In 2026, economic uncertainty is quietly reshaping consumer payment behavior, driving shifts across cards, cash, BNPL, and emerging alternatives as households adapt how they manage spending and access liquidity.

SoFi recently reported that its AI chatbot, Konecta, has helped make significant operational and customer service improvements since its 2023 launch, per Yahoo Finance. Banking customers have been experiencing chatbot fatigue when glitches and errors prevent them from getting meaningful solutions to their problems—or when they can’t reach a human. But the more empathetic, human models could undo some of the negative perception of these bots. By demonstrating tangible benefits, like faster service and fewer dropped chats, SoFi is directly addressing these customer pain points. This approach improves efficiency and builds a foundation of trust—particularly with self-service-leaning Gen Zers.

These can fuel more frequent debit card usage, helping these cards better compete against credit card programs

They have higher customer satisfaction rates, adding to the competitive pressures

Partnering with a major BNPL player like Klarna could help Mastercard catch up to Visa’s head start

Acquirers, networks, and issuers each play distinct roles in the payments purchasing chain. But those roles are shifting as providers adapt to the rise of software and value-added services, increased payment method choice, and cloud-based innovation.

Modern card issuers are turbocharging the issuer processor space by offering API-based, customizable card solutions for non-financial services companies. Mobile payment services, ecommerce marketplaces, and the gig economy are in their sights—along with $17.12 billion in issuer processing revenues.

Powered by cloud-based APIs, modern card issuing leapfrogs traditional issuer processing to help non-financial services companies launch and customize card programs. Here’s where their offerings will be most disruptive.

SoFi aims to become the AWS of banking services: The US neobank plans to acquire cloud-based core-banking provider Technisys and pair it up with banking-as-a-service (BaaS) subsidiary Galileo.

Latino-focused Fortú rolls out with support from SoFi, LendingClub: Fortú will serve un- and underbanked US Latinos—and it has the opportunity to gain traction by initially targeting underserved consumers within a market of around 60 million Latinos.