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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 8, 2026
Top Post
Visa Brings Onchain Lending Into Everyday Payments
Visa
"Visa announced a new approach to onchain credit designed to help stablecoin-linked card programs and fintechs access working capital using onchain lending infrastructure and Visa data. The announcement builds on Visa's broader stablecoin strategy, which includes the recent launch of Visa Stablecoin Platform, enabling stablecoin settlement, expanding stablecoin-linked card programs, and helping financial institutions access new digital asset capabilities. Today, more than 160 stablecoin-linked card programs operate on Visa's network"
On the web
Block Applies to Establish Builders Bank, a National Trust Bank
Block
"Block, Inc. announced that it has submitted an application to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency to establish Builders Bank & Trust, N.A. an uninsured national trust bank. If approved, Builders Bank would operate as a federally regulated national trust bank under OCC supervision and would provide custody and related fiduciary services, including for bitcoin and stablecoins. The charter would allow Block to support these activities through a consistent national framework as the business scales."
ChainIT Answered Who Authorized the AI Agent. Now It Answers: Do Current Compliance Evidence and Policy Permit It to Act?
Morningstar
"ChainIT, a digital verification and compliance platform, announced the release of "Provable Compliance: A Protocol for Runtime Compliance Evidence and Transaction-Specific Decisioning," a companion technical white paper describing the ChainIT Compliance Protocol within the ChainIT Transaction Truth Architecture. It addresses the operational question: Even when valid authority exists, does current compliance evidence and the organization's applicable policy permit this specific action to proceed now?"
Ant International Secures Payment Institution License from the Central Bank of Brazil
Yahoo Finance
"Ant International, the leading global digital payment, digitisation, and FinAI solutions provider, today announced that it has received a Payment Institution (PI) licence from the Central Bank of Brazil. Ant International provides cross-border payments and account services, embedded credit and treasury services, and other finAI and blockchain solutions to clients across Asia, Europe and the Americas. The licence will strengthen Ant International's local and cross-border payment capabilities in Brazil."
PayTabs to Acquire Amazon Payments Services’ MENA Operations
IBS Intelligence
"Saudi Arabia-based PayTabs Group has agreed to acquire Amazon Payment Services’ payments operations in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) in a transaction valued at more than $100 million. Approved by both parties, the deal will see Amazon Payment Services’ MENA operations integrated into PayTabs, expanding the FinTech company’s scale, processing capabilities, and market presence across the region. The acquisition strengthens PayTabs’ position as a leading payments infrastructure provider in MENA."
WeChat Pay Launches a Smart-Glasses SDK for Qr-Code Payments
TechNode
"WeChat Pay has launched a software development kit for smart-glasses makers, with Rokid AI Glasses among the first products to support it. Users can initiate a payment scan by voice, look at a QR code and slide the glasses’ temple to confirm the transaction. The SDK currently requires a connected smartphone and supports QR-code payments at places such as convenience stores, markets and street stalls."
DBS and Citi Partner to Enable Instant Cross-Border USD Payments with Tokenized Deposits
TNGlobal
"Singapore-based banking group DBS and US lender Citi have teamed up to enable instant cross-border USD payments with tokenized deposits. This was made possible with the first successful USD payment between Singapore and the United States executed over a weekend. The transaction, completed by DBS and Citi’s New York office on last Saturday, was executed using tokenized deposits via the Swift Digital Ledger."
Circle Expands Global Payments Infrastructure with Agreement to Acquire Singapore-based Cross-Border Payments Platform, Tazapay
Circle
"Circle Internet Group, Inc., the global financial technology firm and issuer of USDC today announced it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Tazapay, a Singapore-headquartered B2B cross-border payments infrastructure company focused on serving payment service providers and financial institutions. The deal is expected to close in 2027, subject to customary closing conditions and receipt of regulatory approvals, including approval from the Monetary Authority of Singapore."
IT Smart Systems and Feedzai Join Forces to Strengthen AI-Driven Payment Fraud Prevention
Feedzai
"IT Smart Systems (ITSS) today announced a strategic partnership with Feedzai, the global leader in AI-native financial crime prevention, uniting Feedzai’s advanced, AI-driven fraud prevention capabilities with ITSS’s deep expertise in digital banking integration and delivery. By bridging these capabilities, the partnership supports financial institutions in securing modern payment flows without compromising the user experience."
Mastercard and Flowcart Join Forces to Power Secure Card Payments Into Social Commerce in East Africa
"Mastercard has entered a strategic collaboration with Flowcart to embed secure, seamless card payments directly within social and conversational commerce journeys. Initially launching in Kenya, the collaboration will expand across East Africa and into key high-growth markets including South Africa, Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire, supported by broader scaling across pan-African markets."
