Author: Consult Hyperion

Shaping the future of finance: key insights from M2020 USA.

18th November 202518th November 2025by Consult HyperionLeave a comment

Howard Hall, Vice President Growth at Consult Hyperion, consulting by Fime, summarizes the key discussions and insights from Money2020 USA 2025, one of the leading payments industry conferences.

Fime and Consult Hyperion was out in full force at Money 20/20 Las Vegas, with Dave Birch, Xavier Giandominici, Ben Potter and Nick Norman all on the ground. Over three packed days we met with dozens of clients, partners and industry friends, both old and new. We came away inspired by how fast the world of payments, identity and digital trust is evolving.

The era of agentic AI.

Agentic AI was everywhere this year. Dave Birch’s session, supported by leaders from Mastercard explored how intelligent, autonomous agents will reshape the way money moves and decisions get made. These aren’t just chatbots; they’re systems capable of acting on our behalf, initiating payments, verifying identity and managing risk. The question everyone is asking now is: how do we trust the agent? What are the new signals, frameworks and governance models that let us verify that an AI acting for us is doing the right thing?

This conversation dovetails perfectly with our heritage in digital identity and trust frameworks. It’s one thing to build an agent; it’s another to ensure that it’s secure, compliant and grounded in real-world identity. That’s where we come in.

Stablecoins and the future of money.

Stablecoins and tokenized money continued to capture attention across panels and side discussions. There’s a growing sense that programmable value, whether through stablecoins or digital fiat will be the natural companion to agentic AI. If agents are going to act, they’ll need a medium of exchange that is fast, programmable and secure.

We heard repeatedly that firms want help bridging the gap between experimentation and production. This is the kind of challenge Consult Hyperion thrives on combining technical insight with regulatory understanding to make the next generation of payment rails real.
Insights from dozens of client conversations.

Our one-to-one meetings revealed a lot about what’s on the minds of our clients and partners:

Platform resilience and optimization came up again and again — from large fintechs re-evaluating their processing infrastructure to global brands seeking help rationalizing fragmented payment systems across multiple geographies and logos.
Digital identity and trust frameworks were top of mind. Organizations across banking, payments and big tech are exploring how to extend KYC into the world of Know-Your-Agent (KYA) and mDL.
Tokenization and security continue to present both opportunity and friction. Several firms are revisiting their existing implementations and seeking a path toward scalable, interoperable solutions.
Go-to-market alignment remains a challenge. Many companies are looking for help in shaping adjacent services, workshop and partnership strategies are areas that were top of mind.
Sector-specific certification and standards are shifting. We heard updates from trusted partners working to reshape digital-identity assurance around specific industries rather than one-size-fits-all frameworks.

These conversations reaffirmed what we already know: clients value practical, implementation-level understanding of the complex ecosystems that connect identity, payments and technology.

Why this matters.

For nearly three decades, Consult Hyperion has helped organizations around the world navigate the intersection of trust, technology and financial inclusion. Whether it’s designing new tokenization schemes, building digital-identity frameworks or testing payment systems with Fime, our work sits at the core of where the industry is heading.

Money 20/20 was a reminder that we’re entering a new chapter, one where human and machine actors coexist in digital ecosystems that demand security, privacy and interoperability from the start.

Let’s continue the conversation.

If you’d like to explore how agentic AI, stablecoins or next-generation identity can be built safely and responsibly into your business, we’d love to talk. Reach out to our team and let’s turn these conference insights into real-world strategies and implementations.

Trust, innovation and interoperability: key insights from AAMVA conference.

10th October 202510th October 2025by Consult HyperionLeave a comment

Phoenix, Arizona – October 2025 – Fime participated in the AAMVA Relying Party Showcase and the AAMVA International Conference, reinforcing its leadership in advancing secure, interoperable, and scalable digital identity solutions.

The Showcase gathered issuers, wallet providers, reader providers, DMVs, and technology companies under one roof to demonstrate real-world mobile driver’s license (mDL) use cases. Fime’s delegation, including Marcelo Bellini, VP Digital Identity at Consult Hyperion, Consulting by Fime, Gregory Tierno, Business Development Director, Jerrin Thomas, Service Line Manager, and Gaurav Manchanda, Product Manager, participated in both the showcase and conference sessions.

Panel: ensuring trust in digital credentials.

As part of the panel “Ensuring Trust in Digital Credentials in North America and Beyond,” moderated by Tim Roufa Portfolio Director for Identity Credentialing at AAMVA, thought leaders came together to share their perspectives on scaling digital identity. Panelists included Luis Felipe Segura, Field CTO at Incode, Christopher Goh, International Advisor at Valid8 Advisory and Marcelo Bellini.

