Thursday, April 5, 2018
"We started 30 years ago as the sales channel trade association, so to the extent that ISVs and software companies and payfacs are new players in the payments sales channel, we want to make sure to engage them and give them guidance on how to do payments and foster partnerships where we can," said Jason Oxman, CEO of the ETA.
In addition to education session tracks on these topics, numerous other areas will be explored in sessions presented by more than 100 speakers. Topics will include, for example, connected consumers, politics and policy and mobile and secure technologies. In addition, based on positive feedback on its inaugural launch last year, ETA Law School sessions will offer expanded education on payments law, compliance, blockchain and cryptocurrencies, and more.
Also new to Transact this year, the keynote stage will be located in the main exhibit hall, making it more convenient for attendees to walk from exhibits to keynote presentations. There will be more female than male keynote speakers. "That's a great testament to the great female leaders we have in our industry," Oxman stated.
On the keynote stage, speakers will address the role of P2P payments in commerce; four of the payment industry's top female leaders will discuss the future of commerce; Wnet will present awards to diversity champions; leaders from the smart POS industry will discuss partnerships; and the security side of payments will also be highlighted.
On the show floor itself, more than 200 exhibitors will be participating. Designated zones will delve into emerging technologies ‒ from contactless payments and biometrics to cutting edge startups. There will also be a Payments Pitch-Off with awards given to top innovators.
"The card networks are very focused on contactless, so 2018 is going to be a year that our entire industry focuses on contactless," Oxman said. "The Contactless Zone is going to focus on how to convince merchants to upgrade to contactless, what technologies they should be using and how to sell it."
For the Next Gen Park zone, the ETA collaborated with startup incubators from such cities as Atlanta, Washington, and Charlotte, N.C. "We're partnering with four different accelerators to bring payments startups to the show floor, so there will be 16 startups showcasing new payments technology," Oxman noted.
The Biometrics and Identity Zone will feature several evolving forms of identification. "The signature requirements are going away this year; all the card networks have announced that," Oxman said. "They're moving to new forms of authentication other than signature." This zone will highlight biometrics in identity and how to fight fraud through these new types of technology.
As in prior years, there will be ample opportunity to network during this year's event. Among the many ETA-hosted networking events planned are the annual ETA golf tournament, daily networking lunches, the Visa President's Dinner, ETA CPP and Young Payments Professionals networking luncheon, Payment Facilitators Reception, Wnet Networking Session, and an all-attendees party at the House of Blues.
"When we talk to our members about why they come to Transact, the number one reason is networking," Oxman said. "If you add them up, we have more than half a dozen different networking receptions at the show just that we put on."
There is still time to register for this event. To learn more, visit www.electran.org/events/etatransact18/register/ .
Editor's Note:
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