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June 27, 2025
On the wires
Bolt Announces Bolt Connect for Marketplaces and Launches Support for Stablecoin Payments
PR Newswire
"Bolt, the checkout, identity and payments platform, today announced Bolt Connect, a new product designed to help marketplaces onboard merchants faster, streamline operations and scale with fewer resources. Bolt Connect gives marketplace operators a single integration to support one-click merchant onboarding, built-in compliance workflows, and low-fee or no-fee payouts."
June 26, 2025
On the web
Crypto Exchange Kraken Debuts Peer-to-Peer Payments App Krak
Reuters
"Crypto exchange Kraken on Thursday launched a peer-to-peer payments app that enables users to send and receive funds - in both cryptocurrency and fiat currency - across more than a hundred countries. The move is a bid to expand Kraken's offerings beyond its digital asset trading business, and puts the firm in competition with PayPal, Venmo and Block's CashApp."
On the wires
Wirex Launches Institutional-Grade Stablecoin Payments on Fireblocks
PR Newswire
"Wirex is proud to announce that Wirex Pay Chain is now officially supported on Fireblocks, a digital asset and payments infrastructure platform. This integration enables Fireblocks' institutional clients to easily access Wirex Pay's self-custodial stablecoin payment infrastructure, offering a secure and scalable gateway to stablecoin innovation."
Balance and Alibaba.com Partner to Bring Flexible B2B Payments to SMEs Across the United States
Business Wire
"Balance, the AI-powered financial infrastructure platform for B2B commerce, announced today the launch of “Pay Later for Business” on Alibaba.com, an embedded financing solution designed to give U.S. small and medium-sized enterprises greater purchasing power and more control over how and when they pay. With this solution, Alibaba.com’s U.S. business users have the option to access instant credit at checkout, enabling eligible ones to finance purchases."
Big Ten and Big 12 Enter Historic Partnerships With PayPal to Enable Institutional Payments for Student-Athletes in New Revenue Sharing Model
PayPal Newsroom
"PayPal today announced multi-year agreements with the Big Ten and Big 12 Conferences that will modernize the distribution of institutional payments from universities to student-athletes in a new revenue-sharing model. The new institutional payments initiative enables athletic departments to seamlessly dispense payments through PayPal, ensuring a secure, efficient, and transparent way to distribute funds to payees."
June 25, 2025
On the wires
Spreedly Announces Just-In-Time Card Updates for Visa Cards to Reduce Failed Payments
Spreedly
"Spreedly today announced a strategic enhancement to its platform through the integration of Just-In-Time Card Updates for Visa Cards powered by Visa Account Updater. Outdated card details are a key driver of failed payments, particularly in recurring billing or subscription models."
Taco Bell Introduces PayPal and Venmo as New in-App Payment Options with Exclusive 20% Cash Back Summer Offer
PayPal
"Today, PayPal announced it has teamed up with Taco Bell to deliver a fast, secure, and deliciously rewarding way to pay in the Taco Bell app and website. Now, Taco Bell customers can choose to pay with PayPal or Venmo, giving them more choice and rewards while delivering a quick and easy checkout experience."
June 24, 2025
On the web
Mastercard Makes a Move Toward Stablecoins, in an Effort to Boost Mainstream Use
MarketWatch
"Mastercard Inc. said it’s working to weave Fiserv Inc.’s FIUSD stablecoin into a range of its payment products. It’s another traditional financial firm jockeying for a seat at the table as cryptocurrencies become more mainstream."
Klarna Integrates With Google Pay to Expand U.S. Payment Options
IBS Intelligence
"Klarna, an interest-free payments, banking, and shopping service, has integrated with Google Pay, a digital wallet originating from the United States."
On the wires
Chainlink and Mastercard Partner to Enable Over 3 Billion Cardholders to Purchase Crypto Directly Onchain
PR Newswire
"Chainlink and Mastercard are connecting the offchain payments world directly to the onchain DeFi world in close partnership with zerohash, Swapper Finance, Shift4 Payments, and XSwap, while leveraging the Uniswap protocol."
