How Testing Became a Strategic Business Enabler

As we stated in our 2025 Testing Trends report, the payment industry is undergoing a period of unprecedented growth and transformation. According to McKinsey’s latest research, the sector is not merely adapting—it is fundamentally redefining itself in response to geopolitical shifts, digital innovation, and the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence.  

For executive leaders, this means that the marketplace has never been more dynamic, the competition has never been fiercer, and the stakes have never been higher. 

Navigating Fragmentation and Innovation 

McKinsey’s report underscores a new reality: payments are now shaped by fragmented systems, regionalization, and the relentless pace of technological change. The future will reward organizations that can turn complexity into opportunity—those who are agile, innovative, and trusted. 

For executives, this is a call to action. Success will depend on the ability to orchestrate seamless interoperability across diverse payment rails, embrace new digital paradigms, and build resilient, future-ready infrastructures. 

Testing as a Business Enabler 

In this environment, robust testing is not just a technical necessity—it is a strategic business enabler. The reality of fragmented standards, regulatory divergence, and rapid innovation demand a robust and comprehensive approach to testing. Executives must ensure their organizations can: 

• Accelerate time-to-market for new payment solutions without compromising quality, security, or compliance. 

• Mitigate operational and reputational risks by validating resilience against emerging threats, including AI-driven fraud and synthetic attacks. 

• Enable seamless integration across legacy and next-generation platforms, supporting business growth and adaptability. 
  

Virtualization and Automation: Efficiency, Agility, & ROI 

Modern testing technologies—such as virtualization and automation—are essential tools for executive leaders seeking to drive efficiency and growth. Solutions like Web FASTest and VirtualATM from Paragon empower payment industry participants to: 

• Simulate complex, real-world processing scenarios at scale, ensuring readiness for diverse market conditions and regulatory requirements. 

• Automate repetitive and high-risk test cases, freeing up resources for strategic initiatives and innovation. 

• Support rapid deployment and continuous improvement, enabling organizations to stay ahead of both competitors and shifting market dynamics. 

ROI Metrics and Industry Benchmarks 

The facts show that investing in advanced testing tools that support virtualization and automation will deliver significant and measurable returns: 

• Productivity Gains: Teams have seen up to 75% savings on manual tasks, freeing staff for higher-value work.  

• Quality Improvements: Companies report substantial reductions in testing time, 40% increase in customer satisfaction, and 50–100% increase in test coverage. 

• Release Velocity: Automation enables faster release cycles—moving from biweekly to daily releases, and saving 300–400 QA hours per month, even with partial coverage. 

• Cost Savings: Automation can reduce manual testing costs by 30–50%, with some organizations reporting an ROI of 240% within 6–9 months. 

• Risk Reduction: Fewer defects reach production, improving quality, reducing compliance risk, and delighting customers. 

One mid-sized financial institution implemented automated regression testing, reducing its test execution time from 40 hours to 2 hours per run, saving over 150 hours per month, and achieving payback in under two release cycles. 

The Power of Partnership 

As the payments landscape grows more complex, the value of experienced, focused partners becomes clear. Paragon’s decades of expertise in payments testing, combined with a commitment to innovation, position us as a strategic ally for organizations navigating this transformation. 

By partnering with Paragon, executives gain access to proven tools, deep industry insights, and dedicated support—helping them convert challenges into opportunities and build lasting competitive advantage. 

The Future Belongs to Trusted, Agile Innovators

The future of payments will be defined by those who lead with agility, innovation, and trust. A robust testing strategy—powered by virtualization, automation, and strategic partnership—is the foundation for success in this new era.

But testing alone isn’t the endgame—it’s the catalyst. It empowers organizations to make bold decisions with confidence, accelerate digital transformation, and deliver frictionless customer experiences that build lasting loyalty. As new technologies emerge and the regulatory landscape continues to evolve, the ability to rapidly test, learn, and adapt will separate the leaders from the laggards.

Now is the time for executive leaders to reframe testing as a strategic imperative—not just for IT, but for the business as a whole. Those who embrace this mindset will not only survive the current wave of disruption—they will define the next generation of payments.

Full credit to McKinsey & Company for their research and insights. For a deeper understanding of the trends shaping our industry, we encourage you to read the full 2025 Global Payments Report.