Marcelo emphasized the role of testing and certification in building trust within the mDL ecosystem, drawing lessons from the payments industry, where testing and certification enabled global scale. He highlighted global digital identity deployments across the EU, Japan, and Australia. Marcelo also underlined the importance of a Digital Trust Service (DTS), such as the one operated by AAMVA, in supporting adoption and scalability.

Demo highlight: two taps to trust.

One of the showcase highlights was the collaboration between Consult Hyperion and Zebra Technologies presenting a live demo, which illustrated how identity verification and payments can be seamlessly managed on a single handheld Contactless Payment ready mobile device (COTS).

The demo featured:

Identity verification using a production Georgia mDL stored in Apple and Google Wallets.
Payment transactions with production Mastercard and Visa EMV contactless cards.
Public key retrieval from the AAMVA Digital Trust Service, enabling the relying party to securely trust the mDL.
A COTS contactless payment device that scans product barcodes, triggers an ID check for age restricted items (e.g., alcohol) and processes payment – all in just two taps: one for identity and one for payments.

The demonstration was praised by attendees for its simplicity, practicality, and potential to transform multiple industries, from stadiums and public transport to law enforcement, alcohol retail, and grocery stores.

“This use case really shows the power of convergence between identity and payments,”

said Greg Tierno, Business Development Director at Fime.

“Having both functions on a single, easy-to-use handheld device makes life simpler for merchants, law enforcement, and consumers alike. It’s a practical, scalable solution that lowers friction and raises trust – exactly what the ecosystem needs to accelerate adoption.”

Building ecosystem momentum.

Following the Showcase, Fime also took part in the broader AAMVA International Conference, engaging with issuers, wallet providers, reader providers, biometric solution companies, and technology vendors. The event offered an unparalleled opportunity to network, exchange insights, and accelerate collaboration towards a trusted digital credential future.

“Our successful demonstration with Zebra underscores the transformative potential of combining digital identity and payments in a single, trusted device,”

added Marcelo Bellini, VP Digital Identity at Consult Hyperion, Consulting by Fime.

Acknowledgement

Fime extends its gratitude to AAMVA and its organizers for hosting a world-class event that continues to drive meaningful dialogue, collaboration, and innovation across the digital identity ecosystem.

Work with an expert partner for a secure digital future.

mDLs are moving quickly from pilots to real deployments, and relying parties must be prepared. At Consult Hyperion, we help organizations bridge the gap between initial awareness and production-level implementation.

Our support spans the full journey: from masterclasses and tailored workshops to build understanding, through business case development to justify investment, and market and vertical analysis to identify opportunities. We assist with use case definition, technical requirements, and RFI/RFP support, helping you select the right vendors and solutions and provide implementation support. And through thought leadership collaborations, we share insights that keep you ahead of the curve.

Our goal is simple: to give you a clear strategy, a strong business case, and a trusted path to deploy mDLs with confidence.

Learn more about Digital identity: a new frontier for payment terminal vendors.

Strategic readiness in Payments and Identity: building the digital economy’s bullet train.

10th July 202518th November 2025by Consult HyperionLeave a comment

The very notion of “strategic readiness” in payments and identity has evolved far beyond routine system upgrades or incremental tweaks. We’re no longer simply replacing the boiler in a Victorian banking house—we’re laying track for the bullet train of the digital economy. This seismic shift demands a fundamental rethink of infrastructure, ideology, and strategic vision.

At this inflection point, identity, reputation, and tokenized value are no longer discrete elements—they are converging into a seamless, dynamic ecosystem. The future of payments is about more than speed or scale; it’s about embedding trust, context, and programmability into every transaction. This is a call to action for payment providers, technology architects, and financial institutions: it’s time to prepare not just for the next upgrade, but for a new paradigm.

1. Tokenization: the new grammar of value

Tokenization is often misunderstood as merely a technical means of wrapping assets digitally. Tokenization represents a profound shift: money that understands us. Tokens are not just containers of value; they encode conditions, context, and control into the very fabric of money itself.

This is programmable money—value with an API. It can carry rules about who can spend it, when, where, and under what conditions. It can embed compliance, privacy, and even reputation directly into the token. This new grammar of value is rewriting the rules of payments, loyalty, and identity.

Strategic imperatives:
The readiness challenge goes beyond adopting standards like ISO 20022 or C-8. It requires building platforms capable of handling multi-asset token models—fiat currencies, CBDCs, stablecoins, loyalty points, and reputation tokens—simultaneously. These tokens must interoperate across chains, jurisdictions, and regulatory frameworks.

