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April 10, 2026
On the web
Latam Insights: Global Pix, Mercado Libre Ends Token
Crypto News
"The Central Bank of Brazil has revealed its next steps to keep improving and growing Pix, the ubiquitous instant payment system used by almost all adults in the country. According to local media, the Central Bank plans to launch International Pix, a standard feature that would allow individuals and companies to complete cross-border payments and remittances using the Pix network. While Pix is already available internationally in Argentina, the U.S., and Portugal, this new initiative would make it permanent, interconnecting instant national payment systems and streamlining settlements."
April 9, 2026
On the web
Mastercard Makes Getting Around Korea Easier for International Travelers with iPhone
Mastercard
"Getting around South Korea just got easier for international travelers. Visitors can now use their iPhone or Apple Watch and Mastercard cards to pay for public transport, following the launch of the MobileTmoney transit app on the Apple App Store. Travelers can top up their MobileTmoney balance directly in Apple Wallet using their Mastercard debit or credit card—eliminating the need to buy physical transit cards or carry cash. The service is the result of a collaboration between MobileTmoney and Apple, powered by Mastercard’s global payments network."
April 8, 2026
On the web
AP+ and Bolt Group Announce the Next Chapter for Popular Peer to Peer Payments App, Beem [Australia]
Australian Payments Plus
"Australian Payments Plus (AP+) has signed an agreement for Bolt to acquire its consumer payments app, Beem. Over the years, Beem has spearheaded the group expense tracking trend and achieved more than 3 million app downloads, while maintaining an average app store rating of 4.9 out of 5. The sale of Beem reflects a deliberate move for AP+ to sharpen its focus on the role it plays in building and operating Australia’s critical payments and identity infrastructure, including eftpos, the NPP, ConnectID and BPAY.”"
Why the UK is Mulling a Centralised Testing Regime for Banking AI
The Global Treasurer
"The Bank of England and the UK government are weighing a landmark proposal to introduce a common testing regime for general-purpose AI models. The move aims to strip away the ‘black box’ opacity of US-developed algorithms and relieve the operational burden on individual lenders. With roughly 75% of UK financial firms now deploying AI, the sector has “substantially outpaced” almost every other industry in adopting the technology. However, this rapid rollout has left regulators uneasy."
Namibia Sets 2030 Vision for Digital Payments Growth
CoinGeek
"The Bank of Namibia (BoN), together with the Payments Association of Namibia and financial stakeholders, has launched the National Payment System (NPS) Vision and Strategy 2026 – 2030 to accelerate digital transformation and promote inclusive economic growth in the African nation. The NPS was unveiled as part of the “Inclusive Payments, Shared Prosperity: Charting the Next Era” strategy, which aims to modernize Namibia’s payments infrastructure and strengthen financial innovation."
April 7, 2026
On the web
Kenswitch and Visa Sign Framework Agreement to Support the Evolution Of Kenya’s Payments Ecosystem
Kenswitch
"Kenswitch Limited, Kenya’s shared payments infrastructure provider, and Visa, a global leader in digital payments, announced the signing of a framework agreement to collaborate on advancing payment innovation and supporting the continued development of Kenya’s domestic payment processing and settlement ecosystem. The agreement brings together Kenswitch’s national payments infrastructure and Visa’s global digital payments expertise to support financial institutions, merchants, businesses, and consumers across Kenya."
Multicurrency Crypto Wallet: The Future of Flexible and Secure Payments
News18
"The #1 global gaming platform, proudly announces the launch of Multiwallet – an innovative feature that brings all currencies together in one account with separate wallets for INR, USDT, and USDC. This innovative solution lets users easily manage their funds, combining crypto and fiat payments while keeping every transaction safe, transparent, and fully under their control."
Cross Switch Goes Live With Absa Pay to Deliver Frictionless, Bank Authenticated Payments for South African Merchants
Cross Switch
"When customers select Absa Pay at checkout, they are routed to a secure Absa environment to authenticate the payment directly with their bank before being returned to the merchant’s platform to complete the transaction. Absa developed Absa Pay to provide fintechs, e‑commerce platforms, and other digital partners with a safe, authenticated way to engage with the bank through secure, API‑based systems. Through the enablement of Absa Pay, Cross Switch merchants benefit from strong customer authentication, real‑time payment confirmation, and consistent system reliability delivered through bank‑side monitoring."
