I loved your explanation and POV on this.

> Propose some innovation here, I am interested, as someone adjacent to payments in financial services.

Well, as a brazilian who is used to pix and has also faced the bad payment ux in american, I think a possible solution should be adding the missing Pix-like layer above the existing US rails.

One of the best part that makes Pix an incredible experience, It’s that the app almost doesn’t matter. I can use one bank, you can use another, a merchant can use a different provider, and it still works through the same basic language: QR code, Pix key, payment request, confirmation screen. I can even transport my "pix key" to another app/bank provider.

So maybe the US opportunity is a agnostic interoperability layer on top of FedNow/RTP/Zelle/bank APIs: universal aliases, QR payments, routing, fraud checks, receipts, and reconciliation. Making instant account-to-account payments feel universal before the government forces a universal standard.

I don't think consumers broadly should be the main goal first, the best initial path should be small-business, marketplaces, rent, etc.

If someone could own that neutral UX/addressing layer, that seems much closer to the useful part of Pix than just another closed wallet.