The Payments Association Unveils 2030 Manifesto to Modernize UK Financial Infrastructure

The Payments Association has launched "The Payments Manifesto 2027," a strategic roadmap urging the UK government to reclassify payments as critical national infrastructure. For fintech leaders, this signals a coordinated industry push for regulatory clarity on stablecoins, agentic commerce, and fraud liability, aiming to secure the UK’s competitive standing in the global financial ecosystem by 2030.

What was announced

The manifesto, titled "The Payments Manifesto 2027: A national strategy for trusted, competitive and innovative payments by 2030," outlines a comprehensive framework for the UK’s financial future. It is structured around four primary interconnected objectives: Growth, Competitiveness and Resilience; Trust, Security and Consumer Protection; AI, Data and Digital Infrastructure; and the Future of Money and Payments.

The document provides eight specific policy recommendations designed to modernise the UK's financial landscape. These include the modernisation of UK payments infrastructure to ensure international interoperability and the creation of trusted rules for "agentic payments"—autonomous AI-driven transactions. It also calls for earlier fraud prevention through actionable intelligence sharing across the entire fraud chain, rather than placing the burden solely on the point of transaction, alongside improvements in financial inclusion and payment choice.

Regarding the evolution of currency, the manifesto advocates for coherent and proportionate regulation of next-generation payments, specifically targeting stablecoins and tokenised money. It emphasizes the need for interoperability between these emerging forms of regulated money and existing systems. Developed through engagement with the association’s membership and reviewed by its Advisory Board, the manifesto builds upon the government’s National Payments Vision to provide a practical timeline for industry and regulators to follow as they work toward the 2030 targets.

"The assumption that payments can run on autopilot while facing mounting fraud and digital disruption has to end. Payments are the vital economic lifeblood keeping society functioning. If money stopped moving for even five minutes, the fallout would be significant. We aren't just presenting a wish list. Our members are stepping up to deliver the accountability, infrastructure and cross-sector collaboration required to future-proof the UK economy."

Emma Banymandhub, CEO of The Payments Association.

The companies involved

The Payments Association is a prominent trade body representing the payments sector. Formerly known as the Emerging Payments Association before its rebranding in October 2021, the organisation serves as a bridge between industry participants, regulators, and government bodies. It operates as a community of members including banks, card schemes, fintechs, and payment service providers.

The association’s influence is bolstered by its Advisory Board, currently chaired by Nick Kerigan, who also serves as Managing Director and Head of Innovation at Swift. By convening expertise from across the financial services landscape, the group aims to influence policy and drive standardisation in a rapidly fragmenting market. The association has recently expanded its reach, including moves to strengthen its presence within the European Union to support the international growth of its member firms. Its focus remains on fostering a collaborative environment where established financial institutions and emerging fintech disruptors can navigate the complexities of UK and international regulation together.

What FF News has reported before

FF News has closely followed the association’s efforts to shape the UK’s financial landscape. In late 2026, the group made headlines when The Payments Association Acquires TPA EU to Drive Global Fintech Expansion, marking a significant step in its international strategy. The organisation has also been active in addressing technical hurdles; earlier that year, The Payments Association Taps Daniel Jonas to Lead New Global Payments Infrastructure Working Group to focus on cross-border systems.

The association’s focus on security and consumer outcomes was also evident when UK Financial Crime Leaders Converge at Financial Crime 360 as FCA and Bank of England Take the Stage, an event supported by the group. This follows critical research highlighting that AI Banking Tools Failing Vulnerable Customers Despite High Industry Confidence, Research Finds, a topic that aligns with the manifesto's focus on financial inclusion.

What this means

The demand for payments to be treated as critical national infrastructure is a bold attempt to force the government’s hand on funding and regulatory speed. By elevating payments to the same status as energy or telecommunications, the industry is signaling that the current "autopilot" approach to infrastructure is no longer sustainable. This puts pressure on regulators to move faster on stablecoin frameworks and AI standards, or risk the UK falling behind more agile jurisdictions. The focus on "agentic commerce" is particularly forward-looking, raising difficult questions about liability and consumer protection in a world where machines, not humans, may increasingly authorize transactions.