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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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August 26, 2025
On the web
Why Local Payments Win in Europe
80 Level
"A patchwork of languages, cultures, and—critically—payment preferences shapes Europe’s gaming market. While credit and debit cards remain common, a clear shift is underway: mobile wallets, QR code transactions, and instant bank transfers are rapidly gaining ground, especially among younger, mobile-first users."
Standard Chartered and Ant International Collaborate on AI-Powered Treasury and FX Management Solutions
Ant International
"Standard Chartered and Ant International announced a new collaboration to introduce an AI-Powered Treasury and FX Management Solution. Standard Chartered and Ant International are active Pathfinder institutions in MAS’s financial sector PathFin.ai programme, and this collaboration is a leading example of how AI is augmenting Singapore’s financial sector services."
August 25, 2025
Top Post
Payments Canada Prepares Payment Service Providers for Real-Time Rail Participation With New Guide
Payments Canada
"For the first time, payment service providers (PSPs) will be eligible for Payments Canada membership and Real-Time Rail (RTR) system participation through amendments to the Canadian Payments Act and the introduction of the Retail Payments Activities Act. To help PSPs leverage the full benefits of RTR participation, Payments Canada has released The Real-Time Rail Participation Guide for Payment Service Providers. The guide outlines the process for becoming a Payments Canada member and RTR participant, along with the technical, operational and business requirements to participate."
On the web
Checkers Smart Trolley Launched That Lets Shoppers Skip Till Queues [South Africa]
My Broadband
"Checkers has announced the launch of a smart trolley that lets customers scan items as they shop and skip store queues by paying directly on the cart. The retail giant says this is South Africa’s first smart trolley. Called the Xpress Trolley, the technology is being trialled at two Checkers stores in the Western Cape. The company said that feedback from the trial will form part of the Shoprite Group’s broader strategy to become South Africa’s most profitable and seamless omnichannel retailer. "
'New Voucher Track': The Transformation of Corporate Benefits [Brazil]
Finsiders Brasil
"Since August 1st, the Brazilian corporate benefits market has entered a new phase with the implementation of the so-called 'new voucher rail ." This model broke with the traditional logic of closed networks and established a system of open arrangements. Under this model, issuers and acquirers must interoperate. This is a milestone that promotes a more integrated, competitive, and innovation-friendly ecosystem, structurally changing the dynamics of the sector."
Canada Moves Forward on Open Banking While U.S. Backtracks
The Logic
"Turmoil, confusion and animosity are roiling open banking in the U.S.—and some are concerned the same thing could happen in Canada if the country’s rollout of the idea faces more holdups. As it has in the U.S., open banking in Canada has faced repeated delays and pushback from big banks."
August 22, 2025
Top Post
Australia Ditches Batch Payments. Is North America Next?
RedCompass Labs
"BECS [Bulk Electronic Clearing System]– Australia’s long-standing batch payments system – will be retired in 2030 (if all goes to plan). Here’s what that could mean for the US and Canada."
On the web
EU Accelerates Digital Euro Plans, Considering Ethereum and Solana for Public Blockchain Implementation
Bitcoin News
"European Union officials are accelerating plans for a digital euro in response to the recent passage of a stablecoin law in the United States, which has raised concerns about the competitiveness of a European digital currency."
SARB Opens National Payment System to Fintechs Under New Rules
Techpoint Africa
"South Africa’s financial ecosystem is entering a new era. The South African Reserve Bank (SARB) has announced a path for non-bank fintechs to access the National Payment System (NPS). The Reserve Bank has laid out stringent safeguards to ensure system integrity, consumer protection, and regulatory compliance. Previously, participation was restricted to established banks. Now, SARB is enabling fintechs, including mobile and wallet-based players, to enter, aligning with its Vision 2025 modernisation agenda."
August 21, 2025
Top Post
Pix Under Fire: U.S. Challenges Brazil’s State-Led Payment Revolution
The Rio Times
"The United States Trade Representative (USTR) launched an investigation in July 2025 into Brazil’s fast-growing payment system Pix. Washington acts on complaints from the Information Technology Industry Council (ITI), a group representing major U.S. technology and financial firms. The ITI argues that Brazil’s central bank plays a double role by both regulating and running Pix, creating unfair competition for private players."
