Payments MAGnified 26

Thank you for Attending

Payments MAGnified brought together key stakeholders in the payments ecosystem and focused on the latest in payments technology. Payments MAGnified took place February 17-20, 2026, at the Gaylord Pacific Resort and Convention Center in San Diego, CA.

MAG conferences offer a unique experience, attracting payments professionals as well as those with organizational responsibilities that include payments and related matters.

Merchant-Only Special Interest Group (SIG) Roundtable discussions
Timely educational sessions and networking opportunities in an intimate setting that attendees have come to value - a value that impacts your company.
Small Group Discussions and Case Studies

Tech Forum Attendees: Payments MAGnified took a deeper dive into the technology of payments while continuing to connect merchant IT professionals and their business partners with technology sponsors through tech-focused educational sessions and engaging networking events.

REGISTRATION ROSTER

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TECH FORUM ROSTER

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Tech Forum

The MAG Tech Forum is aligned with the MAG Payments Conference, offering education and networking opportunities for payments IT professionals. As the payments ecosystem evolves, the MAG Tech Forum connects payments technology experts and leading providers to explore innovative applications of these advancements.

The MAG Tech Forum aims to foster collaboration, provide tech-focused knowledge, and build relationships between merchants, their payments IT and business teams, and technology providers.

NETWORK

Connect with IT professionals at the Tech Forum and payments professionals at the MAG conference events representing over 150 of the largest U.S. merchants which account for over $4.8 trillion in annual sales across physical and digital commerce.

DEVELOP

Create new business connections with Tech Forum and MAG merchant member attendees from every vertical (eCommerce, Airlines, Department Stores, Mass Merchant, Grocery, Hospitality, Hotels Petroleum/Convenience Stores, Small Ticket/Restaurants).

DEEP DIVE

Presentations are available on current industry topics that your business peers across the retail community are grappling with in their companies. Join the strategic discussions and learn best practices for today’s rapidly changing payments environment.

LEARN

Access to industry experts who provide the latest insights and innovative uses of new payment technologies twice a year through panel and keynote sessions, as well as within the exhibit halls at in-person events.

CONTINUED LEARNING

Beyond the in-person meetings twice a year, participate in the MAG webinar series, online learning, MAG committees, and Community of Practice (COP) efforts offered throughout the year. Want to get even more involved? Be a panelist at one of our upcoming events and share your perspective with fellow merchants.

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Payments MAGnified Agenda

Last updated on Wednesday, February 18, 2026. All times are in PST

Agenda Key

In Person
Virtual
Livestream
Rebroadcast
Merchant Only Session

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01:00 PM - 06:30 PM

All

Registration Open

Description
Registration is available in two locations: Floor 1 outside California Ballroom 3-4, and Floor 4 in the Chula Vista Foyer.
05:00 PM - 06:00 PM

All

First-Time Attendees Session
06:00 PM - 07:00 PM

All

Networking Reception - Hosted By: MAG

07:00 AM - 05:30 PM

All

Registration Open

Description
Registration is available in two locations: Floor 1 outside California Ballroom 3-4, and Floor 4 in the Chula Vista Foyer.
07:30 AM - 08:30 PM

All

Continental Breakfast
08:00 AM - 04:00 PM

All

Exhibit Hall Open
08:30 AM - 09:35 AM

All

Opening Keynote: Delivering Payments Solutions with Agentic Commerce Experiences

Moderators

Beth Provenzano, MAG

Presenters

Olaseni Alabede, Visa

Maia Josebachvili, Stripe

Paul Chang, Amazon Web Services

Ryan Clapp, The Kroger Co.

Description

Expert panelists will explore the quickly evolving landscape of Agentic Commerce. Attend this session to learn about the ecosystem and how businesses can succeed in our new world of AI-powered commerce.
09:35 AM - 11:00 AM

All

Explore the Exhibit Hall!

Description
Whether you're taking a break between sessions or eager to compete in the Exhibitor Quest for a chance to win great prizes, you won’t want to miss the action in our conference Exhibit Hall. This is the best opportunity to network with providers and discover the solutions your teams need. See you there!
10:05 AM - 10:20 AM

All

Innovation Stage: ANTOM by Ant International

Presenters

Sandra Li, ANTOM

Description
Ant International's new AI capabilities will increase the efficiency of merchant payments operations, such as integration guides, customer service, credit card disputes, and chargeback handling. Ant International will also discuss what merchants need to know or pay attention to when leveraging agentic payments and how they are working with merchants in these areas.
10:25 AM - 10:40 AM

All

Innovation Stage: Firmly

Presenters

Scott Hendrickson, Firmly

Description
Consumer behavior is shifting fast, with shoppers now expecting to buy the moment inspiration strikes and traditional redirects are rapidly shrinking. Traffic from GenAI browsers to retail sites has surged 4,700% year-over-year, and McKinsey projects agentic commerce will reach $5 trillion globally by 2030. Yet adoption across the industry lags, slowed by fragmented protocols that require separate integrations and a heavy engineering lift. This constrains scalability and places the technical burden back onto merchants. Firmly.ai removes this friction with a unified “Buy Now, Anywhere” platform that accelerates merchant adoption across every major LLM and publisher environment. Products become instantly shoppable with zero engineering lift — a fully no-code, no-protocol, no-financial-commitment solution — and merchants always remain the Merchant of Record.
10:45 AM - 11:00 AM

