At a time when financial services firms are under pressure to modernize not just their front-end offerings but their entire infrastructure stack, Delta Capita is positioning itself to lead across the value chain. We sat down with Michael Levens, who heads up the firm’s global DTAT and payments practice, to explore what’s changing in AI, payments architecture, and why co-creating financial infrastructure is emerging as a dominant strategic lever.

Levens describes Delta Capita’s model as one of "mutualized reinvention." The firm combines consulting with managed services and direct product development, often via joint ventures with banks and infrastructure players. “We don’t just advise,” he says. “We acquire, revamp, and relaunch tech assets in collaboration with top-tier banks like Citi, LSEG, and HSBC.”

This isn’t theoretical. One recent project involved taking over 350 employees from HSBC’s OTC derivatives settlement function and integrating them into a managed service agreement effectively transforming a cost center into a productized service. That’s not outsourcing. That’s infrastructural redesign.

At Money20/20, Levens noted a shift in the AI conversation from speculative to solution-driven. “Last year it was all GenAI buzz,” he reflects. “Now it’s about value where it fits, how it’s governed, and what real use cases look like.”

Delta Capita’s most active work in AI revolves around compliance and readiness. The firm has developed an AI risk assessment toolkit, helping financial institutions gauge whether their AI and data policies are fit for regulatory scrutiny. But again, AI isn’t useful without clean data. “Last year we kept hearing: ‘we want AI.’ But under the hood, their data wasn’t ready. So we’ve been working extensively on data quality, governance, and lineage.”

Levens sees stablecoins as the next breakout technology, particularly for commercial payments. While the consumer narrative may lag due to education barriers, enterprises understand the potential. “They’re already familiar with ACH, RTP, SWIFT rails. If stablecoins provide speed, cost-efficiency, and traceability, they’ll use it.”

Importantly, he credits regulatory momentum as the key to adoption. “Unlike crypto, stablecoins are being shaped by central banks and regulators, hedged to fiat. That gives them the right ingredients for success.”

He cites early salary disbursement use cases, Stripe’s acquisition of Bridge, and Worldpay's announcements as signals that stablecoins are exiting the experimental phase.

Asked about how incumbents and fintechs are structuring their growth paths, Levens draws a nuanced line. “We advise across build, buy, and partner decisions. Some banks don’t want vendor lock-in, others outsource by default. It depends on legacy infrastructure and risk appetite.”

Monzo, for example, is a digital-first bank that built its own stack. But traditional institutions with layers of technical debt don’t have that luxury. For them, Levens suggests, meaningful innovation may come through external partnerships, co-investment, or acquiring reusable tech platforms.

Looking ahead, Levens forecasts a busy year. Delta Capita is preparing for a major technology acquisition from a market infrastructure provider one that could transform its product and client base. “We’re moving fast,” he says. “That acquisition will bring not just IP, but embedded client relationships and credibility in new verticals.”

Beyond that, Levens hints at more activity in M&A and deeper integration of AI into both advisory and product workflows. The firm’s thesis is clear: to accelerate financial innovation, you need to improve the entire value chain, not just the UX.

Not affiliated with Money20/20

Bobsguide is a ClickZ Media publication