Tactical considerations:

Can your platform manage multi-asset token models?
Are your tokens programmable with embedded policies, metadata, and rules?
Can tokens interoperate across different blockchain networks and regulatory environments?
Do you treat tokens as carriers of identity and entitlement, not just value?

Inspiration:
The future belongs to platforms that treat tokens as flexible, composable building blocks—not static assets.

CBDCs: Central banks worldwide are exploring programmable digital currencies that embed monetary policy and compliance rules at the token level.

Stablecoins and Loyalty Tokens: Brands are experimenting with tokens that combine value with customer reputation and engagement metrics.

2. Global standards: strategic alignment beyond interoperability

Standards like ISO 20022, ATICA, and C-8 are often viewed narrowly as technical interoperability tools. They represent strategic battlegrounds for influence and alignment.

Money is becoming more abstract and global, making cross-jurisdictional alignment essential. Standards are the rails on which the digital economy’s bullet train runs. Getting them right means seamless connectivity; getting them wrong means fragmentation and isolation.

Strategic imperatives:
True readiness means engaging proactively in standards governance. It means seeing standards not as a compliance checklist but as a diplomatic and strategic game. Just as 19th-century railway gauges determined economic dominance, modern standards will determine who controls the rails of digital payments and identity.

Tactical considerations:

Have you mapped your organization’s position in evolving standards?
Are you investing in interoperability by design, bridging legacy and emerging systems?
Are you actively participating in standards bodies and governance forums?

Inspiration:
The winners in the next decade will be those who shape standards, not just follow them. Open banking initiatives worldwide demonstrate how early movers in standards governance gain competitive advantage and market influence.

3. Digital identity: the strategic spine of future payments

Identity is shifting from a static presentation to a dynamic performance. It’s no longer a simple credential shown at a single point in time, but a persistent, evolving construct that draws from social, legal, and behavioral data streams.

This shift has profound implications for payments. Authentication is no longer about passwords or PINs—it’s about a rich tapestry of biometric signals, device fingerprints, and behavioral biometrics that collectively redefine trust. This isn’t just a technical upgrade; it’s a wholesale redesign of how trust is established and maintained in digital interactions.

Strategic imperatives:
Because identity is the foundation upon which all payments rest. Without a robust, flexible, and user-centric identity layer, payments remain vulnerable to fraud, friction, and exclusion. But when identity becomes fluid, portable, and programmable, it unlocks new possibilities: seamless onboarding, frictionless authentication, and privacy-preserving data sharing.

Embedding a context-aware identity layer is no longer optional—it’s foundational. This means integrating verifiable credentials, decentralized identity (DID) frameworks, and self-sovereign identity (SSI) principles directly into payment platforms. Identity must be treated as a living asset that travels with the user across ecosystems, rather than a siloed attribute locked inside a single institution.

Tactical considerations:

Infrastructure readiness: Does your system support verifiable credentials and decentralized identity frameworks?
Contextual authentication: Have you deployed multi-factor, behavioral, and device-bound authentication methods?
Portability: Can users carry their identity credentials across platforms and services?
Privacy controls: Are privacy settings granular, user-centric, and programmable to adapt to different contexts?

Inspiration:
The institutions that lead the next wave will be those that treat identity not as a compliance hurdle but as a strategic asset—one that enables trust, inclusion, and innovation.

Nordic BankID: A leading example of a national digital identity platform enabling seamless authentication across banking, government, and commerce.

India’s Aadhaar: A massive biometric identity system that powers a range of financial inclusion initiatives and digital payments.

4. The future-proofing mandate: architecting for ambiguity and agility

Future-proofing is often mistaken for predicting the next big thing. In reality, it’s about designing systems that thrive amid uncertainty and change. The real currency of the next decade is optionality—the ability to pivot, adapt, and compose new solutions rapidly.

Monolithic architectures and tightly coupled ecosystems are liabilities in this environment. Instead, the future belongs to modular, composable platforms that can integrate new identity models, token types, and regulatory requirements without wholesale rewrites.

Strategic imperatives:
Build with composability and modularity at the core. Adopt open token standards, modular identity stacks, and orchestration layers that enable dynamic rule enforcement. Embrace cloud-native, API-first, and event-driven architectures that support rapid innovation.

Tactical considerations:

Is your architecture truly composable and plug-and-play?
Are your systems event-driven and cloud-native?
Is your data layer decoupled from service layers to enable seamless migration?
Have you invested in orchestration tools for dynamic policy enforcement?

Inspiration:
Look at the tech giants who thrived in the internet era: they weren’t oracles predicting trends—they were architects building platforms that could evolve. The same mindset is essential for payments and identity today.

