PAYMENTS FOUNDATION – ONLINE PROGRAMME
BUILD A STRONG FOUNDATION IN PAYMENTS AND DIGITAL FINANCE
Learn the fundamentals of payments, from the history of money and digital currencies to the infrastructure powering trillions of transactions every day. Developed in collaboration with the Budapest Institute of Banking, this self-paced programme helps learners understand payment systems, industry actors, and how AI is shaping the future of payments.
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2 In-depth Courses
Learn at your pace
Industry-recognised Certificate
Shareable certificate
Payments Foundation
Payments basics at your fingertips: learn the fundamentals from industry practitioners.
Lead your institution into the future of digital payments.
of global e-commerce value came from digital payment methods in 2024 (Worldpay Global Payments Report, 2025)
global payments revenue generated in 2024 (McKinsey Global Payments Report, 2025)
real-time payment transactions were recorded globally in 2023 (ACI Worldwide, 2024)
This isn’t an incremental change; it’s a fundamental rewiring of how money moves around the world
Looking to start your journey in Finance? Thinking of changing your career or expanding your knowledge in Digital Payment? Learn the fundamentals with the Payments Foundation course!
Designed in collaboration with the Budapest Institute of Banking, get an overview of the history of money and payments, as well as the infrastructure behind the technology executing trillions of transactions every day.
An online specialisation developed in partnership with Budapest Institute of Banking
An online specialisation developed in partnership with Budapest Institute of Banking.
With the Payments Foundation course, you will be able to:
- Describe how money has evolved into the complex monetary system we use today
- Explain how the rise of digital currencies and changing consumer behaviour continue to shape the financial sector
- Analyse the payment infrastructures of different payment layers and the complexity of seemingly end-to-end transactions
- Outline how international businesses and banks use AI to optimise payment processes
This course is taught by unicorn builders. disruptive entrepreneurs. Fortune500 Leaders. technology experts. payments regulators.
Specialisation Curriculum
This specialisation is composed of 2 individual courses.
Course 1: The Historical, Economic and Social Importance of Payments
Senior Lecturer Jean-Michel from the World Bank and IMF teaches you the elemental history of money, its evolution, and what lessons we can learn from its development.
Senior Lecturer Jean-Michel from the World Bank and IMF teaches you the fundamentals of how money is created, what the role of the central bank is, and how the money supply is controlled.
Senior Lecturer Jean-Michel from the World Bank and IMF teaches you the historical importance of central banks and how public and private money are intertwined, followed by Director General of the National Bank of Cambodia Serey Chea’s interview on the history of money in Cambodia, how it’s relevant to the economy of today, and how her role at the central bank affect the overall country.
Senior Lecturer Jean-Michel from the World Bank and IMF teaches you the ever changing geopolitical implications of new payment methods, followed by Deputy Director of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Konstantin Peric and his mission with the Foundation to provide equal access to banking and payments for women and the impoverished.
Senior Lecturer Jean-Michel from the World Bank and IMF teaches you the exciting future of alternative forms of payment such as Bitcoin, Libra, and central bank digital currency, followed by Head of Applied Research at Sveriges Riksbank Gabriela Guiborg’s explanation into the future implications of CBDCs. Julien Le Goc, Director of Policy at Facebook Libra Association, provides you with exclusive insights into the global implications of Libra stablecoin.
Course 2: Payment's Stack - Industry Fundamentals
Senior Lecturer Fred Bär from EACHA teaches you the different types of payments that are the key underlying driver for businesses today.
Senior Lecturer Fred Bär from EACHA teaches you the different card and payment schemes as well as the necessary infrastructure behind them, followed by Senior Associate at Payments Advisory Group Gert Bijleveld as he takes you into a deep dive of how commercial banks are wrestling with its payments infrastructure and how things have changed since the Fintech evolution.
Senior Lecturer Fred Bär from EACHA teaches you how to categorise the different ways to analyse payments and how instant payments are taking over the world, followed by Deputy Director of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Konstantin Peric and his take on the challenges that lies ahead for digital payments.
Senior Lecturer Fred Bär from EACHA teaches you the payment, account-related, and message standards, followed by Carlo Palmers, Head of Payment Solutions at SWIFT, and his exclusive insight into how banks and corporates are using GPI, and how SWIFT is preparing for Instant Payments.
