Agentic commerce was one of the loudest e-commerce trends of 2025 — but is it real demand or mostly hype + incentives?

In this episode of Payments FM, Nikita sits down with Colin Luce, Founder & CEO of Basis Theory, to unpack what’s actually happening in agentic commerce and agentic payments right now, what merchants should do today, and why trust + tokenization might decide how this all plays out.

We cover:

• The real blocker: messy merchant data and product availability

• Embedded checkout vs “true agents transacting on your behalf”

• Why virtual cards would be a bad end-state for the ecosystem

• ACP (Agentic Commerce Protocol), platform incentives, and “who owns the customer?”

• Where agentic payments may show real near-term value (hint: not the sexy B2C stuff)

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Chapters

01:36 Welcome Colin Luce (Basis Theory)

02:23 FOMO, hype, and incentives driving adoption

06:04 What merchants should do first (traffic, data, readiness)

12:36 Payments realities: embedded checkout vs true agent payments

19:37 Are today’s demos “magic”? (disappointing discovery, data quality)

23:50 Best use cases + where agentic commerce really helps

34:26 Protocols, ACP momentum, and merchant voice

41:31 Who should store the payment credential? (trust + tokenization)

44:59 Chargebacks & liability in an agent-driven world

46:23 Cybersecurity risks in the rush to ship

49:49 Biggest blocker in payments: behavior change

54:01 One elevator tip to improve payment performance

#payments #ecommerce #fintech #tokenization #agenticcommerce #ai

In this episode of Payments FM, we sit down with Dan Loomis from Gusto to discuss the world of payroll and cashflow management for small and medium businesses. 

Dan sheds light on the common financial headaches like cashflow volatility, lack of control and confidence, and how Gusto Money aims to solve these through innovative solutions. 

We explore the challenges small businesses face such as managing payables, accelerating receivables, and the unique issues arising from bill payments and invoicing. 

Dan also discusses the new integrations and features of Gusto Money, including the Payroll Bridge, financing options, and using stable coins for international payments. Learn how Gusto is transforming payroll management and providing flexible financial solutions to help small businesses thrive.

00:38 Guest Introduction: Dan Loomis from Gusto

01:12 Common Payroll Challenges for Small Businesses

05:02 Gusto Money: Addressing Payroll Pain Points

08:11 Invoicing Solutions and Market Competition

14:11 Bill Pay Solutions and Payment Methods

19:45 Same Day Payroll: How It Works

25:19 Financing Solutions: Payroll Bridge

35:04 Stable Coins for International Payments

38:26 Future of Payments and Final Thoughts

In this episode, we explore the intricate world of payments and banking with Victoria Soltesz, founder and CEO of PSP Angels.

We cover essential topics including international payments, high-risk merchants, crypto in payments, and the gaming industry. Victoria shares her mission to create a more ethical and transparent payment industry, emphasizing the need for proper education and strategic planning.

Learn practical advice on streamlining your payment processes, understanding the latest in FinTech, and optimizing your fees and customer journey.01:59 International Payments11:36 High-Risk Merchants21:34 Crypto in Payments25:38 Stablecoins and Tokenization27:33 The Complexities of iGaming Payments33:29 Offshore Entities and Tax Optimization39:57 Navigating Payment Systems and Banking42:39 The Future of Payments and Banking

In this episode we talk with Albert Drouart from Pagos about everything payments data. 

We talk about how businesses can leverage payment data to optimize their transaction processes, reveal hidden issues, and enhance overall performance. 

Through real-life examples and advanced monitoring strategies, Albert explains the transformative potential of data enrichment and AI in the payments landscape. 

Key topics include anomaly detection, benchmarking, and AI in payments. 

This episode is a must watch for anyone who is working with payments data or looking for different ways to optimize their payments performance.

Mastering Payment Integrations with Michael Taylor: Best Practices & StrategiesIn this in-depth conversation, Michael Taylor, the Director of Solution Engineering at checkout.com, shares invaluable insights on optimizing your payment processes. We discuss the importance of pre-mortems, best practices for integrating a new payment service provider (PSP), setting clear expectations, and establishing robust communication channels. Michael emphasizes the need to engage all relevant stakeholders early in the process to avoid friction and ensure a smooth integration. We also explore the evolving landscape of e-commerce payments, the role of AI in certification processes, and the critical metrics for monitoring performance post-launch. If you want to elevate your business's payment strategy, this episode is a must-watch!00:00 Introduction to Payment Service Providers00:05 The Importance of Pre-Mortem Analysis01:34 Key Steps After Choosing a Payment Provider02:05 Effective Communication and Documentation05:09 Engaging Cross-Functional Teams07:37 Certification and AI in Payment Integration09:34 Phased Approach to Go-Live11:44 Considerations for Different Payment Types15:02 Pre-Built Components: Pros and Cons20:25 Operational Preparedness24:51 Staying Updated on Payment Regulations28:47 Key Metrics and KPIs for Payment Performance32:26 Successful Integration Examples35:38 Current Challenges in the Payments Industry38:54 Practical Advice for Merchants40:33 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

In this episode, we sit down with Philip Pages, CEO of Redux Payments, to explore the issue of involuntary churn in subscription-based businesses.