All

Innovation Stage: Splitit

Presenters

Calvin Woo, Splitit

Dan Seung, Samsung

Description

Room: California 1
Merchants and shoppers are already seeing results from Samsung Wallet’s in-store installment feature powered by Splitit. Unlike legacy BNPL, Splitit links payments to a shopper’s existing card; no new credit checks, rewards stay intact, and purchase protections remain. The experience is embedded in Samsung Wallet: once enrolled, consumers can tap and split purchases at the point of sale, gaining control and visibility over their plan. We’ll share the new roadmap: VIP co-branded wallet campaigns, omnichannel and global expansion in key regions, and the next wave: AI-driven personalization that surfaces the right plan at the right moment. Walk away with the playbook to create a frictionless, future-proof checkout.
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

All

Networking Lunch

Description
Room: California 1
12:00 PM - 01:00 PM

Tech

Tech Forum Kick-Off - Agentic AI and The Future of Commerce

Presenters

Michael Edwards, Fiserv

Jessica Rosa, Fiserv

Joe Vasterling, Best Buy

Ivan Fernandez, Google

Description

Room: Chula Vista 1-3
Level 100:
Commerce is undergoing rapid evolution as agentic AI, autonomous systems capable of acting on behalf of users, intersects with transformative technologies like blockchain, digital currencies, and real-time payments. Simultaneously, global dynamics are pushing businesses to rethink how they operate. This discussion explores how adaptive workflows and intelligent automation are enabling organizations to navigate complexity, support multi-channel digital payments, and deliver more personalized customer experiences. Attendees will gain a clear view of how agentic AI is accelerating decision-making, streamlining operations, and opening new revenue channels while also examining the risks of falling behind in a fast-evolving marketplace.
01:20 PM

All

Small Group Discussion - Payment Strategy & RFPs

All

Small Group Discussion - Agentic Commerce/AI

All

Small Group Discussion - Chargebacks

All

Small Group Discussion - Fraud

All

Small Group Discussion - Preparing for International Consumers

All

Small Group Discussion - Alternative Payment Methods
- 01:20 PM - 02:05 PM
  
  All
  
  Small Group Discussion - Payment Strategy & RFPs
  
  Presenters
  
  Conrad Sheehan, Deloitte
  
  Randy Gibbons, Southwest Airlines
  
  Description
  
  Room: Fern Pine 4
  With commerce evolving at an ever-increasing pace, the agility and adaptability of service providers are more important than ever. Merchants continually reevaluate their service providers against new requirements. Join this group to discuss how the changing landscape impacts an RFP and what your peers are doing to ensure success.
- 01:20 PM - 02:05 PM
  
  All
  
  Small Group Discussion - Agentic Commerce/AI
  
  Presenters
  
  Mathieu Barthelemy, Oliver Wyman
  
  Prateek Dudeja, Google
  
  Description
  
  Room: Fern Pine 3
  For merchants and the payments industry, AI has gone from discussions on potential applications to a commercial reality in less than a year. Agentic commerce is poised to change the way consumers discover, select and pay for goods and services. This discussion centers on merchant considerations when interacting with these commerce AI agents.
- 01:20 PM - 02:05 PM
  
  All
  
  Small Group Discussion - Chargebacks
  
  Presenters
  
  Tony Hight, Chargeback Gurus
  
  Brian Thomas, AT&T
  
  Description
  
  Room: White Alder 1-2
  With more ways to pay and a shift to online and digital sales, the complexity of chargeback management increases. Navigating the rules and compliance programs requires periodic review and adjustments. Join this group to discuss trends and solutions your peers are seeing in their chargeback management operations.
- 01:20 PM - 02:05 PM
  
  All
  
  Small Group Discussion - Fraud
  
  Presenters
  
  Alexander Hall, Sift
  
  Ashley Johnson, Texas Roadhouse
  
  Description
  
  Room: Honey Locust 1
  As commerce evolves, so does fraud. New shopping channels, such as agentic commerce, are poised to transform customer engagement, including fraud risk. At the same time, merchants must continue to combat fraud in traditional payments channels while developing new, merchant-driven strategies to stay ahead. Join your peers to discuss the latest tactics for combating payments fraud and consider how innovations will influence the future of fraud prevention.
- 01:20 PM - 02:05 PM
  
  All
  
  Small Group Discussion - Preparing for International Consumers
  
  Presenters
  
  Doug Larson, Fiserv
  
  Jenni Eichenauer, Bath & Body Works
  
  Description
  
  Room: White Alder 3
  With the United States hosting both the 2026 World Cup and 2028 Summer Olympics, preparing your payments acceptance solutions for international consumers should be a top priority. Join this group to discuss what changes your peers are considering making to their operations and how they are managing the influx of international consumers to their businesses.
- 01:20 PM - 02:05 PM
  
