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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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February 6, 2026
On the web
Mastercard Collaborates With Cyber Security Council to Safeguard Uae’s Digital Ecosystem
Mastercard
"Mastercard has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the UAE Cyber Security Council (CSC) to strengthen trust in the nation’s digital ecosystem. Through this collaboration, both entities will work together to advance cybersecurity resilience by sharing global best practices and supporting the development of forward‑looking cybersecurity policies. The two entities are also launching a joint report on the current state of the country’s cybersecurity landscape."
Lloyds Says GenAI Delivered £50m of Value in 2025
Banking Exchange
"Lloyds Banking Group’s use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) delivered around £50 million of value in 2025, with more than £100 million in additional value expected in 2026 as the bank expands its use of the technology. During 2025, the bank deployed more than 50 generative AI solutions, which it said have reshaped how customers interact with its services and how employees carry out day-to-day work."
On the wires
Zip US Expands Flexible Payment Options with Launch of Pay in 2
Business Wire
"Zip announced the launch of Pay in 2, a new payment option that allows consumers to split a purchase into two installments paid over two weeks. While Zip’s Pay in 4 offering has helped millions of customers manage larger purchases over six weeks, Pay in 2 is designed to help manage cash flow and everyday spending within a single billing cycle."
February 5, 2026
Top Post
Visa Introduces Visa & Main, A New Platform to Accelerate Small Business Growth Across the U.S.
Visa
"Visa announced the launch of Visa & Main, a new platform designed to give small business owners across the United States better access to the resources they need to succeed. Built in direct response to pressing challenges entrepreneurs face—access to capital, reaching customers and adopting modern business tools—the platform brings together capabilities across Visa’s network to help small businesses succeed."
On the web
Merchant Steering of Consumer Payment Choice
Federal Reserve Bank of Boston
"This paper analyzes data from a consumer payment survey and diary to identify reasons why consumers often deviate from their preferred payment method when making in-person purchases. In particular, it investigates the degree to which merchants influence consumers’ payment choice—cash, debit, or credit card—and whether they are able to steer consumers from their preferred payment method."
Phixius by Nacha and Kinexys by J.P. Morgan Integration Goes Live, Expanding Multi-Responder Account Validation Network
Nacha
"Phixius by Nacha (Phixius) announced that its integration with Kinexys Liink, the world’s first bank-led peer-to-peer blockchain-based data sharing network, part of Kinexys by J.P. Morgan, is now live. With this integration, financial institutions and organizations that make ACH payments can benefit from a multi-responder account validation system. As part of the integration, Phixius serves as a key U.S. payment information network responder for clients of Kinexys Liink, enabling near real-time validation of domestic bank account data."
Block Expands OpenIP with Bitkey and Proto Patents: Advancing Open Hardware Innovation
Block
"Block announced the expansion of Block's OpenIP initiative to include patents related to Bitkey, our bitcoin self-custody hardware wallet, and Proto, our brand of bitcoin mining products and services, furthering our commitment to open innovation in hardware development. This expansion builds on our initial OpenIP announcement from October 2025, where we established our approach to intellectual property that puts builders first."
February 4, 2026
Top Post
ACI Worldwide Report: Global Refund Volumes Surge 18% as Retailers Tighten Returns
ACI Worldwide
"Annual refund volumes in the global retail sector increased 18.1 % in 2025, while refund value rose 12.7% year-on-year, according to ACI’s annual Global Ecommerce Report. Refund activity peaked sharply during the holiday season; November and December together accounted for approximately 20% of all refunds in 2025. While refund rates are rising more slowly than eCommerce transactions, their financial impact for retailers remains significant. Every $1 million in refunds typically translates into around $1.3 million in total costs once reverse logistics, inventory depreciation, payment processing fees, and fraud-related overheads are accounted for."
On the web
Mastercard Launches Fleet: Next Gen to Streamline Fleet Payments in Apac
Asian Banking & Finance
"Mastercard has launched Mastercard Fleet: Next Gen, a portfolio of new solutions for car fleet management and logistics operations. It offers global acceptance across millions of locations, including fuel, electric vehicle (EV) charging, maintenance, tolling, and ancillary fleet speed, according to a press release on 4 February 2026. Mastercard promises smarter authorisation controls and spend policies based on vehicle, driver, merchant categories, location, time, and amount."
Webster Financial Corporation Enters Into Merger Agreement With Banco Santander, S.A. for $12.3 Billion
Business Wire-Yahoo
"Webster Financial Corporation, the holding company for Webster Bank, N.A., today announced the signing of a definitive agreement under which Banco Santander, S.A. will acquire Webster in a cash-and-stock transaction. Under the terms of the agreement, Webster stockholders will receive $48.75 in cash and 2.0548 Santander American Depository Shares for each Webster common share."