April 6, 2026
On the web
Why UPI Payments Will Feel Different From April 2026 [India]
ET Edge
"From April 1, 2026, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is set to implement a major overhaul of India’s digital payment security framework. These new rules which were formally issued under the “Authentication Mechanisms for Digital Payment Transactions Directions, 2025”,will significantly change how Indians use UPI, debit/credit cards, mobile wallets, and online banking. The most important feature of the new framework is mandatory two-factor authentication (2FA) for all digital payments."
Aussies Face Grim Warning Amid New Bank
Yahoo Finance
"One of Australia’s most hated hidden fees has been removed. The RBA released its review of merchant card payment costs and surcharging, recommending three changes to Australia’s payment network. These include removing surcharges which will be banned from October 1, with businesses now having to display the entire cost - including credit charges – as part of the sticker price. The RBA is reducing interchange fees – which are paid by a business’ bank to the customer’s bank, will be lowered while the RBA promised to ensure increased transparency surrounding fees charged by card networks."
The United States Attacks Pix Again, and Lula Reacts
Finsiders Brazil
"Pix has once again come under scrutiny from the US government led by Donald Trump . A report published by the Office of the United States Trade Representative alleges that the Brazilian instant payment system "disadvantages" US electronic payment service providers. According to the annual US trade the Central Bank will give preferential treatment to the Pix system, to the detriment of other payment systems. This includes, therefore, card brands such as Visa and Mastercard."
April 3, 2026
Top Post
China Expands Digital Yuan Network — 12 New Banks Join as E-CNY Push Accelerates
Crypto Economy
"The People’s Bank of China (PBOC) has given a major push to its central bank digital currency (CBDC) network. A total of 12 new financial institutions, including seven national joint-stock banks and five regional commercial banks (notably Bank of Ningbo), have joined the digital yuan (e-CNY) operating platform. This ends the previous oligopoly of the “Big Six” large state-owned banks This expansion process is not accidental; it is linked to a key regulatory shift: the e-CNY has been reclassified as M1, now functioning as a digital deposit that generates interest."
On the web
Ghana’s National ID Cards Can Now Make Payments
TechCabal
"Ghana’s National Identification Authority (NIA), a statutory body mandated to establish a national identification system, has now added a digital wallet to the Ghana Card, the identification card used for services like SIM registration and passport applications. The new payments feature, first announced in September 2025, allows users to make use of ATMs, make payments in stores and online, make international payments with over 200 countries, and access other services such as insurance and emergency assistance."
UnionPay Launches Agentic Payment Open Protocol Framework: Building an Open, Trusted Smart Payment Ecosystem
Yahoo Finance
"On April 2, a special taxi booking transaction was successfully completed in Hong Kong, China. After entering the booking information into the AI assistant developed by the technology company Evonet, the tester quickly received a list of available taxi types and prices from the ride-hailing platform Hoppa, along with a recommended booking option. UnionPay has officially released the Agentic Payment Open Protocol (APOP) framework – UnionPay's solution for agent-based payments – leveraging its platform capabilities and neutrality."
April 2, 2026
Top Post
Germany and Italy Propose EU ‘Kill Switch’ for Global Stablecoins [Video]
Euro News
"Germany and Italy are pushing for sweeping new powers to block foreign stablecoin operators from the European Union unless their home countries meet EU regulatory standards, a move that could shut out some of the largest crypto firms from one of the world's biggest financial markets, according to a document seen by Euronews. The two countries set out their position in a joint discussion paper circulated on 27 March, ahead of a working party meeting on the bloc's Market Integration and Supervision Package (MISP). The document frames the proposal explicitly around EU "stability and sovereignty" — language that signals this is as much a geopolitical play as a financial regulation one."
