From cards to programmable money in the new era of payments

In just over half a century, payment methods have undergone a profound transformation. From magnetic stripe cards, we moved to chips, then to contactless and mobile payments. Today, the leap is no longer one of support, but of architecture, as we are moving from a single card network to a multi-channel system that combines banks, fintech companies, retailers, and, increasingly, digital assets.

To understand the implications of this new scenario where tokenization has become a key pillar, Javier Molina chats in today's podcast with Juan Pablo Vivas , CEO of Mastercard Spain, whose entity will be present at the eighth edition of the El Confidencial Digital Assets Forum , which will be held on September 16 in Madrid.

Half of all e-commerce transactions in Europe are already processed using this model, and the goal is to reach 100% by 2030. The logic is clear: the goal is to reduce fraud, strengthen security , and make payment a virtually invisible process for the user.

At the same time, stablecoins and programmable money are beginning to gain traction. With regulatory frameworks like MiCA in Europe and the GENIUS Act in the United States, they are no longer just an experiment but are becoming integrated into settlement processes. And new tools are emerging at the visible layer, ranging from biometric authentication to one-click payments and artificial intelligence agents capable of automating purchases and verifications.

The new generations are clear about this, as they seek control, simplicity, customization , and also a sense of sustainability. Spain, which combines advanced technological adoption with a still-high prevalence of cash, thus becomes fertile ground for transformation.

What's at stake isn't the end of cards, but rather the beginning of a broader, more flexible ecosystem, where security and innovation unfold in invisible layers that reshape the way we move money on a daily basis. We'll discuss all of this in the eighth edition of the digital assets forum, organized by El Confidencial and sponsored by Cecabank, Alastria, BBVA, Telefónica, Prosegur Cripto, and Mastercard. It promises to be a hub for debate where the main topics of digital assets, payment methods, and tokenization will be at the center of the conversation.

Don't miss the forum and sign up here.

In just over half a century, payment methods have undergone a profound transformation. From magnetic stripe cards, we moved to chips, then to contactless and mobile payments. Today, the leap is no longer one of support, but of architecture, as we are moving from a single card network to a multi-channel system that combines banks, fintech companies, retailers, and, increasingly, digital assets.