Ripple Wins EU EMI License, Scaling Payments Across Europe
NFT Plazas
"Ripple secured a full EMI license in Luxembourg, granting seamless operational access to all 27 European Union member states. With 75+ global licenses, Ripple leverages strict compliance as a competitive moat to win over traditional institutional partners. The $1.15 billion ecosystem combining Ripple Treasury and RLUSD stablecoin provides a high-speed, transparent alternative to legacy banking systems."
Project Fusse: Exploring Flexible, Scalable and Secure Settlement Engines
BIS
"This report details the findings from Project FuSSE (Fully Scalable Settlement Engine), a proof-of-concept exploring how a modular, microservices-based architecture could support the design of settlement systems that could scale under sustained growth and stress conditions, adapt to change, and strengthen security through quantum readiness and cryptographic agility. The project demonstrated technical feasibility while highlighting significant operational trade-offs that must be carefully managed."
BBVA Joins Banking Consortium to Issue European Stablecoin
BBVA
"BBVA has joined a consortium of eleven major European financial institutions that have formed a joint venture, Qivalis, to launch a euro-pegged stablecoin. The aim is to enable faster and cheaper payments, as well as the settlement of digital assets within a regulated environment backed by all the safeguards that a European bank can offer. The commercial launch is slated for the second half of 2026, once the technical and regulatory developments have been completed."
On the wires
Truist Launches AI-Enabled Receivables Platform to Accelerate Cash Application and Minimize Exceptions
PR Newswire
"Truist Financial Corporation announced a new integrated receivables platform that uses AI and machine learning to help commercial and corporate clients simplify receivables and improve cash visibility. The solution matches payments to invoices across checks and electronic rails, unifies payment and remittance data, and accelerates cash application activity."
February 3, 2026
Top Post
Visa Direct and UnionPay International Will Extend Global Money Movement Network to Billions of Cards in Chinese Mainland
Visa
"Visa and UnionPay International announced an agreement to enable cross-border money movement into Chinese Mainland through Visa Direct. Once fully rolled out, clients will be able to send cross-border remittances to more than 95 percent of UnionPay International debit cardholders through a single connection. By connecting Visa Direct’s money movement network to UPI’s MoneyExpress platform, Visa will provide the ability to send money into Chinese Mainland, one of the world’s largest remittance destinations."
On the web
Checkout Announces Strategic Partnership With Spotify to Power Efficient, Scalable Payments Globally
Checkout
"Checkout announced a new strategic partnership with Spotify, the world’s most popular audio streaming subscription service. The partnership will enable Checkout.com to provide global acquiring services for Spotify to deliver a smooth, secure and reliable payments experience for its global audience of more than 700 million monthly active users and more than 280 million paying subscribers."
Microsoft’s Agentic e-Commerce Strategy and What It Signals for Retail ERP
ERP Today
"At NRF 2026, Microsoft positioned agentic AI as the next architectural layer for retail e-commerce, moving beyond isolated copilots and pilots toward a more coordinated, protocol-driven operating model. Microsoft focused on how AI agents can sit on top of ERP and commerce systems to orchestrate end-to-end retail journeys across channels. The message? Competitive retailers will need to re-architect for agent cooperation, not simply add AI interfaces to existing workflows."
The B2B Opportunity in Instant Payments
FRB Services
"Rising B2B transaction volume, increasing digitization of business processes, and emerging payment technology opens the door to shifts in the B2B payment sector. Banks and service providers have the opportunity to provide new payment offerings, including instant payment options, to help businesses move to a more modern, automated payments experience. A new white paper about B2B payments modernization explores the current B2B payments landscape, how it’s changing, and the value businesses see instant payments providing."
January Deep Freeze Impacts Small Business Foot Traffic, New Fiserv Data Shows
Fiserv, Inc.
"Fiserv, Inc. published the Fiserv Small Business Index for January 2026, indicating that seasonal shifts by consumers and harsh winter storms cooled small business sales to start the year. The seasonally adjusted Index declined 1 point to 143. Year-over-year sales grew (+0.7%), but month-over-month sales slipped (-0.5%). With winter storms impacting much of the country in late January, consumer foot traffic saw its sharpest year-over-year decline (-2.0%) since mid-2022; foot traffic also dropped (-0.8%) month over month."
Retail Subscriptions Need to Take a Leaf Out of the Digital Playbook
Internet Retailing
"The subscription economy continues to go from strength to strength. From established markets like digital media and entertainment to fast-growing sectors such as healthcare and wellness, recurring revenue models are reshaping how consumers access products and services. In fact, our recent 2026 State of Subscriptions report found overall subscription growth of 8.3% year on year across all sectors, proving that demand has never been higher."