AEON Launches Agentic Checkout, Powered by AI Card for Autonomous Commerce
Aeon
"AEON has launched Agentic Checkout, enabling AI agents to autonomously shop, check out, and pay across e-commerce platforms such as Shopify and Amazon. Powered by the AEON AI Card, Agentic Checkout gives agents controlled spending capabilities to turn user intent into completed purchases. The solution is natively integrated with Model Context Protocol (MCP) and the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP)."
Stablecoins Could Enter M1 or M2, Fed Study Says
Crypto News
"Federal Reserve researchers proposed a framework on Sept. 4 for deciding how stablecoins and other blockchain-based financial products could fit within U.S. money supply statistics. Everyday payment use would support M1 classification, while short-term value storage would point toward M2. Tokenized bank deposits already appear within existing monetary aggregates because they remain legally conventional deposits. Retail tokenized money market funds are already included within M2 alongside traditional retail funds today."
September 4, 2026
Top Post
Anthropic Debuts Claude Features Focused on Agentic Commerce
Digital Commerce 360
"Anthropic made its ambitions to compete against OpenAI and Google in agentic commerce clear with the release of new features for Claude. The new Claude options will build on what Anthropic has already learned, observing how retailers have built and used custom agents with the existing platform. Anthropic will provide pre-built designs for agents. In conjunction with the rollout, Anthropic announced that Accenture, Mastercard, Visa and Shopify will all put Claude’s new agentic commerce capabilities to use in offerings for their clients."
On the web
Finzly Introduces Assure, AI-Powered Security, Assurance and Intelligence Layer
Finzly
"Finzly announced the launch of Assure, an AI-powered security and assurance layer as part of its Agentic Galaxy suite of AI capabilities, powering the infrastructure for BankOS, its modern operating system for banks. Rather than relying on point AI solutions stitched together after deployment, banks running BankOS get AI-powered security, compliance monitoring and operational resilience woven into the infrastructure they run their banking innovation on. The launch comes as AI changes the threat landscape for banks."
Payment Provider Blik to Block Illegal Gambling Transactions in Poland
Focus Gaming News
"The platform will block payments linked to operators on Poland’s register of illegal gambling sites. Poland. The Polish mobile payment provider BLIK has introduced a new measure to block transactions connected to illegal gambling websites, both within the country and abroad. Effective from September 1, the block is triggered when a payment is linked to a domain listed in the Ministry of Finance’s register of illegal gambling sites. BLIK is one of Poland’s most widely used payment systems"
Education: Mastercard - What’s in the Cards?
Mastercard
"The credit card is one of the most recognizable totems of modern commerce. Billions and billions of cards have been produced over the decades, and while the dimensions have largely remained the same, new technology, design trends and concerns about accessibility and sustainability have evolved how they look, feel and work. Here’s a brief look at the changing face of cards."
September 3, 2026
Top Post
Brazil, ECB Studying Instant Payments Link in Potential First Cross-Border Move for Pix, Sources Say
MarketScreener
"Brazil's central bank and the European Central Bank (ECB) are studying a potential link between their instant payment systems, two people with direct knowledge of the matter said, in a move that could mark the first cross-border expansion of Brazil's successful Pix platform. The sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the discussions reflect a willingness by technical teams to assess whether such an interconnection is feasible. One source said a pilot project could be launched in 2028 if the initiative advances as planned."
On the web
UK Fintech Revolut Gains Conditional US Banking License
Yahoo Finance
"British digital bank Revolut announced it has won conditional approval for a US banking license, bringing it a major step closer to launching as a national bank in the United States. The approval by the US Office of the Comptroller of the Currency opens the door to Revolut eventually offering loans, credit cards and insured deposits to US customers directly. Revolut said it is working with authorities to launch the US bank in 2027. The fintech previously relied on partnerships with US banks to provide banking services. "
Monetary Authority of Singapore: Consultation on Proposed Amendments to the Payment Services Act 2019 for Stablecoins Regulation
MAS
"This paper sets out proposed legislative amendments to the Payment Services Act 2019 to introduce the regulatory framework for stablecoins in Singapore, as well as proposals on further requirements taking into account stablecoin developments since 2023. MAS invites comments from interested parties on the proposals set out in the consultation paper."
Citi’s Services Business Pioneers Live Transactions on Swift’s Ledger, Collaborating with FAB and OCBC to Redefine Always-On Global Payments
Business Wire
"Citi announced that it has successfully processed live transactions on Swift’s blockchain-based ledger, marking a significant milestone in its strategy to deliver always-on, cross-currency, and interoperable payment solutions for its institutional clients. As the first U.S. bank to conduct live native ledger transactions, Citi has collaborated with First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB) and Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation (OCBC) on this global initiative."
