Entering the final quarter of the year, executives in the payments and fintech industries may be looking ahead to the networking and learning opportunities to come in 2026.
Trade shows, conferences and industry events offer professionals “a chance to step back from day-to-day demands, see what’s ahead for the industry, and exchange ideas that help shape strategy for the future,” said Brian Tate, president and CEO of the Innovative Payments Association, which will host its annual event in late April.
While payments leaders remain focused on compliance, risk management and fraud prevention, “what’s changing is the context,” Tate said. These payments fundamentals now intersect with emerging issues, such as evolving regulations and advancing technology.
One such change is the growing number of use cases for artificial intelligence. Ken Musante, president of Napa Payments and Consulting, expects AI and its payments applications to be a hot topic at next year’s conferences.
AI is quickly gaining steam in the industry, with credit card firms and processors enabling AI agents for shopping, and tech giants jumping in to address online commerce challenges related to agentic AI.
Musante also expects discussions around open banking. While the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s rule is slated to take effect for large banks by mid-2026, it has come under fire from banking associations, which sued the CFPB last year to block the rule. Now, the bureau is seeking comments on a revised rule.
Aside from sessions discussing news and trends in payments, Musante said networking is one of the biggest benefits for industry executives attending shows.
“It is helpful to get the perspectives of the speakers and even more helpful to have access to the presenters and deep thinkers on topics,” Musante said. “To truly benefit from shows, you need to leverage those people.”
Below is a look at the biggest payments and fintech conferences coming up in 2026.
Top payments conferences in 2026
NEAA (Northeast Acquirers Association) 2026
Feb. 4-5
Boston
The regional association’s yearly event brings together "the smartest minds, the newest tech, and the biggest ideas in merchant acquiring,” according to its website. More than 900 payments professionals are expected to attend.
Women in Payments Symposium
Feb. 26-27
Washington, D.C.
Each year, the symposium features female leaders in the payments industry and works to support diversity and gender parity. The theme for 2026 is "Unstoppable: Breaking Barriers, Building Futures."
Identity and Payments Summit
March 2-4
Houston
The annual summit, hosted by the Secure Technology Alliance, brings together leaders from companies focused on identity, access and payments. The 2025 lineup had speakers from Bank of America, Rebel Payments, Visa, Walmart and more.
Merchant Risk Council’s MRC Vegas 2026
March 16-19
Las Vegas
The MRC’s event focuses on technology, emerging threats and the future of commerce. Registration for next year’s conference opens in November.
Electronic Transactions Association’s Transact
March 18-20
Atlanta
The event includes three days of networking, education, and keynote sessions. ETA anticipates more than 3,000 attendees and 140 speakers.
Fintech Meetup
March 30-April 1
Las Vegas
More than 700 financial institutions converge for Fintech Meetup. This year’s event included attendees from Citi, Chime and TD Bank, and the 2026 meetup will focus on partnerships and scalable technologies in banking and fintech.
Association of Payment Professionals’ Level Up 26
April 20-22
Las Vegas
The 3-day conference features keynote speakers, receptions, and networking events alongside coffee or trivia. The sessions provide valuable insights into risk and fraud, Musante said.
Nacha's Smarter Faster Payments
April 26-29
San Diego
Nacha’s conference offers “cutting edge” insights on ACH and real-time payments, Musante said. Sessions during the 2026 conference will also focus on AI strategies, cybersecurity, legal issues and stablecoins. In addition, the event provides an exhibit hall and networking opportunities.
Innovative Payments Conference
April 29-May 1
Washington, D.C.
The conference, hosted by the Innovative Payments Association, focuses on the next generation of payment solutions and making sense of payments in a changing world. The event provides professionals with “direct access to the regulators shaping policy and the peers driving innovation,” Tate said.
Datos' Retail Bank Transformation Americas
May
Charlotte, North Carolina
The event is geared toward senior retail banking and payments leaders focused on customer experience and product or service delivery. This year’s conference featured speakers from Samsung, Truist and U.S. Bank, among others.
2026 SEAA (Southeast Acquirers Association) Annual Conference
June 8-10
Miami
Regional shows, like the one hosted by SEAA, are affordable, accessible and “great for folks working directly with merchants,” Musante said.
MWAA (Midwest Acquirers Association) 2026
July 22-23
Chicago
This will be MWAA’s 24th annual conference, a two-day event with educational and networking opportunities, speakers and an exhibit hall that showcases the latest payments products.
MoneyLive North America
Sept. 14-15
Chicago
About 800 people are expected to attend MoneyLive next year, with 70% at the C-level, director, vice president or head-of level. This year’s speakers included executives from Barclays, JPMorgan Chase and Santander.
Merchant Advisory Group Payments Conference
Sept. 27-30
Nashville, Tennessee
MAG’s event aims to focus on the latest industry topics as well as provide an outlook on the future of payments.
Fintech Talents North America
September
New York
The event focuses on innovation and collaboration in financial services. Previous events have featured speakers from Klarna, Microsoft and Morgan Stanley.