PayPal Appoints Enrique Lores as Chief Executive Officer and David W. Dorman as Independent Board Chair
PayPal
"PayPal Holdings Inc. announced that its Board of Directors has appointed Enrique Lores as President and CEO, effective March 1, 2026. Lores, who has served on the PayPal Board for nearly five years and as Board Chair since July 2024, succeeds Alex Chriss. To ensure a seamless transition, Jamie Miller, Chief Financial and Operating Officer, will serve as Interim CEO until Lores assumes the role. David W. Dorman has been appointed as Independent Board Chair, effective immediately."
Bank of England Explores Alternatives to Card Payments
GlobalData
"The Bank of England (BoE) is set to launch a public consultation to explore alternative retail payment methods that bypass traditional debit and credit card networks, reported Reuters. The consultation is planned for the spring. Ahead of that, the BoE is creating panels to take evidence from stakeholders both inside and outside the financial sector."
February 2, 2026
On the web
The Rise of Agentic AI: Empowering Canadian Consumers for the Next Era of Digital Assistance
Visa
"Agentic AI is poised to transform the way Canadians live, shop and manage their finances, yet most remain unaware of its potential. While nearly seven in 10¹ Canadians recognize generative AI tools like ChatGPT, only 27 percent are familiar with agentic AI: Intelligent systems that don’t just answer questions, but act on behalf of users to complete tasks, make purchases and manage complex decisions. This striking awareness gap is more than a statistic; it’s a call to action for businesses and policymakers."
NFC Forum Publishes Its Latest Technology Roadmap
Business WIre
"NFC Forum, the global standards body for Near Field Communication (NFC) technology announced its latest roadmap for the development of NFC Forum Standards and its corresponding technical capabilities. The six key roadmap priorities include: Faster Data Rates' Improving Reader Mode Interoperability; Security Advancements; Wireless Power Evolution; Multi-Purpose Tap; Digital Keys."
Intuit Partners with Affirm to Provide Pay-Over-Time Offering for QuickBooks Online
Intuit Inc.
"Intuit announced a new, multi-year partnership with Affirm. Under the agreement, Affirm will become the exclusive pay-over-time solution built into QuickBooks Payments,* further strengthening Intuit’s end-to-end financial management capabilities that help accelerate how businesses manage and grow their business."
Visa Confirms Shift to Ethereum for Stablecoin Settlements in Major Blockchain Push
TechStory
"In a bold move that bridges traditional banks and the decentralized web, Visa has made an announcement regarding its intention to further use the Ethereum network to facilitate the settlement of stablecoins. The payments giant, which processes trillions of dollars annually, is now actively utilizing the world’s most active smart contract blockchain to settle fiat-denominated obligations, signaling that public blockchains have finally graduated from “experimental” to “essential” infrastructure for global finance."
Payoneer Expands Capabilities in Mexico and Indonesia
Payoneer
"Payoneer Global Inc. announced the expansion of its global payment platform with new collection capabilities in Indonesia and enhanced local collection services in Mexico. These additions enable customers to transact and receive funds from local buyers and ecommerce platforms faster and more cost-effectively, helping businesses access new growth markets as global trade flows continue to evolve. Payoneer empowers small and medium-sized businesses in more than 190 countries and territories to do business globally."
On the wires
NCR Atleos Advances Dual-Sided ATM Concept with AI-Assisted Design, Sustainability and Operational Efficiency
Business Wire
"NCR Atleos Corporation announced an advancement in the dual-sided ATM concept, leveraging company expertise and AI-assisted design, to optimize form factor, sustainability and efficiency. Atleos has created a radically improved design, with the support of AI, that reduces footprint, shares critical components and enhances operational performance. The result is a smarter, more sustainable concept featuring: Two functional ATM screens positioned on opposite sides of the device for simultaneous customer transactions"
Equifax Launches Credit Abuse Risk Model to Help Protect Lenders Against the Rising Financial Impact of First-Party Fraud
PR Newswire
"Equifax® announced the launch of Credit Abuse Risk, a new predictive model that uses FCRA-regulated data and is designed to help protect lenders against first-party fraud and drive more confident lending decisions. Credit Abuse Risk was developed to uncover atypical patterns indicative of two types of fraudulent activities: loan stacking, when an individual quickly applies for multiple loans with no intent to repay those loans, and credit washing, when a person tries to remove accurate, but negative information from a credit report."
January 29, 2026
On the web
Stablecoins Aren’t a Crypto Strategy. They’re a Payments Strategy
Modern Treasury
"Stablecoins are no longer primarily associated with crypto trading or speculation. They are increasingly being used as core infrastructure in modern payment systems, powering real-world money movement at scale. Today, there is over $1 trillion in monthly stablecoin payment activity, according to Visa Onchain Analytics , driven by familiar payments flows like payroll runs, vendor payouts, cross-border settlements, and treasury movement. The speculation phase is over. Stablecoins are being adopted at scale because they function like traditional payment rails, thanks in large part to regulatory clarity."
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