ACI Worldwide calls for resilient UK payments infrastructure

By Milan Rojan

ACI Worldwide has called for a long-term approach to the future of the UK’s retail payments infrastructure, arguing that payment systems should be treated as strategic national infrastructure as digital transactions become increasingly central to the economy.

The comments have come as discussions continue over the future of the UK’s retail payments ecosystem, with policymakers and industry stakeholders considering how payment infrastructure should evolve to support resilience, competition and innovation.

Richard Albery, Head of Commercial at ACI Worldwide, said: “Payments are now as fundamental to modern life as energy, transport and telecommunications. Every day, millions of people and businesses rely on this infrastructure to receive salaries, pay bills, move money and keep the economy running.”

According to Albery, the debate has provided an opportunity to assess whether the UK should modernise existing payment infrastructure, build new systems or adopt a combination of both. He said decisions around governance, operational resilience and market competition would influence the long-term effectiveness of the country’s payment ecosystem.

Richard Albery, Head of Commercial at ACI Worldwide, said digital payments now underpin everyday economic activity, enabling consumers, businesses and public services to receive income, settle bills and transfer funds. He noted that the growing reliance on digital transactions has increased the importance of ensuring payment infrastructure remains secure, resilient and capable of supporting future demand.

The comments have reflected wider industry discussions around strengthening payment infrastructure as digital payment adoption continues to increase. Financial institutions and technology providers have placed greater emphasis on security, resilience and innovation to ensure payment systems remain capable of supporting economic activity while protecting consumers, businesses and the broader financial ecosystem.