  All
  
  Small Group Discussion - Alternative Payment Methods
  
  Presenters
  
  Caitlin Skulley, Flexa
  
  Troy Carrothers, MAG
  
  Description
  
  Room: White Alder 4
  Faster payments, ACH, stablecoins, and embedded finance are common terms to describe alternative payment methods, but what do they mean, and how do merchants determine the right mix for their payments strategy? This discussion group will focus on the variety of alternative payment methods and their applicability to your business.
02:25 PM

Business

Payment Resilience in an Uncertain World

Business

Investing in Trust: The Ultimate Currency of Fintech Innovation

Tech

From Data to Decisions: How AI is Transforming Merchant Payment Insights

Tech

Transforming Payment QA: Eliminating Friction Through Scalable Payment Test Automation
- 02:25 PM - 02:55 PM
  
  Business
  
  Payment Resilience in an Uncertain World
  
  Presenters
  
  Cedric Lourie, FreedomPay
  
  Description
  
  Room: California 3-4
  Consumer-facing businesses are navigating an era of growing unpredictability. From extreme weather events and power outages to cyberattacks and system failures, disruption is no longer a rare occurrence—it’s the new normal. Recent high-profile incidents at leading retailers and brands have highlighted the vulnerability of payment systems, resulting in lost sales, frustrated customers, and operational challenges. In this session, FreedomPay explores the effects of payments failures in Europe through a first-of-its-kind research report showing the significant revenue loss and reputation impact caused by payment outages to businesses across North America. We go over how businesses can build payments resilience to minimize revenue loss and reputational damage.
- 02:25 PM - 02:55 PM
  
  Business
  
  Investing in Trust: The Ultimate Currency of Fintech Innovation
  
  Moderators
  
  Rene Pelegero, Retail Payments Global Consulting Group
  
  Presenters
  
  Stan Wilson, PAZE
  
  Stacie Davis, Worldpay
  
  Malcolm Fisher, Domino's
  
  Description
  
  Room: Chula Vista 5
  In an era defined by unprecedented technological advancements – from the transformative power of AI and the widespread adoption of digital wallets to the ever-present challenges of identity verification and fraud – the very foundation of financial innovation hinges on building and maintaining unwavering trust. Explore the paramount importance of trust in leadership within the rapidly evolving global fintech landscape. Delve into actionable strategies for navigating change and fostering trust in an increasingly complex digital economy. Hear how organizations can cultivate a culture of trust, focusing on transparent practices, robust security measures, and unwavering ethical standards, ensuring a resilient and thriving financial ecosystem.
- 02:25 PM - 02:55 PM
  
  Tech
  
  From Data to Decisions: How AI is Transforming Merchant Payment Insights
  
  Moderators
  
  Kelly Wenzel, IXOPAY
  
  Presenters
  
  Marco Conte, IXOPAY
  
  Tanit Tur, Grover
  
  Description
  
  Room: Chula Vista 1-3
  Level 100:
  Imagine opening one portal, asking “How’s my business doing?” and getting a complete snapshot in under 20 seconds. No bugs, no spreadsheets, just insights that would have taken hours otherwise. While AI has become one of the most talked-about technologies in payments, it’s not always clear how it delivers measurable value. For payments teams, the question is simple: how can AI actually help me work smarter with my data? In this session, Grover and IXOPAY explore how AI-powered analytics cut through the noise to turn raw transaction data into actionable insights that improve authorization rates, reduce costs, and enhance the customer experience. Learn how merchants can use AI to evaluate and boost payment performance, uncover hidden trends, and predict failures before they happen; ultimately enabling faster, smarter decision-making.
- 02:25 PM - 02:55 PM
  
  Tech
  
  Transforming Payment QA: Eliminating Friction Through Scalable Payment Test Automation
  
  Presenters
  
  Itai Sela, PaytestLab
  
  Description
  
  Room: Chula Vista 4
  Level 200:
  Manual testing remains one of the biggest barriers to speed and consistency in payments software QA. Explore how automation, from robotic testing to centralized test orchestration, can eliminate friction points across the entire test lifecycle. Discover how modern tools and strategies enable teams to scale coverage — including both the POS and payment simultaneously — reduce certification delays, and transition from reactive to proactive quality assurance.
03:15 PM

Business

Navigating Fraud Prevention in the Age of Agentic Commerce

Business

How Embedded Lending Orchestration Accelerates Sales

Tech

Striking the Balance: How to Stop First-Party Fraud Without Stopping Your Customers

Tech

Why Crypto Payments Are Your Next Growth Driver
- 03:15 PM - 03:45 PM
  
  Business
  
  Navigating Fraud Prevention in the Age of Agentic Commerce
  
  Presenters
  
  Sunny Thakkar, Worldpay
  
  Ned Canning, Macy's
  
  Description
  
  Room: California 3-4
  With the rise of agentic commerce, where autonomous agents make purchasing decisions on behalf of users, fraud prevention must evolve to detect not only human behavior but machine-driven transactions. At the same time, fraudsters are leveraging the same AI capabilities without the constraints of governance, compliance, or ethical oversight. This session explores the dual-edged nature of AI in fraud prevention. Drawing from real-world implementation experience, including a recent fraud vendor migration, gain practical guidance on deploying AI responsibly and effectively in a rapidly shifting landscape. Discover how to stay ahead when fraudsters have access to the same tools with fewer rules.
- 03:15 PM - 03:45 PM
  
