Currency Research

What Currency Research does

Currency Research (CR) is a Plano, Texas-based, privately held events and advisory firm founded by Richard Haycock in 2001 (building on the Currency Conference, which Haycock launched in 1992). The company operates as an independent, neutral connector in the global currency and payments industry, organizing roughly eight to ten paid conferences and seminars annually across the Americas, EMEA, Asia-Pacific, Central Asia, and Island Nations, alongside monthly industry publications, a podcast, and consulting engagements.

Its core products are events: flagship conferences include the Currency Conference (next: Berlin, May 2027), the Central Bank Payments Conference (10th edition, Istanbul, August 2026), regional Cash Cycle Seminars in the Americas, EMEA, and Asia, the Silk Road Cash & Payments Conference (Almaty), the inaugural Island Nations Currency & Payments Summit (Fiji), the Banknote Conference (Washington, DC, 2028), and newer properties in Digital Currency and Central Bank AI. The portfolio is supported by the Central Bank Payments News (CBPN) e-publication, partner publications (Currency News, Cash Payment News, Coin & Mint News, Digital Currency News), the P.I.T. Exchange podcast, the CR Payments Research Partnership (with Visa EEI), and the Payments Edge talent program.

Revenue is generated through tiered delegate registration fees (ranging from ~€890 / $750 for discounted central bank attendees up to $10,500 for industry suppliers at the Currency Conference), multi-tier event sponsorships (Platinum through Associate), advisory and consulting engagements with central banks, commercial banks, printworks, and mints, and publication subscriptions. The customer base spans central banks and monetary authorities (primary), commercial banks and CMCs (primary), currency industry suppliers (primary), printworks and mints, and an expanding set of fintechs and payment service providers. Repeat sponsorships from Visa, SWIFT, Mastercard, and Giesecke+Devrient anchor the supplier revenue side.

Name

Currency Research

Legal name

Currency Research

Website

https://currencyresearch.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Currency Research organizes global conferences, seminars, publications, and consulting services for the currency and payments industry, serving central banks, commercial banks, industry suppliers, printworks, and fintechs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Plano

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Conference Registration Fees: Primary revenue stream from registration fees for industry conferences and seminars. Fees vary by attendee category (central banks receive discounted rates, industry suppliers pay premium rates) and event type, ranging from approximately $750 to $10,500 per delegate.
2. Event Sponsorships: Sponsorship revenue from industry suppliers and technology companies who exhibit and sponsor various conference tiers including Platinum, Gold, Silver, and Associate levels.
3. Consulting Services: Advisory and consulting services provided to central banks, commercial banks, printing works, and mints on strategy, markets, communications, processes, and procedures. The company claims over 200 years of combined experience in the currency industry.
4. Publications and Subscriptions: Revenue from industry publications including Central Bank Payments News (CBPN), Cash Payment News, Currency News, Digital Currency News, and Coin & Mint News, distributed to industry professionals.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Currency Research organizes and operates global conferences, seminars, and summits for the currency and payments industry, complemented by advisory consulting services and industry publications. Its portfolio serves central banks, commercial banks, printing works, mints, fintechs, and currency industry suppliers across the Americas, EMEA, Asia-Pacific, and specialized regions through curated in-person events, sponsored exhibitions, and subscription-based publications including Central Bank Payments News.

Product overview

Currency Research operates as a global, independent connector of thought leaders and decision-makers in the currency and payments industry, delivering high-quality events, advisory services, and insights. The company's portfolio comprises a suite of conference and seminar products spanning retail and wholesale payments (Central Bank Payments Conference, Global Payments Summit), cash cycle management (Americas, EMEA, Asia Cash Cycle Seminars), currency/banknote topics (Currency Conference, Banknote Conference), and specialized summits (Island Nations, Digital Currency, Central Bank AI Conference). These events are complemented by publications including the Central Bank Payments News (CBPN) monthly newsletter and partner publications covering currency, coins, cash payments, and digital currency. The company also offers consulting services and research initiatives including the CR Payments Research Partnership and the Payments Edge talent program. The portfolio serves central banks, commercial banks, printing works, mints, fintechs, and other currency industry stakeholders.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Central Bank Payments News (CBPN): A monthly e-publication dedicated to informing the worldwide central bank payments & market infrastructure community of the most relevant and timely payments issues
• P.I.T. Exchange Podcast
• The Payments Edge
• CR Payments Research Partnership

