There’s Halloween decorations on store shelves, football on tv and the pumpkin spice latte is quickly making its way back on coffeehouse menus. Can we please just slow down a bit and enjoy the last few weeks of summer? If you are looking for suggestions for reading material at the beach I’ve compiled a short list of recommendations. These also make for great reading at your desk! I’ve also included some other upcoming events you should know about.

Protecting Payments in the Quantum Era: What You Need to Know - This Quantum Payments Project Team resource describes quantum computing’s potential to transform the payments industry while addressing its threats to current cryptographic systems. There’s also a companion video, Protecting Payments in the Quantum Era: Prepare for Impact, available that you’ll want to watch. 

Diving into the Fundamentals of Cryptocurrency as a Form of Digital Currency - The Navigating Through Digital Payments Project Team released a paper that provides a foundational guide for payments professionals seeking to better understand the potential role of cryptocurrency in digital payments.

Payments & Artificial Intelligence: Protecting Yourself Against AI-Based Scams - This report, produced by the Alliance's Cybersecurity & Payments AI Project Team, is aimed at combating AI-based scams.

We’ve also launched the 2025 Spotlight! Payments Video Challenge. The submission period is open until August 31^st. So if you, or someone you know, has a clever way to educate the public about financial scams in a 60-second or less video and wants the chance to win cash check out the Official Contest Rules! Even if you don’t create a video, you can help support this effort by spreading the word about the contest. Feel free to like, link to or share on your own social media accounts. And help us all Take a Stand Against Scammers!

For Participating Members we’ve got a lot planned over the next few months. I’ve highlighted a few below so you can make sure they are on your calendar.

*If you are not a Participating Member but would love to get more engaged by attending a members only webinar, a virtual event, joining a project team or coming to our next in-person meeting please consider upgrading to a Participating Member. We’d love to discuss your options! Contact Julie Merante for more information.

WEBINAR: Stablecoin Primer: What They Are and How They Work – August 19th

Stablecoins are reshaping the future of money, bridging the gap between traditional finance and digital innovation. But what exactly are stablecoins – and how do they function in today’s rapidly evolving payments landscape? Join us for this introductory webinar where we will break down the fundamentals of stablecoins: what they are, how they maintain their value, and how they are being used for payments, cross-border transfers, and emerging financial services. Whether you are in banking, fintech, policy, or just curious about digital assets, this session will help you get grounded in the basics. (Registration link was sent via email on July 16^th)

VIRTUAL International Meeting – September 15^th

This virtual half-day meeting is focused on various international payments topics including Global Payments; PSD3; Leveraging AI to Combat Fraud; and Quantum Computing. You will hear directly from subject matter experts in other geographical locations who will share what they are seeing in the payments space as well as lessons they have learned. Please feel free to check out the detailed agenda. (A registration link will be sent shortly.)

IN-PERSON Alliance Membership Meeting – October 8-10

We are excited to be visiting the Queen City in the fall and what a meeting we have planned. The draft agenda will be posted next week but a sneak peek shows sessions such as: Payments that Never Sleep: The Strength of Resilience by Design; The Intersection of Payments & AI: Putting Concepts into Practice and Risk Assessments for Instant Payments & ACH. You can go ahead and register for the meeting now and even make your hotel reservations! We know this is a meeting you can’t miss, and we wouldn’t want you too!