On the web
Australian Consumer Watchdog Moves to Empower Encryption Upgrade for Card Payments
The Cyber Express
"In a forward-looking proposal introduced last week, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has invited public submissions on a draft determination that would permit the payments industry to coordinate its migration to a more robust encryption standard for card payments. The agency, through this authorization, is considering granting the approval for a period of eight years. The move centres on replacing the ageing Triple Data Encryption Standard (TDES)—currently used across Australia’s card payments ecosystem—with the more advanced Advanced Encryption Standard (AES)."
Whitepaper: Unlocking Business Opportunities With Real-Time Payments [Australia]
Australian Payments Plus
"The way businesses pay and get paid is undergoing a fundamental shift. This whitepaper explores the benefits, opportunities, and considerations for businesses as they prepare for Australia’s payments future and includes case studies of leading organisations already realising the benefits, including: Amazon.com.au’s new payment check-out option; BP’s support for small retailers and efficiency improvements."
PayNet and Ant International Deepen Collaboration to Enable International QR Payments for Malaysians
TNGlobal
"Payments Network Malaysia Sdn Bhd (PayNet), Malaysia’s national payments network, and Ant International, a Chinese global digital payment, digitization and financial technology provider, have expanded their partnership with a new memorandum of understanding (MoU). The newly inked MoU marks a major milestone in enabling acceptance worldwide of Malaysia’s national QR standard, DuitNow QR, through Ant International’s global wallet gateway, Alipay+."
Tanzania’s Payments Evolution: Mobile Money Providers Lead Banks to a Digital Issuing Future
Stanchion
"Tanzania is one of the most populous African nations at 70 million people, making it the 21st largest country in the world and 5th largest in Africa, with a low per capita GDP of US$1,150. The article aims to give the reader a sense of what is happening in Dar es Salaam, the economic hub of Tanzania in terms of both economic development and the local payments industry."
August 20, 2025
On the web
Canadians Are Holding More Cash in Their Wallets, Bank of Canada Finds
MSN
"A new survey from the Bank of Canada shows Canadians are keeping more cash in their wallets in an increasingly digital world. The central bank said Thursday that its 2024 survey on payment methods shows Canadians kept an average of $156 in cash on hand, $16 more than in 2023. It was the youngest surveyed cohort, those aged 18 to 34, who held the most in their wallets on average at $206."
Japanese Firms to Enable Stablecoin Remittances Using In-Store Cash
Ledger Insights
"Japan is notorious for its heavy cash usage, something the government was keen to change. It set a target of reaching 40% cashless payments by 2025 and 80% long term, providing incentives along the way. By the end of 2024 it reached its goal with a cashless figure of 42.8%. Nonetheless, a significant slice of the population remains tied to cash payment habits. More than 65,000 convenience stores in Japan accept payments for utility bills and e-commerce transactions using cash, called Konbini payments."
August 19, 2025
On the web
UK Crypto Investors Hail Regulatory Changes as ‘Pivotal Moment’
Financial Times
"Regulatory changes that give UK retail investors greater access to cryptocurrencies have been hailed a “pivotal moment” for the market by industry figures. The Financial Conduct Authority’s decision last week to lift the ban on offering crypto exchange traded products to retail investors has even been likened to the modernising “Big Bang” reforms of the 1980s."
Volkswagen Singapore Now Accepts Crypto Payments for Cars and Services
CCN
"Volkswagen Group Singapore has enabled crypto payments for cars and services thanks to a partnership with FOMO Pay. VGS highlighted that digital-native consumers increasingly expect speed, convenience, and payment choices. The German firm is not the only automaker that accepts crypto for its vehicles."
August 18, 2025
On the web
Tide Strips Card Numbers to Reduce Card Fraud Risk
Startups Magazine
"Tide has become the first UK provider of business cards to remove printed numbers from its cards – eliminating its own exposure to several major types of card fraud that rely on visible card details. New Tide cards will no longer carry a printed long card number, expiry date, or three-digit security code. Darren Deal, Senior Vice President, Fintech, Government and Digital Partnerships, Mastercard UK & Ireland, said: “At Mastercard, we’ve already committed to phasing out manual card entry across Europe by 2030."
August 15, 2025
On the web
dLocal and Digit9 Partner to Expand Efficient Cross-Border Payouts in Key African Markets
TechAfrica News
"dLocal has partnered with Digit9, a cross-border payments orchestration platform, to support the expansion of its payout offering across key African markets. The partnership with dLocal will see Digit9, a part of global financial services conglomerate LuLu Financial Holdings, utilise local bank rails and widely used alternative payment methods (APMs) across five key African markets."