  Business
  
  How Embedded Lending Orchestration Accelerates Sales
  
  Presenters
  
  Meidad Sharon, ChargeAfter
  
  Terry O’Neil, Citi
  
  Josh Mueller, Best Buy
  
  Description
  
  Room: Chula Vista 5
  Customer choice is the new currency in retail, and merchants who can offer the right financing at the right moment are winning the sale. Embedded lending orchestration connects shoppers with multiple lenders across the credit spectrum, ensuring more approvals, higher average order values, and stronger conversion rates at every point of sale. Explores how orchestrating a multi-lender network transforms embedded lending from a simple payment option into a high-performance sales engine. Get real-world results showing how orchestration technology has improved approval rates and incremental revenue through personalized, omnichannel lending experiences. We also discuss how leveraging data insights, waterfall models, and lender redundancy ensures consistent performance even in shifting economic conditions. This session reveals how orchestrated embedded lending turns choice into conversion, delivering smarter credit experiences that fuel both customer satisfaction and revenue growth.
- 03:15 PM - 03:45 PM
  
  Tech
  
  Striking the Balance: How to Stop First-Party Fraud Without Stopping Your Customers
  
  Presenters
  
  Galit Michel, Forter
  
  Nitish Pandit, Priceline
  
  Description
  
  Room: Chula Vista 4
  Level 200
  As businesses focus more on improving their margins, finding the right balance between preventing first-party fraud and keeping the checkout process smooth can be tricky. In this discussion, industry experts will share practical tips and real-world examples on how to implement tools, such as 3DS, to protect your business from first-party fraud—without disrupting the experience for your trusted customers. We’ll also explore how AI can help you strike the right balance.
- 03:15 PM - 03:45 PM
  
  Tech
  
  Why Crypto Payments Are Your Next Growth Driver
  
  Presenters
  
  John Williams, PayPal
  
  Piyush Kaushal, PayPal
  
  Description
  
  Room: Chula Vista 1-3
  Level 100:
  Crypto is moving from conversation to checkout, and for some merchants, it’s becoming a new way to drive growth through customer choice. PayPal and Win Win Coffee share a practical, real-world look at what it actually takes for a business to offer crypto as a payment option. Explore why some businesses are choosing to accept crypto today, what’s been easy, confusing, and surprising along the way, and how to evaluate whether it makes sense for you, your consumers, or your bottom line.
04:00 PM

All

Merchant Only SIG: Small Ticket/Restaurant

All

Merchant Only SIG: Mass Merchant

All

Merchant Only SIG: Recurring/Subscription Billing

All

Merchant Only SIG: Petroleum/Convenience Store

All

Merchant Only SIG: eCommerce

All

Merchant Only SIG: Technology
- 04:00 PM - 05:00 PM
  
  All
  
  Merchant Only SIG: Small Ticket/Restaurant
  
  Description
  
  Room: White Alder 3
  The ultimate networking session! Come join the most highly-rated sessions of a MAG conference! These merchant-only discussion groups, led by merchant leaders, give you an opportunity in a no-pressure environment for an open and honest chat with your peers about what keeps you up at night.
- 04:00 PM - 05:00 PM
  
  All
  
  Merchant Only SIG: Mass Merchant
  
  Description
  Room: Fern Pine 3
- 04:00 PM - 05:00 PM
  
  All
  
  Merchant Only SIG: Recurring/Subscription Billing
  
  Description
  Room: Honey Locust 1
- 04:00 PM - 05:00 PM
  
  All
  
  Merchant Only SIG: Petroleum/Convenience Store
  
  Description
  Room: White Alder 4
- 04:00 PM - 05:00 PM
  
  All
  
  Merchant Only SIG: eCommerce
  
  Description
  Room: Fern Pine 4
- 04:00 PM - 05:00 PM
  
  All
  
  Merchant Only SIG: Technology
  
  Description
  Room: White Alder 1-2
05:00 PM - 06:00 PM

All

Networking Reception - Hosted By: MAG

Description
Room: California 1

07:00 AM - 06:00 PM

All

Registration Open

Description
Registration is available in two locations: Floor 1 outside California Ballroom 3-4, and Floor 4 in the Chula Vista Foyer.
07:30 AM - 08:30 AM

All

Continental Breakfast

Description
Room: California 1
08:00 AM - 04:00 PM

All

Exhibit Hall Open

Description
Room: California 1
08:30 AM

All

Innovation Stage: Stripe

All

Explore the Exhibit Hall!
- 08:30 AM - 08:45 AM
  
  All
  
  Innovation Stage: Stripe
  
  Presenters
  
  Elle Carter, Stripe
  
  Description
  
  Room: California 1
  Learn how Link, Stripe’s consumer financial network, can increase conversions and revenue. Link gives customers a single, portable financial identity that securely stores and reuses cards, bank accounts, BNPL, external crypto wallets, and verified identity and financial data across Stripe. Join Elle Carter, Director of Product Sales, for practical guidance on integrating Link to speed checkout, reduce friction, and sell across channels. Elle will also discuss Link’s role in agentic commerce, the product roadmap, and what to expect in 2026. Leave with simple, actionable steps to drive growth from unified consumer identity.
- 08:30 AM - 09:15 AM
  
  All
  
  Explore the Exhibit Hall!
  
