Once again, financial and banking thought leaders and innovators came together for Money20/20 USA, the world’s leading stage for innovation in fintech, banking, payments, crypto and digital commerce. With attendees traveling from across Europe, the United Arab Emirates and South America among other locations, the energy was palpable from the moment the doors opened.
Sunday set the tone with an early wave of global participants kicking things off with high enthusiasm, snapping selfies in Money Hall and reconnecting over the conference’s signature awards banquet. By Monday morning, that anticipation translated into a packed, fast-moving rush to hit the floor at 9 a.m. sharp. Thanks to a super-organized check-in process and a surprisingly effective Connections Lounge meeting portal, executives, journalists and communicators wasted no time turning introductions into opportunities.
Once the exhibit halls filled, one thing was immediately clear: This was the year of AI.
AI Rules the Money Hall
From the moment you stepped onto the floor, the message was everywhere. Banners, booth screens, demos and conversations all centered on how artificial intelligence is transforming finance. Whether in risk management, compliance automation, fraud detection or agentic commerce, AI was not a side topic. It was the topic.
As conversations unfolded, a clear divide began to emerge. There were two types of companies talking about AI: the contenders and the pretenders.
The contenders have fully integrated AI into their ecosystems, showcasing real-world use cases, measurable results and tangible partnerships already driving business outcomes. Case studies backed by customer data, regulatory compliance wins and embedded automation made their stories credible and future-ready.
On the other hand, the pretenders were easy to spot among the sea of companies if you knew what to look for. Many were racing to keep pace, hastily packaging chatbot-style offerings or layering “AI-enhanced” messaging onto existing platforms to appear current. These companies may not be disingenuous, but they risk being lost in the noise. Without authentic results or validation, their “AI talk” felt more like marketing spin than meaningful innovation.
Take AI Beyond Gimmicks
Walking the Money20/20 show floor this year was an experience in itself. It was part innovation showcase, part sensory overload. Companies were pulling out all the stops to draw people in.
One booth featured Back to the Future’s Doc Brown posing for photos beside a DeLorean, another offered a custom donut bar, and one creative team had turned their space into a full-on interactive whack-a-mole game to show off automation in action. Everywhere you turned, there was motion, noise and marketing energy designed to grab attention and spark curiosity.
As I enjoyed my sprinkled donut, it hit me. The flashy and splashy marketing ploys enticed me to step inside those booths. The companies that truly held my attention were the ones that could translate the fun into meaningful AI innovation stories.
Money20/20 showcased that AI in finance can mean many things, from predictive risk modeling to conversational banking, payments intelligence or cross-border compliance automation. Perhaps a gimmick got me to approach and explore, but it was the intelligence and impact that got me wanting more. That’s where strategic PR can turn fun into an opportunity to learn:
- Turn attention into understanding. Use creative marketing moments as an entry point to start a conversation about real AI impact.
- Connect curiosity to credibility. Once you have their attention, show how your AI strategy solves real problems. Use PR to bridge the gap between intrigue and insight through storytelling, data and clear proof of value.
- Build lasting engagement. Great marketing sparks interest, but strategic PR sustains it. Extend the booth experience beyond the show floor through thought leadership, earned media and authentic narratives that paint a forward-looking picture.
Humanize the AI Conversation
Fintech innovation may be built on algorithms and streamlined processes, but trust between banks and customers, and between regulators and innovators, still comes from human connection.
Companies that successfully connected their technology to real human outcomes were the ones that sparked meaningful conversations with the media and investors alike.
PR can play a powerful role here, too:
- Lead with credibility. Align your narrative with respected third-party voices such as industry analysts, global partners, proven customers or financial institutions that validate your claims.
- Elevate your vision. Don’t just show how AI works. Demonstrate how it moves the industry toward more secure, inclusive and intelligent financial systems.
The Mood in Vegas: Optimism, Expansion and Reinvention
This year’s mood at Money20/20 was one of optimism. From conversations about agentic commerce to the evolution of crypto and the strengthening of digital safeguards, attendees were focused on progress and cross-border innovation and the ease that comes with streamlined customer touch points and processes.
Yes, there were some grumblings of the old guard remaining cautious and nervous about being left behind by the pace of change. But even among them, there was a growing confidence that it’s not too late to catch the AI wave.
The PR Imperative
In a landscape where nearly every company is claiming an AI breakthrough, standing out requires more than technology. It requires a story that’s sharp, credible and human.
That’s where PR becomes a strategic differentiator.
At Bospar, we work with fintech and commerce innovators to build campaigns that amplify results, elevate brand authority and drive meaningful visibility among reporters, investors and customers. Whether your AI story is still emerging or already delivering measurable outcomes, now is the time to define your lane and own it.
Because, as Money20/20 made clear, AI in fintech and banking isn’t the future anymore. It’s the here and now. And those who tell their story best and have a clear AI impact story will lead it.
Want to learn how Bospar can maximize your event investment? Reach out here.
