Today, a locally owned coffee roaster in Colombia can reach customers in Germany and Japan, accepting payments in euros, yen, and pesos.
asserted
roaster → own → euros
Meanwhile, a daughter in Connecticut sends money to her parents in Morocco, and it arrives in their account in a matter of seconds.
asserted
it → send → seconds
It’s easy to forget that these everyday moments, so central to our lives, were not possible until relatively recently.
asserted
moments → ’ → lives
Moments like these remind me of how our connected digital economy—and the technology that powers it—has opened more opportunity for more people in more places than ever before.
asserted
that → remind → places
It’s nothing short of revolutionary.
asserted
It → ’ → ?
At the same time, this revolution created new risks.
asserted
revolution → create → risks
Connections that unlock growth can also create shared vulnerabilities that hackers, fraudsters, and scammers are quick to exploit.
asserted
hackers → unlock → that
In 2024, cybercrime losses were equivalent to the third-largest economy in the world measured in GDP, behind only the U.S. and China.
asserted
losses → measure → U.S.
By 2029, its value is projected to reach $15.6 trillion.
asserted
value → project → trillion
Add to that the rapid evolution of AI models, and the stakes are rapidly being raised on both sides of the cybersecurity equation.
asserted
stakes → add → equation
While bad actors use AI to commit more convincing scams and scale attacks, defenders are putting AI to work to detect unusual activity faster, identify vulnerabilities, and prevent fraud before it happens.
asserted
it → use → fraud
Now, agentic commerce is beginning to drive a growing share of business transactions.
asserted
commerce → begin → transactions
That means cybersecurity requires further levels of verification to ensure agents are only acting as they are permissioned and empowered to do.
asserted
they → mean → verification
Our economy has long depended on cybersecurity.
asserted
economy → depend → cybersecurity
As technology evolves, protecting it requires a broader, shared commitment.
asserted
protecting → evolve → commitment
Cybersecurity can no longer be treated as an issue only for the IT department.
asserted
Cybersecurity → treat → department
We all have a role to play.
asserted
We → have → role
It starts by strengthening the systems that power the secure exchange of value, so they are resilient, intelligent, and inclusive for all.
asserted
they → start → all
Small businesses are the building blocks of economies worldwide, driving 70% of employment and accounting for half of global GDP.
asserted
businesses → drive → GDP
Yet, they are also often the least equipped and resourced to withstand a cyberattack.
asserted
they → equip → cyberattack
The damage from a cyberattack is rarely limited to just the targeted small business.
asserted
damage → limit → business
The broader economy feels the impact too, including the employees, suppliers, customers, and communities that depend on them.
asserted
that → feel → them
Recent Mastercard research found that only 37% of small business owners currently use cybersecurity tools, but 89% say they want to adopt more digital tools.
asserted
they → find → tools
The only question is whether our ability to protect small businesses and the broader online environment will stay ahead of evolving cyber threats.
asserted
ability → protect → threats
It’s our collective job to make sure it does.
asserted
it → ’ → ?
No business or single organization can secure the digital economy alone.
asserted
business → secure → economy
Banks, technology companies, platforms, governments, and industry groups each bring different strengths—from sharing intelligence and setting standards to building more secure products and helping businesses act early.
asserted
businesses → bring → products
Groups like the Alliance for Critical Infrastructure and the Cyber Readiness Institute maximize that cooperation and close gaps.
asserted
Groups → maximize → gaps
Only by working together can we help protect the connections that small businesses run on.
asserted
businesses → work → that
Investing in cybersecurity for businesses and communities of all sizes isn’t altruism; it’s a potent business opportunity to drive economic growth.
asserted
it → invest → growth
When strong protections are easier to access, more entrepreneurs can participate in the digital economy, sell across borders, and adopt new technologies with confidence.
asserted
entrepreneurs → access → confidence
Strong cybersecurity becomes an economic advantage, attracting investment, supporting growth, and kicking off a virtuous cycle that further strengthens defenses.
asserted
that → become → defenses
Everyone benefits.
asserted
Everyone → benefit → ?
We have to get this right.
asserted
this → have → ?
Underinvesting in cybersecurity, or restricting who benefits from those investments, is a recipe for stunting future economic growth and innovation.
asserted
who → underinveste → growth
But when we lead with cybersecurity, we protect the trust that keeps the digital economy running.
asserted
that → lead → economy
When we make it harder for bad actors to exploit vulnerabilities, we create the confidence people and businesses everywhere need to keep creating, connecting, and growing.
asserted
people → make → confidence
That is a powerful return we all share.
asserted
we → share → ?
Success on this issue should not be measured by how well the best-resourced institutions protect themselves, but by how effectively the ecosystem protects every participant.
asserted
ecosystem → measure → participant
When strong protections reach businesses of every size, we strengthen trust, resilience, and growth for all.
asserted
we → reach → all
…and 3 more, not listed.
The Aporia
