Join us when Artem Smirnov talks about his new book: How Payments Work: The Hidden Infrastructure Behind Cards, Banks, Wallets, and Fintech.
How can a card from one bank work almost anywhere in the world?
You tap a card, see “Approved,” and walk away with a receipt. Yet behind that simple moment, several institutions have exchanged messages, checked risk, reserved funds, applied rules, and created records that will later determine who gets paid.
How Payments Work explains the infrastructure behind everyday payments in clear, practical language. From card authorization, clearing, and settlement to digital wallets, bank transfers, fraud, and modern fintech (financial technology), the book shows how information and money move through the financial system, who is involved, where risk sits, and why these systems work the way they do. It is written for people entering payments and fintech, as well as professionals who want to understand the parts of the industry beyond their own.
Artem Smirnov is a payments product leader with more than a decade of experience across Europe, Asia, and Latin America. He has worked with banks, processors, and fintech companies across the Visa and Mastercard ecosystems on card programs, transaction processing, digital wallets, BNPL, lending, and large-scale infrastructure migrations. He also teaches payments and fintech to professionals entering the industry. His writing focuses on making complex financial infrastructure clear, practical, and technically accurate.
This event is free. No registration necessary.
