In this edition, discover how Perfect Corp. scaled YouCam globally and achieved +250% growth with 2Checkout, explore the latest trends shaping affiliate marketing and buyer journeys, and stay ahead with insights on AI-driven pricing and the evolution of SaaS products. We’re also bringing you the latest product updates designed to improve subscription flexibility, boost conversions, and give you more control over the customer experience.  

Happy selling!   

• Perfect Corp. Scales YouCam and Achieves +250% Growth with 2Checkout  

When Perfect Corp. set out to scale YouCam Online Editor globally, the company required more than a payment processor— they needed a partner capable of handling tax compliance, local payment methods, and subscription management across 200+ markets.  

By partnering with 2Checkout as its Merchant of Record, the company unlocked +250% YoY revenue growth while significantly simplifying its global payment operations.  

This case study reveals what it truly takes to make global expansion work. 

• Payments and Fintech Events to Attend in 2026   

The fintech and payments space is evolving fast in 2026. From AI-driven finance to real-time and embedded payments, staying ahead means staying connected to the right conversations. Discover the top fintech and payments conferences to attend in 2026. 

• AI Drives Smarter eCommerce Pricing  

AI is transforming eCommerce pricing with smarter, real-time decisions. By moving beyond static pricing, businesses can adapt to demand, competition, and customer behavior while protecting margins and driving growth. Learn how AI is reshaping pricing strategies. 

• eCommerce in Australia   

Looking to expand your eCommerce business to Australia?   

With strong purchasing power and a fast-growing digital economy, Australia offers significant opportunities for online merchants. But succeeding in this market requires understanding local shopper expectations, payment preferences, and regulatory requirements.   

Our country guide explores key market trends, consumer behavior, and practical insights to help you navigate cross-border selling with confidence. 

• The Future of Affiliate Marketing: Trends to Watch in 2026  

Affiliate marketing is evolving fast, and 2026 is bringing new rules. From AI-driven optimization to creator-led commerce and privacy changes, success now depends on building real value and trust. Explore the key trends to stay ahead. 

• 78% of European Internet Users Bought Online in 2025  

Online shopping is becoming the default across Europe. As adoption rises and buyer confidence grows, businesses have more opportunities than ever to reach and convert digital-first consumers. Discover what’s driving this shift. 

• The Ultimate B2B Commerce Handbook: Key Insights and Strategies  

Dive into our handbook for essential strategies and insights on navigating the evolving world of B2B eCommerce. Discover how businesses are streamlining operations and reducing costs, harnessing the power of digital commerce to stay ahead in the market.   

• 2Checkout Churn Reporting   

Is your SaaS business facing challenges with customer churn? Understanding the reasons behind it is the first step towards boosting retention rates. Dive into our detailed Churn Reporting guide and uncover key strategies to keep your customers coming back.    

The post Industry Buzz – March 2026   appeared first on The 2Checkout Blog | Articles on eCommerce, Payments, CRO and more.

But 2026 isn’t shaping up to be a “quiet” year for the channel. With global affiliate marketing spending projected to surpass $17 billion this year (up from $13 billion in 2022, per Newmedia), the space is evolving fast.

New technology, shifting consumer behavior, and expanding global markets are rewriting the playbook. Whether you’re running an affiliate program or building one from scratch, here’s what you should actually be paying attention to right now.

AI Is Reshaping How Affiliates Work

You’ve probably heard the “AI is changing everything” line so many times it’s lost all meaning. But in affiliate marketing specifically, the shift is real and measurable. According to Affiverse, 78% of affiliate marketers now use AI tools for things like content creation, campaign optimization, and predictive analytics.

What does that look like in practice? Affiliates are using AI to test dozens of headline variations to avoid ending up in the Promotions tab, personalize landing pages based on traffic source, and predict which offers will convert before they even go live. For program managers on the brand side, that means your top affiliates are getting smarter and faster. The gap between a data-savvy affiliate and one still doing things manually is growing every quarter.

The takeaway for brands is pretty straightforward: if your affiliate program doesn’t offer robust tracking, real-time reporting, and flexible commission structures, you’re going to lose your best partners to competitors who do.

So, what’s the solution? To look both at AI and the flaws of your business head-on, of course. It can be anything from AI flashcards to entire agentic systems crunching data, but you need to move. There’s no silver bullet, just the need to experiment and find a solution empirically.

Ecommerce Adoption Is Accelerating

Affiliate marketing used to be the domain of a specific type of online business. That’s changed dramatically. Over 90% of ecommerce businesses are expected to adopt affiliate marketing by 2026, especially in retail and direct-to-consumer markets, according to Hostinger.

The reason is simple economics. Affiliate marketing delivers an average return of $15 for every $1 spent, as reported by Entrepreneurs HQ. That kind of ROI is hard to ignore when customer acquisition costs on platforms like Meta and Google keep climbing. Brands that were once skeptical about performance-based partnerships are now actively building affiliate programs as a core part of their growth strategy.

This wave of adoption means more businesses need reliable tools to manage affiliate relationships, automate payouts, and track cross-border performance. The infrastructure side of affiliate marketing is becoming just as important as the partnerships themselves.

Livestream Shopping Is Finding Its Footing in the West

If you’ve been watching the Asian eCommerce landscape, you know livestream shopping has been massive for years. The Western market has been slower to catch on, but it’s getting there. Udonis reports that livestream shopping is expected to account for more than 5% of all ecommerce sales in North America by 2026, with the segment growing at roughly 36% year over year.

That growth matters for affiliates because livestream commerce is inherently a partnership-driven format. Creators and influencers host live sessions, demonstrate products in real time, and drive purchases through embedded links. It’s affiliate marketing in its most visible, human form. Brands that figure out how to integrate livestream affiliates into their program structure early will have a serious edge as the format matures.

The challenge, of course, is attribution. Tracking a sale from a live video session requires more sophisticated tools than a standard affiliate link. Program managers should be thinking about how their tech stack handles these newer touchpoints.

Global Markets Are Opening Up

One of the most exciting developments in affiliate marketing right now is geographic expansion. Latin America, for example, is projected to see its ecommerce market reach $215.31 billion in 2026, according to Publift. That represents a massive opportunity for affiliate partnerships in a region where digital commerce infrastructure is maturing rapidly.

US affiliate marketing spending alone is expected to hit nearly $12 billion in 2025, climbing another 10.1% to over $13 billion in 2026, per Wix. But the real growth story is happening outside traditional markets. Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and parts of Africa are all seeing increased affiliate activity as internet penetration rises and payment solutions improve.

For brands selling digital products or SaaS, this global expansion is particularly relevant. Affiliates in emerging markets can tap into audiences that are just discovering the tools and platforms you sell. The long-term trajectory here is compelling: Post Affiliate Pro projects the global affiliate marketing market will reach $71.74 billion by 2034, representing a compound annual growth rate of 15.2%.

The Relationship Challenge Is Real

Let’s talk about the less glamorous side of running an affiliate program. Over 60% of marketers cited relationship management, brand consistency, and fraud as their top three challenges with the affiliate channel, according to Fintel Connect.

That stat should be a wake-up call. Working with affiliates is great, but managing it at scale is where most programs struggle. Brand consistency becomes harder to maintain when you have hundreds of affiliates creating content about your product. Fraud, while less common than it was a decade ago, still requires active monitoring and smart detection tools.

The programs that thrive in 2026 will be the ones that invest in partner communication, clear guidelines, and technology that flags issues before they become problems. It’s not enough to recruit affiliates and hope for the best. Building a sustainable program means treating your affiliates like an extension of your team, with regular check-ins, performance feedback, and a genuine two-way relationship.

Why 81% of Brands Are Already On Board

Here’s a number worth sitting with: around 81% of brands already use affiliate marketing programs to boost sales and increase brand awareness. That’s not a niche channel anymore. That’s mainstream adoption.

What’s driving that adoption beyond ROI is the flexibility of the model. Brands can work with content creators, comparison sites, coupon platforms, email marketers, and now livestream hosts, all under one program. The diversity of affiliate types means you can reach customers at nearly every stage of the buying journey without building each touchpoint from scratch.

For the remaining 19% of brands that haven’t started yet, the barrier to entry has never been lower. Platforms like 2Checkout make it possible to launch and manage an affiliate program alongside your existing billing and commerce operations. There’s no need to stitch together five different tools when one platform handles the full picture.

Final Thoughts

Affiliate marketing in 2026 looks different from even two or three years ago. AI is making affiliates more effective, ecommerce brands are adopting the channel in record numbers, and global markets are creating opportunities that didn’t exist before.

But the fundamentals haven’t changed. It’s still about building real partnerships, providing value to your audience, and tracking performance with precision.

The brands that win won’t be the ones chasing every trend. They’ll be the ones who build solid programs, invest in their affiliate relationships, and use the right tools to scale intelligently. The opportunity is massive, and it’s only getting bigger.

Want to earn with us? Join our affiliate program and start monetizing today.

JOIN NOW!

The post The Future of Affiliate Marketing: Trends to Watch in 2026 appeared first on The 2Checkout Blog | Articles on eCommerce, Payments, CRO and more.

The fintech and payments landscape is evolving faster than ever. As we move through 2026, innovations powered by artificial intelligence, embedded finance, real-time payments, and digital identity are redefining how businesses and consumers interact with money. According to industry research, global fintech investment rebounded to $116 billion in 2025, signaling renewed confidence in the sector and continued momentum heading into 2026. At the same time, the broader fintech ecosystem is expected to grow significantly, with the Fintech-as-a-Service market projected to expand from about $484 billion in 2026 to over $1.8 trillion by 2035, driven by digital banking, APIs, and embedded finance adoption. 

For professionals across financial services, staying ahead of these shifts is no longer optional. The most effective way to understand emerging technologies, regulatory changes, and market opportunities is by engaging directly with the people shaping the industry. This is why fintech and payments conferences remain essential hubs for knowledge, innovation, and collaboration. 

From global fintech festivals to specialized payments summits, these events bring together founders, financial institutions, payment providers, regulators, investors, and technology leaders to share insights, launch new solutions, and discuss the future of digital finance. Attending the right conference can help you discover new partnerships, learn from industry pioneers, and gain practical strategies you can apply immediately. 

Whether you are an eCommerce leader, fintech founder, payments professional, technology provider, or digital commerce strategist, industry events provide an unmatched opportunity to expand your network and stay informed about the trends shaping financial services. 

To help you plan ahead, we’ve compiled a carefully researched list of the top fintech and payments conferences to attend in 2026. From major global gatherings to influential regional events, these conferences will give you the insights, connections, and inspiration needed to navigate the next era of financial innovation. So grab your calendar and start planning your next industry experience. 

Payments MAGnified 

Date: 17-20 February 

Location: San Diego, US 

Payments MAGnified brings together key stakeholders across the payments ecosystem to explore the latest in payments technology. Held February 17–20, 2026, in San Diego, the event offers a collaborative setting for payments professionals and organizational leaders responsible for payments strategy. 

With merchant-only Special Interest Group roundtables, focused educational sessions, small-group discussions, and a dedicated Tech Forum, Payments MAGnified delivers practical insights while connecting merchant IT leaders with trusted technology partners to drive innovation and measurable impact. 

Sessions we recommend:  

• Business Navigating Fraud Prevention in the Age of Agentic Commerce 

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

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

Get tickets here 

Future Digital Finance by WBR 

Date: 3-5 March 2026 

Location: Palm Beach, USA 

Future Digital Finance is an experience built around the central idea of industry leaders coming together to develop digital strategies that will shape future innovations. Here you can discover how financial service organizations of all sizes are prioritizing digital strategies that enhance customer experience, and meet the people who are creating this change. 

