Washington, D.C., October 18, 2026 — The Digital Sovereignty Alliance (DSA), a nonprofit organization focused on advancing clear and ethical public policy, research, and education on emerging technologies, took part in Nacha’s Payments Innovation Alliance Fall Meeting. At the event, DSA Senior Policy Advisor Molly Woodman joined industry leaders to discuss emerging technologies, regulatory developments, and the future of domestic and global payments.
Held October 14–16 at the InterContinental Chicago Magnificent Mile in Chicago, Illinois, the three-day meeting brought together stakeholders from across the financial services and payments industries to share insights, address operational challenges, and explore opportunities for innovation. Discussions centered on evolving payment technologies, regulatory considerations, and practical ways to navigate an increasingly complex financial landscape.
As part of the Alliance’s ongoing initiatives, Woodman facilitated discussions on the newly launched Next-Gen Currency Project Team, a project co-led by Nacha and DSA. The team explores the global use of digital assets, including stablecoins and tokenized deposits, for money movement. Its work focuses on developing tools to connect digital assets with traditional payment systems, tracking regulatory developments, identifying operational implications, and providing educational resources to the payments industry.
Throughout the meeting, participants also examined practical challenges facing financial institutions as emerging technologies reshape payment systems. Topics included expectations for financial institutions around agentic payments, the reliability of multifactor authentication methods as technology evolves, and emerging approaches to Know Your Agent (KYA) frameworks. Discussions highlighted the importance of industry collaboration in addressing operational uncertainties and developing workable solutions as regulatory frameworks continue to evolve.
“It’s been encouraging to watch financial institutions brainstorm together on how to build some continuity in areas where regulation hasn’t caught up yet,” said Molly Woodman, Senior Policy Advisor at DSA.
DSA’s participation reflects its ongoing commitment to supporting informed policy discussions and collaboration across the financial services and emerging technology sectors. Through its involvement in the Next-Gen Currency Project Team and broader industry engagement, DSA works to advance approaches that support responsible innovation, regulatory clarity, and the integration of emerging technologies into the evolving payments landscape.
About the Digital Sovereignty Alliance
The Digital Sovereignty Alliance (DSA) is a nonprofit social welfare organization committed to advocating for public policies that support ethical innovation in decentralized technologies, blockchain, cryptocurrency, Web3, and artificial intelligence. DSA conducts research, organizes educational events, and promotes policies that prioritize public welfare and digital sovereignty.
Media contact
Maghan Lusk
info@discoverdsa.org
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQs DSA at the Nacha Payments Innovation Alliance Fall Meeting
1 What is the Nacha Payments Innovation Alliance
Its a group of banks businesses and payment providers that work together to shape the future of payments in the US Nacha runs the ACH network and uses the Alliance to explore new payment technologies and trends
2 What is DSA and why was it at the meeting
DSA is an industry group focused on advancing digital payments It attended the Fall Meeting to share insights and join discussions on where digital payments are heading
3 What was the main focus of the Fall Meeting
The future of digital paymentsthings like realtime payments open banking fraud prevention and how new technology will change the way people and businesses pay each other
4 What are digital payments in simple terms
Any payment made electronically instead of with cash or paper checkslike ACH transfers mobile wallets card payments and realtime bank transfers
5 Why does the future of digital payments matter to me
It affects how fast you get paid how easily you can send money and how safe your transactions are Changes in the industry often lead to faster cheaper and more convenient options for everyone
6 What are realtime payments and why were they a big topic
Realtime payments move money instantly 247 instead of taking a day or more They were a hot topic because businesses and consumers increasingly expect instant transactions
7 What is open banking and how does it fit in
Open banking lets customers securely share their bank data with thirdparty apps and services It was discussed because it could enable new payment options and better financial toolsbut it also raises privacy and security questions
8 What common problems with digital payments did attendees discuss
Fraud and scams keeping data secure getting smaller banks and businesses on board and making sure new systems work with older ones
9 What is ACH and how does it relate to digital payments
ACH is the network that handles most direct deposits and bill payments in the US Its a core part of digital payments and Nacha oversees it
10 Whats an example of a new digital payment trend mentioned at the meeting
Instant accounttoaccount