[Payments Unleashed] Video interview with Erich Litch, ACI Worldwide

Erich Litch from ACI Worldwide explains how payments are evolving fast through consumer demand, cloud tech, AI, and interoperability, and shares a roadmap for businesses to stay ahead.

On 22–23 October 2025, ACI hosted their premier Payments Unleashed Summit in New York, bringing together leaders, innovators, and visionaries to explore the future of payments. The event tackled the most critical and forward-looking topics driving the industry today–from AI and agentic commerce to stablecoins, payments intelligence, and embedded finance. The conversations zeroed in on what CEOs must do now to lead through 2030 and beyond, addressing key themes like tokenised assets, AI-powered fraud prevention, and shifting regulatory landscapes.

The payments world has transformed dramatically in the last 20 years, driven by rising consumer expectations and rapid tech advances. At the Payments Unleashed Summit, Mélisande Mual, Publisher of The Paypers, sat down with Erich Litch, General Manager of Payments Software for Merchants and Banking at ACI Worldwide, to unpack how modernisation is reshaping this landscape.

Consumers today demand more than just convenience; they expect to pay however they want, whether that’s with debit, digital wallets, benefit cards, or something new. To keep up, businesses must adopt cloud technology that enables fast, seamless updates amid complex regulations. Modern data systems break down old silos, unlocking powerful AI and analytics that drive smarter decisions.

But the real game-changer? Interoperability. Payment systems must connect flawlessly across channels–online, in-store, pharmacy, gas station–delivering a consistent, flexible experience everywhere customers engage.

This conversation dives into the tech and strategy behind these shifts, offering a clear roadmap for businesses aiming to stay ahead in a payments world that’s more dynamic and demanding than ever. Watch to learn what it takes to win today and thrive tomorrow.

About Erich Litch

 

Erich Litch is ACI’s General Manager of Payment Software. In this role, he drives the company’s leadership in payments orchestration for Banks and Merchants. He is responsible for leading our global product management and commercial functions for these two customer segments. He has more than 20 years of experience in executive and senior leadership roles at SaaS and licensed-based financial technology businesses. At Fiserv, CheckFree, and Corillian, he held various senior leadership roles, driving the sale and delivery of enterprise financial software and payments solutions to large global financial institutions. He also oversaw the acquisition and integration of other financial technology companies.

More recently in financial technology, Mr. Litch served as President and Chief Operating Officer of 2Checkout, an online payment processing and subscription management company acquired by Verifone. At 2Checkout, he developed a comprehensive operations strategy to significantly improve sales, security, quality, and reliability.

Mr. Litch holds a J.D. from Loyola Law School in Los Angeles, California, and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of California, Los Angeles.

About ACI Worldwide

ACI Worldwide, an original innovator in global payments technology, delivers transformative software solutions that power intelligent payments orchestration in real-time so banks, billers, and merchants can drive growth, while continuously modernising their payment infrastructures, simply and securely. With 50 years of trusted payments expertise, we combine our global footprint with a local presence to offer enhanced payment experiences to stay ahead of constantly changing payment challenges and opportunities.