Senior Lecturer Fred Bär from EACHA teaches you the operating models of payments and how Big Banks are evolving these models, followed by Senior Associate at Payments Advisory Group Gert Bijleveld as he takes you through his thoughts on what happens if Big Banks outsource payments to Fintechs.
Senior Lecturer Fred Bär from EACHA teaches you the costs and unit economics involved in the payments industry, followed by Nick Ogden, Founder of RTGS Global and Clearbank, and his experience managing a payments innovation business.
Course 1: The Historical, Economic and Social Importance of Payments
Course 2: Payment's Stack - Industry Fundamentals
Designed for your learning goals
On Demand
Enrol and Start Immediately.
Finish in 16 hours
Learn at your own pace
Shareable certificate
Let your professional network know about your new skills and find more career opportunities.
Hear from learners of this programme
Invest in Your Future & Gain Payments Expertise to Lead in Finance
Pay in full
- 2-course online specialisation on payments fundamentals
- Finish in 16 hours at your own pace
- Learn the history of money, digital currencies and payment evolution
- Understand payment infrastructure, methods, schemes and key industry actors
- Explore how AI is used to optimise payment processes
- Shareable certificate upon successful completion
Get your employer to sponsor you
Did you know? Companies like JPMorgan Chase offer up to $7,500 in tuition sponsorship. Your employer might sponsor your learning too!
Mode of payment
We accept all major credit cards and debit cards. We also accept Klarna via Stripe
Get reimbursed by your employer
Speak to your manager about the course, and get a reimbursement. Use this template
Installments
You can choose to pay the full amount, or you can opt for a 3-part plan
FAQ
Most frequent questions and answers about our specialisation
Anyone who wants to have a solid understanding of payments should take this specialisation. Either to lead projects, a team or innovation applicable the world of payments.
At CFTE, we pride ourselves in offering courses for professionals, by professionals and offering a global view – this is how we compare with the market. This is done through videos, readings, and insights from CEOs to make the learning experience accessible. You will be able to take the course fully online and at your own pace, so you can be in charge of your proper upskilling. At CFTE, we believe there is an urgent need for all to learn the right skills for a world of digital finance, and we support all initiatives that are supporting the same goal.
We break our programmes into two types: short courses and specialisations. Our specialisations are a bundle of all of our short courses relating to an overarching topic. Specialisations allow learners to get a comprehensive and well-rounded understanding of a given topic in its many areas. If you have previous experience on this specialisation’s subject or you are interested in learning more about a specific area of it, you can enrol in the individual course that covers your area of interest, instead of taking the whole specialisation. Feel free to chat with us if you’d like some advise on which one would suit you best!
There are no strict prerequisites for taking the course. The Payments in Digital Finance specialisation aims to provide anyone interested in finance (in its wider definition) with a general overview of the trends in payments and digital finance, with the right balance between content that is easily accessible but that also provides insightful knowledge.
You will have access to the course for 6 months from enrolment. This duration is set to ensure you can pace yourself for the best learning outcome. Though not a common request, you can talk to us if you need an extension of the access after the 6 months are up.
Yes, you will receive a digital certificate upon successful completion of the course. This certificate is digital so it can be shared at any time and embedded into your online professional profile.
We accept all major credit cards and debit cards. You can choose to pay the full amount, or you can opt for a 3-part payment plan option. The 3-part payment option requires one payment upfront, followed by second and third during your course. Chat with us to find out more!
What our Alumni say about the Specialisation
Why learn at CFTE?
Online & Self-paced
Learn whenever. Learn wherever. Your learning track is flexible to your goals.
Global View
Our courses offers a 360 view on the topic, focused on what matters.
Expert-led
Our courses are curated by 200+ finance experts who know what skills you must learn.
Online & Self-paced
Learn whenever. Learn wherever. Your learning track is flexible to your goals.
Global View
Our courses offers a 360 view on the topic, focused on what matters.
Expert-led
Our courses are curated by 200+ finance experts who know what skills you must learn.
Join the payments revolution today!
A specialisation designed for the industry, by the industry.
One-time payment of £192
