MX Leaders Take the Stage at FDX Global Summit to Shape the Future of Open Finance

At this year’s FDX Global Summit, leaders from MX joined industry stakeholders across financial services, fintech, and policy to advance future-shaping conversations focused on how data, standards, and collaboration drive better outcomes for consumers.

From the main stage to panel discussions, MX voices reinforced a clear message: Open Finance has moved beyond access, and what matters now is how data is used to create meaningful, measurable outcomes.

Keynote Spotlight:

During a keynote session with Dominic Venturo, Chief Digital Officer at U.S. Bank, Ryan Caldwell, founder and CEO of MX, spoke to the industry’s shift from connectivity to capability, and the growing responsibility financial institutions have to deliver meaningful outcomes for consumers.

While the industry has made significant progress in establishing secure, permissioned data sharing, Caldwell noted that differentiation will come from how institutions use that data to support financial health and guide consumer decision-making.

“If a financial institution doesn’t differentiate itself in a way that shows that they are consumer-obsessed, that they are actually feeling a responsibility to ensure financial health, then that consumer will eventually get captured by someone who will help them have a better financial life and give them more guidance.”

He also pointed to a shift in how financial institutions must position themselves within the broader ecosystem, moving beyond ownership of the transaction to becoming the primary interface for a consumer’s financial life. He highlighted the expanding role of data in enabling this experience, noting that the industry is still in the early stages of unlocking its full potential. Without access to clean, enriched, and interpretable data, institutions are limited in their ability to provide meaningful guidance.

Caldwell also emphasized the foundational role of industry collaboration and standards in enabling that future, noting that innovation depends on a shared infrastructure for secure, permissioned data access.

“I think FDX sits at the absolute center of that because that is the first underlying step,” Caldwell said. “That is the gate you have to go through — connection.”

Looking ahead, Caldwell framed the next chapter of Open Finance as a shift toward more intelligent, insight-driven experiences — where financial institutions help consumers better understand and act on their financial data.

His keynote reinforced a central theme echoed throughout the summit: the future of financial services won’t be defined by who has access to data, but by who can turn that data into meaningful outcomes for consumers.

Directors’ Cut: The Industry Opportunity in 2026

In a Directors’ Cut keynote alongside Ben Isaacson, SVP, Product Strategy at The Clearing House and FDX Co-Chair, Jane Barratt, Chief Advocacy Officer at MX, discussed the importance of continued collaboration to move the ecosystem forward, especially amid regulatory uncertainty.

“This isn’t something abstract — this is how we manage our personal lives,” Barratt said. “It’s how we get to transparency and how we can make decisions.”

She highlighted the industry’s evolution from technical implementation to more complex questions around consent, data usage, and downstream responsibility, noting that these conversations are essential to building a sustainable and consumer-first ecosystem.

Barratt also reinforced the role of standards bodies like FDX in maintaining momentum. Her key points were:

• Progress must continue regardless of regulatory timelines.
• Expanding participation across stakeholders is critical.
• New technologies must be integrated into existing, trusted frameworks — not built outside of them.

Featured Session: U.S. Regulatory and Political Landscape for Open Finance in 2026

In a panel session focused on the evolving regulatory environment, Maisie Bilotti, Senior Director, External Relations - Policy & Regulatory Engagement at MX, offered a grounded view from across financial institutions and fintech partners. She described an industry caught between urgency and hesitation, where many organizations are ready to move forward, but unclear guidance is slowing progress.

“Some of the most tragic conversations I have are with financial institutions, particularly mid-sized banks and credit unions, that want to build APIs. They know their customers want that level of service, speed, and security, but because they don’t know what standard to build toward, they’re pausing. They don’t want to invest in something now only to have to rebuild it later, which I have a lot of empathy for.”

Bilotti noted that this lack of clarity isn’t just a policy issue, but also an operational challenge, creating friction across everything from infrastructure decisions to ecosystem coordination. She emphasized that greater consistency and clearer direction will be critical to unlocking the next phase of innovation.

Her perspective reinforced a key takeaway: progress in Open Finance is now defined by coordination, not capability.