Final thought: lead with vision, not nostalgia

The opportunity to lead this transformation is immense—but only if leadership embraces a new mandate. The goal is not to preserve legacy systems or replicate old models digitally. It’s to reimagine what payments, identity, and value can become in a connected, programmable world. Digital infrastructure is no longer a compliance burden; it’s a civilizational substrate. The future belongs to those who treat it as such—building with courage, curiosity, and a refusal to mistake digitization for transformation. Remember: the payments game is being played by actors who have no interest in being banks. The disruptors, platforms, and protocols are rewriting the rules. Are you ready to lead?

Digital Identity: A new frontier for payment terminal vendors.

23rd June 202518th November 2025by Consult HyperionLeave a comment

Due to their seamless user experience and secure design, payment terminals have become the gold standard for brick & mortar merchants. As the world becomes more digital, merchants need to embrace new and innovative ways to keep up with evolving consumer expectations while maintaining, or even improving, security.

One key digital advancement is digital identity which has quickly become a cornerstone of multiple industries including retail, healthcare, transportation and more. Terminal vendors therefore face a strategic choice: Stick to payments, or evolve into access points for identity too?

Why this matters now

Digital identity is a virtual representation of the user. It securely stores and presents personal information, which can be used to verify the identity of the user anywhere, anytime. By passing this verification process, users can gain access to services, without needing to provide a physical identity document.

Digital identity is a trend, driven by convenience, fraud prevention, data privacy and security. Standards are already in place and are being followed closely by technology vendors. Acceptance must follow, now that digital identity is becoming available to many users.

Due to its convenience, governments and schemes are launching digital identity systems. Examples include Singpass Mobile App in Singapore, Aadhaar in India with over 1.3 billion registered citizens, and the United States of America’s Mobile Driver License (mDL).

Digital ID isn’t just about online services. Citizens can also use them to verify themselves physically. For instance: in pharmacies, when collecting a parcel or at a government help desk. But these places have not yet deployed payment terminals and there’s no common de facto interface for that.

The power of payment terminals

With security chips, authentication capabilities, and a place on every retail counter, terminals are already built for trust. Vendors that move early can help shape the role of identity at the physical edge — and become indispensable to this next layer of infrastructure.

Payments and identity: naturally aligned

The payments and digital identity ecosystems already share key components of critical infrastructure, which makes them compatible and able to support overlapping use cases. Both systems rely on cryptography and secure hardware – components that are already embedded in payment terminals. These elements are essential for securely storing cryptographic keys and executing sensitive operations.

Both ecosystems also utilize similar user interfaces and input methods. Whether it’s a PIN pad, a touchscreen on a POS terminal, or a biometric scanner used for identity verification, the technology used to interact with users is easily adaptable between the two domains.

Standards and certification frameworks also provide a strong foundation for integration. For example, global standards such as EMVCo for payments and FIDO Alliance for identity authentication help ensure interoperability and security across different devices.

Finally, both ecosystems are built on trust relationships between the key stakeholders, banks, acquirers, and service providers in the payment’s world. These relationships are critical for ensuring that transactions and identity verifications are accepted across networks and ecosystems. Institutions that already support secure payment acceptance are well-positioned to extend their role into digital identity verification.

This overlap makes the payment terminal a natural candidate for identity authentication at the edge, especially for services that require face-to-face verification or hybrid customer journeys where digital and physical interactions are blended.

The risk of standing still

A new market, not just a new feature

Digital identity does not just expand what terminals can do — it also expands where they can go. By entering non-payment environments through identity use cases, terminal vendors could open doors in entirely new markets, including public sector offices, healthcare providers, or access-controlled locations. Once deployed, these terminals may later enable payments too, making identity a strategic wedge into previously untapped areas.

Terminal vendors must be ready for market threats, such as technology players that are already enabling terminals, new players and mobile vendors.

It’s also important to remain open minded to upcoming opportunities, like helping to shape new infrastructures, incorporating new payment requirements, participating in new types of payment initiation and defining new use cases and services.

The risk of standing still

While terminal innovation has focused on sleek form factors and value-added apps, few vendors have strategically explored how digital identity can reshape their market.

By not engaging early, vendors risk:

Becoming sidelined as mobile-first ID platforms set the standards.
Allowing newcomers to enter the ID market and later capture payment market share.
Missing opportunities to influence national and regional schemes.
Losing relevance in ecosystems that increasingly value multi-function interfaces.

The integration of identity into terminals is no longer a technical challenge – it’s a strategic imperative.

The opportunity for first movers

There is a growing space for vendors who can demonstrate how digital identity and payments converge on a single device.

