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A leading payments industry news source for more than 17 years. Glenbrook curates the news and keeps you abreast of the important daily headlines in payments.
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September 18, 2025
On the web
dLocal Integrates Capitec Pay to Expand Real‑Time Open Banking Payments in South Africa
dLocal
"dLocal processes payments in South Africa for some of the world’s biggest brands. As a cross-border payment platform connecting global merchants to emerging markets, dLocal has expanded its South African offering by integrating Capitec Pay. Developed by Capitec Bank, Capitec Pay allows users to make instant, secure payments directly from their bank accounts — no cards or third-party platforms required."
September 17, 2025
On the web
Exception Resolution Service Now Includes FedNow® Service Transactions
Federal Reserve
"FedNow Service participants can now use the Exception Resolution Service to directly communicate with one another to ensure that exceptions — such as disputes, notifications, questions or requests for additional information — can be resolved swiftly and effectively for instant payments. Federal Reserve Financial Services expanded the Exception Resolution Service beyond ACH transactions in response to industry feedback that FedNow participants were looking for a way to efficiently resolve exception management cases."
MoneyGram Reinvents Cross-Border Finance with Next-Generation App
PR Newswire
"MoneyGram announced its next-generation mobile app, introducing a digital, USD-backed stored value account designed to work seamlessly with both traditional fiat currencies and stablecoins. Behind the scenes, the experience is powered by Stellar, the blockchain designed for fast, low-cost payments and real-world utility, and Crossmint, the leading wallet infrastructure and stablecoin payments platform."
Spreedly Acquires Dodgeball to Link Payment Optimization with Fraud Prevention
Morningstar
"Spreedly announced its acquisition of Dodgeball, a fraud orchestration company. The acquisition of Dodgeball will provide Spreedly's customers with a new layer of reliability and insights to eliminate fraud and make smarter e-commerce decisions. The acquisition will enhance Spreedly's workflow engine and help to establish a foundation for AI-powered payments smart-routing."
Fueling the Digital Economy: Mastercard Start Path Welcomes Five New Startups to the Blockchain and Digital Assets Program
Mastercard
"Mastercard Start Path announced five companies that have joined the startup engagement program for Blockchain and Digital Assets: Plume, Nomyx, Borderless.xyz, keyrails and Nominis. This program, first launched in 2023, is dedicated to supporting high-potential startups fueling the future of digital finance through trusted, blockchain-powered innovation."
Ant International Joins Google’s Agent Payments Protocol as a Launch Partner Co-building a Trusted Foundation for Agentic Commerce
Ant International
"Ant International, a leading global provider of digital payments, digitisation, and financial technology, today announced its role as a launch partner of Google to develop Agent Payments Protocol (AP2), an open rulebook that defines how AI agents can reliably transact with the authorisation of users. Existing payment systems are built around direct human interaction and cannot currently address the new requirements of authorization, verification, and interoperability among agents. Google has collaborated with the industry to introduce AP2."
On the wires
FICO Releases Inaugural FICO Score® Credit Insights Report Highlighting Major Shifts in Consumer Credit
Business Wire
"FICO released its inaugural FICO® Score Credit Insights report—a first-of-its-kind analysis offering a detailed look at how consumer credit behaviors are evolving across the United States. Key Findings: National Average FICO® Score at 715; Younger Consumers See Bigger Credit Score Swings; K-Shaped Economic Recovery Reflected in Credit Scores; Payment Hierarchy Evolves, Auto Loans Reclaim Top Priority; Trends in Delinquency Rates Vary by Credit Product..."
Pega Launches First Payment Exceptions and Investigations Solution with Native Agentic Capabilities to Speed Resolution and Lower Costs
Business Wire
"Pegasystems Inc., announced Pega Smart Investigate Agentic Automation™, a new edition of its payment exceptions and investigations solution. Pega Smart Investigate Agentic Automation transforms payment investigations with advanced agentic capabilities that automate even more manual processes and enable increased straight-through processing of exceptions. "
September 16, 2025
On the web
Apple Pay Adds Affirm and Klarna for In-Store Purchases
MAC Observer
"Apple Pay users in the U.S. and UK can now use Affirm and Klarna to split in-store purchases into flexible payment plans. Until now, Apple Pay supported these services only for online and in-app checkouts. The update extends “buy now, pay later” (BNPL) options to physical retail stores, giving shoppers more choice at checkout."
Powering AI Commerce With the New Agent Payments Protocol (AP2)
Google Cloud Blog
"Google announced the Agent Payments Protocol (AP2), an open protocol developed with leading payments and technology companies to securely initiate and transact agent-led payments across platforms. The protocol can be used as an extension of the Agent2Agent (A2A) protocol and Model Context Protocol (MCP). In concert with industry rules and standards, it establishes a payment-agnostic framework for users, merchants, and payments providers to transact with confidence across all types of payment methods."
