The idea now taking root among platforms like Shopify, Uber, Walmart, and Amazon is how deeply embedded finance can be integrated and intelligently adapt to user needs. In March 2025, Walmart integrated J.P. Morgan Payments’ embedded finance solution into its Marketplace, enabling sellers to receive consumer payments and manage vendor payouts directly on the platform. This move, according to Jeff Lin, Head of Industry Product Solutions for Embedded Finance & Solutions at J.P. Morgan Payments, represents “an evolution in how financial services are accessed and distributed,” not a threat to traditional banking. He explains, “This opportunity overall has differences from traditional channels in that it requires partnering with platforms to deliver a digital experience, while also adhering to regulatory and internal control requirements.” Walmart’s choice to partner with a legacy bank, despite its scale and ability to build in-house, reflects a prioritization of “stability, compliance, and control” over speed. The embedded solution gives Walmart a pre-built, compliant, and extensible financial core that simplifies operations for its sellers. Lin adds, “We aim to be the engine powering platforms and fintechs, delivering growth, stickiness, stability, and scale for clients and their ecosystems.” He notes that embedded finance isn’t one-size-fits-all: platforms can either build from scratch or accelerate by partnering with banks offering pre-integrated tools. Regardless of the approach, Lin emphasizes, “every solution must be built with regulatory compliance in mind.” Walmart Marketplace serves a diverse seller base, and a robust embedded solution must cater to varying needs—from instant payouts to seasonal capital or integration with financial records. “Well-built embedded financial solutions will fundamentally simplify the overall operations of sellers, regardless of their size,” Lin says. Ultimately, J.P. Morgan’s role is shifting from service provider to infrastructure partner. “Embedded finance allows for a partnership between platforms and banks in co-creating experiences that drive end-user access to relevant financial services,” Lin explains. This model, grounded in compliance and platform integration, is shaping the future of financial services. Retailers aren’t becoming banks—but they are becoming financial service distributors, with banks like J.P. Morgan choosing to power, rather than resist, the shift. Future embedded systems may offer real-time financial recommendations, liquidity alerts, and multi-platform cash optimization—all contingent on having secure, compliant foundations that make these advanced capabilities both trustworthy and actionable.