Some key use cases are already emerging:

Age verification in retail or hospitality — a fast-growing use case in the EU, US, and across APAC. For example, in Australia, regulation for age verification with digital identity when buying liquor is already in place.
Prescription collection in pharmacies — where identity verification and payment occur together and a unified experience could improve efficiency and the customer journey in-store.
Subsidies or tax refunds at the point of sale — where proof of entitlement and transactions converge.
Transit discounts and concessions — enabling the system to verify eligibility without tracking individuals directly.

These use cases are not theoretical. In several markets, pilots are already underway, often without terminal vendors in the room. Some of these pilots involve two separate terminals, one for payments and one for digital identity, opening space for newcomers to bring solutions not yet explored by traditional terminal vendors.

Terminal vendors are in a unique position

Terminal vendors are well-placed to support both payment and digital identity use cases due to their expertise. Their devices are already embedded in the payment flow, which allows them to seamlessly optimize the user experience by unifying identity verification and transactions. Because these terminals are already integrated with retail sales systems, they offer a natural extension point for identity-based workflows without requiring duplication of infrastructure.

Additionally, terminals come with built-in user interfaces and authentication mechanisms like touchscreens or PIN entry pads, the devices are already trusted and deployed at scale and vendors are already familiar with certification, compliance and standards processes. Finally, vendors already have strong, established relationships with acquirers.

These strengths position vendors perfectly to bridge the physical and digital identity worlds.

The bottom line

Payment terminals don’t have to be limited to payment transactions. In a digital-first world, they can become trusted touchpoints for identity, but only if terminal vendors act now.

The opportunity is there. Whether you seize it, or let others redefine the edge of identity, is up to you.

Terminal vendors thinking about digital identity should consider six strategic questions:

Which identity roles could your terminals support? (credential verification, authentication)
What standards are relevant? (ISO 18013 mDL/mDoc, W3C VC)
Can you integrate identity (UX and technology) with minimal redesign?
What partnerships will help you scale fast?
Where are the first viable pilots?
What are you doing to be compliant with new regulations for all regions?

By adopting digital identity solutions, payment terminal vendors can seize opportunity and build stronger relationships with customers. Contact Fime if you’re interested in gaining a competitive edge in this ever-changing market.

Driving the Future of Fintech

5th November 20245th November 2024by Consult HyperionLeave a comment

Insights from Money20/20 USA 2024 and Consult Hyperion’s Legacy

The fintech landscape has undergone remarkable transformations over the past decade, with Money20/20 USA serving as a pivotal platform for showcasing industry innovations and setting trends. Each year, this premier conference gathers leaders, innovators, and thinkers to discuss the future of financial services. Reflecting on past themes such as cloud computing and blockchain, the 2024 event embraced Artificial Intelligence (AI) as the defining technology of the year.

A Look Back: Cloud, Blockchain, and Consult Hyperion’s Journey at Money20/20

Over the years, Money20/20 has highlighted significant trends that have shaped financial services. Cloud computing allowed institutions to scale operations, enhance customer experiences, and improve efficiency. Blockchain soon followed, presenting decentralized ledger systems that promised more transparency, security, and trust in financial transactions.

For Consult Hyperion, these advancements provided a natural landscape to showcase our expertise. Since our first year at Money20/20, we’ve been committed to the industry’s growth, contributing thought leadership and insights on technological evolution. Our journey at Money20/20 has been one of active participation, attendance and thought leadership. Year after year, we’ve witnessed—and contributed to—the shift in how technology redefines our industry.

2024: The AI-Driven Future of Fintech

This year, AI emerged as the main theme, emphasizing the next evolution in payments technology. Money20/20 USA 2024 was all about exploring AI’s current and future impact. From machine learning to natural language processing, the event demonstrated AI’s ability to drive personalized financial products, enhance security, and transform customer engagement.

Key highlights from this year’s conference included:

AI-Powered Customer Engagement: Many exhibitors showcased AI-driven chatbots and virtual assistants designed to streamline customer support and provide tailored advice. This shift towards personalized experiences is already making a significant impact, with AI enabling real-time, intelligent responses.
Enhanced Fraud Detection: Fraud prevention was another focal point, with sessions exploring how AI-driven models are detecting and mitigating fraud more effectively than ever. These solutions promise a safer environment for both financial institutions and consumers.
Personalized Financial Services: As AI grows more sophisticated, it allows for finely-tuned, data-driven offerings that meet individual needs. Financial products are now being tailored with unprecedented accuracy, improving customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Consult Hyperion’s Continued Commitment to Innovation

Consult Hyperion’s ongoing involvement at Money20/20 reflects our commitment to staying at the forefront of fintech. This year, we’re particularly excited about the potential AI brings to financial services and how it intersects with our expertise in secure payments and identity. As a key player in bridging technology with strategy, Consult Hyperion remains dedicated to guiding the industry through its next stages of digital transformation.