Products and services

• Central Bank Payments Conference

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 200 years of combined industry experience among consulting team
• +2 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Visa Economic Empowerment InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Supports the CR Payments Research Partnership 2026, a new platform to showcase original research on the future of payments at the Central Bank Payments Conference. Researchers from central banks, academia, and private sector present papers.
• SwiftcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Swift hosts a Policy Lab workshop at the Central Bank Payments Conference, bringing together policymakers, central banks, and industry leaders to examine frictions in cross-border payments.
• Julia Streets MBEminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeadership coach and fintech entrepreneur leading The Payments Edge talent program at CBPC 2026, a selective next-generation payments leaders program.
• AfricaNenda FoundationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of Currency Research events supporting financial inclusion initiatives across Africa.
• MastercardcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of multiple Currency Research conferences including Central Bank Payments Conference and Island Nations Summit, supporting payments innovation dialogue.
• SWIFTcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerGlobal cooperative connecting financial institutions sponsors CR events to engage with central banks and payment leaders on cross-border payment innovation.
• Giesecke+DevrientminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBanknote technology supplier and sponsor of Currency Research events including Americas Cash Cycle Seminar and Currency Conference.
• Bank of FijicoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-host of the Island Nations Currency & Payments Summit, partnering with Currency Research to address unique opportunities and challenges faced by Island Nations worldwide.
• National Bank of KazakhstanminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost of cultural tour for Silk Road Cash & Payments Conference delegates and provides exclusive banknote factory tour for central bank delegates.
• The Fintech FoundationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity partner supporting Island Nations Currency & Payments Summit, promoting fintech innovation in island economies.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Money20/20: Operator of large-scale B2B payments and fintech conferences (Las Vegas, Amsterdam, Asia) targeting a similar audience of payments leaders, fintechs, and incumbent financial institutions. Most direct peer in the payments conference category.
• Finextra: Financial industry news site and events operator covering banking, payments, and capital markets. Comparable community-led model combining industry news, research, and events for banking and payments professionals.
• MoneyLIVE: Conference series focused on retail and digital banking, payments, and financial innovation. Comparable B2B event model serving similar banking and payments decision-maker audiences.
• TRUSTECH (formerly CARTES): Annual event focused on secure payments, identification, and digital trust technologies. Comparable in serving the payment technology ecosystem including card networks, issuers, and central bank stakeholders.
• Information Management Network (IMN): Conference organizer running multiple B2B financial services events including structured finance, ABS, and capital markets forums. Similar conference-driven business model serving financial institution clients.

Broad incumbents

• Sibos (SWIFT): SWIFT's flagship annual financial industry conference and exhibition covering wholesale payments, securities, and market infrastructure. Overlapping audience with Currency Research's central bank and payments events, but owned by a major industry incumbent with broader scope.
• The Banker (Financial Times): FT-owned financial news publication and events producer covering banking strategy, transaction banking, and payments. Overlapping content and events audience with Currency Research, anchored by a wider financial media brand.
• Payments Dive (Informa): Industry publication and events operator covering payments, fintech, and digital commerce. Comparable in combining research-driven content with event offerings, with broader industry scope than Currency Research.

Emerging players

• Bank Automation Summit: Conference focused on banking technology automation and innovation. Comparable niche event serving bank and payments decision-makers, though narrower in mandate than Currency Research.
• NextGen Banking Summit: Smaller-scale B2B conference focused on digital banking innovation. Less established than Currency Research but targets an overlapping tier of banking and payments executives.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/currencyresearc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/currencyresearch

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Currency Research