The Interchange Bench

The latest talk from around the payments water cooler.

Mar 25, 2026

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The Interchange Bench

This week on The Interchange Bench, Paynter takes the reigns at Zero, Spence heads for the sun, SME champ Billson finds a new gig, PayPal bends the rules for Bluesfest punters, Azupay goes to lunch and Volt searches for compliance help.

The Interchange Bench

Mar 18, 2026

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The Interchange Bench

On the Interchange Bench this week, Bolt Group expands to New Zealand with the help of ex-PM John Key ... but no Binance yet. Block sees double on Finnies judging panel, CBA’s Albert Naffah among the stars in the eftpos show next week, CBA Chair, Paul O’Malley, calls out US AI tech drain without Mastercard mention, Amex turns up the heat on business card points and the RBA searches for a digital and content guru.

The Interchange Bench

Mar 11, 2026

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The Interchange Bench

On The Interchange Bench this week, CBA gears up for bulk NPP payments with Maryanna Vasilareas appointment, schemes clamber to Melbourne for F1 antics despite the global fuel crisis, Fat Zebra’s Sebastien Joseph releases SecurePay update, CMSPI’s Robbie MacDiarmid dials in for RBA decision and Mollie buys GoCardless.

The Interchange Bench

Mar 4, 2026

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The Interchange Bench

On The Interchange Bench this week Shane Healey takes the baton from Paul Askew on the AP+ Board, Greg Smith goes Global with eCommerce products, Block locals take stock after Jack Dorsey’s jobs slashing, Danvers job board provides options for payments nerds looking for work and there’s also work in Cuscal’s strategy team, Visa’s David Peacock goes to Auckland and Westpac gets a new payments leader in Andrew Kulmann.

The Interchange Bench

Feb 25, 2026

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The Interchange Bench

On The Interchange Bench this week Alison Morris has a big new role at Global Payments, Cuscal delivers half year lift, Matthew Lee looks at MasterCard’s business performance, Karthik Ramamurthy gets a product promo at AP+, Tyro unleashes Alexander “The Great” on Melbourne and its half year results, and Azupay’s in the Clover.

The Interchange Bench

Feb 18, 2026

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The Interchange Bench

On The Interchange Bench this week Tyro resorts to mixed martial arts, Cowan reflects on three decades in payments, May Lam wins an Info-Tech’s IT title, NSW sneaks out Digital ID, Virgin punches out big rewards offers, NAB gets an acquiring popularity gong and AusPayNet hosts another private A2A gaggle.

The Interchange Bench

Feb 11, 2026

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The Interchange Bench

On The Interchange Bench this week: Rayner bolsters BC’s sales bench, Mason-Jones runs with issuing at Cuscal, Brisbane payments Warrior allies with Spreedly, Mastercard in fleet foray, Gemini ditches Australia, and PayPal changes bosses.

The Interchange Bench

Feb 4, 2026

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The Interchange Bench

On The Interchange Bench this week Moxey blessed with growth at Tyro, Guidepoint looks for Airwallex answers, ShopBack considers ASX, cashless AML drama at The Australian Open, BeforePay disappoints the market and Bartholomew to front an all star cast at Beyond Tomorrow.

The Interchange Bench

Jan 28, 2026

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The Interchange Bench

On The Interchange Bench this week John Edgar moves to Stripe, atmx teams up with NSA, AP+’s annual powwow begins to take shape, Banking Circle Australia takes on a new CFO, and Scott Wilson heads back to Visa.

The Interchange Bench

Regulators focus on Apple Pay, AP+ resources up, Airwallex seeks praise and NZ finds its own rewards

Jan 21, 2026

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Regulators focus on Apple Pay, AP+ resources up, Airwallex seeks praise and NZ finds its own rewards

On The Interchange Bench this week, Apple Pay faces a big year with Aussie regulators, AP+ resources up for its roadmap, Airwallex looks for influence in all the wrong places, New Zealand finds rewards relief with less interchange and Fredericks jumps to Visa.

The Interchange Bench

Monnington takes the antipodes, Tyro looks to Asia and AMEX sparks a terminal tiff

Jan 14, 2026

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Monnington takes the antipodes, Tyro looks to Asia and AMEX sparks a terminal tiff

This week on The Interchange Bench, Mastercard’s Monnington takes on the antipodes, as Tyro’s new boss appeals to Asia, investors get the RBA rattles, Benton gets a gig at Findi and AMEX encourages premium angst at the checkout.

The Interchange Bench

Aussie fintechs grow in Amsterdam and Japan, while Nigel Lee gets ready for Tyro’s top job

Jan 7, 2026

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Aussie fintechs grow in Amsterdam and Japan, while Nigel Lee gets ready for Tyro’s top job

On The Interchange Bench this week, AMEX talks up “benefits”, Nigel Lee to take charge at Tyro on Monday, Airwallex grows in Amsterdam, Zii launches in Japan and Dan Jovevski joins FinTech Australia Board.

