The Green Sheet Online Edition
September 28, 2026 • 26:09:02
Letter from the editor
Frustration can be remarkably productive. Something takes too long, requires too many steps or doesn't work the way we think it should, and sooner or later someone says, "There has to be a better way."
Sometimes that someone goes ahead and builds it. Our lead article introduces three payments professionals who did just that. James Shepherd, Dee Karawadra and Josip Povreslo each encountered persistent problems in their own work—whether selling to merchants, managing the many moving parts of an ISO or navigating PCI DSS compliance—and developed tools to make the job easier.
What began as solutions to their own problems became products other industry professionals could use as well.
That same drive to simplify complicated processes can be seen in this issue's New Products. Kurv Agent is designed to streamline merchant onboarding and give ISOs and MLSs greater visibility into applications, portfolios and residuals.
CardFlight, meanwhile, added ACH payments to SwipeSimple, allowing merchants to offer bank payments alongside cards through invoices and payment links.
These developments exemplify how innovation doesn't always begin with a sweeping vision of the future. It often begins with professionals who see where processes could work better—and decide to do something about it.
That impulse to examine how things work—and how they might work better—runs through much of this issue. Anthony Walton considers the foundations needed for AI-powered payment testing, while Daniel Wilson Kemp calls for transparent, reproducible statement analysis.
Shawn Curtis examines payment friction, and Melih Oztalay explores a buying journey that extends beyond company websites. Tim Yalich addresses aging bank technology, Jim Petit the continuing role of cash and Elie Katz Q4 opportunities for payments professionals serving independent retailers.
Adam Atlas examines legal considerations for payments companies operating throughout the Americas, while Jaki Kackert offers a BFCM playbook for helping merchants prepare for the holiday season while strengthening engagement.
Our News Briefs cover a wide range of developments, from FTC enforcement actions involving Nuvei and Humboldt Merchant Services to changing surcharge rules, TabaPay's planned acquisition of Transact Bank and new research on consumer trust in AI-assisted shopping and payments. Also inside: milestones spanning awards, settlements, research, partnerships, acquisitions and appointments; Innovator profiles; our Resource Guide; and inspiration for helping merchants prepare for the holiday rush. Questions, suggestions or news?
Keep them coming to greensheet@greensheet.com, and send press releases to press@greensheet.com. We want to hear from you. 
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