Payments in Digital Finance - ONLINE PROGRAMME
Stay relevant as payments transform financial services
Payments is changing faster than most professional roles are adapting.
Real-time payments, digital wallets, embedded finance, stablecoins, AI and new regulation are reshaping how banks operate, compete and serve their customers.
Build the strategic, commercial and regulatory knowledge needed to understand these changes, contribute to transformation and remain valuable as payments roles evolve.
6 expert-led courses
30+ hours of learning
100% online and self-paced
Professional certificate accredited by CPD
Start immediately with six months of access
Learn from the institutions shaping global finance
CFTE works with financial institutions and industry leaders around the world to develop the capabilities professionals need in digital finance.
This specialisation was developed in partnership with the Budapest Institute of Banking and brings together perspectives from commercial banks, central banks, regulators, payment providers and fintech companies.
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
The Cost of Waiting
Payments is evolving. The gap between professionals who understand the change and those who only execute existing processes is widening.
Professional relevance
Experience in today’s processes may not be enough when institutions begin adopting new payment infrastructure, products and operating models.
Strategic credibility
It is difficult to contribute meaningfully to payment decisions without understanding how infrastructure, technology, regulation and commercial value connect.
Dependence on others
Without broader payments knowledge, professionals may become too dependent on consultants, vendors or technical teams to interpret important developments.
Career progression
Emerging opportunities in product, strategy, innovation, regulation and transformation increasingly require professionals who can work across traditional functional boundaries.
Institutional risk
A lack of payments capability can contribute to poor technology decisions, regulatory exposure, fraud risk, operational inefficiency and missed opportunities.
Turn Payments Expertise into Your Competitive Advantage
Payments are the backbone of digital finance, driving innovation at organisations like HSBC, Stripe, and Mastercard. New technologies, including AI, IoT, and Blockchain, are reshaping how money moves globally.
Our Payments in Digital Finance course equips professionals with the expertise to optimise payment strategies for a digital-first economy, navigate global regulatory landscapes with confidence and apply real-world industry insights from top financial leaders.
This programme focuses a lot on industry-expert insights, case studies & is designed for finance professionals. It is as close to the industry as it gets.
In this course, you will:
Understand the regulatory landscape for payments compliance & security
Explore real-time payments, digital wallets, and BNPL models
Develop successful payments strategies for financial institutions & fintechs
Lead digital transformation initiatives in the payments industry
Who this programme is built for
This specialisation is designed for professionals working in or alongside payments, banking, fintech and financial-services transformation.
Payments and fintech professionals
Product and strategy leaders
Risk and compliance professionals
Finance professionals involved in transformation
Operations professionals
Technology professionals in finance
Banking and fintech leaders
The Payments Course That Delivers Career Impact
Build the knowledge to remain relevant as financial services changes
Discover how leading organisations are harnessing generative AI for marketing and enhance your skills with our hands-on exercises and learn from industry best practices.
Leading Voice, Author, Keynote Speaker, PO Payment, Head of Marketing (one of EU’s largest banks), publisher “The New Frontier” with over 12 years in banking and payments.
Discover how leading organisations are harnessing generative AI for marketing and enhance your skills with our hands-on exercises and learn from industry best practices.
Leading Voice, Author, Keynote Speaker, PO Payment, Head of Marketing (one of EU’s largest banks), publisher “The New Frontier” with over 12 years in banking and payments.
Learn from 6 top industry experts
Step up your game in the world of banking and finance with the thought leaders in the industry
30+ hours of content with real-world insights
Learn from the latest trends and application from all continents and sectors
Earn an accredited & industry-recognised certificate
Get an accredited certificate endorsed by trusted bodies
Join a global network of finance & payments professionals
Connect and access a global community of over 100k alumni.
Gain Payments Skills You Can Apply Directly to Your Work
This course goes deep into how payments can transform financial services. Each lesson is practical, focused, and directly applicable to your career. Here’s a detailed look at what you will learn:
Understand the historical, economic, and technological evolution of payments.
Enhance fraud detection, anti-money laundering (AML), and transaction monitoring.
Explore business models and strategies used by global payments leaders.
Learn how to integrate AI, blockchain, and cloud computing in payments infrastructure.
Understand how innovation is shaping the future of payments.
Get insights into PSD2, CBDCs, and international payment regulations.
Learn from World-Class Finance Experts
Jean-Michel Godeffroy
Former Director General of ECB
Fred Bar
Secretary General of EACHA
Kim Ford
Senior VP, Government Relations of Fiserv
Michael O'Loughlin
Founder of Oloughlin.io
Ritesh Jain
Former COO of HSBC
6 Expert-Led Courses to Master Payments in Digital Finance
Each course provides a step-by-step learning path for finance professionals.
Understand how money and payments have evolved
Explore the history of money, its role in society and the forces changing how value is exchanged.
You will examine:
- The evolution of money
- The economic and social role of payments
- Changing customer behaviour
- Digital and virtual currencies
- Cryptocurrencies and stablecoins
- The future development of money
Career relevance
Build the wider context needed to understand why payment systems change and what those changes mean for financial institutions.
