Whenever someone taps a card or authorizes a digital payment, they rarely consider the complex systems protecting their transaction. Behind that everyday moment stand professionals like Kishore Sunderajulu. As a product leader, he has spent over twenty years designing secure and scalable systems that keep global commerce running. His work intersects technology, regulation, and human behavior in a way that helps digital payments stay safe and inclusive. Kishore Sunderajulu A Balance Between Progress and Protection The payments industry faces a constant tug-of-war between innovation and security. For instance, new methods such as e-commerce and mobile wallets have gained ground along with contactless payments. As a result, more sophisticated fraud attempts have emerged. Additionally, global compliance requirements like PCI-DSS, PSD2, and Durbin Regulation II further add to the challenge. Nevertheless, Kishore is driven to turn these complexities into opportunities for progress. “My inspiration to build a career in the payments industry originated from a deep curiosity about how technology could make financial transactions more secure, accessible, and seamless for people around the world,” he says. Progress From EMV Payments to Tokenization Kishore’s early career aligned with FinTech’s shift from vulnerable magnetic stripes to EMV chip cards. He worked with over a hundred banks and merchants across continents to roll out the new secure card technologies. That work laid the foundation for modern transaction security. It also gave him firsthand insight into how global collaboration can strengthen consumer protection. Kishore’s At Discover Financial Services, Kishore led key programs that transformed the company’s approach to digital payments. He directed the nationwide launch of Discover’s EMV contactless debit cards, developed the D-PAS specifications to meet regulatory standards, and architected the Emerging Payments Platform to support tokenization on the Discover Pulse switch. These efforts helped position Discover as a leader in digital payments innovation and EMVCo 3DS 2.3.1. “I saw firsthand how strategic innovation could modernize legacy infrastructure and redefine how consumers interact with money,” he says. His leadership resulted in a 30 percent lift in authentication accuracy and a 25 percent drop in fraudulent chargebacks. These outcomes proved that compliance and creativity could coexist. Secure and Inclusive Digital Finance “In my current role at Marqeta, I lead product strategy and development focused on delivering secure, scalable, and intuitive payment experiences across global markets,” Kishore says. His overall aim is to reduce fraud exposure by double digits. He also looks forward to creating payment products that make security unobtrusive and practical for every transaction. role at Marqeta In the arena of financial technology leadership, Kishore contributes to peer-reviewed publications. This work advances understanding of transaction security, tokenization, and multi-factor authentication frameworks. His research and insights have appeared in the International Journal of Science and Research and the Advanced International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research. peer-reviewed publications . The Power of Trusted Frameworks One of Kishore’s strengths lies in transforming regulatory pressure into practical progress. Where others see regulatory compliance as a constraint, he views it as a framework for trust. “For example, I’ve architected tokenization frameworks and cryptogram strategies that enable secure, real-time transactions while meeting regulatory requirements such as PSD2 and Strong Customer Authentication (SCA),” he says. In the process, he has modernized aging infrastructures without sacrificing speed or safety. Artificial Intelligence in Payments Looking forward, Kishore Sunderajulu’s focus includes integrating AI-driven payment solutions and agentic AI in fintech systems to enhance fraud detection and automate risk management. He aims to create frameworks that support ethical AI in financial services, and his vision for the future of payments centers on transparency, inclusion, and intelligence. “Ultimately, my vision is to transform the future of digital finance while ensuring the United States remains at the forefront of global financial technology and AI leadership,” he says. future of payments Progress in the digital payment ecosystem means more than creating the newest feature or app. Each tap, click, and authorization represents the potential for global fintech transformation. “When innovation is rooted in purpose, it creates solutions that endure, build trust, and truly transform industries,” Kishore states.

The is an opinion piece based on the author’s POV and does not necessarily reflect the views of HackerNoon.

Inside Kishore Sunderajulu’s Mission to Secure Global Payment Systems

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