On the wires
Flutterwave Secures Nigerian Banking License to Accelerate Payment Efficiency
PR Newswire
"Flutterwave Inc., Africa's leading payments technology company, today announced it has secured a Nigerian banking license. This license enables the company to hold funds and deposits directly, strengthening its financial infrastructure across its largest market and enabling more efficient financial services and settlement flows for consumers, businesses and enterprises."
April 1, 2026
On the web
French President Calls for Sovereign European Payment System to Reduce Reliance on US Firms
TRT World
"French President Emmanuel Macron has called for a sovereign European payment system, broadcaster BFM TV reported. In a video message to the French Card Payment (Carte Bancaire) summit on Tuesday, he said payment systems are "an essential part of our sovereignty.” "We must build a sovereign payment model," Macron said, referring to European solutions such as Wero, developed under the European Payments Initiative (EPI). It is designed to compete with services such as PayPal or Apple Pay while keeping financial flows and data in Europe."
Stablecoin Payments Go ‘Invisible’ in Southeast Asia as Crypto Card Business Surges
CoinDesk
"StraitsX, a Singapore-based company, has seen rapid growth in its stablecoin card program, with a 40x surge in transaction volume and an 83x increase in card issuance between 2024 and 2025. The company's infrastructure powers stablecoin-backed cards for partners like RedotPay, which processed over $2.95 billion in card volume in 2025, and enables seamless transactions in local currency. StraitsX aims to make its stablecoin layer invisible, with plans to expand its presence in Southeast Asia and beyond, and to enable machine-to-machine micropayments on the Solana blockchain with its upcoming stablecoins, XSGD and XUSD."
March 31, 2026
Top Post
Reserve Bank of Australia Determines Hidden Debit Tap and Go Surcharge to Be Removed [Video]
News
"One of Australia’s most hated hidden fees has been scrapped. The RBA released its long-awaited review of merchant card payment costs and surcharging. As part of three key changes, the RBA says it is removing surcharging on debit, prepaid and credit cards across eftpos, MasterCard and Visa networks. The surcharges will be removed by October 1, 2026. Another change announced will lower the amount that businesses pay card merchants to use their services. Under the changes, the “interchange cap” will be dropped from 0.8 to 0.3 per cent for domestic-issued consumer credit card transactions. The RBA will also increase the transparency of card payment fees by requiring the likes of eftpos, MasterCard and Visa to publish the fees they charge."
On the web
Soon You Can Switch Banks Without Closing Your Account Under RBI’s New Plan [India]
Business Today
"The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is moving to introduce account portability under its Payments Vision 2028, according to a report by Times of India. RBI’s work around this stickiness is a Payments Switching Service where all standing instructions are centralised. This interface will allow customers to view and migrate all payment mandates, both incoming and outgoing reducing dependence on individual banks making accounts portable. The central bank’s plan is to fix this through a system that allows users to shift these instructions easily, reducing their dependence on a single bank."
An Update on the Move to New Payments Platform [Australia]
Australian Payments Plus
"In this update, we share the latest on payday super, key focus areas, industry progress towards the modernisation of A2A payments and the proposed bulk solution. The move to faster, more efficient superannuation payments is underway, with payday super legislation taking effect in July 2026. Real-time super payments via the NPP will play a central role in facilitating fast, secure, data-rich payments that will improve transparency and efficiency for employers, super funds and employees."
March 30, 2026
On the web
Carrefour Becomes First European Retailer to Offer Shopping on ChatGPT
Yahoo Finance
"Carrefour has introduced a new AI-powered grocery shopping service on ChatGPT, becoming the first major European retailer to integrate its full product offering directly into the chatbot interface. The move reflects a wider shift towards “AI shopping” and conversational commerce, where consumers use generative AI tools to search, plan, and purchase goods. Users in France can now interact with ChatGPT to find recipes, check product availability, build a shopping basket, and select delivery options before completing their purchase on Carrefour’s e-commerce platform."
Namibia Launches National Payment System Vision 2026–2030 to Boost Digital Economy
TechAfrica News
"The Bank of Namibia, in collaboration with the Payments Association of Namibia and stakeholders, has launched the National Payment System (NPS) Vision and Strategy 2026–2030. The initiative builds on progress achieved under the previous Vision framework. These include regulatory reforms, increased interoperability across payment channels, expansion of digital payment services, and adoption of global standards such as ISO 20022. The country also introduced Open Banking frameworks and NAMQR code standards to enhance payment efficiency."