  Description
  
  Room: California 1
  Whether you're taking a break between sessions or eager to compete in the Exhibitor Quest for a chance to win great prizes, you won’t want to miss the action in our conference Exhibit Hall. This is the best opportunity to network with providers and discover the solutions your teams need. See you there!
08:50 AM - 09:05 AM

All

Innovation Stage: Visa

Presenters

Greg Witten, Visa

Description

Room: California 1
Visa explores how dispute management is being reimagined for the age of agentic commerce. As AI‑driven transactions accelerate, traditional, manual dispute processes can no longer keep pace. This presentation highlights how Visa is leveraging generative AI and advanced machine learning to transform dispute management into faster, smarter, and more proactive post‑purchase experiences. Attendees will learn how Visa’s Dispute Hub, predictive winnability insights, and flexible, multi‑network workflows help merchants reduce friction, recover more revenue, and stay competitive in an increasingly autonomous commerce ecosystem.
09:30 AM - 10:10 AM

All

Stablecoins Transition to Mainstream

Moderators

Troy Carrothers, MAG

Presenters

Trevor Filter, Flexa

Pietro Moran, Shift4

Description

Room: California 3-4
As digital currencies evolve beyond speculation and into real-world utility, stablecoins are emerging as a transformative force in the payments ecosystem. This panel brings together industry leaders to explore how stablecoin innovation is reshaping settlement, cross-border capabilities, and merchant acceptance. The discussion examines practical use cases, regulatory developments, and the infrastructure required for stablecoin adoption at scale. Get insights into how merchants can prepare for and capitalize on this rapidly developing area of digital payments.
10:30 AM

Business

Pay-by-Bank 2.0

Business

The New Rules of Paying for Travel: How Flexibility Builds Loyalty

Tech

Empowering Autonomous Transactions: The Rise of Agentic Commerce in the Digital Economy

Tech

POS Transformation Journey: Strategies from the Frontlines
- 10:30 AM - 11:00 AM
  
  Business
  
  Pay-by-Bank 2.0
  
  Moderators
  
  Troy Carrothers, MAG
  
  Presenters
  
  Matt Brennan, Pay with Spire
  
  Keith Olson, Nuvei
  
  Jim Colassano, The Clearing House
  
  Description
  
  Room: California 3-4
  Pay-by-Bank (PBB) has become one of the fastest growing payment alternatives worldwide. This session discusses PBB enablement and utilization in the U.S. as well as the expected next steps in driving PBB2.0 to significantly wider acceptance as a low-cost, merchant-friendly payment alternative. The session brings together merchants, payments facilitators, and data aggregators to discuss the expansion of PBB2.0.
- 10:30 AM - 11:00 AM
  
  Business
  
  The New Rules of Paying for Travel: How Flexibility Builds Loyalty
  
  Presenters
  
  Scott Williams, Affirm
  
  Carolina Lopez, UATP
  
  Cobus Kok, Priceline
  
  Description
  
  Room: Chula Vista 5
  The way travelers pay for their trips is changing fast, and the entire travel ecosystem is adapting. As consumers look for greater flexibility, clarity, and control at checkout, payments strategy is emerging as a key competitive lever for merchants; one that directly influences conversion, loyalty, and long-term relationships. Explore how evolving consumer behavior and merchant priorities are shaping the future of travel payments. The discussion unpacks what’s driving these shifts, how leading brands are responding, and how collaboration across networks, processors, and providers is enabling smarter, more seamless payment experiences. Get a clear view of how flexibility and choice can build trust, foster loyalty, and turn checkout into a competitive advantage.
- 10:30 AM - 11:00 AM
  
  Tech
  
  Empowering Autonomous Transactions: The Rise of Agentic Commerce in the Digital Economy
  
  Presenters
  
  Prashant Sharma, J.P. Morgan
  
  Bryan Penny, BP Advisors
  
  Joe Vasterling, Best Buy
  
  Description
  
  Room: Chula Vista 1-3
  Level 100:
  Step into a world where intelligent agents transact, negotiate, and manage commerce on your behalf to unlock new levels of efficiency, personalization, and innovation. Agentic commerce is no longer a distant vision; it is rapidly becoming a reality, powered by advances in AI, automation, and smart contracts. We explore the foundational concepts and technological enablers behind agent-driven commerce, dive into real-world applications across retail, B2B, and financial services, and assess the opportunities and challenges this paradigm presents for businesses, consumers, and financial institutions. Leave with a clear understanding of how agentic commerce can be woven into existing business models, the benefits and risks of delegating commercial activities to autonomous agents, and the steps needed to prepare for this new era of digital transactions.
- 10:30 AM - 11:00 AM
  
  Tech
  
  POS Transformation Journey: Strategies from the Frontlines
  
  Presenters
  
  Mark Ericksen, Deloitte
  
  Daniel Lacotte, Adyen
  
  Description
  
  Level 100:
  As payments technologies and consumer expectations evolve, merchants across industries face mounting pressure to modernize POS technology, the customer experience, and the employee experience. In this session, Deloitte and Adyen discuss point-of-sale payments, including best practices, trends, and tips.
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

