FinTech Business Asia speaks with Quynh Nguyen Ba about how the collaboration between Hitachi Digital Services and Stripe is helping enterprises modernize legacy payment systems, accelerate embedded finance adoption, and deliver real-time, customer-centric payment experiences across Asia-Pacific. The conversation also explores the growing role of ecosystem partnerships, API-driven infrastructure, and digital transformation opportunities in industries such as insurance and financial services.

Q: This partnership aims to modernize enterprise payment infrastructure—what are the most critical limitations in legacy payment systems that you are addressing through this collaboration?  

A: Many enterprises are still operating with fragmented payment environments that were never designed for today’s digital economy. What clients are asking for now is greater speed, scalability, resilience, and a much better customer experience. That is where this partnership is focused.

Q: The initial focus appears to target industries like insurance—why is this sector particularly ripe for payment transformation, and what specific use cases are you prioritizing? 

A: Insurance is a particularly strong opportunity because customer expectations have changed dramatically, while many core payment processes remain highly manual or disconnected. Across APAC, we see strong demand for faster claims, seamless premium payments, and more digital customer engagement.

Q: By combining Stripe’s financial infrastructure with Hitachi’s IT/OT and enterprise integration capabilities, how does this partnership create a differentiated value proposition for large organizations? 

A: Stripe brings world class financial infrastructure and developer agility, while Hitachi Digital Services brings deep enterprise integration and operational expertise. Together, we can help organizations modernize payments in a way that connects technology, operations, and customer experience.

Q: The joint industry event brings together major ecosystem players such as Visa and Mastercard—how important is ecosystem collaboration in accelerating innovation in global payments?  

A: Payments today are part of a much broader digital ecosystem. Real innovation happens when networks, technology providers, and enterprises collaborate closely. That ecosystem approach is essential to accelerating transformation at scale.

Q: As enterprises increasingly demand real-time, scalable, and API-driven payment solutions, how do you see this partnership shaping the future of embedded finance and digital commerce? 

A: We see payments becoming increasingly real time, embedded, and intelligent. Enterprises want payment capabilities integrated directly into digital experiences, and this partnership helps organizations move toward more agile, API driven platforms that support that future.

Q: Looking ahead, what opportunities do you see in Asia-Pacific for modernizing payment infrastructure, and how will this collaboration support regional enterprises in their digital transformation journeys? 

A: APAC is one of the most dynamic regions globally for payment innovation. There is enormous momentum around digital commerce, mobile first experiences, and modernization. We see a major opportunity to help enterprises across the region modernize securely while accelerating broader digital transformation initiatives.