Visa Launches Visa Private in UAE — A First-Of-Its-Kind Payment Experience for High-Net-Worth Individuals
Visa Middle East
"Visa has announced the launch of Visa Private, an exclusive premium offering tailored for high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs) who seek a level of service and benefits that go beyond conventional card experiences. Available first in the UAE before a wider GCC rollout, Visa Private combines seamless, secure payment technology with carefully curated travel, lifestyle and retail privileges. Key Visa Private Privileges include ...."
Tether Unveils USA₮, Its Planned U.S.-Regulated Dollar-Backed Stablecoin
Tether
"Tether, the largest company in the digital asset ecosystem, unveiled USA₮, its planned U.S.-regulated, dollar-backed stablecoin. As the most widely used stablecoin in the world, Tether’s USD₮ token has become the infrastructure powering the digital asset economy, with a market capitalization exceeding $169B and daily transactional volumes that outpace even the traditional behemoths of the payments sector like the top credit card and remittances companies."
Plaid to Pay JPMorgan for Customer Data Amid Industry Feud
Bloomberg-MSN
"Plaid Inc. agreed to pay JPMorgan Chase & Co. for its consumer data, the latest accord in a battle between financial technology firms and banks over who can access the sought-after information. The largest US bank and Plaid, which connects apps with bank accounts, updated a data-sharing agreement with a set pricing structure, according to people familiar with the matter, who asked not to be identified discussing nonpublic information."
Payment Platforms Stand To Gain As Consumers And SMBs Push For Smarter Financial Solutions, New Marqeta Research Finds
Marqeta, Inc.
"Marqeta’s sixth annual State of Payments Report shows widespread interest in smarter payment platforms to unlock small to medium-sized business (SMB) growth and meet growing consumer demands amidst ongoing economic pressures. The annual State of Payments report expanded this year to survey a total of 1,000 SMBs along with 3,000 consumers across the US and UK, finding that consumer and SMB demand for flexible, real-time and digitally integrated payment experiences is increasing and accelerating the need for payment platforms to deliver."
On the wires
UK Watchdog Investigates Global Payments’ $24 Billion Purchase of Worldpay
Reuters
"Britain' Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) launched a merger inquiry into Global Payments' $24.25 billion acquisition of Worldpay, assessing whether the deal could potentially lessen competition in UK markets. The CMA has set a deadline of November 11 to reach its Phase 1 decision."
Fortis and BigCommerce Announce Payments Partnership to Simplify Checkout and Accelerate Business Growth
PR Newswire
"Fortis announced a strategic partnership with BigCommerce built to help brands, retailers, manufacturers, and merchants of all sizes grow and innovate without compromise. Through this integration, BigCommerce customers—including mid-market B2B sellers, distributors, service-based businesses, and developers—gain access to Fortis' embedded payments technology. The solution enables real-time transactions, simplified reconciliation, and next-day funding, while eliminating third-party gateways and fragmented systems."
Zelle® Hits New Highs. Two Billion in Transactions and Nearly $600 Billion in Payments in First Half of 2025
PR Newswire
"Early Warning Services, LLC., the network operator of Zelle®, today announced that Zelle experienced double-digit year-over-year growth across key segments in the first six months of 2025: American consumers and small businesses sent and received 2 billion payments, a 19% increase. Total dollar amount sent is up by 23%, from $481 billion to nearly $600 billion. The total number of payments to small businesses jumped up by 31% to 180 million. This is currently the fastest growing use of Zelle."
TreviPay Powers Walmart Business Pay By Invoice Offering
Business Wire
"TreviPay, a fully managed B2B payments platform, has collaborated with Walmart Business to launch the next phase of the retailer’s Pay By Invoice program. The program enables eligible business customers to access a line of credit with 30-day net terms, powered by TreviPay’s next-generation payments and A/R automation technology. The offering is available for purchases online, in the Walmart Business app or in-store."
September 15, 2025
Top Post
FedNow® Service Powering Instant Payments for Disaster Relief Disbursements
Federal Reserve
"Starting this month, FedNow Service participants may start receiving a new type of government payment for their accountholders — instant disaster relief disbursements. This is the latest example of Treasury’s use of the FedNow Service for certain government payments. Treasury was among the first to launch with the FedNow Service two years ago. The first financial institution to receive an instant disaster relief payment was CB&S Bank, headquartered in Russellville, Alabama."
On the web
Citi & U.S. Bank to Pilot Mastercard’s AI Payments Service
Banking Exchange
"Citi and U.S. Bank Mastercard cardholders will be the first to trial Agent Pay, a new service that allows AI agents to initiate and complete transactions on behalf of users. Mastercard unveiled the technology in April and plans to roll it out to all US cardholders by the holiday season, ahead of a global launch. Agent Pay is designed to embed payments into the growing ecosystem of agentic AI, which are artificial intelligence tools that act independently to handle tasks for users."
