You’re a Payment Systems executive. How do you stay on top of industry news?

To stay informed in the Payment Systems sector, executives should subscribe to key industry publications like The Nilson Report and PaymentsSource, and attend pivotal conferences such as Money20/20. Engaging in online forums and LinkedIn groups also offers valuable insights through peer discussions. These strategies ensure a well-rounded understanding of market trends, regulatory updates, and technological advancements in the field.

Regularly read blogs and listen to podcasts hosted by industry experts. Podcasts like Breaking Banks, Fintech Insider, and Payments on Fire provide in-depth discussions on current trends and innovations.

Participate in online forums and communities such as LinkedIn groups, Reddit’s FinTech subreddit, and specialized industry Slack channels. Engaging in discussions with peers helps you stay informed about emerging trends and challenges.

Despite being a complex set of industries and sub-industries, there are a significant number of free/ad-ware and paywalled sources available. Aside from the periodically released reports by major and boutique consulting brands alike, there are specialist online publications (e.g. electronicpaymentsinternational.com, PYMNTS.com, The Paypers, Finextra, etc.), industry academic-like publications (e.g. Journal of Payments Strategy & Systems), industry reports from industry players (e.g. Visa, Mastercard, Worldpay, etc.), regulators (BIS, ECB and other central banks) without discounting the content shared online by industry experts and influencers (e.g. on Linkedin).

It's not about joining the right communities. It's learning from them! So how do you make the most from the online communities? Simple, you listen and ask questions. Most industry-specific forums dedicated to payment systems are good to stay updated. Don't just lurk! Actively participate in discussions, ask questions, and share your own insights.

Regardless if one feels sufficiently confident to join the conversation or prefers to take a less active approach, there are aa significant number of online communities through a number of social media channels on which information and insights are shared. Personally, I have found that following key payments experts and influencers on Linkedin is way more conductive than joining any not-so active community. Given the significant choice of options available, it is easy to quickly saturate an inbox and attention bandwidth. It is not just a matter of identifying sources and communities but to be selecting in keeping being part to those that better fit each learning and insight exchange objectives.

What's better than reading and learning from people online? Learning from people face-to-face! If you're in the payments system, you already know how important networking is, industry events and conferences are gold mines for growing your network. But, remember the ground rules: Don't be salesy! And no small talk.

t's important to keep an eye on what your competitors are doing and what your customers are demanding. This will help you identify opportunities and threats and ensure that you're staying ahead of the curve. To monitor your competitors, you can: Read their press releases and blog posts. Attend their events and conferences. Follow them on social media. To monitor your customers, you can: Conduct surveys and focus groups. Analyze your customer data. Solicit feedback from your customers.

New things are always coming up! And with the industry growing so rapidly you need to stay on the top of your game. How do you do that? By continuously learning! If you're already thinking I know most of the stuff, what should I learn more. Here's a tiny list of skills and things that could be worth learning or digging deep: - blockchain, real-time payments (RTP), Open Banking APIs, and artificial intelligence (AI) applications in fraud prevention. - cybersecurity - regulations like PSD2 (Payment Services Directive 2) and GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) - different payment methods, interchange fees, and potential revenue streams within the payment processing landscape. Stay informed and keep learning!

The payments industry is constantly evolving, so it's important to stay ahead of the curve by learning new skills and staying up-to-date on the latest trends. Here are a few ways to do this: Take online courses. Read industry publications. Attend industry events and conferences. Network with other professionals in the industry.

Defining a clear set of objectives helps identifying the most suitable sources to subscribe to or follow, this way it is possible to focus efforts that, may be challenging to keep up as a routine in the longer term. Aside from that, learning is one of those activities that let us take out what we actually put in it and there is no substitute to long term systematic persistence within the context of a complex and varied industry such as payments.

A habit it a great way to block out some time each day or week to read newsletters and dig deeper into some relevant stories in the press and online.

The best way to stay up-to-date in the payments industry is to make it a habit. Create a routine for yourself that includes reading industry publications, attending events, and networking with other professionals. By making a commitment to staying informed, you'll be well-positioned to succeed in the ever-changing payments landscape.

I found the best source of current information with insights, and avoiding siloed thinking; is talking to people from diverse backgrounds, at all levels, from banks, non-banks, working in payments, relying on payments, regulation, different sectors, etc... The non-experts often have different perspectives entirely.