Understand what happens behind every transaction
Explore the infrastructure, participants and processes that allow money to move securely.
You will examine:
- The layers of the payment stack
- Payment instruments and methods
- Payment schemes and networks
- Processing, clearing and settlement
- Domestic and international payment flows
- The organisations operating across the ecosystem
Career relevance
Develop the foundational knowledge needed to engage with payment products, operations and infrastructure.
Understand what is reshaping payments
Explore the technologies and customer behaviours creating new payment propositions.
You will examine:
- Real-time and faster payments
- Digital and mobile wallets
- Account-to-account payments
- Embedded finance
- Buy now, pay later
- Data and AI in fraud prevention
- Blockchain and distributed ledgers
- Stablecoins and CBDCs
Career relevance
Move beyond knowing that a new technology exists and begin assessing what it could mean for customers and institutions.
Understand how payments businesses create value
Explore the commercial models and strategic decisions shaping the industry.
You will examine:
- Payments revenue models
- Pricing and monetisation
- Platforms and ecosystems
- Partnerships between banks and fintech companies
- Open banking and open finance
- Value-added payment services
- Strategic positioning across the payment chain
Career relevance
Strengthen your ability to discuss payments in commercial and strategic terms, not only operational or technical terms.
Navigate the rules shaping payment services
Understand how regulators seek to protect customers, maintain stability and support responsible innovation.
You will examine:
- The role of central banks and regulators
- Regional regulatory approaches
- Consumer protection
- Cybersecurity
- Operational resilience
- Fraud, AML and financial crime
- Digital-currency regulation
- Cross-border payment considerations
Career relevance
Build the context needed to understand why payment innovation, governance and regulation must be addressed together.
Connect payments innovation to institutional execution
Understand why payment transformation requires changes beyond customer-facing technology.
You will examine:
- Changing customer expectations
- Digital business architecture
- Payments within the wider customer journey
- Organisational transformation
- Operational change
- Technology and infrastructure decisions
- Common implementation barriers
Career relevance
Understand how financial institutions move from recognising a payment opportunity to implementing meaningful change.
Who should not take this programme?
This programme may not be appropriate if you are:
Looking only for basic finance knowledge – The programme focuses specifically on payments and digital finance rather than general financial education.
Seeking a highly technical coding course – Technology is covered from a strategic and business perspective, but the programme does not teach software development.
Unwilling to engage with industry change – The programme is designed for professionals who want to understand how new technologies, regulations and business models affect their work.
Expecting an immediate career guarantee – The programme can strengthen your knowledge and professional capability, but it cannot guarantee employment or promotion.
Unconnected to payments or financial services – The learning will be most valuable when your work intersects with payments, banking, fintech, regulation or digital transformation.
Hear from learners of this programme
Programme Details
Start date
Immediately
Tuition
£720 or 3 x £240
Format
100% online, self-paced
Duration
30+ hours of learning
Access
Six months from enrolment
Courses
Six expert-led courses
Certificate
CPD Accredited
Earn a CPD-accredited professional development certificate
Complete the Payments in Digital Finance Specialisation and earn a digital certificate from CFTE.
The certificate can be:
- Added to your LinkedIn profile
- Included on your CV
- Shared with your professional network
- Used as evidence of continued professional development
- Presented to employers as evidence of your payments learning
The programme was developed in partnership with the Budapest Institute of Banking and is accredited by CPD.
Invest in Your Future & Gain Payments Expertise to Lead in Finance
Pay in full
- 6 in-depth courses covering the payments ecosystem
- 30+ hours of expert-led videos from industry leaders
- 5+ real-world case studies on digital payments innovations
- 6+ quizzes and extended materials
- Lifetime access to our global community
- Accredited & industry-recognised certificate in Payments in Digital Finance
Pay in 3 Zero-interest Instalments
- 6 in-depth courses covering the payments ecosystem
- 30+ hours of expert-led videos from industry leaders
- 5+ real-world case studies on digital payments innovations
- 6+ quizzes and extended materials
- Lifetime access to our global community
- Accredited & industry-recognised certificate in Payments in Digital Finance
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
Choose Your Learning Path
Take the full programme or choose a standalone course based on your goals.
Payments Foundation
If you’re thinking of changing your career or expanding your knowledge in digital payments, this course is for you. Learn the fundamentals of payments in digital finance from leading industry experts, get their unique insights and understand how transactions worth trillions of dollars are executed every day.
After completing this 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 simple end-to-end transactions.
- Outline how international businesses and banks use AI to optimize payment processes.
Curriculum:
Full Payments Specialisation
CFTE offers the world’s largest online specialisation course on the topic of payments. Gain an in-depth understanding of the Payments industry with our Full Payments course designed for individuals who aspire to excel and boost their career through a complex understanding of the fundamentals, current trends and future of Payments.
After completing this course, you will be able to:
- Recognize and differentiate between traditional and new payment methods.