Square’s New Brand Spotlights the Sellers and Communities Driving Local Economies
Block
"Square unveiled a refreshed brand identity, tagline, and national campaign centered on one clear promise: See You in the Neighborhood. Inspired by the belief that thriving local businesses create thriving neighborhoods, the campaign highlights Square’s deep commitment to helping sellers become beloved neighborhood staples — from new ventures to iconic institutions."
On the wires
American Express Launches All-in-One Travel App and Digital Tools to Simplify and Enhance the Premium Travel Journey
Business Wire
"American Express is making the travel experience easier, smarter, and more personalized with the launch of new digital tools designed to elevate every stage of the travel journey for Card Members. These new tools can help make unforgettable travel even more accessible while meeting Card Members’ evolving travel needs and preferences. Features include: destination inspiration, smart planning tools, and seamless booking."
Signifyd Launches Intelligent Returns to Help Retailers Tackle the Growing Returns Challenge
Business Wire
"Signifyd unveiled Intelligent Returns, a two-solution suite designed to help retailers in the UK and Europe tackle the growing complexity and cost of returns with two new solutions. Instant Refunds provides retailers with real-time advisory recommendations (Advisory Notices) at key points such as label creation or carrier scan. Returns Insights gives a comprehensive look at the returns ecosystem, highlighting everything from fraudulent returns and policy abuse to product-specific insights and the link between high-return customers and chargebacks."
PayPal Ushers in a New Era of Peer-to-Peer Payments, Reimagining How Money Moves to Anyone, Anywhere
PR Newswire
"PayPal introduced PayPal links, a new way to send and receive money through a personalized, one-time link that can be shared in any conversation. PayPal users in the U.S. can begin creating personalized payment links, with international expansion to the UK, Italy, and other markets starting later this month. The peer-to-peer (P2P) experience is about to go even further. Crypto will soon be directly integrated into PayPal's new P2P payment flow in the app."
Swift AI Innovation Creates Blueprint for Banks to Stop Fraud Faster Through Cross-Border Collaboration
Business Wire
"Groundbreaking experiments led by Swift have demonstrated the potential impact AI and secure cross-border data collaboration could have on reducing fraud levels in international payments. Working with 13 global financial institutions, the experiments used privacy-enhancing technologies (PETs) to enable institutions to securely share fraud insights across borders. In one use case, the PETs enabled participants to verify intelligence on suspicious accounts in real-time. In a separate use case, participants used a combination of PETs and federated learning – an AI model that ‘visits’ each institution to train on its data locally to identify anomalous transactions. "
September 12, 2025
On the web
Stripe to Launch Capital in Australia as It Passes 1 Million Users Across Australia and New Zealand
Stripe
"Stripe announced the upcoming launch of Stripe Capital in Australia. The announcement was made at Stripe Tour Sydney, where the company showcased products leveraging AI and stablecoins, and reported that it's now supporting over one million users across Australia and New Zealand. Stripe Capital will provide eligible small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) access to fast, flexible business financing through the Stripe platform, helping them invest in growth and manage cashflow."
BNPL Tracker: 41% of Users Late in Past Year, More Using Loans for Groceries
LendingTree
"More than 4 in 10 (41%) users of buy now, pay later (BNPL) loans say they paid late on one of them in the past year, up from 34% just a year ago, according to a LendingTree survey. That’s just one of several troubling findings from our survey, which asked people about their behaviors and perspectives regarding these popular loans. Along with increased late payments, we found a significant number of borrowers who take on these loans use them to buy groceries or takeout and believe that successfully managing one will boost their credit score. (Spoiler: It doesn’t … at least not yet.)"
Ripple Expands Footprint into Spain Through New Agreement with BBVA
Ripple
Ripple announced an agreement with BBVA to provide its digital asset custody technology to the Spanish bank. The move supports BBVA’s recent announcement of its new crypto-asset trading and custody service for bitcoin and ether, which it has made available to retail customers in Spain.
On the wires
Major Partnership Achieved: LianLian Global Joins Forces with UnionPay International to Facilitate Efficient Cross-Border Fund Transfers
PR Asia
"On September 9, LianLian Global and UnionPay International announced a strategic partnership to enhance cross-border money movement solutions. The collaboration brings together a leading global digital payments provider and an international card network, combining complementary strengths to deliver greater value for customers. By connecting LianLian's worldwide payment infrastructure with UnionPay's Money Express platform, the companies will provide swift cross-border transfers that are seamless, secure, transparent, and efficient."
Mastercard Simplifies Business Payments With Oracle Integration
PR Newswire
"Mastercard has announced the local launch of a new embedded virtual card payment capability, with Westpac becoming the first commercial issuer in Australia to activate the solution for clients using Oracle Fusion Cloud Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP). The integration leverages Mastercard's innovative virtual card solution and Oracle's B2B technology platform to deliver a seamless, secure, and fully embedded virtual card experience."
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