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As the pace of change in commerce accelerates, so too do the demands on the payments experience. Today, merchants and partners must navigate a fragmented, fast-moving landscape — one defined by rising consumer expectations, global expansion, embedded finance, AI, growing security threats and an explosion of integration complexity. To make sense of it all, we sat down with Verifone CEO Himanshu Patel to talk about what’s changing in the world of payments — and what Verifone is doing to lead in this new era.

Q: The world of commerce and payments has changed dramatically in recent years. From your perspective, what’s the most important shift taking place right now?

Himanshu: We’re witnessing a fundamental reshaping of how payments are expected to work. In the past, payments were invisible — a backend function companies didn’t think about much. But today, the payment experience is front and center. It’s where trust is built, where loyalty is earned, and where money flows. Consumers expect speed, flexibility, and personalized options — whether they’re tapping their phone, paying through a social platform, or transacting across borders. And all of this has to happen seamlessly, no matter the channel or payment method. That shift — from invisible utility to critical experience — is the biggest change we’re seeing.

Q: How are today’s market dynamics — like embedded finance, global expansion, and AI — reshaping the payments experience for merchants and commerce providers?

Himanshu: These forces are accelerating payment innovation — but they’re also introducing massive complexity. Every new payment type, new integration, or new regulation adds friction. Merchants and partners are drowning in endpoints and struggling to scale securely. Many are stuck in what we call the payments complexity trap, where it becomes harder and harder to deliver the seamless experiences customers expect. At Verifone, we believe the winners will be those who can break free of this trap — not just by simplifying payments, but by unlocking their full potential.

Q: Many still think of Verifone primarily as a point-of-sale company. How do you describe Verifone today?

Himanshu: That legacy gives us credibility — but it’s only part of the story. Verifone today is a modern commerce and payments company that helps businesses enable the broad commerce experience in the most seamless way. We’ve spent the last decade transforming ourselves: building a flexible payments platform, opening integrations, and investing in global infrastructure. We’re constantly looking to stay ahead of how consumer experiences are shifting, and what technology we can employ to simplify the complexity. We power what we call the boundless payments grid — a composable, integrated ecosystem that lets our customers create any payment experience, anywhere in the world. We’re not just selling hardware. We’re delivering the infrastructure that powers commerce across 165 countries.

Q: You’ve described Verifone as delivering ‘boundless’ payment experiences. What does that mean in practice — and why does it matter now?  

Himanshu: Boundless means removing the limitations that have historically held businesses back — whether that’s geography, modality, integration, or legacy systems. With the boundless payments grid, merchants can unlock hundreds of integrations through a single point of access. They can expand into new markets with hyperlocal payment methods. They can adapt faster, innovate more freely, and deliver experiences that truly reflect how people want to pay today. In short, it’s about helping our customers thrive in an era of constant change.

Q: What are some of the bold moves Verifone has made behind the scenes to make boundless payments a reality?

Himanshu: We’ve made strategic investments across every layer of our business — from building out over 2,500 integrations, to embedding local teams in regions around the world. We’ve doubled down on engineering talent and opened up our platform to partners in ways that weren’t possible before. We’ve also taken a customer-first approach, co-innovating with merchants and ISVs to solve real-world challenges. This wasn’t an overnight pivot. It was a multi-year transformation that’s allowed us to deliver the flexibility, scale, and trust the market needs.

Q: What excites you most about the road ahead for Verifone and the broader payments ecosystem?

Himanshu: We’re at the beginning of a new chapter — not just for Verifone, but for the entire industry. Payments is no longer a static utility. It’s a strategic lever for growth, loyalty, and experience. What excites me most is seeing our customers use Verifone’s platform to expand, experiment, and reimagine what’s possible. We’re giving them the freedom to innovate without friction. And that, to me, is what boundless is all about. 

Discover how the boundless payments grid can empower your growth, innovation, and success. Read about our approach to explore the boundless possibilities with Verifone.