Payments Unfiltered

Hosted by Primer.io

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Jun 2026

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About the show

Join Theo Spyrides, Head of Product at Primer, for your much-needed dose of honest payments chat. In each episode, Theo will dive into the payments ecosystem, exploring the personal journeys of those at the coalface, attempting to answer the big questions that’ll define where the ecosystem is heading, and, of course, have some fun along the way.

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15 recent

June 15, 202632 min

Everything merchants need to know about chargebacks right now | Episode 14 with Chargeblast's Qi Cao

Most merchants think hitting their chargeback target means they're safe. Spoiler alert: they're not. In this episode of Payments Unfiltered, Theo Spyrides speaks with Qi Cao, co-founder and CEO of Chargeblast, to unpack chargebacks, what the Visa Acquiring Monitoring Program (VAMP) actually means for merchants, and why the merchants who manage disputes best are the ones who've already fixed their business model.They cover:- What VAMP is, how it replaced the old Visa dispute and fraud monitoring programs, and why acquirers are now the ones being policed- Why your processor's portfolio health is now your exposure, and what to do about it- Why getting your chargeback rate to zero isn't the goal, and what target actually makes sense- What agentic commerce will mean for disputes and whether the infrastructure is readyQi also shares the single most important question any merchant with a chargeback problem should ask themselves, and it has nothing to do with alerts or tools.Find more episodes on YouTube or wherever you listen to podcasts.Stay in the loop:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/36076041

April 30, 202634 min

PART 2: What it really takes to build and run a PSP at global scale | Episode 013 with James Fry at Worldpay

This is Part 2 of our conversation with James Fry, Head of Enterprise Product at Worldpay (now part of Global Payments).Most people know what a PSP does. Far fewer know what it actually takes to build and run one. In this episode of Payments Unfiltered, Theo Spyrides, VP of Product at Primer, and James pull back the curtain.They discuss:➡️ What a PSP really is, and how far it's evolved from a simple gateway➡️ Why keeping up with payment network changes consumes more engineering capacity than most people expect➡️ Why no single PSP can serve all of a merchant's needs, and what that means in practice➡️ What good developer experience looks like, and where most PSPs fall shortJames also shares how he thinks about structuring product teams inside a large payments organization and his advice for anyone building payment technology today.Missed Part 1? Catch up here: https://youtu.be/JjlIXeuTVFM?si=4JQzdJ3zcrKQhzf0And don't forget to subscribe so you don't miss any new episodes.Stay in the loop:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/36076041

March 19, 202636 min

PART 1: From commodity to competitive advantage: how enterprise merchants are rethinking payments | Episode 012 with James Fry at Worldpay

In this episode of Payments Unfiltered, Theo Spyrides, Head of Product at Primer, sits down with James Fry, Head of Enterprise Product at Worldpay (now part of Global Payments), to explore how merchants have evolved their approach to payments, and what that means for the payment providers supporting them.They discuss:The shift away from treating payments as a commodityWhy enterprise merchants are now hiring dedicated payments teamsHow optimization has become a strategic lever rather than a back-office concern. James also shares his perspective on two of the biggest trends reshaping the space: stablecoins as an additional payments rail for global merchants, and agentic commerce as a new channel that will require the industry to solve for trusted agents, fragmented protocols, and a whole new model of intent verification.Don't forget to subscribe to our channel so you don't miss any new episodes of Payments Unfiltered.

February 19, 2026Episode 1140 min

The shifts reshaping enterprise payments with Citi’s Will Artingstall

In this episode of Payments Unfiltered, Theo Spyrides, Head of Product at Primer, is joined by Will Artingstall, Global Head of Digital Asset Payments and ecommerce Services at Citi.Will shares how Citi is working more closely with enterprise merchants as payment flows become more complex and new rails begin to emerge. They discuss how large organizations are approaching these changes in practice, and what it means for how payments are designed and managed.They discuss:The optimization levers available to merchants when working more closely with acquiring and issuing banksWhy stablecoins and tokenized deposits are being introduced alongside existing payment railsWhy payments can no longer be built in isolation as they embed directly into productsThey also touch on Citi’s collaboration with Coinbase and what interoperability means in practice for enterprise teams.Don’t forget to subscribe to our channel so you don’t miss any new episode drops.