Sessions we recommend: 

• Maximizing Marketing Investments By Optimizing Your Channel Strategies 

• Driving Growth with Smarter, Faster, AI Integrated Customer Experiences 

• Making Cyber Security and Fraud Prevention A Core Part of Your Digital Transformation 

Get tickets here 

FIN/SUM NEXT 

Date: 3-6 March 2026 

Location: Tokyo, Japan 

FIN/SUM NEXT marks the 10th anniversary of the FIN/SUM conference, bringing together leaders from finance, technology, and innovation to explore the new financial ecosystem shaped by AI and blockchain. The event focuses on how generative and agent-based AI, together with blockchain-based financial infrastructure, are transforming economic activity and enabling new forms of value creation. 

Through forward-looking discussions and expert insights, FIN/SUM NEXT examines how transparent data foundations, digital money, and emerging technologies are redefining finance as the infrastructure connecting trust and value in the next generation of the global economy. 

Sessions we recommend: 

• Fast tracking technology cycle: Cloud First, AI First transformation for next gen retail and corporate banking transformation 

• From AI Adoption to AI Transformation: Redesigning the Future of Financial Services 

• The Present and Future of Finance × AI — Top Leaders Discuss the Essence of Transformation 

Get tickets here 

Money Live Summit 

Date: 9-10 March 2026 

Location: London, UK 

Money Live Summit is Europe’s most senior banking and payments event and unites industry payments and banking leaders to discuss innovative ideas and create partnerships. 

Sessions we recommend: 

• Payment modernisation: building rails ready for anything 

• An era of verified trust: unlocking real value with digital identity 

• Banking in 2030: the strategic growth models for the next decade 

Find tickets here 

 Merchant Payment Ecosystem 

Date: 17-19 March 2026 

Location: Berlin, Germany

MPE 2026 will gather more than 1,600 industry professionals for three days of world-class insights from leading experts and innovative solution providers, spotlighting the latest advancements in payments and POS technology. 

Sessions we recommend: 

• Regulation compliance: PSD3, PSR, PCI & beyond 

• Complex, not complicated: Rethinking merchant payments 

• AI deep dive: The future of commerce in action 

Get tickets here  

Transact 

Date: 18-20 March 2026 

Location: Atlanta, US  

TRANSACT brings together the brightest minds and decision-makers across the payments ecosystem, including founders, payfacs, banks, ISVs, merchants, issuers, acquirers, and fintech innovators. Attendees gain practical, ready-to-apply insights, explore the latest technology in the Exhibit Hall, and connect through high-impact conversations designed to turn opportunities into real business outcomes. Built for doers, TRANSACT is where momentum builds and deals get done. 

Sessions we recommend: 

• Omni-commerce in the Cloud: Accelerating Payment Innovations with Tech Partnerships 

• Payment Processing Challenges for High-Risk Merchants 

• Beyond Fraud: Tackling the Rise of ‘Intent to No Pay’ 

Get tickets here 

Pay 360 

Date: 25-26 March 2026 

Location: London, UK 

PAY360 will bring together 6,000 of the most senior representatives from banks, merchants, government, investors, fintechs, FIs, card providers, consultants, and solutions providers. This is the conference where experts can network and gather the information they need to have an accurate visualization on future challenges and how to better manage them. 

Sessions we recommend: 

• Keeping pace with changing end user demands: What is the future of payments? 

• Authentication without compromise: Growing revenue and stopping fraud with passkeys 

• The interconnected future: delivering an intuitive, frictionless experience with embedded finance 

Get tickets here 

 Fintech Meetup 

Date: 30 March – 1 April 2026 

Location: Las Vegas, US 

Fintech Meetup is the fintech industry’s most dynamic and highly anticipated event of the year—bringing together senior leaders from thousands of banks, credit unions, fintechs, and investment firms to connect, collaborate, and accelerate growth. Powered by innovative technology, our Meetings Program facilitates over 50,000 double opt-in, one-to-one meetings, creating meaningful partnerships and delivering measurable ROI. 

Sessions we recommend: 

• How can partnerships unlock payout speed, choice, and trust at scale? 

• What does it really take to modernize without breaking the bank? 

• What does smart capital look like in 2026? 

Get tickets here 

Ibex India 

Date: 7-8 April 2026 

Location: Mumbai, India 

Ibex India is the platform Indian and South Asian bankers use to source information and gain know-how and understanding of innovative technologies and products that can deliver seamless and secure banking. IBEX India will assist banks in bridging the gap between old and new technologies, offering this tradeshow and conference at which you can learn more about financial inclusion, adoption of technologies, and the latest innovations for the banking sector. 

Sessions we recommend: 

• Technology & Innovation Leadership driving Digital Transformation 

• AI-Driven BFSI: Scaling Intelligent Initiatives for the Future 

• Cybersecurity, Data Privacy & Resilience in BFSI World 

Get tickets here 

Agentic AI & Automation In Finance Summit 

Date: 23 April 2026 

Location: Frankfurt, Germany 

Agentic AI & Automation in Finance Summit is part of a global series connecting financial leaders with the latest in AI and automation. The summit focuses on Agentic AI and its impact on efficiency, risk, and decision-making, bringing together banks, insurers, and fintech experts to explore practical applications, emerging trends, and the future of AI-driven finance. 

Get tickets here 

Smarter Faster Payments 

Date: 26-29 April 2026 

Location: San Diego, USA 

Smarter Faster Payments is a distinctive industry forum designed to bring professionals together to learn, connect, and explore the latest trends shaping the payments landscape. Experienced leaders gain actionable, forward-thinking insights through more than 120 sessions delivered by Nacha and top payments experts, focused on driving innovation and creating value with new solutions and services. 

Sessions we recommend:  

• From Pilot to Profit: Building Trusted, Agentic Faster Payments 

• Improving Fraud Risk Management with Account Validation 

• Generations of Change: How Payments Past Shape the Future 

Get tickets here 

UK Fintech Week  

Date: 20-24 April 2026 

Location: London, UK 

UK FinTech Week brings together fintech founders, investors, banking leaders, regulators, and innovators from around the world to explore the future of financial services. The event features world-class content, thought leadership, and extensive networking opportunities across the UK fintech ecosystem. 

The flagship Innovate Finance Global Summit (IFGS) opens the week, attracting more than 1,500 attendees from over 70 countries to discuss key industry trends, policy developments, and the opportunities shaping the next generation of fintech innovation. 

Get tickets here 

Payments Leaders’ Summit 

Date: 28-29 April 2026 

Location: London, UK 

Payments Leaders’ Summit will bring together industry leaders to engage in meaningful discussions with senior peers, supported by a personalized agenda of one-to-one meetings, interactive sessions, and seminars designed to deliver a comprehensive and valuable learning experience. 

Sessions we recommend:  

• New Retail Payments Infrastructure: Real-Time Rails and the Future of Domestic Payments 

• The New Trust Stack: Identity, Payments and Protecting Consumers in a Fragmenting Digital Economy 

• Cross-Border Payments Reimagined: FX, Real-Time Settlement and the Rise of Local Payment Methods 

Get tickets here 

Finovate Spring 

Date: 5-7 May 2026 

Location: San Diego, US 

At Finovate you’ll find a high-quality audience and breadth of insights with 1200+ senior attendees.  Financial institutions will discuss innovative fintech solutions, hand out professional advice, and spotlight new discoveries. 

Sessions we recommend: 

• The AI Competitive Imperative, & The Ten Solutions You Need To Know About Today 

• The Coming Shake Up In Payments – Instant Payments, Stablecoins, Digital Assets & Cross Border Payments 

• Open Data, Hyper-Personalization and Customer Centricity – What Do Customers Actually Want? 

Get tickets here 

Seamless Middle East 

Date: 12-14 May 2026 

Location: Dubai, UAE 

Seamless Digital Commerce brings together professionals across digital marketing, e-commerce, retail, and merchant payments to shape the future of connected commerce. Payment providers, merchants, SMEs, and retail leaders converge to discover innovative solutions, exchange insights, and build meaningful partnerships. Designed for businesses at every stage, the event delivers practical knowledge and forward-looking perspectives to help organizations stay competitive and drive growth in an ever-evolving digital landscape. 

Sessions we recommend: 

• Smart commerce for a smart region: architecting the future of digital commerce with AI and forward-thinking leadership 

• Frictionless commerce: embedded payments shifting value creation from checkout to ecosystem 

• Transforming payment journeys: anticipating customer behaviour in real time with AI 

Get tickets here 

Money20/20 Europe 

Date: 2-4 June 2026 

Location: Amsterdam, The Netherlands 

Money20/20 Europe is the event where global fintech communities connect and the brightest voices in the industry dive into current challenges and shape together what comes next for the money ecosystem in Europe and beyond. 

Sessions we recommend 

• Foundations of Future Commerce: A Merchant-First Approach to Agentic Systems 

• Europe’s New Money OS: A Payments Paradox 

• Regulation as the Edge in Open Finance 

Get tickets here 

Fintech Junction 

Date: 7-8 June 2026 

Location: Tel Aviv, Israel 

FinTech Junction by Lynx is Israel’s leading fintech conference, bringing together technology and finance leaders, founders, and investors at the heart of one of the world’s most dynamic fintech hubs. Held annually in Tel Aviv, the summit showcases cutting-edge innovation, explores emerging trends, and highlights future opportunities shaping the global fintech ecosystem. Attendees gain valuable insights, connect with key decision-makers, and engage in forward-thinking discussions designed to spark collaboration and drive growth. 

Get tickets here 

NextGen Payments & RegTech Forum  

Date: 11 June 2026 

Location: Dublin, Ireland 

NextGen Payments & RegTech Forum brings together senior leaders, innovators, and regulatory experts to explore the future of Europe’s payments ecosystem. The event focuses on key developments such as instant and real-time payments, open banking, digital identity, embedded finance, and the evolving EU regulatory landscape. 

Through keynote sessions, panel discussions, and practical case studies, attendees gain actionable insights into how AI, advanced analytics, and new payment frameworks are reshaping operations, risk management, and customer experiences across the financial services industry. 

Sessions we recommend:  

• Sepa Instant in Practice – from Compliance to Competitive Advantage   

• Digital Identity & Wallets – The New Front Door to Payments  

• Fraud & Scams 2026 – APP Fraud, Mules & Real-Time Defence  

Get tickets here  

Africa Payments & RegTech Forum  

Date: 25 June 2026 

Location: Johannesburg, South Africa 

Africa Payments & RegTech Forum is the premier gathering for banking, fintech, and compliance leaders across Africa, held in Johannesburg. The forum explores payment innovations, regulatory technology, and financial inclusion, providing actionable insights for professionals driving the continent’s financial transformation. 

Attendees engage with global influencers, strategists, and thought leaders through focused discussions, interactive sessions, and networking opportunities. As a leading payments and RegTech event in Africa, the forum connects participants with the trends, technologies, and strategies shaping the future of digital finance across the region. 

Sessions we recommend:  

• Digital Assets, Stablecoins & Tokenisation: Payments Impact and Regulation 

• Combating Fraud in Mobile Money & Wallet-Based Payments 

• Identity, Biometrics & Authentication: Secure, Convenient, Inclusive  

Get tickets here 

Fintech Summit Americas 

Date: 12-13 August 2026 

Location: Mexico City, Mexico 

Fintech Summit Latam brings together leaders from the Latin American and US Hispanic fintech ecosystem to address emerging challenges and unlock new opportunities for growth. The event fosters inclusion and education while showcasing advanced, cutting-edge solutions tailored to the diverse players shaping the region’s financial landscape. Attendees gain practical insights, connect with industry innovators, and explore strategies driving the future of fintech across the Americas. 

