Business
Payments Modernisation: Gap Between Confidence and Readiness Among Industry Leaders Widens, ACI Worldwide Study Finds
69% of payments executives see their organisations as leaders, yet fewer than half prioritise innovation as legacy systems and internal resistance slow
About this update from Aci Worldwide, Inc.
[{"type":"text","content":"\n69% of payments executives see their organisations as leaders, yet fewer than half prioritise innovation as legacy systems and internal resistance slow progress\n\n OMAHA, Neb.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--\nPayments leaders remain confident about the pace of industry innovation, but many risk falling behind as expectations accelerate. New global research from ACI Worldwide (NASDAQ: ACIW) and Globant reveals a widening gap between confidence and readiness that could define industry leadership in 2026 and beyond.\n\nThe report Payments in Transition: Leadership in an era of transformation, based on a survey of 500 industry leaders across North America, Europe, Latin America, Middle East & Africa, and Asia Pacific, shows that while 69% of executives consider their organisations to be payments leaders, fewer than half (44%) say payments innovation is a C-suite priority.\n\nThis disconnect is driven by barriers that will become increasingly costly in the year ahead. More than half (55%) of executives admit they are not fully using the technology already available, and 44% cite legacy platforms as the biggest obstacle to innovation. Internal resistance compounds the challenge, with 53% pointing to cultural hurdles as a key factor slowing transformation.\n\nThe result is a modernisation gap, where ambition outpaces execution and organisations risk falling behind as technological and regulatory demands accelerate. By 2026, secure, instant, and seamless transactions will be the baseline, as rising customer and consumer expectations add even more pressure. In fact, 79% of respondents cite customer demand as the top catalyst for change, with payments expected to be instant, secure, and reliable.\n\nKey findings at a glance:\n\n\nModernisation roadmaps lag behind: Only 36% of payments executives say their organisation has a clear long-term roadmap for payments and investment modernisation, leaving many without a strategic vision for transformation.\n\n\nLegacy infrastructure slows progress: Just 25% of organisations are actively phasing out ageing payments platforms, despite widespread recognition that outdated systems limit agility and delay new product rollouts.\n\n\nFraud and cybersecurity concerns dominate: 77% of executives cite fraud and cybersecurity risks as the top barriers to innovation.\n\n\nRegulatory complexity adds pressure: 63% point...