June 20, 2025
On the web
Samsung Rolls Out NFC P2P Payments in the US
NFCW
"Samsung Galaxy owners in the US can now transfer funds directly to a contact’s bank account by just tapping their two phones together — or by simply bringing the recipient’s contactless bank card into close proximity. “Samsung Wallet’s new feature, Tap to Transfer, enables you to send money to your friend’s or family member’s bank account associated with their debit card — even if they use Apple Wallet or Google Wallet. Just tap phones and they’ll be sent the funds within minutes.”
Worldline Reveals Eight Critical Payment Trends Shaping the Future of Mobility
Worldline
"Worldline has published a mobility payments white paper outlining the most significant trends that underpin how agile payment solutions can deliver smarter, more sustainable experiences."
dLocal Secures Key Payment Licenses in UAE, Turkey, and Philippines, Accelerating Global Expansion and Regulatory Leadership
dLocal
"dLocal, the cross-border payment platform specializing in emerging markets, announced the obtaining of three pivotal licenses and authorizations. These strategic approvals from regulatory bodies in the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, and the Philippines ignite a new chapter in dLocal's global expansion, reaffirming our steadfast commitment to navigating and upholding the highest standards of regulatory compliance in diverse markets worldwide."
Ant International Empowers Partners to Serve Over 15 Million Customers Globally with Intelligent Credit Tech Solutions
Ant International
"Through its credit tech solutions, Ant International has enabled financial institutions and fintech companies to extend credit access to over 15 million customers, including micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in emerging markets. The Ant Credit Engine, one of the core innovative offerings developed by Ant International, is an intelligent and automated credit engine."
June 19, 2025
On the web
Visa Expands Stablecoin Initiatives in CEMEA
Visa
"Visa announced significant advancements in its stablecoin initiatives, with expanded settlement capabilities in the Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East, and Africa (CEMEA) region and a strategic partnership with Yellow Card, a leading pan-African fintech."
Matera Partners with Circle to Integrate USDC into Real-Time Banking
MSN
"Matera has announced an innovative partnership with Circle to accelerate the adoption of USDC, a dollar-backed stablecoin, within real-time banking systems. This landmark collaboration represents the first native integration of a real-time banking infrastructure in the region with a fully-reserved, transparent stablecoin."
Tipalti Acquires AI-Native Treasury Automation Provider, Statement
Tipalti
"Tipalti announced the acquisition of Statement, an AI-native treasury automation solution. With this addition, Tipalti deepens its treasury offerings with real-time cash intelligence capabilities. Tipalti accelerates its market leadership by providing a suite of automation solutions in one platform across accounts payable, global payouts, procurement, employee expenses, corporate cards, supplier management, tax compliance, and treasury."
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. 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."
On the wires
Coinbase Launches Stablecoin Payments Service for E-Commerce
Bloomberg
"Coinbase Global Inc. is launching a platform designed to make stablecoins a go-to payment method for online transactions, a potentially big leap forward in the mainstream adoption of cryptocurrencies meant to track the US dollar. The announcement follows the passage of landmark stablecoin legislation in the US Senate on Tuesday and comes as large retailers have expressed interest in exploring stablecoins for use as payments in online transactions, a roughly $6 trillion industry."
Fintech Klarna to Launch $40 per Month Mobile Plan in US
Reuters
"Swedish fintech Klarna on Wednesday said it would launch an unlimited mobile plan in the U.S., joining other finance companies moving into the telecoms business, including British rival Revolut. A number of fintechs, including Germany's N26 and Brazil's Nubank, have started offering mobile services in various countries as they seek to diversify their revenues."
Alipay+ Launches World’s First Smart Glasses-Embedded Payment Solution
Business Wire
"Alipay+ enables the world’s first successful e-wallet payment transaction on Meizu StarV Snap smart glasses via AlipayHK. The new feature expands use case scenarios for the AR glasses industry leader and creates new growth avenues for e-wallets and merchants. This adds to Alipay+’s payment innovation power suite, including Model Context Protocol (MCP)-powered AI payments and NFC-based integration of QR and card payments, among others."