Sessions we recommend: 

• Cross-border payments and remittances 3.0 

• New routes to fraud: prevention, technology and trust 

• Smart engagement for customer loyalty 

Get tickets here 

PayTail  

Date: 27 August 2026 

Location: Chicago, US 

PayTail Summit explores the future of retail commerce and digital payments, bringing together leaders from retail, fintech, and payments to examine how the next generation of checkout, loyalty, and customer experience is evolving. 

Held in Chicago, a growing hub for retail and payment innovation, the summit connects industry leaders to discuss emerging technologies, real-time and data-driven payments, and the strategies shaping the future of digital commerce. 

Get tickets here  

Nordic Fintech Week  

Date: 21-25 September 2026 

Location: Copenhagen, Denmark 

Nordic Fintech Week introduces Insight 365, a new way to engage with the Nordic fintech ecosystem through a fully online, continuous experience. Moving beyond a single event week, the initiative provides ongoing access to insights, expert perspectives, and conversations shaping the region’s fintech landscape. 

Designed for professionals who want to stay closer to innovation, Insight 365 enables deeper engagement with the ideas, trends, and leaders driving the future of fintech in the Nordics. 

Themes to look out for:  

• Agentic Finance & AI-Native Financial Systems 

• Payments & the New Transaction Rails 

• Embedded Finance & Platform Economies 

Get tickets here 

Sibos Miami 

Date: 28 September – 1 October 2026 

Location: Miami, US  

Sibos 2026 will convene global financial leaders to explore Digital Finance for AI-driven Economies, examining how AI is reshaping connectivity, interoperability, resilience, and financial inclusion. Bringing together hundreds of experts from across banking, wealth management, and international trade, the event will spotlight mission-critical innovation designed to power growth and protect against emerging threats. 

Hosted for the first time in Miami at the Miami Beach Convention Center, Sibos 2026 will serve as a global platform for collaboration, technology exchange, and forward-thinking dialogue shaping the future of digital finance.  

Get tickets here 

ePay Summit Europe  

Date: 3 November 2026 

Location: London, UK 

ePay Summit brings together leaders from the retail, eCommerce, and payments industries to explore the latest innovations shaping the future of digital payments. The event connects retail professionals, payment providers, and fintech innovators to share insights and strategies for building and managing modern payment ecosystems. 

With leading sponsors and exhibitors, the summit offers valuable opportunities to network, collaborate, and discover emerging trends and technologies driving the evolution of payments. 

Get tickets here  

World Finance Forum Dubai 

Date: 4 November 2026 

Location: Dubai, UAE 

World Finance Forum will gather 150 finance leaders to lay out a pillar for organizations to learn from CFOs and finance directors about how to develop new skills that will help them better navigate today’s climate. 

Sessions we recommend: 

• Driving Finance Transformation: Unlocking Efficiency and Agility in a Changing Landscape 

• Empowered leadership: What CFOs must do to become the leader their business needs 

• Investing in the future: Tech trends in Finance 

Get tickets here 

Singapore Fintech Festival  

Date: 18-20 November 2026 

Location: Singapore 

Singapore FinTech Festival is one of the world’s largest gatherings of the fintech community, bringing together leaders from finance, technology, and policy to explore the future of financial services. The festival offers extensive thought leadership across multiple stages, alongside exhibitions showcasing cutting-edge innovations such as AI, blockchain, and next-generation financial technologies. 

Get tickets here 

Fintech Connect 2026 

Date: 1-2 December 2026 

Location: London, UK 

FinTech Connect has been a trusted meeting point for over a decade, bringing together banks, financial institutions, and technology providers to evaluate solutions, benchmark partners, and build lasting commercial relationships. The event attracts senior decision-makers across digital transformation, payments, compliance, security, and emerging technologies, creating a high-intent environment for meaningful business engagement. 

In 2026, FinTech Connect returns larger and more commercially focused, with expanded exhibition space, curated networking opportunities, and premium sponsorship offerings designed to maximize impact and ROI. 

Get tickets here 

Innovation grows where ideas meet. By attending any of these events, you’ll have the chance to ask questions, exchange perspectives, and discover new approaches that can shape your next big move in fintech and payments. 

The post Payments and Fintech Events to Attend in 2026  appeared first on The 2Checkout Blog | Articles on eCommerce, Payments, CRO and more.

In this month’s edition, catch the replay of our AI panel exploring how software and SaaS companies are accelerating performance in 2026, discover how to protect in-app purchases, and dive into the key digital payment trends shaping the year ahead. We’re also sharing expert-curated resources on pricing, agentic AI, and subscription optimization, plus practical tools to help you recover revenue, streamline compliance, and scale with confidence. 

Happy selling!  

• AI at Full Speed: How Software & SaaS Companies Accelerate Results in 2026    

Missed the live panel on AI trends shaping software & SaaS? Catch the replay! Industry experts, Frank Sondors, Mike Korba, Sara Maldon, and Nataliya Shadykulova, unpacked the top AI-driven shifts that are transforming product, marketing, sales and CX in 2026 and beyond. From smarter automation to practical use cases, this session is a must-watch for software leaders and SaaS teams. 

• Protecting In-App Purchases and Subscriptions from Fraud and Downtime   

As in-app purchases and subscriptions drive more digital revenue, protecting them from fraud and downtime is critical. This article explores the key risks mobile apps face in 2026 and shares practical strategies to secure transactions, prevent revenue loss, and maintain customer trust.   

• Top Product Pricing Strategies for eCommerce (2026)  

Your pricing strategy directly impacts competitiveness, customer perception, and revenue growth. From value-based and market-driven approaches to dynamic pricing and smart discounting, this guide breaks down the key strategies ecommerce teams should consider this year. 

• Revenue Recovery Tools for Subscriptions  

Recover lost revenue from failed payments with 2Checkout’s Revenue Recovery Tools. From account updater and smart retry logic to dunning and real-time insights, our tools help reduce churn and boost retention, delivering up to 20% revenue uplift. Learn more in our latest solution brief.    

• The State of Digital Payments in 2026  

Digital payments in 2026 will be defined by one thing: frictionless growth. From AI-powered routing and smarter fraud prevention to localized payment methods and high-converting checkout experiences, payments are no longer operational; they’re strategic. Discover the key trends shaping 2026! 

• 18 Customer Retention Strategies Sourced From Leading Companies   

Keeping customers engaged and coming back is essential for long-term growth. This article looks at effective customer retention strategies, from personalization and onboarding to targeted outreach, and explains how you can build stronger relationships that turn users into loyal, repeat buyers.   

• SaaS Commerce Capabilities for Success: Cybersecurity & Digital Security Merchants  

As cybersecurity SaaS and digital security merchants scale globally, optimizing the payment experience is key to building trust and driving growth. From managing B2B transactions to global compliance, the right strategy can make all the difference. Learn how to streamline your payment processes for success.    

• The Ultimate SaaS Podcast List for 2026: Learn, Scale & Win in a Subscription-First World  

Looking for fresh insights to grow your SaaS or subscription business in 2026?  We’ve rounded up some of the best podcasts covering product-led growth, pricing strategies, retention, and customer success. Perfect for your next commute or workout. Check out the full list! 

• Agentic Commerce Moves From Curiosity to Commercial Force  

Agentic commerce is evolving from a tech experiment into a real commercial driver, with AI systems now helping consumers discover, compare, and even complete purchases. This shift is quietly reshaping traffic flows, conversion behavior, and the economics of digital commerce. 

• 2Checkout Success Story: Incomedia  

Discover how 2Checkout helped Incomedia streamline tax compliance and payments so that they could focus on their business.   

The post Industry Buzz – February 2026  appeared first on The 2Checkout Blog | Articles on eCommerce, Payments, CRO and more.

In 2023, consumers spent an estimated $45.6 billion on mobile app subscriptions. Growth has continued since then: by 2024, total global spending on in-app purchases and subscriptions reached around $150 billion, and forecasts suggest this figure could rise to approximately $233 billion by 2026. 

With this surge in monetization, however, exposure to risk has expanded as well. Payment fraud, failed transactions, and service interruptions have become some of the biggest threats to mobile revenue, often draining growth quietly. 

The new app economy and its risks 

The app economy has shifted decisively from one-time purchases to subscription and in-app purchase models, turning recurring billing into the primary monetization engine for many consumer and B2B apps. Subscriptions provide predictable revenue that supports continuous product development, richer content, and ongoing feature releases, creating a virtuous cycle of engagement and lifetime value. Customers benefit from this model as well, gaining ongoing access to valuable services without heavy upfront costs, which has helped normalize subscription spending as a routine part of digital life. 

At the same time, recurring billing has turned apps into always-on financial systems. Every user is connected to a stored payment method. Every renewal is a financial transaction. Every entitlement depends on real-time confirmation that a payment succeeded. In subscription apps, money and access are inseparable – and both depend on your payments working instantly and reliably. 

However, this success has made subscription apps and in-app purchasing flows prime targets for organized fraud and a new breed of performance and reliability risks. Mobile channels concentrate payment credentials, behavioral data, and high-frequency transactions, so any weakness – whether a security gap or a performance bottleneck – can quickly translate into revenue loss. 

The combination of always-on user expectations and evolving attack techniques means that merchants cannot treat fraud or downtime as occasional issues; they are persistent, structural threats that must be monitored and mitigated continuously. The new reality is that the health and security of payment systems directly determine metrics such as churn, lifetime value, and net revenue retention. 

Fraud: how criminal activity drains subscription revenue 

Because subscriptions generate ongoing revenue from stored payment credentials, they are especially attractive to fraud rings. But fraud in in-app purchases and subscriptions is no longer limited to stolen credit cards. Today’s attackers understand how subscription businesses work – and they target the systems that control billing, access, and refunds. Industry research suggests that the vast majority of mobile apps exhibit at least one security vulnerability, reflecting how easy it is for weaknesses to creep in as complexity grows.  

Common attacks include: 

• Using stolen cards or compromised wallets to purchase digital goods; 

• Exploiting free trials and introductory offers through fake accounts; 

• Refund abuse after consuming content; 

• Account takeovers that drain balances or trigger chargebacks. 

One of the most damaging forms of fraud in subscription apps is account takeover. When fraudsters gain access to a legitimate user account, they can make purchases that look normal on the surface. The transaction comes from a real device, a known IP range, and an established customer profile – which makes it far harder to detect than traditional card-not-present fraud. Once an attacker gains access to a valid account, they can drain digital balances, or trigger chargebacks. By the time the real user notices and disputes the charges, the merchant is left with refunds, chargebacks, and penalties.  

Another growing threat is promotion and trial abuse. Fraudsters use scripts, device farms, or stolen identities to create thousands of fake accounts, each claiming free trials or discounted offers. Even when the value of a single abuse is small, the cumulative cost across thousands of accounts can be enormous – and it directly reduces the revenue that marketing and growth teams are trying to generate. 

Refund abuse is also a major drain on subscription businesses. In digital products, there is often no physical good to return, which makes it easier for users – both malicious and opportunistic – to consume content and then claim a refund. Over time, this inflates refund rates and increases payment processing costs. 

All of this is particularly dangerous because fraud attacks the metrics that companies and their investors care about most: net revenue retention, chargeback ratios, and lifetime value. High levels of fraud cost money and make the business appear riskier, less predictable, and less scalable. High chargeback ratios affect more than just the company and investors; card networks may also impose restrictions on merchant accounts, leading to higher processing fees or even the risk of being unable to process transactions. 