Dave Birch’s Panels on AI, Digital Identity, and Payments

Consult Hyperion’s own Dave Birch, known globally for his thought leadership in secure payment and identity systems, moderated two thought-provoking panels. Each session, focused on AI’s transformative potential in finance, illustrated how we can expect profound changes in secure identity, payments, and customer engagement.

“Have My AI Call Your AI and Let’s Do Lunch” This forward-looking session explored the transformative potential of AI-driven B2B interactions within finance. Birch and his panelists, including Sophia Bantazidis from Citi, discussed how autonomous, AI-driven systems could negotiate and streamline transactions between organizations. Panelists noted that as AI continues to advance, it presents opportunities for improving efficiency in business interactions. However, the potential for AI-to-AI interactions also brings the need for a secure, reliable framework, particularly in digital identity, to ensure all parties’ integrity and security. Bantazidis highlighted the importance of ethical AI in finance and the role of digital identity frameworks to support responsible, trustworthy AI interactions. The discussion underscored that digital identity isn’t just a safeguard but a necessity for enabling safe, efficient AI-driven financial communications, allowing AI systems to engage securely in a trust-based environment.
“The Real Disruption in Retail Financial Services: Customers Getting AI” Hosted on the exclusive “Off The Record” stage, which featured Chatham House rules and a locked-phone policy to encourage open dialogue, this session delved into a critical, often under-discussed topic: the growing role of AI in empowering consumers rather than just enhancing banks’ internal efficiencies. Birch set the stage for a candid conversation, highlighting that while it’s intriguing to explore how banks might use AI to streamline call centers or make marginally better credit decisions, the real disruption lies in customers having direct access to AI tools themselves. This shift represents a fundamental threat to the traditional retail banking model, with the increased intelligence of customers challenging financial institutions to adapt. Joining Birch in this conversation were Matt Harris from Bain Capital and Kirsty Rutter from Lloyds Banking Group, both bringing deep insights into how AI is empowering consumers with data and control previously inaccessible in the standard banking setup. Harris discussed how consumer-facing AI tools are pushing banks to refine their approach to customer engagement, while Rutter highlighted the role of secure, personalized digital identity in offering these AI-driven experiences safely and effectively. Together, the panelists concluded that financial institutions must develop robust strategies to stay relevant and competitive in the face of this new AI-enabled consumer intelligence.

Howard Hall’s Podcast with Lou Carlozo: A Legacy of Leadership in Payments and Digital Identity

In addition to these panel discussions, Consult Hyperion’s Howard Hall, was featured in a podcast with respected financial journalist Lou Carlozo. Hall shared how Consult Hyperion has been pioneering secure digital identity and payment solutions for decades, dating back to projects like the groundbreaking Hong Kong ID card. Hall discussed how this legacy of innovation continues to drive the company’s work in secure digital payments and identity, underscoring our commitment to building resilient infrastructures that adapt to changing regulatory landscapes and technology demands. Hall’s conversation with Carlozo highlighted that Consult Hyperion’s expertise in secure payments and identity frameworks isn’t simply a reaction to industry shifts; it’s a proactive approach that has evolved alongside the fintech ecosystem.

Charting the Path Forward

Money20/20 USA 2024 was a testament to the ongoing evolution within fintech, with AI taking center stage. As the industry advances, Consult Hyperion remains dedicated to contributing expertise in payments, secure digital identity, and emerging technologies that will shape the future. Our commitment to innovation and the fintech community continues, with a focus on building a safer, smarter, and more inclusive financial ecosystem.

How Consult Hyperion Can Help Financial Institutions Comply with DORA

20th September 202420th September 2024by Consult HyperionLeave a comment

The financial services landscape is evolving rapidly, with new regulations emerging every day. One of the most recent and significant developments for financial institutions in the European Union is the Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA). Designed to ensure that financial entities are better prepared for technological disruptions and cyber threats, DORA aims to build resilience in the face of growing digital risks.

At Consult Hyperion, we specialize in payment and cybersecurity, structured risk analysis, and technical due diligence. I’d like to share how our expertise in these areas can help your organization navigate the complex requirements of DORA and achieve full compliance.

Understanding the Impact of DORA on Financial Institutions

DORA sets out to harmonize the requirements for operational resilience in the financial sector across the EU. This means that financial institutions, from large banks to small fintech firms, are now required to have comprehensive risk management frameworks that can withstand a wide range of cyber incidents and operational disruptions. The regulation focuses on ICT risk management, incident reporting, operational resilience testing, and managing third-party risk, among other things.

