Redefining Risk for the Era of Real-Time Payments

Marjan Delatinne from Eastnets and Lewis Sun from HSBC discussed the shift from traditional, slow-paced banking to the high-velocity environment of real-time payments, and how this change requires a fresh approach to risk management.

Historically, banking relied on “slowness” as a built-in safety mechanism. In the past, that gap in time was actually a critical part of the process, giving institutions the necessary window to conduct troubleshooting or catch potential issues. However, as Delatinne and Sun highlight, the emergence of real-time payments means that the old buffer simply doesn’t exist anymore. Treating instant transactions with the same wait-and-see mindset is no longer viable.

The conversation with Eastnets and HSBC emphasises that the real challenge today is market fragmentation. Many financial institutions still operate on isolated, disconnected systems for payments, fraud screening, and anti-money laundering (AML). Delatinne and Sun suggest that operating in silos is no longer sustainable when transactions happen in an instant. Trying to maintain control by relying on speed-bumps is a relic of the past; the focus must shift toward redesigning controls so they are adaptable to modern requirements.

The most exciting takeaway from the discussion is the shift toward design-led security as instead of viewing speed as a risk, the solution lies in embedding compliance, identity layers, and end-to-end security directly into the payment process itself. By removing fragmentation and fostering interoperability between systems, institutions can build robust workflows that prevent hiccups before they occur. As HSBC and Eastnets illustrate, this isn’t about removing control; it is about evolving it, ensuring that financial infrastructure is as secure as it is efficient.