What is clear is that securing in-app purchases and subscriptions is more complex than protecting a traditional web checkout. Modern apps are woven from multiple components: app store billing APIs, third-party SDKs, backend subscription platforms, payment gateways, analytics tools, and device-specific integrations. 

This makes fraud prevention no longer just about blocking bad transactions – it is about preserving the integrity of your revenue stream.  

Modern subscription businesses need fraud protection that goes far beyond basic rules. They need systems that evaluate transactions in real time using device data, behavioral patterns, and historical context – blocking abuse without creating friction for real customers. 

Discover how the latest innovations in API technology can empower your business to grow, adapt, and thrive.

Strategies and tactics to reduce fraud in subscription businesses 

Because fraud targets both payments and account access, the most effective defenses are layered and adaptive. There is no single control that can stop modern fraud on its own – but combining identity, transaction intelligence, and payment-level protections can significantly reduce both financial loss and customer friction. 

At the foundation is strong account protection. Since account takeover is one of the most damaging forms of subscription fraud, businesses should make it as difficult as possible for attackers to hijack legitimate users. This includes multi-factor authentication for sensitive actions, device recognition that flags unfamiliar devices, and monitoring for unusual login patterns such as rapid IP changes or impossible travel behavior. These measures do not eliminate fraud on their own, but they dramatically reduce the pool of accounts that can be abused. 

On the transaction side, subscription platforms need real-time fraud intelligence that goes beyond simple rules. Partner with payment providers such as 2Checkout (now Verifone) that use modern fraud engines which analyze a combination of signals, including device fingerprints, behavioral patterns, transaction velocity, historical purchase data, and location anomalies. This allows the system to distinguish between a loyal customer renewing a subscription and a fraudster attempting to monetize stolen credentials. High-risk transactions can be challenged or blocked, while low-risk customers move through without friction. 

Promotion and trial abuse require a different approach. Here, fraud prevention focuses on detecting patterns across accounts, not just individual transactions. Effective tactics include limiting the number of trials per device or payment method, identifying clusters of accounts that share behavioral traits, flagging unusually high redemption rates tied to specific campaigns, or checking eligibility criteria even after the account has been activated (if not possible in real time). This helps protect marketing spend and ensures that promotional offers drive real customer acquisition rather than automated abuse. 

Payment-level protections also play a critical role. Techniques such as tokenization, network-level fraud screening, and adaptive authentication (for example, 3D Secure applied only when risk is high) help reduce exposure to stolen credentials while keeping checkout and renewals smooth for legitimate users. When combined with intelligent routing and issuer-aware retry logic, these tools reduce both fraud losses and unnecessary declines. 

Together, these measures create a defense system that is not only harder to exploit, but also continuously improves as new data is collected. The goal is not to block every risky transaction, but to ensure that fraud becomes expensive and inefficient for attackers – while honest customers are barely aware that protection is even there. 

Here’s a recap of key fraud-reduction tactics:

• Multi-factor authentication, biometrics, secure password management and device recognition to limit account takeover 

• Real-time fraud and risk scoring using behavioral and device data 

• Pattern detection to identify large-scale trial and promotion abuse 

• Tokenization and secure payment handling to reduce exposure of sensitive data. Hint: PCI-compliant providers minimize direct card handling. 

• Implement clear, data-backed policies for refunds and chargebacks to discourage abuse. 

When these layers work together, they protect not just transactions against fraud, but the long-term health of subscription revenue. 

Discover how our advanced tech ensures secure transactions, reduces fraud, and enhances customer experience.

Downtime: the silent revenue killer in subscription businesses 

If fraud is an attack on revenue, downtime is its quiet twin – often more destructive, and far less visible. As a general term, “downtime” refers to a time period when an application’s essential services, whether internal or external, are unavailable due to scheduled maintenance, software updates, or unexpected outages.  

(To avoid confusion: here we mean system downtime, not the “screen time” or “digital wellbeing” user feature on mobile devices.) 

Subscription revenue depends on payments hitting at the right moment. Renewals can fail due to slow gateways, bank limits, insufficient funds, or temporary risk flags. Most failures aren’t true cancellations—smart retry timing, or dunning management, can recover many of these payments and cut involuntary churn. 

This creates a situation where technical glitches translate directly into lost customers. A user who wakes up to find their streaming service, SaaS tool, or mobile app locked may not try again. They may simply move on to a competitor. 

Industry studies consistently show that downtime costs digital businesses hundreds of thousands of dollars per hour, with mission-critical systems sometimes losing more than one million dollars per hour. In subscription businesses, the damage is even greater, because every failed renewal reduces not only today’s revenue but all future recurring revenue from that customer. That is why payment and subscription infrastructure must also be designed for resilience.  

When it comes to the payment and renewal process, downtime might look like this: 

• A checkout page that doesn’t load; 

• A payment authentication step that times out; 

• An automatic renewal that fails to process; 

• An entitlement update that never arrives. 

To the user, the result is simple: the service stops working, or they can’t complete a purchase. To the business, these are lost conversions, failed renewals, and involuntary churn – even though demand was still there. 

Unlike fraud, downtime does not show up as suspicious activity. It appears as: 

• Lower conversion rates 

• Higher churn 

• Declining renewal success 

• Increased support volume 

Designing for high payment availability and revenue continuity 

Protecting revenue also means designing the backend and payment stack for resilience and continuity. This requires infrastructure that can absorb failures. Load balancers, replicated services, and multi-region deployments help keep checkouts and renewals running even when parts of the system go down. Transaction-level monitoring is just as important, because a system can be “up” while payments are quietly failing. 

Recurring billing adds another layer of risk. A single failed renewal can pause access and trigger churn. Platforms like 2Checkout (now Verifone) reduce this with card updater services, smart retries, and intelligent routing that recovers payments that would otherwise be lost. 

When issues do happen, fast alerts and simple self-service tools let customers fix problems quickly instead of abandoning the subscription. 

Recommended practices include:

• Use a payments provider that supports billing and payments across multiple regions; 

• Track real transaction success, not just uptime; 

• Use card updater services and smart retry logic; 

• Keep backup gateways and payment routes available. 

Building a holistic, user-centric protection strategy 

The strongest protection for in-app purchases and subscriptions comes from treating security, reliability, and user experience as one system. When payment gateways, fraud tools, and subscription platforms work together, businesses gain a clear, end-to-end view of the customer journey – making it easier to detect anomalies, recover failed payments, and prevent churn. 

This approach also requires close collaboration between product, security, and operations teams, so that protection and resilience are built into every stage of the app lifecycle. For users, this should remain largely invisible: fast checkouts, reliable renewals, and clear communication build trust without adding friction. 

By continuously monitoring transactions, refunds, chargebacks, and performance, companies can adapt as threats evolve. In a market where customers expect subscriptions to “just work,” the apps that succeed will be those that treat fraud prevention and uptime not as costs, but as drivers of sustainable growth. 

FAQs 

1. Can strict fraud controls hurt conversion and customer experience?

They can, if applied indiscriminately. That is why modern fraud prevention relies on risk-based and adaptive controls. Low-risk customers should experience fast, frictionless payments, while only suspicious transactions are challenged or blocked. The goal is to protect revenue without creating unnecessary barriers for real users. Machine learning and AI-assisted tools go a long way in providing an optimized fraud control system. 

2. How do businesses detect trial and promotion abuse at scale?

By looking beyond individual accounts. Effective systems analyze device data, behavioral patterns, and campaign-level performance to identify clusters of fake or automated users. Follow-up checks to determine eligibility can also reduce promotion abuse. This allows businesses to shut down abuse while still offering legitimate customers attractive introductory offers. 

3. How do payment retries actually recover revenue? 

Smart retry systems resubmit failed transactions at times when issuers are more likely to approve them and route them through optimal acquirers. Combined with card updater services, this can recover a significant percentage of payments that would otherwise be lost. 

4. Why do app store and payment gateway failures affect entitlements?

Because access is tied to payment confirmation. If a renewal succeeds at the bank but fails to sync back to the app or subscription system, the user may be locked out even though they paid — creating support issues, refunds, and churn. 

5. How does app downtime affect subscriptions even when payments are working?

Even if payments succeed, app downtime can prevent users from accessing the service they pay for. When an app fails to load, features don’t respond, or content is unavailable, users perceive the subscription as broken. Repeated outages erode trust, increase cancellations, and drive negative reviews – all of which hurt retention and long-term revenue, even if the billing system itself remains operational. 

The post Protecting In-App Purchases and Subscriptions from Fraud and Downtime appeared first on The 2Checkout Blog | Articles on eCommerce, Payments, CRO and more.

But in 2026, success doesn’t come from simply supporting more payment methods or adding new features. Rather, it comes from how well payments fit into the way people already buy and interact with digital services.

It’s true that expectations have shifted, and they are no longer optional. Customers now assume that payments will work in a certain way, regardless of channel, device, or market.

By default, they expect:

• Speed: instant authorization, real-time confirmation, and minimal waiting;
• Low friction: fewer steps, familiar interfaces, and payments that feel effortless;
• Trust: clear pricing, secure flows, and confidence that their data and identity are protected.

These expectations are shaping every part of the payment experience. Real-time services have reset how quickly money is expected to move, while digital platforms have trained users to expect simplicity and consistency.

At the same time, rising fraud, scams, and data misuse have made customers more cautious about where and how they pay.

Artificial intelligence adds another layer. Payments are no longer just executed, but rather are increasingly shaped by systems that influence routing, authorization, and fraud decisions in real time.

But even as more intelligence moves behind the scenes, the checkout remains one of the most important moments in digital commerce. It’s where intent turns into revenue, and where trust is either reinforced or lost.

This is why 2026 matters. Several long-running changes are coming together at the same time, from AI moving into everyday use to real-time payments and clearer rules around digital assets and identity.

In this article, we focus on what those changes mean in practice, and how businesses should think about payments as a core part of how they operate, not a standalone step.

The Defining Payment Trends of 2026

Not every payment trend deserves equal attention. Right now, a smaller set of shifts is driving the most meaningful change in how payments impact conversion, revenue, and day-to-day operations.

The common thread is that payments are no longer just a way to complete a purchase. They shape how businesses grow across markets, manage risk, and keep customers moving without friction.

Checkout Becomes a Revenue Lever

Checkout is increasingly measured the same way businesses measure pricing and acquisition: by its impact on conversion and revenue.

Small decisions in the flow can have an outsized effect:

• the number of steps a customer has to take,
• when authentication appears,
• which payment methods are shown,
• and how errors or declines are handled.

More teams are treating checkout less like a fixed page and more like a performance system they can improve over time. They test what works, refine based on outcomes, and keep removing the points where legitimate customers hesitate or drop out.

The result is not just a better experience, but measurable gains that compound across markets, devices, and customer segments.

Payment Flexibility and Orchestration Become Crucial

As businesses expand across regions and channels, payment performance becomes harder to manage through one static setup.

Approval rates vary by country and method, payment systems can behave differently depending on the route taken, and outages or slowdowns still happen.

In this context, it’s true to say that what works well in one market can underperform in another, and what works in a given quarter may not work as well in the next one.

That’s why payment flexibility is becoming essential, and why orchestration is increasingly seen as part of being ready to scale.

Businesses want more control over how payments are processed and more ways to improve results without rebuilding their entire stack.

In practice, that often means:

• being able to choose between routes when needed,
• retry payments in a controlled way when the first attempt fails,
• and improve approval rates by adjusting how transactions are sent based on what’s performing best.

The goal is not complexity for its own sake but rather resilience, adaptability, and the ability to keep checkout performance strong as conditions change.