For any financial institution, ensuring compliance with DORA is a multi-faceted challenge. The regulation is comprehensive, and failure to comply could lead to penalties, legal liabilities, and reputational damage. But this is where Consult Hyperion comes in.

How Consult Hyperion Can Help You Comply with DORA

Our team at Consult Hyperion has over 30 years of experience working with financial institutions across the globe, helping them address their cybersecurity needs, performing structured risk analyses, and providing technical due diligence on third-party vendors and systems. Here’s how we can assist you:

1. Structured Risk Analysis

Risk analysis is at the heart of DORA. Financial institutions must identify, evaluate, and mitigate a variety of risks, from cyber-attacks to system failures. At Consult Hyperion, we’ve developed a proprietary structured risk analysis (SRA) approach that not only identifies potential vulnerabilities in your organization but also assesses the likelihood and impact of those risks. We provide a clear roadmap on how to mitigate those risks to stay compliant with DORA.

We help you map out your entire digital infrastructure, identify key points of failure, and assess your operational resilience. Our team works closely with your IT, risk management, and compliance departments to ensure that you have the right systems in place to manage risks effectively.

2. Technical Due Diligence

One of the key components of DORA is ensuring that your third-party vendors and ICT service providers are compliant with the regulation. This means conducting thorough technical due diligence on all your partners, ensuring they meet the necessary standards and are not introducing any undue risks to your operations.

At Consult Hyperion, we have a wealth of experience in conducting technical due diligence across a wide range of vendors and technologies. Our assessments are thorough, covering everything from security and privacy to operational resilience and regulatory compliance. With our help, you can have confidence that your third-party relationships are solid and that they meet DORA’s stringent requirements.

3. Cybersecurity Expertise

Our expertise in cybersecurity is another critical asset for financial institutions looking to comply with DORA. We understand the intricacies of securing complex digital infrastructures, particularly in highly regulated environments like banking and financial services.

We can help you design and implement security frameworks that protect your systems and ensure the integrity of your data. Our team works closely with you, making sure that your institution remains resilient to emerging threats. Leveraging our SRA process, we ensure that your organization meets DORA’s mandated security requirements.

4. Operational Resilience Testing

Under DORA, financial institutions are required to perform regular operational resilience testing to ensure that they can withstand and recover from significant operational disruptions. Consult Hyperion’s team can help you develop and execute comprehensive testing scenarios that assess your organization’s ability to respond to various disruptions, from cyber-attacks to natural disasters.

We can help to ensure that your testing protocols are robust and aligned with the DORA guidelines.

Moving Forward with Confidence

Complying with DORA is no small task, but with the right expertise and support, your financial institution can not only meet the regulatory requirements but also enhance its overall resilience. At Consult Hyperion, we are passionate about helping our clients strengthen their digital infrastructures, mitigate risks, and build a secure foundation for future growth.

If you’re looking for expert guidance to navigate the complexities of DORA, we’re here to help. With our proven track record in security, risk analysis, and technical due diligence, we can provide the support your organization needs to stay compliant and resilient.

To learn more about how Consult Hyperion can support your DORA compliance journey please contact us at: https://consulthyperion.wpcomstaging.com/contact/

What’s Really Holding You Back?

15th September 202416th September 2024by Consult HyperionLeave a comment

In conversation with Consult Hyperion – What’s holding you back? Your system or your mindset?

For years, industry experts have predicted the downfall of legacy systems, warning financial institutions (FIs) that clinging to outdated technology would ultimately lead to obsolescence. Yet, despite these warnings, legacy systems continue to play a central role in payments ecosystems of many FIs. So, what’s really holding the industry back? Is it the technology itself, or the mindset surrounding system modernisation?

Join our expert panel, including Gary Munro (Consult Hyperion – Technical Director), Maria Nottingham (Managing Director), Bethan Cowper (VP, Business & Market Development), and Eyad Almaaitah (VP, Global Product Management), for an in-depth discussion on the state of payments ecosystems. Together they explore how legacy systems continue to fit into today’s complex payment architecture, and why, despite the rise of fintech and digital innovation, true transformation remains elusive. This webinar is essential for payments professionals, C-level executives, and anyone responsible for ensuring their institution remains competitive in an rapidly evolving financial landscape.

Fime Acquires Consult Hyperion, Creating a Global Consulting Leader in Payments, Smart Mobility, and Digital Identity

3rd September 20243rd September 2024by Consult HyperionLeave a comment

September 03, 2024 – Fime, a global leader in consulting, testing, and certification services, is excited to announce the acquisition of Consult Hyperion, a renowned consultancy firm with expertise across payments, smart mobility and digital identity. The acquisition augments and cements Fime’s ability to deliver comprehensive consulting and advisory services—from ideation to implementation and testing—across these key sectors.

