In the Hot Seat

When payments disappear, the real competition begins, for trust, attention, and loyalty. In this episode of In the Hot Seat, Denise Johansson is joined by Emelie Eriksson, Head of SEB Embedded, for a rapid-fire deep dive into the future of embedded finance. From the weight of legacy systems to the risks and rewards of giving up control, they explore why embedded finance is more than a product shift — it's a full-blown strategic reset. Tune in for sharp takes on trust, regulation, and the partnerships redefining financial services from the inside out.   Key Takeaways. [:01] Denise Johansson puts Emelie Eriksson, Head of SEB Embedded in the hot seat. [2:42] Emelie touches on the difference between embedded payment and banking as a service. [3:38] Large, well-established institutions may have a hard time letting go of control to make the shift to embedded finance. [4:50] Complementation over competition is the key to an embedded future, according to Emelie. [6:35] Inviting compliance has been pivotal in shaping SEB's success. [7:37] Emelie breaks down what being embedded-ready actually means. [10:29] Upcoming regulation will likely dictate how the embedded finance models evolve and how big a role traditional banks will have. [12:00] Without taking care of the whole issue, embedded finance does open new doors and offer opportunities to shape fairer financial ecosystems. [13:16] The next chapter of embedded finance! [14:22] Emelie shares her trends to look to in the coming year. [15:21] Customer expectations have been shifting rapidly, and they are becoming more discerning and specific about their needs. [16:36] Emelie sees customer loyalty as a driver for better and better services. [18:08] The threat — and benefits — of AI. [19:32] Regulatory futures are always uncertain! [20:26] Emelie touches on a few possible unintended consequences of embedded finance; confusion could lead to reputational issues. [22:04] Defining successful partnerships in the embedded finance ecosystem. [22:40] Denise signs out until the next time she puts an industry leader in the hot seat.   People. Guest Emelie Eriksson, Head of SEB Embedded, positively shaping the future by enabling people and businesses with responsible advice and capital. Host Denise Johansson, Co-CEO and Co-Founder of Enfuce, a female-founded fintech helping drive business growth, solve customer challenges, and extend financial inclusion.   Links. SEB Embedded Enfuce   Guest Quotes (edited). If you want to go into embedded finance, you need to accept handing control over the user experience to another partner. For some, customer contact is so important that it may be hard to let go, but if they don't, someone else will take over that customer relationship. — Emelie Eriksson, SEB Embedded, InTheHotSeat One reason why some haven't been able to leap into user experience is that they might be bound by legacy tech. — Emelie Eriksson, SEB Embedded, InTheHotSeat Embedded finance from the consumer side of things has to be at "point-of-need," at "point-in-time." This general expectation has been raising the bar over the last 10 years and will continue to do so. — Emelie Eriksson, SEB Embedded, InTheHotSeat When it comes to brand loyalty, if we don't provide good things, people will leave and go to someone else. And I think that's the benefit of an open market from the consumer side of things. — Emelie Eriksson, SEB Embedded, InTheHotSeat   Denise Quotes (edited). It might not be your bank's logo sitting at the front of that experience, and that's the whole point. Embedded finance is the engine backstage, powering the apps and companies people already trust. — Denise Johansson, InTheHotSeat Embedded is more or less how finance now works in the digital era from a consumer perspective. — Denise Johansson, InTheHotSeat It has to be accepted, starting in the boardroom, that we are walking into a new area. We will have to find a way to still be relevant in the coming decades. — Denise Johansson, InTheHotSeat We've talked about legacy banks taking leaps for 10 plus years already. But most banks started those projects by looking at how to reshape their infrastructures as opposed to starting from scratch. — Denise Johansson, InTheHotSeat We are increasing financial accessibility, but exclusion is still a lot about regulations. — Denise Johansson, InTheHotSeat