Local Payment Methods Still Decide Global Growth

Even as commerce becomes more global, payments remain deeply local. Customers trust what they know, whether that is a wallet, a bank transfer option, or a regional payment method that is widely used in their market.

That trust plays a direct role in whether a purchase is completed, especially at checkout where people want to move quickly and confidently.

It’s true to say that the challenge is not simply offering local payment methods, but offering the right ones in the right way.

Too few options can limit reach and hurt conversion, and it can also make a business feel unfamiliar or “foreign.” On the other hand, too many options can create friction of a different kind by slowing customers down, adding confusion, and increasing drop-off.

The strongest approach is focused and market-aware, surfacing the options that fit the customer’s country, currency, and habits instead of presenting a long list that forces them to decide.

When Fast Payments Become the Norm

Speed is no longer a differentiator for digital payments.

Customers now expect immediate confirmation, and many businesses want payment status and funds to move quickly enough that fulfillment and operations can keep pace.

As faster payment options become more common across markets, the definition of a “successful payment” shifts. It’s not only about authorization at the moment of purchase, but also about reducing uncertainty immediately afterward.

When payment status is clear and money movement is faster, merchants can:

• confirm orders sooner,
• reduce failed fulfillment,
• improve customer confidence through timely updates,
• and operate with tighter cash flow and fewer manual checks.

At the same time, speed raises the cost of mistakes.

When money moves quickly, there is less time to investigate, reverse, or recover, which makes strong fraud controls and operational readiness more important.

B2B Payments Are Modernizing

B2B payments have historically been slower and more manual than consumer commerce, with invoices, bank transfers, and reconciliation handled through spreadsheets and email threads.

The gap is starting to close however, as businesses expect the same clarity and ease they experience as consumers.

The shift is toward more automated payables and receivables, where payment requests fit more naturally into how companies already buy.

Instead of chasing invoices and waiting on manual approvals, businesses are looking for simpler ways to pay, clearer status updates, and payment experiences that reduce back-and-forth.

Agentic AI: What’s Changing

AI is starting to influence more payment decisions behind the scenes, but the practical story this year is that more intelligence is being applied to how payments are managed, such as:

• how transactions are routed,
• when additional verification is appropriate,
• and which signals should trigger a fraud review.

What matters most is not whether a business “adopts agentic AI” all at once, but whether it’s actually prepared to use more automation safely as it becomes available.

It’s important to note that many businesses are not there yet.

Not because they lack AI, but because they lack the basics that make automation safe and useful. They may not have clear rules for what a system is allowed to do, consistent data across markets, or a reliable way to review what happened when a payment was approved, declined, or flagged for extra checks.

When those basics are in place though, automation can help in very practical ways:

• reduce avoidable declines,
• apply extra checks only when they’re needed,
• and make it easier for legitimate customers to complete a purchase without added friction.

The opportunity is real, but it rewards businesses that build the right foundations first.

Fraud Is Shifting from Transactions to Identity

Instead of focusing on individual transactions, attackers are increasingly targeting identities.

This includes:

• Impersonation through social engineering;
• Fake profiles created with AI-generated content;
• Account takeovers that allow repeated misuse over time.

According to Statista, global losses from e-commerce payment fraud continue to rise year over year, reflecting how quickly attackers adapt as digital payments expand.

The aim is no longer to slip through a single payment, but to take over an account or a digital identity and use it repeatedly. This is pushing fraud prevention earlier in the payment flow.

Rather than reacting after something goes wrong, businesses are placing more emphasis on:

• Verifying who is initiating a payment, not just how it’s paid;
• Monitoring behavior and context in real time;
• Reducing unnecessary friction for legitimate customers.

For merchants, this shift has a direct business impact. Stronger identity checks help lower fraud losses, but they also reduce false declines that frustrate customers and hurt conversion.

When done well, security becomes part of the experience without becoming visible.

Check the 2Checkout fraud solution that can protect your business everywhere you go.

Trust, Privacy, and Clarity Matter More Than Ever

As more payment decisions happen automatically, people want to feel confident about what’s happening in the background. They want to know their data is handled carefully and that systems act within clear limits.

And this is becoming a point of difference.

Businesses that are clear about consent, transparent about decisions, and consistent in how they protect customers are better positioned to earn trust over time.

What’s also important to note is that security doesn’t need to be visible to work. In fact, the best systems protect customers without slowing them down or forcing extra steps.

Regulation and Infrastructure: What’s Changed

For years, regulation was something payment innovation had to work around. But in 2026, that dynamic has changed.

Clearer Rules Are Making Payments Easier to Scale

Clearer rules and more reliable infrastructure are giving businesses the confidence to invest, test, and scale new payment models.

For instance, in the United States, the GENIUS Act has helped define how fiat-backed stablecoins should be managed and reported. For banks, payment providers, and large enterprises, this removes much of the guesswork that previously kept projects stuck in test mode.

A similar pattern is playing out in the UK and Europe. Regulators are actively supporting work around tokenised deposits, stablecoin settlement, and blockchain-based payment infrastructure, with the goal of making these systems safe enough to operate at scale.

In practice, clearer rules change how organizations behave:

• Fewer projects stall at the pilot stage;
• More large institutions are willing to participate;
• Investment decisions are easier to approve.

The result is not faster experimentation, but broader adoption. When expectations are defined, new payment models can move into everyday use.

How Shared Standards Are Making Payments Easier to Run

As real-time payments and automation become more common, the data that travels with a payment matters just as much as the payment itself.

This is where standards like ISO 20022 come in. Instead of sending limited or inconsistent information, payments now carry richer, more structured data.

In practice, this makes everyday operations easier:

• Reconciliation happens faster;
• Errors are easier to spot and fix;
• Fraud checks have better signals to work with.

It also improves how different systems connect across banks, payment providers, and regions.

What once felt like a technical or compliance exercise is now supporting real business outcomes. Better data allows payments to move quickly while still carrying the information needed to automate decisions, manage risk, and operate at scale.

How Customers Actually Want to Pay in 2026

Customers have always judged payments by how they feel: fast, clear, and reliable. And they increasingly expect that experience to be localized and consistent, wherever they’re buying.

In practice, that usually comes down to three things:

• Paying inside the experience they are already in;
• Not having to re-enter information they have shared before;
• Trusting that payments will work without extra steps or explanations.

For many users, digital wallets now sit at the center of this experience.

That’s because wallets are no longer just a place to store cards. They often handle key parts of paying, like confirming identity and completing a purchase in a familiar way across devices.

This shifts where some payment decisions happen:

• Authentication can happen through the wallet,
• Repeat customers can move through payment with fewer visible choices, because the experience is designed to be quick and consistent.

In that sense, identity and trust can follow the customer from one purchase to the next.

For merchants, the practical impact is that checkout needs to work well with these wallet-led flows while still supporting:

• local payment methods,
• clear pricing,
• and reliable fallbacks when a preferred option isn’t available or a payment fails.

The goal is a payment experience that feels familiar to customers, stays consistent across channels, and performs well across markets.

The Opportunity for Businesses That Modernize Early

While the challenges are real, the opportunity is just as clear. Payments are becoming a core part of how digital services operate.

Hence, businesses that modernize their payment foundations early are better prepared to:

• Adapt to new payment flows and channels;
• Handle faster settlement and automation;
• Respond to changes in regulation and customer behavior.

What’s important is having systems that are ready to change. Flexibility is now what sets leaders apart.

Final Thoughts

All in all, payments in 2026 are no longer something businesses set up once and forget. They shape how companies scale, manage risk, and respond to change across markets and business models.

That’s why the focus is shifting to getting the foundations right. When payments are built to be flexible and resilient, businesses can adapt as expectations evolve instead of constantly reworking what’s already in place.

As you plan your next phase of growth, it’s worth checking whether your payment setup is helping you scale. Look for the signals that matter most: fewer drop-offs at checkout, more approvals that go through cleanly, and payment experiences that feel local in every market you enter.

To learn more, see what growth-ready payments look like in practice with 2Checkout.

The post The State of Digital Payments in 2026 appeared first on The 2Checkout Blog | Articles on eCommerce, Payments, CRO and more.

The live panel discussion focused on what companies can do right now to get real results with AI, without ending up with a messy stack of tools and a lot of half-finished experiments. 

Featuring insights from Frank Sondors at Salesforge, Sara Maldon at Make.com, and Mike Korba at User.com, the session shared clear, grounded advice for teams trying to move faster and stay focused. 

Key highlights include: 

• Why it’s easier than ever to build software today, and why that makes quality matter; 

• How AI can boost profits by helping teams get more done with fewer hires; 

• Where AI is already paying off quickly, and where it still struggles; 

• A simple way to decide what to automate, what to use AI to support, and what should stay human-led; 

• How to try new tools without collecting subscriptions you never use; 

• Why adoption stalls most AI projects, and how clear training plus support for middle managers keeps change moving. 

What follows is a recap of the panel’s strongest lessons, with examples you can use. 

The AI Trends That Will Move the Business in 2026 

Margins are the Quiet Win 

One of the clearest themes from the panel was that AI is already changing the shape of SaaS businesses, even when revenue doesn’t look wildly different quarter to quarter.  

Frank Sondors puts it simply: the quiet win is in margins. 

In most software businesses, people are still the biggest cost. When teams can get the same work done with fewer hires, profitability shifts fast.  

AI doesn’t just help you do more, but rather changes how many people your business needs to hire to hit the same targets, and that affects how a company grows, what it can afford, and how it funds that growth. 

Frank also frames AI progress in “waves”: 

1. First came text, where you put a prompt into a model like ChatGPT and get usable text back.  
2. Then came voice, with tools like ElevenLabs as an example of how quickly that space is moving.  
3. And the newest wave, Frank argues, is video: video models can now create convincing deepfakes, and the result can look realistic enough that most people wouldn’t spot the difference. 

Competition is Multiplying 

Another point Frank makes is that building software today is cheaper and easier than it was even a year or two ago.  

Both Frank and Sara Maldon point to the same result: more new products, more niche tools, and more companies are trying to win a small slice of your market. 

That has a real knock-on effect on retention. It’s not only about losing net-new deals. It’s also about customers having more options, and switching feeling easier when a small tool solves one specific problem really well. 

Quality Becomes the Moat 

During the discussion, Sara makes a solid point: When it comes to SaaS, it’s no longer enough to solve a problem. Your business has to solve it well, and in a way that customers feel great to use. 

In a crowded market, the difference is often the basics, but done better: 

• A smoother product experience; 

• Clearer workflows; 

• More consistent results; 

• Less friction for the customer. 

She also tied this to personalization. With better access to context and data, SaaS companies can deliver experiences that feel more tailored and less generic, which becomes a lever for retention and expansion. 

Pricing is Changing Under SaaS 

Mike Korba brings up an important trend: pricing models are being forced to evolve. 

For years, seat-based pricing was the default in many SaaS categories. Mike argues that now more customers are accepting usage-based pricing, and companies are learning why that matters.  

If your cost base rises with consumption, “unlimited” becomes a margin risk. The model needs to reflect cost reality, especially when AI-driven usage and other behind-the-scenes workloads can scale unpredictably. 

Retention Gets Smarter 

The speakers also pointed to a clear retention shift: AI can help teams spot churn risk earlier and reach out in a way that feels personal, even when they’re doing it across hundreds or thousands of customers. 

Some benefits mentioned are:: 

• Predicting churn risk sooner; 

• Segmenting customers more intelligently; 

• Reaching out in a way that feels more personal, even across a large customer base. 

Done well, it’s less about increasing automation and more about scaling the level of attention that was once practical only for a small set of strategic accounts. 