The Interchange Bench

PEXA takes on NSW, the RBA opens the kimono and Kelly gets a Christmas gong

Dec 17, 2025

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PEXA takes on NSW, the RBA opens the kimono and Kelly gets a Christmas gong

On The Interchange Bench this week a monopoly goes to court, an oligopoly showers its chief, the RBA hands over more info and our very own payments commentator gets a well deserved Christmas gong.

The Interchange Bench

BECS future to drop on Tuesday, Matos takes on ABA Chair, BC aims for Fintechs and was ANZ too soon on Airwallex?

Dec 10, 2025

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BECS future to drop on Tuesday, Matos takes on ABA Chair, BC aims for Fintechs and was ANZ too soon on Airwallex?

On The Interchange Bench this week, BECS announcement to drop on Tuesday, busy Nuno Matos takes on the Chair role at ABA, ASL changes its name, Laz moves to BB and did ANZ pull out of AirWallex too soon?

The Interchange Bench

Yak in the sights, Revolut chases credit and Cuscal banks on acquiring

Dec 3, 2025

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Yak in the sights, Revolut chases credit and Cuscal banks on acquiring

On the Interchange Bench this week, Cuscal banks on acquiring, Revolut plans Australian credit rollout and the Yak Pay brand fades for a friend.

The Interchange Bench

Rewards find investors, industry voices named and Mastercard muscles up

Nov 26, 2025

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Rewards find investors, industry voices named and Mastercard muscles up

On The Interchange Bench this week the loyalty sector finds investor appetite, as Norbr names Aussie payments influencers, bankers get quizzed on net-zero and Mastercard recruits for an RBA stoush.

The Interchange Bench

Fiery debaters, new platforms, talent and titles

Nov 19, 2025

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Fiery debaters, new platforms, talent and titles

On The Interchange Bench this week, Fintech executives are readying for a big debate on regulation vs innovation at Women in Payments, while Payflo comes to town, Mastercard tickles Tyro, AP+ tightens titles and EFTEX takes on new talent.

The Interchange Bench

Enter the magic “plus”, Cuscal’s catwalk, SMEs redefined and Block’s tumble

Nov 12, 2025

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Enter the magic “plus”, Cuscal’s catwalk, SMEs redefined and Block’s tumble

On The Interchange Bench this week, the BECS closure date gains a magic “plus”, as Cuscal execs take to the catwalk, the ABA redefines SMEs (again), Block takes a tumble and Amazon missteps on 11 November marketing.

The Interchange Bench

Competition targets Amex as NAB rebrands Citi cards and Azupay claims new talent

Nov 5, 2025

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Competition targets Amex as NAB rebrands Citi cards and Azupay claims new talent

On the Interchange Bench this week, rumours abound about competition coming to challenge AMEX, while NAB renames its Citi credit card portfolio and Azupay takes on new talent.

The Interchange Bench

Canberra swamped by PSP execs, AP+ injects new talent and tobacco terminals make waves on LinkedIn

Oct 29, 2025

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Canberra swamped by PSP execs, AP+ injects new talent and tobacco terminals make waves on LinkedIn

On the Interchange Bench this week, a chorus line of PSP and scheme executives perform in Canberra, AP+ gets new leadership talent and the tobacco terminal wars come to LinkedIn.

The Interchange Bench

Magic pudding rewards, while interchange shenanigans hinges on “small business” definition

Oct 22, 2025

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Magic pudding rewards, while interchange shenanigans hinges on “small business” definition

This week on The Interchange Bench, Treasury and banks are at odds over definitions of a “small business’ while rewards announcements abound, more digital outages cause headaches for consumers and BNPL companies make hay in a wild west US.

The Interchange Bench

Cash mandate back in play, while POS hopefuls jockey for position

Oct 15, 2025

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Cash mandate back in play, while POS hopefuls jockey for position

On the Interchange Bench this week there are rumblings from the nation’s capital that the Cash Mandate is back on, while the POS market comes alive with ambitious plays from the likes of Airwallex, Oolio and a mystery bank, and ANZ Worldline distances itself from ANZ on LinkedIn!

The Interchange Bench

Banks goes to auction, AP+ talks NPP in Europe and Zeller’s customer calculator

Oct 8, 2025

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Banks goes to auction, AP+ talks NPP in Europe and Zeller’s customer calculator

In the Interchange Bench this week, PayPal’s local boss takes his beach-side mansion to auction, while AP+ executives spruik their NPP experiences in Europe and Zeller’s customer calculator cranks up ahead of its UK expansion.

The Interchange Bench

Movement at Worldline, Tyro hires for growth and more interchange shenanigans

Oct 1, 2025

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Movement at Worldline, Tyro hires for growth and more interchange shenanigans

In our first edition of our breaking news and gossip column, Interchange Bench, we look at executive changes at Worldline Australia and Tyro, as well as continuing shenanigans in the murky world of interchange lobbying.