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Payments MAGnified 26 is February 17–20, 2026, in San Diego, and the MAG has curated a lineup of sessions built for depth, relevance, and forward-looking insights for payments professionals across business and technology teams.
This event is a forum to unpack the technologies and trends shaping the next era of payments, from AI and agentic commerce to stablecoins and alternative payment methods. Here are some key sessions you won’t want to miss.
The Future is AI and Agentic Commerce
Opening Keynote: Delivering Payments Solutions with Agentic Commerce Experiences
Kick off the conference with a forward-looking panel on agentic commerce. Explore how autonomous AI agents are transforming purchasing and payments, and what this means for merchants and solution providers.
Tech Forum: Agentic AI and The Future of Commerce
Join this conversation on how agentic AI intersects with critical payments technologies like blockchain and real-time payment rails, enabling smarter operations, personalized experiences, and new revenue streams.
Small Group Discussion: Agentic Commerce/AI
An interactive peer session focused on merchant considerations when engaging with AI agents that research, shop, and transact autonomously.
Breakout Session: From Data to Decisions: How AI is Transforming Merchant Payment Insights
Learn how AI-powered analytics can turn raw payments data into actionable insights, boosting authorization performance, cutting costs, and enabling smarter outcomes.
Chargebacks and Dispute Management
Small Group Discussion: Chargebacks
Get a look into the rising complexity of chargeback management as commerce evolves across channels and digital environments.
Case Study: Chaos to Clarity: The Key to Reducing the True Cost of Payments
This session reframes identity as a payments engineering problem, not a marketing checkbox.
Alternative Payment Methods and Stablecoins
Small Group Discussion: Alternative Payment Methods
Explore key APMs, from faster payments and ACH to emerging rails like stablecoins and embedded finance. Discuss how to evaluate which methods fit their business strategy and customer base.
Session: Stablecoins Transition to Mainstream
This panel of industry leaders explore how stablecoin innovation is reshaping settlement, cross-border capabilities, and merchant acceptance. Get insights into how merchants can prepare for and capitalize on this rapidly developing area of digital payments.
Breakout Session: Pay-by-Bank 2.0
This session discusses pay-by-bank enablement and utilization in the U.S. as well as the expected next steps in driving wider acceptance as a low-cost, merchant-friendly payment alternative.
SIGs: A New Format with More Choice
Special Interest Groups (SIGs) at Payments MAGnified 26 provide additional topic choices, giving merchants more personalization and targeted conversations. Read more on the changes to this popular merchant-only session in this month’s Advancing Payments article.
Can’t-Miss Community Building Sessions
At Payments MAGnified 26, the MAG is continuing to invest in career growth and connection:
- Women in Payments: Building a Payments Career
- Small Group Discussions across a wide range of topics
Why These Topics Matter to Merchants
- AI and agentic systems are rapidly shifting how customers interact, discover, and transact online, with direct implications for checkout strategy, personalization, and automation.
- Chargeback complexity continues to impact merchant costs and operational workflows.
- Alternative payment methods, including stablecoins, represent real tactical choices for merchants balancing customer demand, cost, and risk.
Your Feedback Supports a Great Cause
Conference surveys are not only how the MAG continues improving our events, they are also how we give back to communities. For every survey attendees complete, the MAG will donate $1.00 to I Love a Clean San Diego, which leads and inspires the San Diego community to actively conserve and enhance the environment.
Important Note for Conference-Goers: WEAR COMFORTABLE SHOES!
Payments MAGnified 26 takes place at the Gaylord Pacific, a beautiful and expansive resort. Bring your walking shoes – you will meet your daily step goal! Expect ample space for networking, movement, and exploration. We be sure to participate in our photo hunt to encourage attendees to explore the space and have some fun along the way.