Where AI Is Paying Off Now – and Why 

Customer Support is the Quickest ROI 

Mike mentions that customer support is often the quickest place to see ROI from AI because it’s accessible and easy to roll out.  

With tools that can handle repeatable questions, teams can see impact early, sometimes within the first day, week, or month, which is why so many SaaS companies start there. 

Sales and Revenue Ops: High-Volume Work That Compounds 

The topic of sales came up as a main priority throughout the discussion panel.  

Frank makes it a point that every company needs a pipeline. He shares two examples his team is rolling out:  

• agentic demos, because they run hundreds of demos each month,  

• and agentic CSM to support thousands of long-tail accounts that don’t typically get dedicated coverage. 

Agentic Demos and Agentic CSM for Scale 

The thread connecting both examples is pretty straightforward: customers want a more personal experience, but most teams can’t afford to staff that level of attention for every account. 

If AI can take on the first pass, handle the routine questions, and keep things moving, then companies can give more customers timely support without turning the team into a hiring plan. 

Frank describes this as a sequence he tries to follow. In his own words: 

1. Start with an agent tool if one already exists; 
2. If it doesn’t, build a simple workflow; 
3. If building it is too much, bring in a freelancer or an agency; 
4. Only hire once it’s clear the work needs long-term ownership. 

HR and Employee Experience are Underrated 

Sara points to an under-discussed area beyond sales and support: HR and people operations. 

She argues that many workflows remain unnecessarily manual, and that better systems can materially improve how employees experience the organization. 

Examples include: 

• onboarding, so new hires get the right information at the right time without chasing people for answers; 

• day-to-day people ops tasks that eat up HR time but don’t add much value; 

• better visibility into how the workforce is changing, so talent movement is less reactive and more predictable. 

Automate, Augment, or Keep it Human 

One of the most interesting parts of the panel is how practical the “what do we do with AI?” question becomes once businesses stop treating it like a single decision.  

As Mike Korba puts it, the real choice isn’t AI vs. no AI, but rather where you automate fully, where you use AI as support, and where you keep people in control because the context is too important or too unpredictable. 

He suggests looking at any workflow through a simple lens to make this decision: 

• Volume: how often does this happen? 

• Risk: what’s the downside if the output is wrong? 

• Complexity: is the process straightforward, or does it change case by case? 

• Judgment: does it require human decision-making and context? 

Humans for Ambiguity, Agents for Routine Work 

Frank backs up Mike’s point with a pattern you see in real-world rollouts: AI works best when the context is clear. But when the situation is open-ended, humans still outperform. 

He gives a few easy ways to apply this to any SaaS business: 

• Early conversations, where you don’t know what you’re walking into, tend to stay human-led; 

• Later-stage moments, where the routine is known and the goal is clear, are a better fit for AI agents. 

A good example of where voice agents can work well is outbound calls to trial users who signed up but didn’t convert. 

In this case: 

• the audience is known,  

• the situation is consistent,  

• and the goal is clear: understand what got in the way, capture that feedback at scale, and lastly, route qualified prospects back into the funnel when it makes sense. 

Frank also warns against applying AI in situations where judgment is the main requirement.  

Support is a clear example. AI can be effective for common questions with answers that already exist in documentation. But when tickets are driven by bugs, unusual edge cases, or something truly broken, it still requires real humans to diagnose the problem and resolve it. 

Agents Work Best With A Solid Foundation 

Sara talks about pushing back on a trend she sees often: teams asking for agents when what they really need is better automation.  

She argues that a lot of business problems don’t actually require an agent making decisions. They require a cleaner process. 

Her view is that agents usually work best when they sit on top of strong foundations: 

• clear workflows; 

• good data; 

• basic automations already doing the predictable work. 

It’s important to note that if a business decides to skip these foundations and jump straight to an agent, it can end up with something expensive and unreliable trying to solve a problem that wasn’t well defined in the first place. 

Choosing the Right AI Tools 

Business-Critical vs. Optional 

Frank mentions that tool overload isn’t happening because teams aren’t smart buyers, but rather because there are too many options, too little time, and a steady stream of “must-try” tools on the market. 

He shares a simple filter that keeps decisions around SaaS grounded. As he puts it – treat tools like painkillers or vitamins.  

Painkillers solve problems businesses can feel right now. Vitamins, on the other hand, sound good, but they rarely change outcomes. 

And if a tool can’t connect back to something concrete, it’s likely not worth adding. 

• revenue and pipeline; 

• retention and customer experience; 

• margin improvement through time and headcount savings. 

The Build vs. Buy Playbook 

Frank also describes an order of operations for solving problems that keeps teams fast and lean: 

• buy a tool off-the-shelf if it’s ready and proven; 

• if it isn’t, build the workflow internally; 

• if the tool is too specialized, outsource to an agency or freelancer; 

• hire only when it’s clear you need long-term ownership in-house. 

Clean Up Your Stack Regularly 

Both Frank and Mike Korba stress a step many companies skip: you need a way to remove tools, not just add them. Without that, subscriptions accumulate, and over time it becomes harder to tell what’s truly necessary. 

A simple approach to follow is this: 

1. assign someone ownership of subscriptions and renewals; 
2. review tool usage regularly; 
3. if a tool isn’t being used, cancel it quickly instead of letting it linger. 

Experiment Without Creating Chaos 

Mike suggests separating the “must-have” systems from the test-and-learn tools. Your core platforms need more discipline and alignment, but teams still need room to experiment, ideally with a small, clear budget for trials. 

Sara adds a practical way to keep experimentation from becoming sprawl: if multiple tools solve the same job, run a short competition and pick a winner. One tool becomes the standard. The rest get dropped. 

Why AI Projects Stall, and How to Keep Them Moving 

Culture and Fear 

Most of the time, what slows AI down isn’t the software, but the people’s side of change. Frank and Mike both point to the same reality: even in companies where AI is a daily topic, plenty of employees still aren’t using the basic tools in a steady, confident way.  

Some simply don’t know where to begin. Others hold back because they’re uneasy about what AI could mean for their job. 

That’s why adoption can’t be treated like a quick launch and a link to a new tool. It takes hands-on support, simple training, and clear messaging that the goal is to help people do better work. 

Middle Managers Carry the Load 

Sara points out that the real pressure sits in the middle. Leaders usually want progress, while teams feel uncertainty.  

Middle managers have to hold both at once. 

They’re the ones translating strategy into daily habits, answering hard questions, and keeping people steady while workflows change. When that layer isn’t supported, AI efforts stall, even if leadership is fully bought in. 

Next Steps: Turning AI Noise Into Real Progress 

If there’s one clear message from this panel, it’s that AI progress doesn’t come from chasing every new release.  

Instead, it comes from making a few smart choices and sticking with them. 

Focus on the areas where AI is already proving its value, keep humans in charge where judgment and trust matter, and be disciplined about the tools you bring into the business. 

This recap covers the main takeaways, but the full panel includes more context, examples, and nuance from each speaker.  

Watch the complete AI at Full Speed session from 2Checkout to hear the full discussion and turn the ideas into practical next steps for your team. 

The post AI at Full Speed: How Software & SaaS Companies Accelerate Results in 2026 – Live Panel Wrap-Up  appeared first on The 2Checkout Blog | Articles on eCommerce, Payments, CRO and more.

Every year, we focus on the customer flows that matter most. Last year, we kept that momentum going with meaningful improvements across the journey. Our mission in 2025 was to smooth out the road beneath their feet, making every interaction—from the first click to the tenth renewal—feel natural, safe, and easy.

We focused on the human side of the transaction. Here is the story of how our product evolved to serve you and your customers better.

Making the World Feel a Little Closer

Imagine a shopper in Australia or Hong Kong finding your product. They love what they see, add it to their cart, and head to checkout. To make that moment even smoother, we invested more in expanding global payments—because we believe commerce shouldn’t have borders. By adding local bank transfers for key markets like Australia, Canada, the UAE, Singapore, and Hong Kong, we help you speak the local language of payments.

We also introduced PayPal Credit. This isn’t just a payment method; it’s a tool for flexibility. It allows your customers to finance larger purchases instantly, removing the financial friction that often stops a sale in its tracks.

Key takeaways:

• Expanded global payment coverage with local bank transfers in key regions.
• Introduced PayPal Credit to increase purchasing flexibility and conversion.

Source: 2Checkout PayPal Credit Documentation

The Art of The Invisible Checkout

Checkout is where intent turns into action. When it works well, it stays out of the way and lets customers focus on the purchase. That’s the experience we continue to work toward every year. In 2025, we invested further in making checkouts faster, simpler, and more intuitive across our entire platform—regardless of which integration or solution our customers choose.

Alongside performance improvements, we refined key checkout capabilities across all our offerings, from ConvertPlus and Inline Cart to every cart solution.

We introduced Google Pay to speed up the checkout flow for customers and added support for sales tax exemptions handling for B2B transactions, and enhanced Partner and Channel Manager flows to give vendors more control and automation.

The goal was simple: remove friction so the technology fades into the background, allowing customers to focus fully on the excitement of their purchase.

Key takeaways:

• Modernized checkout flows with faster, scalable technology.
• Added Google Pay and tax exemptions for US businesses.
• Enhanced Partner and Channel Manager flows for more control and automation.
• Delivered frictionless, adaptive, and intuitive checkout experiences.

Source: 2Checkout Tax exemption for US shoppers Documentation

Security as a Silent Guardian

Fraud never stands still, and neither do we. Attackers constantly change tactics, which means static rules aren’t enough. Our fraud engine evolves continuously, analyzing new threat patterns, unusual transaction behavior, and emerging attack vectors in real time.

Our adaptive, context-aware monitoring works silently in the background, allowing real shoppers to glide through checkout without interruption, while potential threats are blocked automatically. This approach strengthens fraud prevention, keeps the checkout flow smooth, and maintains the trust and confidence your customers expect.

Key takeaways:

• Strengthened fraud prevention without disrupting the user experience.
• Adaptive, real-time security allows legitimate shoppers to check out smoothly while blocking threats.

Turning “Goodbye” into “Welcome Back”

Even with smooth checkouts, customers sometimes step away and return later. Instead of presenting this as a lost opportunity, our focus is on ensuring that any new functionality added to the checkout flow continues to serve returning shoppers seamlessly.

When customers come back, their items, shipping details, and preferred payment methods remain where they left them, making the process effortless. Additionally, we provide tools to configure customized emails through vendors’ accounts—crafted and refined using experimentation and data insights—to gently guide customers back to their carts and purchases.

Key takeaways:

• New checkout features are designed to support returning shoppers seamlessly.
• Vendors can configure customized, data-driven emails to engage returning customers.

Nurturing the Long-Term Relationship

For subscription businesses, the initial sale is just the first chapter. The real story is about retention. Nothing damages a relationship faster than a failed payment or a confusing renewal process.

Building on our existing payment reliability tools, we enhanced Smart Retries to further reduce involuntary churn. Leveraging intelligent data, the system now times retries to maximize the likelihood of success, helping keep customers subscribed seamlessly.

We also empowered your customers with more control. With multi-subscription management, shoppers can handle all their subscriptions in one go. By giving them the wheel, we reduce frustration and build the kind of trust that keeps them subscribed for years.

On top of that, we provided businesses with deeper insights into recurring revenue and subscriber behavior through raw data access via Snowflake integration. This allows subscription-based businesses to track trends, identify risks, and take proactive steps to retain customers before issues arise.

Key takeaways:

• Reduced involuntary churn with Smart Retries for failed payments.
• Gave customers more control through multi-subscription management.
• Enabled better retention strategies through Snowflake integration.

