If there’s one constant in today’s financial ecosystem, it’s this: speed is everything. In an era where Gen Z expects nearly everything to be instant—from ride shares to refunds—it’s no surprise they’re demanding the same of their money. Whether it’s a Venmo transfer between friends or a gig economy payout, the frictionless, fast, and flexible expectations of younger consumers are setting the new standard.
To understand how the payments industry is evolving to meet these demands, I sat down with Jeff Katz, CEO of MassPay, a company at the forefront of global payment facilitation. With 40 years in the payments industry, including as founder of Mercury Payments (now Worldpay), Katz offers a sweeping view of how we got here—and where we’re headed.
From Payroll to Payouts: A Shift in Consumer Mindset Driven By Gen Z
Katz points to the Uberization of payments as the start of the real-time revolution. “Gig workers expect to be paid immediately or near-immediately,” he said. Uber normalized the idea of a daily payout, and now everyone from dog walkers to freelance designers sees instant payment as a baseline—not a bonus.
While some workers are willing to pay a small fee for instant access, many companies are absorbing these costs or building systems to fund them responsibly. It’s not just about disbursing money faster, it’s about treasury management, risk mitigation, and user experience all coming together seamlessly.
The Gen Z Effect: Why Younger Consumers Are Leading the Charge
Gen Z doesn’t just expect real-time interactions—they demand them. Katz explains that younger consumers are increasingly turning to alternative payment methods like Zelle, Venmo, Visa Direct, and even crypto. “Whether you’re using an email, a cell number, or a debit card, young people want to receive and send money without friction,” he said.
The catch? Many of these tools work in silos. Visa’s “Visa+” initiative aims to bridge those gaps, allowing users of one mobile wallet (e.g., Zelle) to pay users on another (e.g., Venmo or even Alipay). That kind of interoperability is essential in a world where payment preference is personal—and increasingly global.
VISA Has A Speed Advantage & Gen Z’s All About Speed
Visa has a speed advantage in financial payments due to its globally distributed, purpose-built network infrastructure, VisaNet, which can process over 65,000 transactions per second with sub-second latency. Unlike newer platforms that rely on layered technologies or intermediaries, Visa’s system is deeply integrated with banks, merchants, and payment processors worldwide, allowing for fast, secure, and reliable settlement. Its long-standing investment in real-time authorization, fraud detection, and redundancy also ensures high-speed performance at scale.
Beyond Borders: Instant Global Payouts and the Rise of A2A
According to Katz, we’re entering an era of account-to-account (A2A) payments. These are direct transfers between bank accounts—often bypassing cards entirely. This model is gaining traction globally: in Brazil, the PIX system now accounts for over 50% of all transactions in just a few years. In Europe, more than half of e-commerce purchases bypass credit cards altogether, favoring local payment systems instead.
To operate in this new world, companies must offer flexible “money in” options—credit, debit, crypto, A2A—and pair them with “money out” systems that are instant, global, and secure. And that’s no small task.
The AI Advantage: Smarter, Safer, Faster Payments
When it comes to managing compliance across borders—especially with Know Your Customer (KYC) and anti-money laundering (AML) regulations—AI is a game-changer. Katz says MassPay is already using AI to automate ID verification, minimize false positives, and reduce payout delays. “It’s not just about speed; it’s about reducing friction while staying compliant.”
And on the horizon? Katz envisions a future of AI-powered autonomous shopping agents that execute transactions based on user-defined parameters, flipping the entire consumer model from reactive to proactive.
Crypto at the Checkout: Closer Than You Think
Crypto isn’t just for trading anymore. Katz notes a growing consumer demand—especially among Gen Z and Millennials—for native crypto payments. Users don’t want to convert their Bitcoin or Ethereum back to fiat before spending it—they want to pay directly, with no extra steps or fees.
The challenge lies in infrastructure. Visa, once solely known for its card networks, is now leading efforts to integrate with instant and crypto rails globally. “They’re not just staying relevant—they’re reshaping what relevance looks like,” said Katz.
4 Factors Impacting Tomorrow’s Winners
Katz defines the winners of the next decade in payments as those who are hitting on four key trends:
- Flexible on intake: Able to accept money in any form—from card to crypto to A2A.
- Frictionless on payout: Delivering real-time disbursements with minimal hassle.
- Globally compliant: Managing AML and KYC efficiently across countries.
- Customer-first: Delivering a secure and seamless experience that mirrors Amazon-level convenience.
Gen Z’s Need For Speed
Gen Z isn’t waiting for payments to catch up—they’re forcing the change. And the companies that win will be those that combine trust, speed, global reach, and AI-powered efficiency. As Katz puts it: “They want fast. They want frictionless. They want safe. And they want it now.”
The only question for businesses is: can you keep up?