- Identify the key players in the payments ecosystem and understand the fundamentals of the payment stack.
- Explore the role and importance of regulations in the payments industry and analyse regional differences.
- Appreciate new technologies that are enabling product innovation in payments.
- Explain new business models in payments and identify different monetization strategies.
- Learn how successful digital payment transformation programmes are designed and executed.
- Explore the current payment systems and payment system technologies.
Curriculum:
Payments for Innovators
The world of payments is being transformed by technology, and the industry is changing at an unprecedented rate. Take advantage of the disruption and use this moment to innovate your business or even start a new one. With our Payments for Innovators course you will gain all the necessary skills and knowledge from leading industry experts.
After completing this course, you will be able to:
- Identify new and creative ways of payments monetization in the market.
- Recognize the limitations of conventional fraud detection and how data, artificial intelligence and machine learning can be used to detect financial crime.
- Illustrate how FinTech has introduced novel approaches to lending and crowdfunding.
- Outline the strategies payment providers use to generate new revenue streams.
Curriculum:
Payments for Legal and Regulators
With increased globalization and digital transformation of the industry, the financial sector is no longer dominated by traditional banks. Strong regulations and international rules are critical in redesigning the payments network, preventing fraud and protecting customers. Discover the interface of finance and international law with our experts.
After completing this course, you will be able to:
- Appreciate the importance of regulations in ensuring stability of the payments ecosystem and protection of consumers.
- Recognize the main function of Asian central banks and other regulatory organizations.
- Define different types of central bank digital currency proposals.
- Outline regulatory views on cryptocurrencies.
Curriculum:
Compare your options
| Feature | Full Programme | Foundation | Innovators | Legal & Regulators |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Professionals who want a full end-to-end payments pathway | Beginners building strong fundamentals in digital payments | Professionals exploring innovation and new payment business models | Professionals focused on regulation, law and governance in payments |
| Includes | All payments courses in the specialisation | 1 standalone course | 1 standalone course | 1 standalone course |
| Duration | 30 hours | 16 hours | 16 hours | 8 hours |
| Difficulty | Beginner | Beginner | Beginner | Beginner |
| Price | £720 | £192 | £300 | £192 |
| Action | Enrol | View course | View course | View course |
Join the payments revolution today!
A specialisation designed for the industry, by the industry.
One-time payment of £720 | 3 instalments of £240
Download the programme brochure
Get more information on the programme content, hands-on projects and industry experts.
FAQ
Most frequent questions and answers about our specialisation
The programme is designed for professionals working in or alongside banking, fintech, payments, product, strategy, technology, risk, compliance, operations or digital transformation.
The programme helps you develop capabilities that are becoming increasingly relevant as financial institutions modernise their payment products, infrastructure and operating models.
It cannot guarantee a promotion or employment outcome, but it can help you build broader industry knowledge and contribute more confidently to payments-related work.
There are no strict prerequisites.
The programme begins with foundational concepts before progressing into technology, business models, regulation and transformation.
The programme explains payment technology and infrastructure but does not require coding.
It is designed for professionals who need a strategic, commercial, operational or regulatory understanding of payments.
Yes.
Many payments professionals have deep expertise in one area. This specialisation helps connect that knowledge to the wider ecosystem.
The programme includes more than 30 hours of learning and can be completed at your own pace.
You will have six months of access from the date of enrolment.
You can start immediately after enrolling.
Yes. You will receive a digital CFTE certificate after completing the programme and the required assessments.
Ready to disrupt payments?
Get a 360 view of the payments landscape from the shoulders of giants with this online course.
Payments in Digital Finance is a CFTE programme created in collaboration with the Budapest Institute of Banking, designed for finance professionals to get a comprehensive overview of the biggest financial technologies impacting the industry.
Understand the most recent Payments innovations, how the rise of digital currencies such as CBDCs or Crypto is impacting the space and how changing customer behaviour drives the evolution of money.
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 in Digital Finance Specialisation, you will:
- Understand money for what it truly is today and how it will change in the future
- Learn how payments impact financial stability and monetary policy
- Explore how global cybersecurity regulations continue to evolve
- Understand what the modern full payments stack looks like
- Recognise what central bank digital currency proposals exist around the world and what are the regulatory views on cryptocurrency
This specialisation is taught by unicorn builders. disruptive entrepreneurs. Fortune500 Leaders. technology experts. payments regulators.
Specialisation Curriculum
This specialisation is composed of 6 individual courses.
Course 1: The Historical, Economic and Social Importance of Payments
Course 3: New Payments Technologies and Product Innovations
Course 5: The Global Regulatory Landscape of the Payments Sector
Course 2: Payment's Stack - Industry Fundamentals
Course 4: Payments Strategies and Business Model Innovations
Course 6: The Rationale for a Digital Transformation
Designed for your learning goals
On Demand
Enrol and Start Immediately.
Finish in 6 weeks
Learn at your own pace
Shareable certificate
Let your professional network know about your new skills and find more career opportunities.
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.
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!