Case Study: Red Energy Modernises Bill Payments [Australia]
Australian Payments Plus
"Electricity and gas provider Red Energy is the first major Australian utility to offer PayTo as a real-time bill payment solution, giving customers an instant payment option and Red Energy immediate transaction visibility. [Video]"
Central Bank of Brazil Has a Plan to Migrate Companies From Ted [Transfers] to Pix
Finsiders Brasil
"Pix quickly became popular for transfers between individuals. It's expected to gain traction in payments between individuals and businesses with this year's launches—Pix by Contactless and Pix Automatic...Among the security initiatives, MED 2.0 will go live in early 2026. MED stands for Special Return Mechanism, a tool created by the Central Bank to facilitate the return of funds transferred via Pix in proven cases of fraud."
On the wires
RBC, BMO Planning Sale of $2-Billion Canadian Payments Venture, Sources Say
Reuters
"Royal Bank of Canada and Bank of Montreal have placed their Canadian payments joint venture up for sale, in a deal that may value the business as highly as $2 billion, four people familiar with the matter said.Moneris is one of the largest payment processors in Canada, handling one in every three business transactions in the country."
RayNeo and Ant Group Forge Strategic Partnership to Advance AR Glasses Innovations in Payments and Beyond
Business Wire
"RayNeo X3 Pro AR glasses are the first to support payments through both the merchant terminal and QR code, powered by Alipay’s multidimensional risk-control solution for AR glasses.The two parties will expand AR glasses applications across various daily services, with the goal of making AR glasses an essential part of daily life and a true personal assistant on the go."
August 14, 2025
Top Post
RBI Brings Lightning-Fast Cheque Clearance: From This Date, They’ll Clear in Hours, Not Days
MSN
"The RBI will introduce a new mechanism from October 4 for clearance of cheques within hours of being presented to banks, reducing the current time period of up to two working days. Cheques will be scanned, presented, and passed in a few hours and on a continuous basis during business hours. The clearing cycle will be reduced from the present T+1 days to a few hours."
August 13, 2025
On the web
EU Finalizes Crypto Rule for Banks
Banking Exchange
"The European Banking Authority (EBA) has finalized a stringent set of rules requiring banks across the European Union to hold substantially higher capital reserves against unbacked cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ether. The new framework aims to harmonize capital requirements across EU member states and applies to banks holding crypto assets on their balance sheets. Under the rules, banks must assign a risk weight of 1,250% to Group 2b assets, which include unbacked tokens like Bitcoin and Ether. This means a €1 million exposure to such assets would require €12.5 million in capital reserves."
Brazil’s Drex CBDC Project Pivots Away From Blockchain, Tokenization
Ledger Insights
"DREX was always part of an open finance push by the Banco Central do Brasil, and it will remain so. But the focus of the next phase of work is now far narrower – for brokers to enable clients to use assets – stocks, bonds and others – as loan collateral. So it’s now a lien reconciliation project that will use neither blockchain nor decentralization technologies, but will integrate with PIX, Brazil’s successful retail instant payment system."
China Eyes RMB Stablecoin To Challenge Dollar Dominance After CBDC Plans Stall
CCN
"After years of promoting its central bank digital currency (CBDC), China is quietly changing course. The e-CNY, once touted as the future of digital payments in the country, has lost momentum. This is due in part to slow adoption and a recent corruption scandal involving its key architect. Now, officials are warming up to a more flexible alternative: stablecoins."
August 12, 2025
On the wires
Paytm’s Unit Gets Indian Central Bank Nod to Operate as Online Payment Aggregator
Reuters
"Indian fintech firm Paytm's Payment Services unit has got 'in-principle' approval from the country's central bank to operate as an online payment aggregator. In August 2024, the company had said it would submit an application with the Reserve Bank of India to seek a payment aggregator license. That move came seven months after the central bank ordered it to wind down its payments bank."
August 11, 2025
On the wires
Stripe Users Can Now Accept Pix in Brazil via Ebanx
PR Newswire
"EBANX, a global technology company specializing in payment services for emerging markets, has deepened its four-year partnership with programmable financial services company Stripe to expand coverage of Brazilian payment methods worldwide. Businesses on Stripe can now offer Pix, the popular instant payment method developed by the Central Bank of Brazil."
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