CEO
Electronic Transactions Association
Jodie Kelley is the CEO of the Electronic Transactions Association (ETA), the world's leading trade association for the payments industry. She brings more than 25 years of experience managing and providing strategic guidance to large organizations, including those in the technology, financial services, and software sectors.
During her tenure, Jodie has led the expansion of ETA's educational programs and created new initiatives that help the industry navigate the complex compliance landscape. She has significantly evolved and expanded ETA's government relations work in the U.S. at the federal level, in all 50 states, and in Canada, and has positioned ETA as the expert on critical and emerging topics including AI, privacy, and open banking.
Prior to leading ETA, Jodie served as Senior Vice President and General Counsel for the Business Software Alliance, where she managed programs supporting the software industry in more than 30 countries. She began her career as a partner at the law firm Jenner & Block before moving into leadership roles in financial services, including serving as Vice President and Deputy General Counsel at Fannie Mae.
Jodie is a relentless advocate for gender parity within the payments industry, taking action to get more women into payments and rising through the ranks. She earned her B.A. from the Pennsylvania State University and her J.D. from Harvard Law School.
Merchant payments are being reshaped by open-banking rails, embedded finance, and real-time settlement. As merchants demand faster, cheaper, and more integrated payments experiences, banks must rethink their role, from traditional acquirers to data-driven, platform-based partners. This panel unpacks the new economics of merchant payments: the rise of Pay-by-Bank, buy now, pay later (BNPL) regulation, AI-driven fraud management, and the expanding role of embedded finance. Hear from leading banks, fintech innovators, and merchants on how business models, infrastructure, and customer expectations are changing—and what strategies are required for banks to stay relevant in 2026 and beyond. The panel will discuss key factors transformation, including: