Sibos prep: who captures value as AI reshapes treasury

A webinar held ahead of Sibos brought together payments and treasury professionals to examine how AI, tokenisation and real-time cross-border payments are changing corporate treasury operations. Panelists included Deepa Sinha, SVP & Head of Payments and Financial Crimes at BAFT; Ed Barrie, co-founder and chief product officer at Treasury 4, Inc; Suzhen Zheng, senior product manager for global payments solutions at HSBC; and moderator Scott Hamilton, global payments and liquidity expert.

Speakers noted that treasury remains central to a company’s financial position but is often viewed narrowly as cash management. They observed that rising economic uncertainty, geopolitical friction and demand for instant services are shifting business priorities and prompting treasuries to reassess their role in supporting growth, resilience and faster decisions.

Discussion addressed the impact of real-time payments and richer remittance data. Panelists pointed out that instant payments change how organisations balance speed, control and liquidity. They reported that many US treasury teams treat instant payments as occasional tools with potential cash-control risks, while treasuries in the UK and Europe show more frequent and varied use.

Cross-border payments and interoperability featured heavily. Participants described ongoing industry efforts to speed up and lower the cost of cross-border transfers by linking markets, networks and clearing arrangements. They said that compatibility among banks, corporates and fintechs across existing rails and new infrastructures will shape who benefits from faster, cheaper flows.

Technology trends discussed included APIs, tokenisation and programmable money. Panelists explained that APIs are giving treasuries near real-time access to account and transaction data, improving visibility and automation. Tokenisation and programmable money were presented as technologies that could alter settlement mechanics and liquidity management, while work on integration and standards continues.

Artificial intelligence drew attention for its use in forecasting, liquidity planning and risk management. The speakers reported organisations are moving from data collection to producing actionable insights that speed decision-making. Treasuries are piloting intelligent automation and predictive analytics to identify cash needs, optimise working capital and detect anomalies. At the same time, participants cautioned that AI adoption raises issues of governance, accountability and model resilience that require policies and testing before wide deployment.

Risk and control were recurring topics. Boards are placing greater focus on operational resilience, cybersecurity, fraud prevention and third-party dependencies, the group said. Adopting new payment rails or AI tools will require policies on data integrity, auditability and failover procedures to maintain oversight and continuity.

Panelists recommended that treasury leaders broaden their remit beyond traditional cash management by working more closely with finance, IT and business units, and by investing in data analytics skills and governance frameworks. The session closed with a call for treasuries to update processes and controls and to pursue interoperable standards while preserving oversight during the move to faster, more connected payments.