By Jennifer Kohlhepp, Managing Editor, ICMA  

The 2026 ICMA EXPO brought the global card industry to Orlando, where card manufacturers, personalizers, issuers, suppliers and technology leaders gathered for three days of education, innovation and meaningful connection. Held at the Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld®, this year’s event delivered on its promise to be the industry’s premier forum for discovering what is next in cards—combining a dynamic exhibit hall, forward-looking education, professional development and the celebration of excellence that has become a hallmark of the EXPO experience.  

The week began on Sunday, April 19, with registration, exhibitor setup and a New Member Welcome Reception designed to help first-time attendees and recently joined companies get oriented and begin building relationships early. From there, the Exhibition Grand Opening / Welcome Reception with Exhibitors, sponsored by Fiserv, set an energetic tone for the days ahead as attendees stepped onto the show floor, reconnected with industry peers and began conversations around the technologies and partnerships shaping the future of card manufacturing and personalization.  

Monday’s program opened with a welcome from ICMA EXPO Chair Tiffany Milbrandt of Duracard and opening remarks from Jeffrey Barnhart, executive director and founder of ICMA.  

“The 2026 ICMA EXPO was a powerful reflection of how far our industry has come—and where it is headed next,” said Barnhart, executive director and founder, ICMA. “The ideas, technologies and collaboration on display throughout the week made it clear that the global card industry is not only evolving, but leading with vision, creativity and purpose into a bold new era.” 

The keynote presentation, Gigatrends: Six Forces That Are Changing the Future for Billions, brought a broader strategic lens to the event. Sponsored by FaceTec and delivered by Tom Koulopoulos, chairman and founder of Delphi Group, the session explored the artificial intelligence (AI) shifts redefining business, commerce and society—and gave attendees a compelling framework for thinking about the card industry’s place within a larger landscape of change.  

That spirit of future-focused thinking carried throughout the week’s education. Sessions examined everything from the evolution of cards and the future of chip cards to gift card fraud, PCI card production compliance and tariff risk in smart card manufacturing. Presentations such as Giesecke+Devrient’s The Future of Chip Cards and Entrust’s From Embossed to Evolved: How Flat Cards Are Reshaping Issuance reflected the breadth of issues influencing the industry today—from design and consumer experience to manufacturing realities, compliance pressures and sustainability considerations.  

A standout feature of the 2026 EXPO was the NEXUS Stage, sponsored by FaceTec and positioned as a high-energy hub on the show floor for live presentations, product spotlights and tech talks. The stage created a constant point of discovery inside the exhibit hall, giving attendees a convenient way to engage with emerging ideas while staying close to exhibitors and peers. Sessions such as Rewriting the Rules: AI, Card Innovation & the Future of Human Commerce underscored how quickly the conversation is expanding beyond traditional card production to include AI-initiated payments, digital currencies, authentication and the broader future of commerce.  

Another memorable highlight was the AI Roundtable, which turned attendees into active contributors rather than passive listeners. Organized around themed table discussions, the session invited participants to explore how AI is reshaping the full card lifecycle—from design and production quality to identity verification and fraud prevention. With table report-outs and full-room discussion built into the format, the roundtable created a practical, collaborative environment for surfacing shared concerns, promising use cases and actionable priorities for the next phase of industry adoption.  

The show floor remained central to the EXPO experience throughout the week. ICMA positioned the event as a gathering place for innovators, decision-makers and suppliers, and the exhibit hall reflected that focus with extended exhibition time, a networking lounge, a coffee barista, happy hour and a final exhibits session. The structure encouraged steady traffic and repeated interaction, helping attendees move naturally between education, product discovery and relationship-building.  

Professional development also played an important role in this year’s EXPO. ACE training and recognition reinforced ICMA’s ongoing investment in building expertise across the industry. ACE-A training was featured during the week, ACE graduates were recognized during the program, and ACE Meet-Up and exam opportunities created multiple touchpoints for professionals seeking to strengthen their credentials and connect with others committed to technical excellence.  

Ike Vander Horst of Thomas Greg & Sons chaired Day 2 of the EXPO. On Tuesday evening, the industry gathered for one of the week’s signature moments: the Élan Awards of Excellence Celebration. With the 2026 theme In Full Color and sponsorship by Vzual, the event honored outstanding achievement in card manufacturing, personalization and innovation. The celebration and awards presentation brought the industry together not only to recognize technical accomplishment and creativity, but also to spotlight the craftsmanship and bold thinking moving the sector forward.  

By the time the closing remarks arrived from EXPO Chair Brian Summerhayes of Barnes International on Wednesday, ICMA EXPO 2026 had once again demonstrated why it remains such an important gathering for the global card community. The event succeeded in blending strategic insight with practical education, spotlighting both immediate operational challenges and longer-term industry transformation. From the exhibit hall and NEXUS Stage to the AI Roundtable, ACE programming and Élan Awards celebration, the week reflected an industry that is evolving quickly but staying firmly connected through shared expertise, collaboration and innovation. 

ICMA has already started planning the 2027 EXPO, which will take place May 16-19, 2027 in the Hilton Tampa Downtown. 

Interested in exhibiting? Contact Michelle DiLullo at mdilullo@icma.com. Interested in speaking? Contact Jennifer Kohlhepp at jkohlhepp@icma.com. 

Stay tuned to icma.com for more information as it becomes available.