January 21, 2026Episode 1034 min

How AI shoppers are forcing merchants to rethink fraud with Jeff Otto | Episode 010

In this episode of Payments Unfiltered, Theo Spyrides, Head of Product at Primer, sits down with Jeff Otto, CMO at Riskified, to explore what happens when software starts acting on behalf of customers and what that means for risk, fraud, and merchant exposure.They discuss how agentic commerce changes who initiates a transaction, how trust is established, and why introducing an agent into the flow raises new questions around risk ownership and liability. You’ll also hear about the strategic choices merchants face as this space evolves and why waiting on the sidelines isn’t a realistic option.Don’t forget to subscribe to our channel so you don’t miss any new episodes of Payments Unfiltered.

September 24, 2025Episode 939 min

The business of play with Berkley Egenes | Episode 009

Payments aren’t just infrastructure in gaming, they’re critical to the industry’s growth. From local wallets and currencies to mobile browser checkout, the way players pay now decides how studios scale.In this episode of Payments Unfiltered, Berkley Egenes, Chief Marketing & Growth Officer at Xsolla, joins host Theo Spyrides to outline a practical playbook for global game monetization.Together they unpack the levers that actually move revenue: enabling the right payment methods and currencies in priority markets, reducing friction at checkout, navigating regulatory shifts that can unlock new opportunities—or add fresh hurdles—and how to combat fraud.Don’t forget to subscribe to our channel so you don’t miss any new episodes of Payments Unfiltered.

July 31, 2025Episode 828 min

Why low fraud isn’t always a win, with Galit Shani-Michel of Forter | Episode 008

Low fraud and chargeback rates? Great. But what if it’s costing you customers?In this episode of Payments Unfiltered, host Theo Spyrides is joined once again by Galit Shani-Michel, VP of Emerging Products at Forter, to explore the hidden risks of a “zero fraud” mindset.From KPI misalignment to false declines and friction-filled 3DS flows, Galit explains how well-meaning fraud strategies can quietly damage conversion, customer experience, and long-term growth.What you'll learn:Why a 0% fraud rate could mean you're blocking good customersHow fraud, payments, and CX teams can work better togetherWhere fraud actually happens (hint: it’s not just checkout)The importance of owning complete rate, not just auth rateReal examples of strategy changes that boosted revenue

April 16, 2025Episode 735 min

Merchants, money & the mechanics behind the scenes with Natasha de Teran | Episode 007

In this episode of Payments Unfiltered, Theo Spyrides speaks with Natasha de Terán, author of The Payoff and former Head of Corporate Affairs at SWIFT, about the hidden complexity behind everyday transactions.

March 12, 2025Episode 631 min

Setting up payments for success with André Moeller, Payments, Risk, and Fraud Professional Lead at Elli | Episode 006

In this episode of Payments Unfiltered, Theo Spyrides sits down with André Moeller, Payments, Risk, and Fraud Professional Lead at Elli (Volkswagen Group’s energy and charging solutions provider).They explore the key strategies for setting up payments correctly, including:Defining the optimal payment flow: Understanding the difference between Customer-Initiated Transactions (CIT) and Merchant-Initiated Transactions (MIT).Selecting the right payment methods: Aligning payment options with customer preferences, average order values, and regional trends.Avoiding misalignment: Why businesses must involve payment experts early to prevent friction, fraud, and failed transactions.Optimizing checkout experiences: How too many payment options can create unnecessary complexity and reduce conversion rates.The role of data: Using insights to optimize payments, reduce fraud, and improve business strategy.Building a strong payments team: Why hiring experienced payments professionals is critical for success.

February 11, 2025Episode 533 min

Buyer liars, AI fraudsters, and lost revenue: what merchants need to know with Galit Shani-Michel | Episode 005

Fraud is evolving, and merchants can’t afford to fight it alone. In this episode of Payments Unfiltered, our host, Theo Spyrides, speaks with Galit Shani-Michel, VP of Payments at Forter, to discuss the rise of AI-powered fraud, the growing threat of friendly fraud, and why false declines cost businesses more than they realize. They also discuss why traditional fraud rules no longer work, how merchants can leverage data-sharing networks, and the real impact of 3DS on fraud prevention and conversion rates.—About ForterForter is the Trust Platform for digital commerce. By ensuring accurate, instant assessments of trustworthiness across every step of the buying journey, Forter's ability to isolate fraud and protect consumers is why Nordstrom, Instacart, Priceline and leaders across industries have trusted them to process more than $1 trillion in transactions. Forter's deep understanding of identity and use of automation helps businesses prevent fraud, maximize revenue and deliver superior experiences for their consumers. Learn more at forter.com/partners/primer.