FIS Launches Embedded Banking Platform, Letting Banks Deliver Accounts and Payments Inside Business Software
FIS Global
"FIS® announced the launch of FIS® Embedded Banking Platform, its first embedded finance offering built specifically for banks. The platform enables U.S. banks to offer banking services directly within the business software their corporate customers use daily. Corporate customers increasingly expect to do their banking natively inside the software they use to run their business every day, rather than switching to a separate banking portal."
FedNow and the Development of U.S. Fast Payments
Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond
"FedNow is a real-time payment service developed by the Federal Reserve that enables individuals and businesses to send and receive instant payments around the clock through participating financial institutions. But how does it compare to competitors and other payments alternatives? In this article, we examine FedNow's adoption and usage pattern and compare it to other fast-payment services, both in the U.S. and abroad. Our analysis explores the unique growth pattern of FedNow and assesses its long-term prospects."
KB Kookmin Bank Leverages Kinexys by J.P. Morgan for Import/Export Payments
J.P. Morgan
"KB Kookmin Bank will launch an import/export corporate payment service leveraging Kinexys by J.P. Morgan’s Blockchain Deposit Account (BDA) network. KB Kookmin Bank will be the first among Korean financial institutions to use this service for import/export companies. Remittances will be supported to a total of 10 countries. Korean importers and exporters will be able to use Kinexys’ BDA network to settle USD payments faster with major overseas financial institutions on the Kinexys network."
WhatsApp Launches Bill Payments in India via Bharat Connect
Sarkaritel
"WhatsApp has announced the rollout of bill payments in India, enabling users to find, manage and pay household and utility bills directly through the messaging platform. Powered by the Bharat Connect network, the new feature is being introduced gradually and will become available to all Android and iOS users across India in the coming weeks. The WhatsApp bill payments feature will provide access to approximately 22,722 billers across 30 categories, covering essential household and financial payments."
Anthropic Launches AI Agent Blueprints For Retailers Ahead of Holiday Shopping Season
The Economic Times
"Artificial intelligence company Anthropic is giving retailers blueprints to build shopping and merchant agents on Claude, it announced on Wednesday, as demand for internal and external conversational search tools expands ahead of the holiday shopping season. The blueprints are guidelines for building shopper and merchant agents for retail, travel and ticketing companies."
On the wires
India Stalls Alipay+ Payments Link over Security, Data Concerns, Sources Say
Reuters
"Alipay+'s proposal to link with India's instant payments system for cross-border transactions has been stalled due to national security concerns in New Delhi and questions about the storage and use of customer data, three sources familiar with the discussions said. The proposal, made by Alipay+ in January, was the first by a China-linked entity in the financial services sector and came against the backdrop of easing tensions between the two neighbours, which had a deadly border clash in 2020."
September 2, 2026
Top Post
FedNow® Service 2027 Discount Program
The Federal Reserve
"Institutions may qualify for the FedNow Receive Discount, Send Discount or both, provided they meet the respective eligibility requirements. The discounts are available to both new and current FedNow Service participants. The FedNow Receive Discount provides a one‑time statement credit for institutions that have enabled the ability to receive instant payments and meet the additional service participation requirements outlined. See details below for eligibility criteria, discount amounts and qualification requirements."
On the web
X Shifts Us Creator Payouts from Stripe to X Money
TechCrunch
"Elon Musk’s social network X said that starting today, all of its U.S. creator payouts will be handled through X Money, the app’s payments service. The benefit of this new payment system is that the payments are instant. There’s no waiting until the end of a billing cycle or a minimum threshold that has to be reached before the creator can access their money. Previously, payments were processed every two weeks, with a minimum payout of $30, X’s documentation states."
Handwave, Visa Integration Enables Linking of Cards to Palm Biometrics for Payments
Biometric Update
"European palm biometrics startup Handwave has announced an expanded agreement with Visa. A release says the agreement integrates Visa’s tokenization and authentication technologies into Handwave’s model for safe, seamless card onboarding. Building on a prior collaboration focused on integrating Visa’s Token Management Service (TMS), the new Handwave integration will enable Visa to securely link cards to a user’s palm biometrics, replacing sensitive data with secure digital tokens."
Stripe Buys Clerky, the Legal Startup Behind 23% of Silicon Valley Seed Deals
Dealroom
"Stripe has agreed to acquire Clerky, the online legal service that startups and their attorneys use for routine paperwork. Clerky, founded more than a decade ago by Silicon Valley startup attorneys, handles company formation, financings, and other legal filings, with legal expertise built into its products. Clerky is deeply embedded in the early-stage ecosystem. Startups on the platform account for 23% of all Silicon Valley seed and pre-seed financings and have raised over $140 billion in venture capital collectively."
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