Source: 2Checkout Data Share in Snowflake

Staying Compliant in a Changing Landscape

In 2025, we made significant strides in updating our systems to align with the latest compliance standards. We have long maintained robust data protection measures to safeguard customer information and ensure our payment processes comply with the stringent requirements of various jurisdictions, and we continue to strengthen these systems to stay ahead of evolving standards.

Our commitment to compliance not only protects your business but also enhances the checkout experience for your customers. By staying ahead of regulatory changes, we help you avoid potential pitfalls and ensure that your operations remain seamless and trustworthy.

Key takeaways:

• Continuous updates to align with compliance requirements, including EEA regulations.
• Enhanced data protection measures to safeguard customer information.
• A commitment to maintaining trust and ensuring smooth transactions across all markets.

By prioritizing compliance, we empower your business to thrive in a complex regulatory environment, allowing you to focus on what matters most: building better journeys for your customers.

The Road Ahead

2025 was a year of connection. Every update, from backend API enhancements to frontend design refinements, was designed to elevate not just the act of shopping, but the entire experience around it.

We built a platform that is smarter, faster, and closer to your needs. Looking towards 2026, our mission continues: to create experiences that go beyond transactions, inspiring meaningful interactions, strengthening relationships, and unlocking new ways for you and your customers to grow together.

Ready to see how these stories unfold for your business?

Dive into your dashboard today to explore these new features, or contact our team to learn how we can help you craft better customer journeys.

The post 2Checkout’s 2025 Recap: A Year of Building Better Journeys appeared first on The 2Checkout Blog | Articles on eCommerce, Payments, CRO and more.

The SaaS industry is evolving faster than ever. AI-powered workflows, usage-based pricing, PLG motions, and global competition are reshaping how software companies grow in 2026.

One thing hasn’t changed: the smartest SaaS founders, marketers, and leaders still learn from each other — and podcasts remain one of the most powerful ways to do that.

Inspired by earlier SaaS podcast roundups, this updated 2026 guide curates 22 must-listen SaaS podcasts, grouped by theme so you can quickly find the shows that match your role, growth stage, and goals.

According to Statista, 2025 holds the record for number of global podcasts listeners, with over 584 million global listeners. And this year is even more promising with an estimated of ~620 million global listeners! And this recent research shows that there was a 355% increase over a 10 year time-span, in weekly time spent with podcasts for the U.S. population, accounting a 773 million hours per week in 2025 compared to just 170 million hours per week in 2015.

SaaS and Subscription podcasts offer a wide range of opportunities for discovering new ideas, staying up to date with trends, and even learning new insights and tips from the experts who host or are interviewed for the shows.

So, if you’ve just discovered this new world of podcasts, or you’re in search of new content to listen to, we’ve made a list of the best 22 SaaS and Subscriptions podcasts  that you definitely don’t want to miss.

Whether you’re bootstrapping, scaling past Series B, or leading a mature SaaS organization, there’s a podcast here for you.

Growth & Scaling: From Startup to Scale-Up

These podcasts focus on revenue growth, scaling teams, fundraising, and operational excellence — ideal for founders, CEOs, and growth leaders.

1. The SaaS Podcast

One of the most established SaaS shows, featuring founders and operators sharing hard-won lessons on scaling. Omer Khan, the host of the podcast and the Founder of SaaS Club, offers you in-depth interviews with proven SaaS founders and entrepreneurs that will help you launch and grow your SaaS business. Tune in every Wednesday to listen to the new episodes!

Notable episodes:

• Product-Market Fit: 2 Years of Almost Nothing, Then Everything Changed | SaaS Club
• Enterprise Sales: How Blings Landed McDonald’s as Their First Customer | SaaS Club
• AI SaaS Pivot: From Consulting Trap to $1M ARR | SaaS Club

2. The Official SaaStr Podcast

Deep dives with SaaS founders, VCs, and executives covering everything from ARR growth to org design. The podcast offers insightful interviews with the most prominent operators and investors, letting listeners discover their tips, tactics, and strategies to attain success in the fiercely competitive world of SaaS. Check it out!

Notable episodes:

• AI at Scale: 8 Learnings from monday.com Co-Founder and Co-Ceo Eran Zinman | SaaStr
• CRO Confidential: How Windsurf Built A Billion-Dollar AI Company and a Winning Sales Machine with VP of Worldwide Sales, Graham Moreno | SaaStr
• 5 Ways AI Has Already Changed SaaS Sales Forever with Perplexity’s CBO Dmitry Shevelenko and SaaStr CRO Confidential Host Sam Blond | SaaStr

3. The SaaS Revolution Show

The SaaS Revolution Show, hosted by Alex Theuma, brings you global SaaS leaders to discuss expansion, partnerships, and modern go-to-market strategies. Revolutionary founders, executives, and investors openly share their learnings on attracting and keeping customers, growing companies in unlikely places, scaling globally, and successfully super boosting your SaaS business. Make sure to give it a listen!

Notable episodes:

• How AI is reshaping SaaS product and pricing, with Nue CEO Mark Walker | The SaaS Revolution Show
• From NASA to nine-figure ARR: Adam Markowitz on building Drata, trust and timing in SaaS | The SaaS Revolution Show
• How AI is changing SaaS funding with Ventech’s Audrey Soussan | The SaaS Revolution Show

4. Growth Stacking Show with Dan Martell

A founder-focused show centered on scaling systems, leadership, and leverage. Host Dan Martell shares his tips and knowledge on how to build and scale successful products and businesses. If you’re looking to learn more about product development, customer retention, and SaaS strategies, this is the right podcast to listen to!

Notable episodes:

• Top 9 AI Trends I’m Betting My Bank Account On in 2026 – The Martell Method w/ Dan Martell – Apple Podcasts
• How I’d Make $1M with AI in 2026 (Zero Code) – The Martell Method w/ Dan Martell – Apple Podcasts
• The 6 Most Profitable AI Businesses to Start in 2026 – The Martell Method w/ Dan Martell – Apple Podcasts

5. The Growth Hub

Practical frameworks for predictable SaaS growth. Hosted by Edward Ford, The Growth Hub Podcast is dedicated to those SaaS marketers, CEOs, and founders who want to level up their knowledge, skills, and wisdom on how to build a high-growth SaaS business.

Notable episodes:

• 9 advice to live by from CEOs, Founders, CMOs & Head of Growth
• SEO best practices to accelerate your growth, with Steven Schneider
• Should B2B businesses be active on BlueSky? With Michael Kamleitner

6. Grow Your B2B SaaS

Growth strategies tailored specifically to B2B SaaS models. Hosted by Joran Hofman, a bootstrapping B2B SaaS founder, the show follows the same journey its listeners are on. Joran speaks with industry experts about all things B2B SaaS growth. In just one year, the podcast reached the top 10% of podcasts worldwide.

Notable episodes:

• S7E22 – Zero to 10K MRR: The Most Practical Advice from Founders and Operators – Reditus
• S7E21 – How AI Will Rewrite SaaS GTM in 2026: Pricing, Efficiency & Sales Automation with Jacco van der Kooij
• S7E20 – How SaaS Companies Will Scale in 2026: GTM Efficiency, RevOps, and Word-of-Mouth Growth with Koen Stam – Reditus

7. Sub Club Podcast by RevenueCat

Focuses on growth, monetization, and strategy for subscription and app businesses. Hosted by David Barnard and Jacob Eiting, it features interviews with experts behind some of the App Store’s top products, unpacking what’s worked and why.

Notable episodes:

• Why Your Free Users Are Your Real Growth Engine – Cem Kansu, Duolingo CPO | Sub Club Podcast
• Creative Misfires, False Positives, and Meta’s Auction Flaws — Alper Taner, Stealth-Mode App Studio | Sub Club Podcast
• Why AI Probably Won’t Kill Your App (But Ignoring It Will) — Eric Crowley, GP Bullhound | Sub Club Podcast

8. Startup to Last

Explores how to build and sustain profitable software businesses with long‑term value. Hosted by Rick Lindquist and Tyler King, each episode dives into topics spanning product strategy, growth, marketing, and founder challenges.

Notable episodes:

• Startup to Last | 2025 Recap
• Startup to Last | Does OG inbound marketing still work?
• Startup to Last | Acquisition vs Expansion

If your goal in 2026 is sustainable ARR growth, this category should be your weekly listening habit.

Marketing, Sales & Product-Led Growth

Modern SaaS growth lives at the intersection of marketing, sales, and product. These podcasts are perfect for CMOs, CROs, product marketers, and PLG teams.

9. SaaS District

Straight-talk discussions on SaaS sales, conversion optimization, and growth experiments. The host of the podcast, Akeel Jabber, covers topics like investing, acquisitions, leadership, B2B sales, growth marketing, scaling, hiring, M&A, conversion optimization, productivity, bootstrapping, venture capital, private equity, and innovation – basically, all the steps and know-how on scaling your SaaS company. Its in-depth bi-weekly episodes will surely help you get an idea about how to boost your business.

Notable episodes:

• Building an Acquisition-Ready SaaS Company From a Finance Lens with Yash Sharma #237
• How Ads, AI, and Intent Signals Drive B2B SaaS Revenue with Srikrishna Swaminathan #235
• Creating Custom Digital Funnels to Raising Capital for your SaaS with Jagger Lucé #232

10. Confessions of a B2B Entrepreneur

Honest conversations about what works (and what doesn’t) in B2B SaaS entrepreneurship. This podcast follows Tom Hunt as he builds and scales a B2B SaaS business and agency, breaking down why some companies attract customers effortlessly while others struggle. Through candid discussions, the show explores client acquisition, positioning, growth strategy, and the real-world decisions that drive sustainable success.

Notable episodes:

• From 17 Failures to Leading 70 Remote Staff: Fame’s Unconventional Growth Story (The Secret Life of Great Leaders)–Confessions of a B2B Entrepreneur – Apple Podcasts
• [Greatest Hits] B2B Personal Branding Masterclass with Lara Acosta of LA Digital–Confessions of a B2B Entrepreneur – Apple Podcasts
• How to Win Any B2B Contract Using Jose Mourinho’s Playbook–Confessions of a B2B Entrepreneur – Apple Podcasts

11.  The ProductLed Podcast

The ProductLed Podcast, hosted by Wes Bush, is a weekly interview series featuring product‑led growth leaders and practitioners. The show explores how top product experts use their products as growth engines, sharing actionable insights and real strategies for building and scaling successful product‑led businesses.

Notable episodes:

•  Taste is the New Moat: Building in the Age of AI with Typeform’s Founder – ProductLed Podcast – Apple Podcasts
•  The Solo-Founder Playbook: How to Run a $1M ARR SaaS with 1 person – ProductLed Podcast – Apple Podcasts
•  The Three Moats That Drive SaaS Companies to $10M+ Revenue – ProductLed Podcast – Apple Podcasts

12. SaaS Therapy Podcast

Hosted by Stacey Epstein, SaaS Therapy covers customer success, onboarding, adoption, churn reduction, and strategies for building lasting customer relationships. Each episode dives into real-world SaaS challenges, sharing actionable insights and best practices to help companies scale, retain customers, and optimize the customer experience.

Notable episodes:

• Season 5 Recap: Top Lessons from SaaS Therapy with Todd Kirk and Casey Trujillo – SaaS Therapy – Apple Podcasts
• The Quality of Your Questions: CS Secrets from the Trenches with Todd Kirk and Casey Trujillo – SaaS Therapy – Apple Podcasts
• The Evolution of Customer Success Strategies with Dan Steinman, Director @ Colson Fellows – SaaS Therapy – Apple Podcasts

13. SaaS Half Full

This podcast focuses on SaaS marketing strategy, go‑to‑market insights, pricing, AI in marketing, and growth tactics. The show pairs host Lindsey Groepper with top B2B SaaS marketing leaders to break down what’s working in real‑world campaigns, product launches, and strategic growth approaches. Each episode delivers practical insights and expert perspectives to help SaaS marketers mix the right ingredients for success.

