Las Vegas in January is always electric, but this year, Affiliate Summit West 2026 felt different.
From January 12–14, the Phonexa team was on the ground at ASW, but the real story of the week extended far beyond the expo hall. Between packed sessions, micro-events, and countless partner and client meetings, one theme came up again and again: performance marketing is evolving fast. And unified leads and calls, compliance, and trust are at the center of it.
Affiliate Summit West once again brought together leaders across affiliate marketing, fintech, lead generation, and performance media. The agenda reflected what the industry is grappling with right now:
These topics mirrored the conversations we were already having daily with advertisers, publishers, networks, and marketing teams. While in Vegas, we also attended Fintech Omni, The Mailer Meetup, the PMA Member Mixer, and the SMS Meetup. Each event had its own focus, but the underlying questions were strikingly similar.
Across every event and meeting, these were the topics people couldn’t stop talking about:
Marketers are rediscovering what high-intent phone calls can do when they’re tracked, routed, and optimized properly. Pay-per-call and performance-based calling came up constantly, especially as advertisers look for predictable, scalable ROI. Even more powerful, when call campaigns are merged with lead generation campaigns through reactivation.
The focus for lead generators has shifted from volume to verification, attribution, and outcomes. Everyone wants fewer wasted leads and more revenue-driving conversations.
AI Call Agents are now a practical tool, handling overflow, qualifying callers, re-engaging dormant leads, and improving conversion rates without sacrificing compliance or experience.
From TCPA to evolving consumer protection standards, compliance isn’t optional anymore. Brands and publishers alike are looking for clear, defensible proof of consent and better fraud prevention across calls and leads.
This is where our newest offering sparked the most interest.
Throughout the week, ValidRecord became one of our most talked-about solutions. With iClear and iClaim, we walked partners and clients through how they can:
The response was clear: the industry isn’t just looking for more data; everyone’s looking for trust, transparency, and proof.
One of the highlights of the week was recording a fireside chat with our partners at Ytel, where CEO David Pickard explored “Reactivating Web Leads Through Performance-Based Calls.”
We discussed how unconverted web leads can be re-engaged using intelligent call strategies, blending automation, AI, and performance-based pricing models to unlock value that many marketers are leaving on the table.
Coming soon.
ASW 2026 reinforced what we’ve believed all along:
To clients, partners, old friends, and new connections we met in Las Vegas, thank you for the conversations, challenges, and ideas. We’re excited about what’s ahead and even more excited to keep building solutions that help the industry grow in the right direction.
Where You Can Find Phonexa & ValidRecord Next
Las Vegas may be behind us, but the conversations are far from over. Throughout 2026, the Phonexa and ValidRecord teams will continue meeting our industry peers where they are. You can find us at:
Whether it’s a keynote, a mixer, a private demo, or a last-minute coffee meeting, we’re always happy to talk business. If you’ll be at any of these events, let’s connect.
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