All

Networking Lunch

Description
Room: California 1
12:00 PM

Business

The Road Ahead: How Connected Car Consumers Are Transforming Sales and Payments

Business

Women In Payments: Building a Payments Career

Tech

Check-in to checkout: Creating Connected Customer Journeys at the POS

Tech

The Merchant Perspective: A Frank Conversation on Tokenization and Agentic Commerce
- 12:00 PM - 12:30 PM
  
  Business
  
  The Road Ahead: How Connected Car Consumers Are Transforming Sales and Payments
  
  Presenters
  
  Tom Nipper, J.P Morgan
  
  Saurabh Choudhary, PDI Technologies
  
  Rick Wilmer, Chargepoint
  
  Sergio Perez, Shell Oil Products Company
  
  Description
  
  Room California 3-4
  Every journey is an opportunity for engagement, and every vehicle is a gateway to new commerce. The rise of the connected car consumer is reshaping how businesses reach, serve, and inspire customers across all market segments. Explore how connected vehicles are creating seamless, personalized experiences that extend far beyond transportation. Discover the technologies and partnerships fueling this revolution and learn how new sales channels, from in-car payments to integrated digital marketplaces, are opening doors for growth and innovation.
- 12:00 PM - 12:30 PM
  
  Business
  
  Women In Payments: Building a Payments Career
  
  Moderators
  
  Beth Provenzano, MAG
  
  Presenters
  
  Nicole Pinto, Airbnb Payments Inc.
  
  Jodie Kelly, Electronic Transactions Association
  
  Beth Costa, Costa Advisory Group
  
  Description
  
  Room: Chula Vista 5
  Payments professionals often joke that they don’t go to school for payments; yet so many of us end up in long-term, fulfilling careers centered around payments. Hear from women executives on their career journeys as well as their take on hot topics in the industry.
- 12:00 PM - 12:30 PM
  
  Tech
  
  Check-in to checkout: Creating Connected Customer Journeys at the POS
  
  Presenters
  
  Rajeev Yerukalapudi, Verifone
  
  Jeff Pomeroy, PayPal
  
  Description
  
  Room: Chula Vista 4
  Level 100:
  The POS is no longer the end of the customer journey; it is the start of an intelligent relationship. As identity, payments, and personalization converge, checkout is transforming into a strategic channel for engagement, loyalty, and revenue growth. Biometrics and tokenized credentials are redefining how customers “check in,” enabling instant recognition, secure authentication, and personalized experiences beyond the transaction. The result is a new retail model where every interaction deepens trust and drives value. Examine how merchants and payments providers can turn POS info into a connected experience layer. We discuss how to integrate loyalty and media activation directly at checkout, how to balance convenience with compliance, and how privacy-first design can build long-term consumer confidence. By reframing checkout as a data-driven engagement point, retailers can unlock richer insights, streamline operations, and deliver measurable business impact – all without compromising security or customer trust.
- 12:00 PM - 12:30 PM
  
  Tech
  
  The Merchant Perspective: A Frank Conversation on Tokenization and Agentic Commerce
  
  Presenters
  
  Arthur Bedel, VGS
  
  Melissa Shields, VGS
  
  Gautam Poornachandra, Amazon
  
  Chris Thompson, United Airlines
  
  Matt Bethell, LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton Inc
  
  Description
  
  Room: Chula Vista 1-3
  Level 200:
  The future of commerce is undoubtedly agentic, but the question remains: are we ready to build it securely, fairly, and scalably? This is not a theoretical discussion; it is a look at the future through the eyes of the merchant. Join this candid, interactive session that moves beyond the hype to address the most critical challenges facing the payments ecosystem today.
12:45 PM

Business

The Great Payments Shake-Up: What CEDP, DCAP, and 2026 Changes Mean for Merchants

Tech

Building Trust in the Age of Agentic Commerce

Business

Balancing Innovation and Cost: Building a Future-Ready Payments Strategy
- 12:45 PM - 01:15 PM
  
  Business
  
  The Great Payments Shake-Up: What CEDP, DCAP, and 2026 Changes Mean for Merchants
  
  Presenters
  
  Tom Wrigley, Optimized Payments
  
  Kelly Andrus, MAG
  
  Description
  
  Room: California 3-4
  Visa’s CEDP program reshaped the meaning of enhanced data for commercial cards. Now, Visa’s DCAP plans to do the same with consumer cards. In addition to a deep dive into these programs, explore the full wave of recent and upcoming network and regulatory changes in 2026. From new data and compliance requirements to evolving rules on routing, pricing, and acquirer relationships, merchants will need to rethink how they manage, and optimize, their payments ecosystems. This session breaks down what’s changing, who will feel the greatest impact, and how forward-looking merchants can get ahead of the curve.
- 12:45 PM - 01:15 PM
  
  Tech
  
  Building Trust in the Age of Agentic Commerce
  
  Presenters
  
  Suzanne Gendelman, Adyen
  
  Zoe Denom, Lululemon Athletica
  
  Description
  
  Room: Chula Vista 4
  Level 200:
  As AI agents take over shopping journeys — from search to checkout — merchants face both opportunity and risk. Will brands lose visibility, or gain a powerful new channel? Explore how merchant-centric protocols preserve trust, control, and flexibility in the next era of AI-driven commerce.
- 12:45 PM - 01:15 PM
  
