As payments scale globally, infrastructure choices matter. This piece examines how collaboration between banks and financial infrastructure providers enables resilient, compliant growth across modern financial services.
Payments have always been at the heart of financial services; what has changed over the past decade is not the importance of payments, but the expectations placed on them. Today, businesses expect payment capabilities that are global by default, resilient under pressure, and flexible enough to support new products and business models at speed.
Meeting these expectations is no longer just a question of user experience or front-end innovation. Increasingly, success is determined by the strength of the underlying payments infrastructure.
From product-led banking to infrastructure-led collaboration
Banks remain central to the global financial system. They provide the balance sheet strength and trust payments rely on. At the same time, fintechs and digital platforms are reshaping how financial services are consumed and embedded into everyday products.
Rather than competing models, we are seeing a shift toward collaboration. Banks and infrastructure providers are collaborating to deliver modular, API-driven capabilities that can be adapted to a wide range of use cases, from Embedded Finance to cross-border commerce.
In my experience, the most successful models are those where each party focuses on its strengths. Banks continue to provide access to the core financial system, while infrastructure platforms focus on orchestration, connectivity, and scale.
Why infrastructure matters more as payments scale
As payment volumes grow and use cases become more complex, infrastructure choices begin to have strategic consequences.
Businesses expanding across markets need access to local and international payment rails, account structures that support multiple currencies, and predictable and transparent settlement models. They also need the confidence that these capabilities will continue to work as volumes increase and regulations evolve.
This is where infrastructure-first thinking becomes critical. Scalable payments infrastructure is not about replacing existing systems, but about connecting them in a way that reduces friction, increases resilience, and supports long-term growth.
When infrastructure is designed correctly, it enables faster product launches, smoother geographic expansion, and greater operational control without compromising on compliance or safeguarding.
Regulation – an enabler, not an obstacle
Regulation is often framed as a constraint on innovation. In reality, it plays a vital role in enabling sustainable growth.
Clear regulatory frameworks give confidence to businesses, banks, and end users alike. They establish the rules that allow new payment models to scale safely and responsibly. From safeguarding requirements to transaction monitoring, these controls are essential to maintaining trust in the ecosystem.
For infrastructure providers, this means embedding compliance into the design of payment flows from day one. When compliance is treated as a foundational element rather than an afterthought, it becomes a source of stability, and not friction. This approach also strengthens partnerships with banking institutions, creating alignment around shared standards, risk management, and long-term objectives.
The growing importance of partnership models
No single organisation can deliver global payments alone. Modern payment ecosystems depend on networks of partners, including banks, clearing systems, regulators, and technology providers.
Strong partnerships are built on transparency, operational clarity, and mutual understanding of risk and responsibility. In practice, this means investing time in governance, communication, and shared processes, not just technology integration.
As payments become more embedded in non-financial products, these partnerships become even more important. The infrastructure behind the scenes must support innovation without introducing unnecessary complexity or exposure.
Looking ahead: infrastructure as a strategic advantage
The next phase of payments innovation will not be defined solely by new front-end experiences. It will be shaped by the ability to move money efficiently, compliantly, and reliably across borders and platforms.
Businesses that invest in scalable, well-architected payments infrastructure will be better positioned to adapt to regulatory change, enter new markets, and respond to customer needs. Just as importantly, they will be able to build stronger, more sustainable relationships with their banking partners.
In a rapidly evolving payments landscape, infrastructure is no longer just a technical consideration; it is a strategic foundation for growth.
About the author
Barry O’Sullivan is the Director of Banking and Payments at OpenPayd, leading and managing relationships with global banks and payment partners. Barry has been working in Financial Services and Technology for the last 20 years, helping organisations manage FX risk and streamlining their global payment processes, and now holds a key role in strengthening OpenPayd’s global payment processes. Before joining OpenPayd in 2022, he held senior roles at XE.com, Vitesse PSP and Kyriba.
About OpenPayd
OpenPayd is building a universal financial infrastructure to power the growth of the digital economy. Their rails-agnostic platform enables businesses to move and manage money globally across fiat and digital assets through a single API. OpenPayd provides embedded accounts, FX, domestic and international payments, Open Banking, and stablecoin on/off-ramps, delivering interoperability between traditional finance and digital assets.