June 18, 2025
Top Post
Zelle Owner Taps Fiserv to Jump-Start Mobile Wallet
American Banker
"Early Warnings Services wants a quick route to expand its Apple Pay rival Paze digital wallet by turning to the financial technology industry's massive distribution networks. Early Warning, which operates the popular Zelle transfer app and the newer Paze digital wallet, said that it is partnering with bank technology company Fiserv to expand Paze wallet beyond the immediate distribution channels provided by its seven owner banks. [Subscription Required]"
On the web
A Hong Kong First: Airwallex Yield Fully Launches to Empower Businesses with Competitive, Highly Liquid Returns
Airwallex
"Airwallex, a leading global financial platform for modern businesses, announced the highly anticipated full launch of Airwallex Yield in Hong Kong. As the first global payments group to receive a licence from the Securities and Futures Commission of Hong Kong (SFC) to provide asset management services, Airwallex is empowering businesses to earn competitive returns up to 3.97%1 on their multi-currency balances – with no minimum lock-up period required."
Gr4vy to Enhance Payment Flexibility for Grammarly
GR4VY
"Gr4vy , the cloud-based payment orchestration platform, announced that Grammarly has chosen the company’s no-code cloud system to create bespoke checkout experiences for its millions of users. Grammarly needed a solution that would allow it to optimize its payment performance by integrating multiple payment service providers (PSPs) without the complexity of direct integrations—an effort that would otherwise require extensive development resources and ongoing maintenance."
On the wires
Cardless Unveils Embedded Credit Card Platform, with Coinbase as First Partner
Business Wire
"Cardless announced the launch of its embedded credit card platform, a breakthrough solution designed to help brands build their own credit card programs. Coinbase, the largest U.S.-based cryptocurrency platform, is the inaugural partner utilizing this infrastructure to build the Coinbase One Card, a premium consumer credit offering for Coinbase loyalty members integrated directly into the Coinbase digital experience."
June 17, 2025
Top Post
One Month to Go! Have You Finalized Your ISO® 20022 Preparedness and Contingency Plans?
FRB Services
"In less than one month, Federal Reserve Financial Services (FRFS) will transition to the ISO 20022 format for the Fedwire® Funds Service on July 14, 2025. As part of your overall readiness preparations for the upcoming migration, we highly recommend that you finalize your preparedness and contingency plans as soon as possible. It is critical that you have a contingency plan in the event that you are not ready to send or receive ISO 20022 messages through the Fedwire Funds Service or your wire ecosystem is not ready for ISO 20022 messages beginning July 14."
On the web
PPRO Adds Pix Automático to Its Local Payments Platform to Serve the Booming Brazilian Subscription Market
PPRO
"PPRO announced the launch of Pix Automático on the PPRO platform, on day one of the Central Bank of Brazil’s live rollout. Pix Automático, developed by the Central Bank of Brazil, allows consumers to authorise recurring payments such as subscriptions, utilities, and memberships with a single upfront consent. This eliminates the need for manual approvals with each transaction, reducing friction and improving retention in the payment journey."
JPMD: JPMorgan Files Cryptocurrency Trademark
U.Today
"JPMorgan Chase, the largest US banking institution by total assets under management, recently led a trademark for what appears to be a cryptocurrency called "JPMD."
June 16, 2025
On the web
The Rise of Embedded and Invisible Payments
Atlanta Fed
"...Invisible payments —often requiring no active authorization step at all. Transactions are triggered automatically using sensors, account credentials, or behavior data. At Amazon Go stores, cameras and radio frequency identification technology track what you take, and your account is charged as you walk out—no checkout, no tapping, no scanning. Sam's Club has introduced a "scan and go" system that allows shoppers to scan items with their phones and skip the checkout line. Over the past three years, use of this feature has grown by 50 percent , with one in four customers now using it."
On the wires
Amidst Economic Uncertainty, Consumers Lean into Gift Cards, Digital Gifting, and AI-Driven Purchases
Business Wire
"Despite ongoing economic uncertainty, American consumers plan to buy more gift cards this year, strategically using them to manage budgets, find deals, and control spending, according to new research from leading branded payments provider Blackhawk Network (BHN). The research provides actionable insights specifically for retailers, restaurants, and brands. It highlights significant growth in digital gifting, increasing adoption of AI-driven shopping, self-use trends—with nearly one-third of consumers purchasing gift cards for their own use—and the rising influence of Generation Alpha."
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