  Business
  
  Balancing Innovation and Cost: Building a Future-Ready Payments Strategy
  
  Moderators
  
  Steve Mott, Better Buy Design
  
  Presenters
  
  Boomer Muth, Koalafi
  
  Moiz Qureshi, Lowes
  
  Tom Rittle, Genuine Parts Company
  
  Description
  
  Room: Chula Visa 5
  The future of payments is not just offering more ways to pay; it’s about building an innovative, inclusive, and financially sustainable strategy. Explore how merchants can build a future-ready payments approach that embraces innovation and drives measurable business results. This session covers emerging payments trends, consumer behavior, and alternative financing options, including lease-to-own (LTO) as one example of a tool that can expand access, increase conversion, and support cost optimization. Through case studies and forward-looking perspectives from industry leaders, attendees will learn how to balance the cost of acceptance with growth while navigating evolving interchange, consumer, and technology dynamics.
01:35 PM

Business

Case Study: The $59 Billion Problem: Combating AI-Accelerated Refund Abuse

Business

Case Study: A Case Study in Maintaining Routing Choice with Network Tokens

Tech

Case Study: Chaos to Clarity: The Key to Reducing the True Cost of Payments

Tech

Case Study: PCI Compliance Automation: Putting Your PCI Program on Rails
- 01:35 PM - 02:20 PM
  
  Business
  
  Case Study: The $59 Billion Problem: Combating AI-Accelerated Refund Abuse
  
  Presenters
  
  Dany Naigeboren, Forter
  
  Vanessa Merenda, Aritzia
  
  Description
  
  Room: California 3-4
  Refund fraud and costs the merchant industry over $59 billion annually in direct losses. With recent advancements in AI, these attacks are accelerating and becoming far more sophisticated, allowing complex fraud schemes to slip through existing defenses. This session breaks down how AI-driven refund attacks are executed and share actionable strategies to stay ahead. Learn how to safeguard your business and prevent losses before they ever hit your bottom line.
- 01:35 PM - 02:20 PM
  
  Business
  
  Case Study: A Case Study in Maintaining Routing Choice with Network Tokens
  
  Presenters
  
  Dolan Hunt, CMSPI, Smarter Payments Intelligence
  
  Veronika Young, Netflix
  
  Description
  
  Room: Chula Vista 5
  Token-based solutions are becoming more prevalent in the market, offering tangible benefits to merchants. CMSPI and Netflix explore industry uses of tokenization on debit rails, highlighting both benefits and drawbacks while discussing how collaboration can lead to better outcomes for all parties.
- 01:35 PM - 02:20 PM
  
  Tech
  
  Case Study: Chaos to Clarity: The Key to Reducing the True Cost of Payments
  
  Presenters
  
  Nilesh Desai, Optimus Fintech
  
  Deborah Guerra, Arrive
  
  Description
  
  Room: Chula Vista 1-3
  Level 100:
  What if your biggest source of profit drain isn’t fraud or chargebacks, but the cost of payments itself? Hidden processor fees, fragmented PSP systems, and delayed settlements quietly eat into margins for many fast-growing, customer-first brands. We unpack how our client uncovered millions in hidden costs buried inside its payments back-office chaos. The result? Better control, smarter decisions, and a measurable lift in profitability — without changing PSPs or ripping out existing systems. This case study offers a rare look into how a modern enterprise bridged operational silos, surfaced hidden costs, and created lasting value through intelligent reconciliation.
- 01:35 PM - 02:20 PM
  
  Tech
  
  Case Study: PCI Compliance Automation: Putting Your PCI Program on Rails
  
  Presenters
  
  Brandon Sterne, Basis Theory
  
  Description
  
  Room: Chula Vista 4
  Level 200:
  PCI compliance can slow even the most disciplined engineering teams to a halt. The annual PCI audit becomes a company-wide fire drill: a scramble to find evidence, chase down service owners, and write missing documentation with promises to “automate this next year.” Hear how to deliver on that promise. See real-world examples of how to put your PCI program on rails, transforming it from an annual fire drill into an automated, always-on system that runs quietly in the background. We focus on Intelligent Security Control Design: building evidence collection directly into the controls themselves. We will also talk about building a Continuous Evidence Pipeline. Instead of the mad scramble to collect 12 months of screenshots each year, your evidence pipeline continuously collects, tests, and refreshes new artifacts, and lets you know when a control is failing.
02:40 PM - 03:40 PM

All

SIGs and Snacks

Description

Room: Chula Vista 6
The ultimate networking session! Join your fellow merchants for open and honest discussion about the latest going on in payments to collaborate and problem-solve together.
04:00 PM - 05:00 PM

All

Inside PayPal World: Future-Ready Cross-Border Payments

Presenters

Otto Abasi Williams, PayPal

John Drechny, MAG

Description

Room: California 3-4
PayPal World is redefining how enterprises scale globally by enabling seamless interoperability across the world’s largest digital wallets and payments systems. Explore how U.S. and multinational merchants can expand into high-growth markets such as India, China, and Latin America without complex, market-by-market integrations. Learn how PayPal World connects leading partners to simplify cross-border acceptance and enhance customer experiences through trusted local wallets and multi-currency payments. These partnerships enable enterprises to reduce friction, accelerate market entry, and reach nearly two billion consumers worldwide through a unified global wallet ecosystem.
05:00 PM - 07:00 PM

