📝 Boston Consulting Group report on the state of the global payments market in 2026 (part 3)

📝 Boston Consulting Group report on the state of the global payments market in 2026 (part 3)

Original report; part 1, part 2

9⃣ Transaction banking and the rise of AI agents

AI agents are beginning to autonomously select payment routes based on criteria such as cost, speed, and straight-through processing (STP). They can also manage foreign exchange risks and cash pooling mechanisms within predefined parameters.

In this context, the relationship between banks and their corporate clients is shifting away from a sole focus on transaction execution toward the management of the rules governing the movement of funds.

🔵 Automating trade finance and document processing.
🔵 Transitioning toward a zero-touch payment model, with minimal human intervention.
🔵 Accelerating system modernization through AI.
🔵 Strengthening relationships with corporate treasury departments.
🔵 Improving sales and customer management efficiency through AI.

In trade finance, AI-powered document processing already achieves accuracy rates above 85%.

1⃣0⃣ Four strategic steps for banks

🟡 Measure the true cost of payment processes that have not yet been automated and identify the areas with the greatest potential for AI investment.
🟡 Design systems capable of interacting with AI agents.
🟡 Close skills and control gaps by clearly defining the authorities, responsibilities, and compliance requirements applicable to AI agents.
🟡 Distribute control over orchestration by delegating some decision-making authority to technology partners.

🟪 Final conclusions. The main changes in the payments market can be grouped into four key shifts:

🟣 From prioritizing volume growth to focusing on the quality and profitability of growth.
🟣 From offering standalone payment products to developing integrated platforms and orchestration capabilities.
🟣 From manual management to transaction automation through AI agents.
🟣 From a unified global payments infrastructure to a multi-rail infrastructure combining global, regional, instant, and tokenized payment systems.

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