Notable episodes:

•  Rethinking Market Research in the AI Era, with Kate O’Keefe – SaaS Half Full – Apple Podcasts
•  SaaS Investor POV: Marketing’s Differentiating Role, with Michelle Erickson – SaaS Half Full – Apple Podcasts
• Marketers Moving at the Speed of AI, with Mika Yamamoto of Freshworks – SaaS Half Full – Apple Podcasts

Perfect for teams navigating product-led growth, multi-channel acquisition, and modern SaaS funnels.

Founder Stories & Entrepreneur Journeys

These shows are rich with real founder experiences, bootstrapping tales, and leadership lessons.

14. The Startups For the Rest of Us Podcast

Broad startup lessons with SaaS applicability. Hosted by Rob Walling, this podcast follows real founder journeys as they start, acquire, and scale software companies, covering the full spectrum of wins, failures, and hard-earned lessons along the way. Episodes dive into topics like bootstrapping, SaaS growth, acquisitions, founder mindset, and long-term sustainability, offering an honest look at the day-to-day realities of running a SaaS company.

Notable episodes:

• Episode 817 | Bootstrapping in the Age of AI with Jason Cohen
• Episode 813 | SaaS Predictions for 2026 (+ Reflections on 2025)
• Episode 802 | Marketing Not Scaling, Where to Publish Content, and More Listener Questions (A Rob Solo Adventure)

15. Build Your SaaS

A no-nonsense guide on launching, surviving, and thriving. Build Your SaaS is a podcast hosted by the team behind Transistor.fm that chronicles their real‑world journey of bootstrapping and growing a SaaS business. It features discussions, interviews, and candid episodes about building products, startup challenges, motivation, team decisions, and lessons from founders and builders in the indie SaaS world. The show is aimed at aspiring SaaS founders and entrepreneurs who want practical insights from people actually building and scaling software businesses without traditional VC backing.

Notable episodes:

• “Justin, I built a SaaS!”–Build Your SaaS – Apple Podcasts
• Adam Wathan: how small startup…–Build Your SaaS – Apple Podcasts
• How Ben and David bootstrapped…–Build Your SaaS – Apple Podcasts

16.SaaS Stories

Designed around narrative arcs in SaaS success and failure. Hosted by Joana Inch, this podcast explores what it takes to succeed in the world of SaaS, with industry leaders and innovators to uncover their journeys, the gaps they identified in the market, and the lessons behind their growth. The podcast offers candid insights into challenges, unexpected turns, and reflections on what they might have done differently—delivered with curiosity, empathy, and wit.

Notable episodes:

• SaaS as an Orchestra | How to conduct CX, content & AI into one seamless journey
• From one email to a global SaaS: Sam Spencer on product-market fit, team building, and the power of process
• Turning AI into Revenue: GTM Lessons from Galileo’s HR Revolution

17. SaaS Backwards, Reverse Engineering SaaS Success

Exploring SaaS growth, go-to-market strategy, marketing, and leadership lessons. Each week, the host Ken Lempit interviews CEOs, CMOs, and GTM leaders from fast-growing SaaS companies to uncover what’s working—and what isn’t—in scaling SaaS businesses. The show shares pragmatic insights and real-world strategies to help listeners reverse-engineer success.

Notable episodes:

• 186 – What SaaS Leaders Get Wrong About AI – SaaS Backwards – Reverse Engineering SaaS Success | Podcast on Spotify
• 185 – This SaaS Didn’t Scale With Hype — It Scaled With Systems – SaaS Backwards – Reverse Engineering SaaS Success | Podcast on Spotify
• 184 – Why Traditional SaaS GTM Collapses in a Self-Service World – SaaS Backwards – Reverse Engineering SaaS Success | Podcast on Spotify

18. The Bootstrapped Founder

A deep look at startup growth without outside funding, focusing on actionable insights for self‑funded founders. Hosted by Arvid Kahl, the podcast shares practical lessons, real tactics, and personal stories about building and scaling bootstrapped businesses.

Notable episodes:

• 429: The Dead Internet Theory: Are We Building Machines That Only Talk to Other Machines?
• 428: Marketing for Founders Who Hate Marketing
• 427: Vibe Coding Won’t Kill SaaS

Perfect for founders seeking inspiration and “lessons learned” from peers.

Data, Analytics & Strategic Decision-Making

For leaders who want to use data to drive product decisions, segment users, or optimize performance.

19. SaaS Metrics School

Actionable SaaS metrics lessons straight from the trenches. Ben Murray delivers practical insights on SaaS finance, accounting, and AI-driven metrics, helping operators make smarter decisions and improve financial transparency. Whether you’re new to SaaS or a seasoned pro, Ben shares the latest tactics that drive growth, backed by his high‑rated SaaS metrics blog and widely used templates.

Notable episodes:

• Can You Actually Prove the ROI of Customer Success?
• Why a Perfect SaaS P&L Can Still Hide Serious Problems
• Demystifying SaaS Revenue: A Hierarchy for Predictability & Valuation

20. The SaaS CFO

Talks all things SaaS operations, growth, and finance with founders and leaders. Hosted by Ben Murray, the podcast blends founder stories with financial strategy and metrics discussion tailored to SaaS operators.

Notable episodes:

• AI for Field Sales Teams: Nicolas Christiaen’s Playbook for SaaS Success
• 2nd Time Founder Building AI Quote-to-cash Platform for SLG Recurring Revenue Businesses
• Notch Raises $15M to Bring Support AI Agents to the Insurance Vertical

21. Cloud Accounting Podcast

Delivers weekly accounting news, analysis, and expert interviews for accountants and finance pros. Hosts Blake Oliver and David Leary break down trends, insights, and topical developments in accounting and bookkeeping.

Notable episodes:

• The Accounting Podcast | Fiscal State of Nation Act & Solving for CPA Mobility with Lindsay Patterson
• The Accounting Podcast | The CPA Workload Dilemma: Can We Do Better?
• The Accounting Podcast | Trust In Accountants At Historic Low, the Fraudster Inside the SBA & IRS

Great for product leaders, data teams, and strategic thinkers.

Bonus: Events, Community & Interactive Formats

These shows are worth listening to if you want community vibes or thought-leader roundups.

22. SaaS Interviews with CEOs, Startups, Founders

Long-form Q&As with real operator insights. Nathan Latka delivers daily 15-minute interviews with SaaS founders, revealing the data and strategies behind the fastest-growing companies. Nathan uncovers how CEOs launched and scaled their startups—covering bootstrapped to funded, MVP to 10,000 customers, and pre-revenue to pre-IPO stories.

Notable episodes:

• How Dresma Hit $2M ARR With Us… – SaaS Interviews with CEOs, Startups, Founders – Apple Podcasts
• Bootstrapped to $15M ARR: How … – SaaS Interviews with CEOs, Startups, Founders – Apple Podcasts
• How He Scaled a Niche SaaS to … – SaaS Interviews with CEOs, Startups, Founders – Apple Podcasts

Podcasts are now a core part of SaaS learning and growth strategies. By tuning into the right voices in 2026, you’ll stay ahead of trends, sharpen your leadership skills, and grow your business with insights that no single blog post can match.

We really hope that this shortlist of best SaaS and subscriptions podcasts will deliver you tons of opportunities, learnings and meaningful advice to help you develop your own SaaS startup, or even better, to boost its growth to a successful top business.

Let us know in the comments section below which of these podcasts are your favorites. Are there any other SaaS and subscriptions podcasts you like to listen to?

The post The Ultimate SaaS Podcast List for 2026: Learn, Scale & Win in a Subscription-First World appeared first on The 2Checkout Blog | Articles on eCommerce, Payments, CRO and more.

In this month’s edition, we explore where AI is delivering real impact for Software and SaaS companies, unpack key payment and compliance trends shaping global expansion, and dive into how flexible pricing and modern payments are transforming education. You’ll also find curated resources and expert insights designed to help you turn early-year plans into measurable results.  

 We are proud to announce that this month also marks an exciting milestone for us as we roll out a refreshed 2Checkout logo that reflects the scale, momentum, and confidence we bring to global digital commerce and payments industry, while staying closely aligned with the strength of Verifone. 

Happy selling!  

• AI at Full Speed: How Software & SaaS Companies Accelerate Results in 2026    

Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming the Software & SaaS landscape, and staying competitive means knowing where AI truly drives value. In this exclusive live panel, industry experts Frank Sondors, Mike Korba, and Sara Maldon — hosted by Nataliya Shadykulova, 2Checkout — discuss how AI is reshaping automation, performance, and decision-making.    

• Why More Than 50% of Students Want Installment Plans (And How to Offer Them)  

Students now expect installment payment options when buying education, courses, or services online. This article breaks down why installment payments resonate with students, the impact on conversions, and actionable ways to enable flexible plans at checkout for higher sales and fewer abandoned carts.   

• eCommerce in Japan  

Looking to expand your online business in Japan’s dynamic eCommerce market in 2026? Check out this eBook to discover how to navigate payment methods, optimize the cart and checkout experience, comply with local regulations, and ultimately scale your eCommerce business in Japan! 

• The 2026 Buyer Journey for Digital Goods  

The buyer journey for digital goods is evolving, and so should your strategy. From search behavior and discovery to checkout expectations and loyalty drivers, 2026 buyers want faster, more personalized, and highly convenient experiences. This article breaks down the trends shaping digital purchases and what brands need to prioritize to win. 

• Early AI Signals from Holiday Sales  

Holiday data shows AI-driven traffic surged in the 2025 season, with generative assistants already influencing purchase decisions. While AI referrals remain a small share of total visits, brands should prepare now with clean product data, strong marketplace strategies, and AI-ready optimization. 

• 11 Marketing Automation Tips for Your eCommerce Business  

Ready to supercharge your eCommerce growth? Discover 11 actionable marketing automation tips that can help streamline your workflows, boost conversions, and drive more revenue.    

From personalized email flows to cart recovery tactics, this infographic is your roadmap to smarter marketing. 

• Data Sovereignty and Payment Compliance: Navigating Local Regulations in the Cloud  

Navigating data sovereignty and payment compliance in the cloud isn’t just a tech topic; it’s a business imperative.  Our article explains how data laws vary by country, why payment compliance standards like PCI DSS matter, and how organizations can build secure, scalable cloud strategies that meet local regulations while still enabling global growth.   

• SaaS Emails to Win Back Customers and Subscribers  

Reengagement emails still work when you take the right approach. This guide shows how to win back inactive users using targeted messaging, smart timing, and personalization that truly resonates, helping you reconnect with and reactivate your SaaS audience.  

• SEPA Instant Payments Set to Surpass Traditional Transfers by 2030  

New research shows that real-time euro payments are growing rapidly across Europe as regulatory mandates drive adoption and banks invest heavily in instant rails. Instant transactions could become the second most used non-cash payment type by 2035, reshaping how businesses and consumers move money. 

• 2Checkout for In-app Payments  

Are you an app developer looking for more control over your revenue and freedom from restrictive app store fees? In this video, Michael Rottinger, Enterprise Account Executive at 2Checkout, walks you through a simple and powerful way to accept in-app payments, without relying on app stores.    

The post Industry Buzz – January 2026 appeared first on The 2Checkout Blog | Articles on eCommerce, Payments, CRO and more.