Fime’s global reach coupled with Consult Hyperion’s specialized consulting and advisory expertise, creates a uniquely positioned offering to serve clients ranging from startups to established market leaders, with the ability to adapt to the needs of local markets worldwide.

Lionel Grosclaude, CEO of Fime, stated, “This acquisition marks a significant milestone for Fime. Together with Consult Hyperion, Fime will continue to offer unmatched value to clients, guiding projects from concept to deployment with a focus on innovation, security, and compliance. We are positioned to drive the future of payments, smart mobility, and digital identity.”

Consult Hyperion founders Stuart Fiske and Neil McEvoy added, “We have worked alongside Fime for a number of years, and are delighted to join forces with an organization sharing our values, including creativity, collaboration and deep expertise. Joining Fime enhances our ability to support clients worldwide in navigating the rapidly evolving landscape of our industries. Our combined strengths will deliver innovative, scalable, and more locally relevant consulting and advisory services.”

For further Fime media information, please contact:
Yash Raveendra yash@iseepr.co.uk at iseepr + 44 (0) 113 350 1922
Stéphanie Pietri stephanie.pietri@fime.com at Fime.

About Fime

Fime enables its clients to create and launch trusted and secure solutions through its consulting and testing services in payments, smart mobility, and digital identity. It offers a global cross-industry perspective, local insights, and a unique heritage in testing and certification. Fime’s consultants provide transformative business expertise, partnering with organizations worldwide to define, design, deliver, and test their products and services. With over 800 experts and employees around the world, Fime strategically works to help its clients turn ideas into reality, swiftly bring products to market, and achieve a competitive advantage. By working together, Fime transforms powerful innovations into the future of trusted transactions.

Making innovation possible.
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About Consult Hyperion

Consult Hyperion is a globally recognized independent consultancy, providing thought leadership and expertise in the fields of payments, mobility and identity. For over 30 years we have helped clients explore the opportunities created by advances in technology, regulation and consumer behaviour. We provide expert advisory, technical consulting and software development services helping our clients solve problems, understand opportunities and future proof their ideas while maintaining robust security. Everything we deliver operates at scale, enabling billions of transactions, all over the world.

Fime acquires Consult Hyperion, creating a global consulting leader

3rd September 20243rd September 2024by Consult HyperionLeave a comment

Fime, a global leader in consulting, testing, and certification services, is excited to announce the acquisition of Consult Hyperion, a renowned consultancy firm with expertise across payments, smart mobility and digital identity. The acquisition augments and cements Fime’s ability to deliver comprehensive consulting and advisory services—from ideation to implementation and testing—across these key sectors.

This acquisition marks a significant milestone for Fime. Together with Consult Hyperion, Fime will continue to offer unmatched value to clients, guiding projects from concept to deployment with a focus on innovation, security, and compliance. We are positioned to drive the future of payments, smart mobility, and digital identity.

Lionel Grosclaude
CEO at Fime

We have worked alongside Fime for a number of years, and are delighted to join forces with an organization sharing our values, including creativity, collaboration and deep expertise. Joining Fime enhances our ability to support clients worldwide in navigating the rapidly evolving landscape of our industries. Our combined strengths will deliver innovative, scalable, and more locally relevant consulting and advisory services.

Stuart Fiske & Neil McEvoy
Consult Hyperion Founders

About Fime
Fime enables its clients to create and launch trusted and secure solutions through its consulting and testing services in payments, smart mobility, and digital identity. It offers a global cross-industry perspective, local insights, and a unique heritage in testing and certification. Fime’s consultants provide transformative business expertise, partnering with organizations worldwide to define, design, deliver, and test their products and services.

For further Fime media information, please contact:
Yash Raveendra yash@iseepr.co.uk at iseepr + 44 (0) 113 350 1922
Stéphanie Pietri stephanie.pietri@fime.com at Fime.

With over 800 experts and employees around the world, Fime strategically works to help its clients turn ideas into reality, swiftly bring products to market, and achieve a competitive advantage. By working together, Fime transforms powerful innovations into the future of trusted transactions.

About Consult Hyperion
Consult Hyperion is a globally recognized independent consultancy, providing thought leadership and expertise in the fields of payments, mobility and identity. For over 30 years we have helped clients explore the opportunities created by advances in technology, regulation and consumer behaviour. We provide expert advisory, technical consulting and software development services helping our clients solve problems, understand opportunities and future proof their ideas while maintaining robust security. Everything we deliver operates at scale, enabling billions of transactions, all over the world.