Why churn is a critical problem, the difference between voluntary and involuntary churn, and the need for intelligent retry logic to reduce churn rates.

We dive into various retry strategies, the impact of new technologies like network tokens, and other methods to optimize payment recoveries.

Additionally, Philip shares practical advice for merchants to improve their payments performance and underlines the significance of focusing on involuntary churn for exponential business growth.

00:00 The Power of 0% Churn Rate00:48 Understanding Involuntary Churn02:12 Deep Dive into Subscription Churn04:40 Voluntary vs. Involuntary Churn08:16 The Financial Impact of Reducing Churn12:51 Technological Solutions to Churn18:41 Customer Experience and Retry Logic24:15 Maintaining Customer Trust24:49 Intelligent Retry Strategies25:53 Involuntary Churn Insights28:58 AI-Powered Payment Recovery29:50 Beyond Retries: Other Recovery Mechanisms33:52 Personalized Payment Solutions36:18 Optimizing Payment Recovery42:22 Exciting Trends in Subscription Payments44:32 Practical Advice for Merchants

Understanding Payment Integration Models and Risk Management with Joshua Silver, CEO of Rainforest

In this episode of Payments.FM, Joshua Silver, the CEO of Rainforest, delves deep into the intricacies of payment integration models for software platforms.

We discuss the two primary models: the integrated referral model and the embedded payments model. Joshua highlights the advantages and disadvantages of each approach and emphasizes the importance of service, technology, and commercials in selecting a payment provider.

We also touch on the challenges of fraud and compliance, and how Rainforest's unique approach mitigates these risks while offering a seamless user experience.

Tune in for actionable insights on improving your platform's payment performance and understanding the evolving landscape of the payments industry.

00:00 Introduction to Payment Models01:58 Options for Integrating Payments into Software Platforms03:15 Understanding Embedded Payments05:15 The Role of Payment Facilitators08:44 Balancing Risk for software platforms16:06 Enhancing Platform and Merchant Experience23:42 Competing in the Payment Platform Market26:46 Challenges and Future of the Payments Industry

The Essential Guide to Payment Orchestration with Gr4vy's VP Commercial Zubin Vandrevala.

Join us in this insightful episode as we delve into the world of payment orchestration with Zubin Vandrevala, VP Commercial at Gr4vy. Learn about the evolving needs of merchants in payment processing, the complexities they face, and how orchestration platforms can provide strategic advantages. Zubin shares his experiences and case studies, including a detailed look at how key merchants successfully integrated payments orchestration solutions. This episode is packed with valuable insights for any merchant or business looking to understand the potential of payment orchestration in simplifying and optimizing their payment infrastructure.

00:00 Introduction to Payment Orchestration

01:42 Meet Zubin Vandrevala: Background and Experience

02:50 The Need for Payment Orchestration

05:59 Case Study

07:46 Complexity and Growth in Payment Systems

09:34 Build vs. Buy: Strategic Considerations

10:05 Merchant Profiles and Benefits

17:22 Addressing Common Objections

43:14 Industry Trends and Future Outlook

46:56 Practical Advice for Merchants

48:46 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

In this episode, Anantharaman Pattabiraman, CEO of the payment intelligence platform Inai, discuss the intricacies of payment performance metrics.

We chat about metrics for different business models such as e-commerce and subscription services, the challenges merchants face in tracking and interpreting payment data, and the opportunities for leveraging AI in payments.

Anta provides actionable insights on optimizing authorization rates, reducing costs, and minimizing involuntary churn. He also explores the future of payment technologies and the importance of viewing payments as a revenue driver rather than just a cost center.

00:00 Introduction to Payment Success Rates

00:20 Actionable Insights from Payment Data

00:52 Guest Introduction: CEO of InEye

01:56 Key Payment Metrics for Merchants

04:32 Metrics for Different Business Models

08:55 Challenges in Payment Performance Tracking

11:20 The Role of Data in Payment Optimization

18:32 A/B Testing and Orchestration in Payments

25:15 Future of Payments: AI and Account-to-Account

33:19 Common Advice for Merchants

37:31 Conclusion and Contact Information

In this episode, Jenna Wire, a seasoned expert in the FinTech industry and a founding member of Venmo and Braintree, discusses the latest global trends in payments, challenges facing subscription businesses, and the new era of cross-border payments.

Jenna shares her insights on the high costs of credit card processing for merchants, the importance of payment orchestration, and the strategies for reducing payment processing costs.

She also explores the potential of generative AI in the payment sector, the rising role of payment consultants, and practical advice for subscription merchants looking to retain and grow their customer base.

The conversation touches on various aspects of the industry, including the adoption of alternative payment methods and the future of payment optimization.

Contacts:

LinkedIn:

Timestamps:

00:38 Meet Jenna Wire: FinTech Veteran and Innovator