#TrumpTariffs scale of the payments industry is hard to overstate. In 2023, the global payments industry handled 3.4 trillion transactions, accounting for a mind-boggling $1.8 quadrillion in value and generating $2.4 trillion in revenue. The United States alone saw $5.6T in credit card payments and $4.4T in debit card payments.

Despite the ubiquity and scale of the industry, payment solutions remain expensive and complex, although payment apps often shield consumers from the experience. For instance, while Venmo, a peer-to-peer payment app, seems simple in its frontend, on the backend, the product hides a maze of banking integrations, debit-card loopholes, and countless compliance obligations. Adding to the complexity, payment solutions often build over time