All

Networking Reception - Sponsored By: Fiserv

Description
Room: La Perla 3

07:00 AM - 11:30 AM

All

Registration Open

Description
Registration is available only on Floor 4 in the Chula Vista Foyer.
07:30 AM - 08:30 AM

All

Continental Breakfast

Description
Room: Chula Vista Foyer
08:30 AM

All

Block 1 - State Regulatory Issues

All

Block 1 - Spring Release

All

Block 1 - Fraud Trends

All

Block 1 - Standards Bodies Updates

All

Block 1 - Tokenization
- 08:30 AM - 09:10 AM
  
  All
  
  Block 1 - State Regulatory Issues
  
  Description
  Room: Fern Pine 3
- 08:30 AM - 09:10 AM
  
  All
  
  Block 1 - Spring Release
  
  Description
  Room: Fern Pine 4
- 08:30 AM - 09:10 AM
  
  All
  
  Block 1 - Fraud Trends
  
  Description
  Room: Honey Locust 1
- 08:30 AM - 09:10 AM
  
  All
  
  Block 1 - Standards Bodies Updates
  
  Description
  Room: White Alder 3
- 08:30 AM - 09:10 AM
  
  All
  
  Block 1 - Tokenization
  
  Description
  Room: White Alder 4
09:20 AM

All

Block 2 - Agentic Commerce

All

Block 2 - Debit Routing

All

Block 2 - Alternative Payment Methods

All

Block 2 - Cash Management

All

Block 2 - Chargeback Management
- 09:20 AM - 10:00 AM
  
  All
  
  Block 2 - Agentic Commerce
  
  Description
  Room: Fern Pine 3
- 09:20 AM - 10:00 AM
  
  All
  
  Block 2 - Debit Routing
  
  Description
  Room: Fern Pine 4
- 09:20 AM - 10:00 AM
  
  All
  
  Block 2 - Alternative Payment Methods
  
  Description
  Room: Honey Locust 1
- 09:20 AM - 10:00 AM
  
  All
  
  Block 2 - Cash Management
  
  Description
  Room: White Alder 3
- 09:20 AM - 10:00 AM
  
  All
  
  Block 2 - Chargeback Management
  
  Description
  Room: White Alder 4
10:00 AM - 10:20 AM

All

Networking Break

Description
Room: Chula Vista Foyer
10:20 AM - 11:05 AM

All

Merchants Unleashed: Keeping Focused on What Matters Most

Moderators

John Drechny, MAG

Presenters

Eric Vescera, Inspire Brands

Pam Stults, Marriott International

Joe Vasterling, Best Buy

Description

Room: Chula Vista 1-3
Are you overwhelmed by new ideas popping up from every direction in your organization? You’re not alone. In this lively, merchant-only session, leaders from innovative merchants will swap stories and practical advice about managing that incoming flow of ideas. Whether it’s requests from the C-suite, brainstorms from your teams, or suggestions from outside partners. We’ll talk candidly about what works (and what doesn’t) when it comes to sorting the urgent from the important, figuring out which new concepts deserve your focus, and building straightforward ROI models that really resonate with decision makers. Come ready with your questions and real-world challenges. This is a one-of-a-kind opportunity to connect with fellow merchants and walk away with fresh strategies to make your organization’s next big idea a success.
11:15 AM - 12:00 PM

All

Cutting Through the Noise: What Payments Policy Issues to Watch in 2026

Moderators

Beth Provenzano, MAG

Presenters

Owen Glist, Constantine Cannon

Stephanie Badger, Nickles Group

Doug Kantor, NACS

Description

Room: Chula Vista 1-3
Regulators, legislators, and the courts have been particularly focused on payments policy in recent months, despite a lengthy government shutdown. From credit to debit to coins (specifically the penny) and beyond, policymakers are actively engaged on a variety of issues at both the federal and state levels. Panelists share updates on merchants’ policy priorities, the legal landscape, and predictions for an exciting midterm election year.
12:15 PM - 12:30 PM

All

Farewell Refreshments

Description
Room: Chula Vista Foyer

Conference Sponsors and Exhibitors

Sponsorship Value

As a MAG exhibitor and/or Conference sponsor, merchants will:

Recognize your company brand, products, and services
See you as a supporter and partner in the payments community
View your company as a relevant solution to current or future payments needs
REMINDER: You must be a current MAG Annual Sponsor in good standing to be a Conference and/or Tech Forum sponsor. View the MAG Annual Sponsor Listing here.

Attendee List to Sponsors:

Attendee Lists: Beginning December 8, the MAG will post an attendance roster on the conference website and update it weekly. As an added benefit to MAG Annual Sponsors, we will send two (2) pre-conference registration lists (January 26 and February 2) and one (1) post-conference attendee list (February 23) with the contact information of registrants who have given their permission to share. We ask that you limit your number of electronic promotions to conference attendees to a maximum of two (2) email communications.

ANNUAL SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

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Speakers

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