E-Cheques Coming Soon? RBI Unveils Payments Vision 2028, Plans Wider Oversight of Digital Players
MSN
"The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Friday unveiled its ‘Payments Vision 2028’ document, outlining a roadmap that includes exploring electronic cheques, expanding regulatory oversight to digital platforms, and strengthening safeguards in the fast-growing payments ecosystem, PTI reported. The central bank aims to enhance access to payment data and reimagine the card payments ecosystem by promoting secure tokenisation, improved transparency in pricing, and greater choice for users and merchants."
March 27, 2026
On the web
Contactless Payments Limits Removed in UK, but Checkout Issues Continue
IBS Intelligence
"New contactless payment rules introduced by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) mark a significant shift in the UK’s payments landscape, giving providers the flexibility to set their own transaction limits and effectively removing the long-standing £100 cap on tap-to-pay card purchases. The move reflects the continued rise of digital payments and contactless adoption, but early indications suggest that higher limits alone may not address persistent friction at the point of sale."
ECB to Set Digital Euro Standards by Summer, Cipollone Says
MEXC
"The European Central Bank is laying out a concrete path toward a potential digital euro, signaling that standards for a future euro-wide digital currency could be announced as soon as this summer. ECB Executive Board member Piero Cipollone told EU lawmakers that once those standards are in place, the bank will collaborate with market participants to integrate them into payment terminals and other infrastructure ahead of any issuance decision. The move aims to give European providers a head start by embedding the necessary rails into devices and apps, so European companies can adapt quickly if parliament approves a digital euro in the years ahead."
March 26, 2026
On the web
Instant Payments Fuel Demand for Real-Time Fraud Orchestration
IBS Intelligence
"Since its launch in 2016, UPI has become the backbone of India’s retail payments ecosystem, driving transaction volumes to unprecedented levels. At the same time, regulatory expectations are evolving. The Reserve Bank of India has increasingly emphasised the need for risk-based, proactive monitoring frameworks, encouraging institutions to embed fraud prevention within broader enterprise risk governance structures. Advanced technologies are playing a central role in enabling this transition."
March 25, 2026
On the web
FOMO Pay Launches AI Soundbox and Targets AI-Powered Merchant Portal
Asian Banking & Finance
"FOMO Pay, a Singapore-headquartered payment institution, has launched the FOMO AI Soundbox and announced its plans to roll-out a comprehensive payment suite empowered by artificial intelligence (AI). FOMO AI Soundbox, described as a “compact payments acceptance device”, supports cards, QR payments, e-wallets, and stablecoins through a single terminal. It also establishes the groundwork for the AI-powered merchant intelligence capabilities FOMO Pay is developing."
March 20, 2026
On the web
China’s Bank of Ningbo Readies Digital Yuan Business as Beijing Expands E-CNY
Yahoo News-Reuters
"China's Bank of Ningbo said it is inviting suppliers to help build a system to handle the digital yuan. The People's Bank of China (PBOC) may allow another 12 Chinese banks to conduct e-CNY businesses. China has licensed 10 banks for digital yuan business. Beijing is stepping up its e-CNY initiative to cement its lead over other central banks in digital currency development, and to fend off threats from cryptocurrencies, which facilitated capital flight and evasion of currency controls."
PhonePe Launches ‘On-The-Go’ Card for Seamless, Offline Payments for Transit
PhonePe
"PhonePe announced the launch of the PhonePe ‘RuPay On-The-Go’ Card, a National Common Mobility Card (NCMC). The PhonePe ‘On-The-Go’ Card is designed to simplify the user’s daily commute by functioning as an all-in-one transit card. It allows for quick, tap-and-pay transactions on all NCMC-enabled services, including metros, buses, trains, tolls, and parking across India in a fully interoperable manner. The card utilizes a prepaid, stored-value model where balance is stored directly on the card’s chip."