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October 1, 2026
On the web
EU Probes Candy Crush, Minecraft Creators over In-Game Payments
Silicon Republic
"Consumer protection watchdogs in Europe have launched an investigation into the companies behind popular online games – including the creators of Candy Crush, Minecraft and Clash of Clans – over how they price and operate in-game transactions. The probe was launched after talks between the European Commission’s Consumer Protection Cooperation (CPC) Network and groups representing the interests of video game makers failed to bring better transparency around the use of in-game currencies."
September 30, 2026
Top Post
Sibos Wrap-up Day 1: Tokenisation Takes Centre Stage [Video]
Global Custodian
"Global Custodian is joined by representatives from BNP Paribas, Chainlink and Standard Chartered for the first Sibos 2026 daily wrap-up, discussing the latest developments in tokenisation, the opportunities it presents and the challenges still standing in the way of wider adoption."
On the web
Sibos Wrap-up Day 2: How Agentic AI Is Reshaping Custody [Video]
Global Custodian
"Global Custodian is joined by representatives from Chainlink, JP Morgan and GLEIF to discuss how agentic AI is already transforming custody and asset servicing, from automating queries and document processing to resolving exceptions and enabling AI agents to interact with financial assets."
Coinbase Launches Fixed-Rate Bitcoin-Backed Loans Via Morpho Midnight
Bitcoin News
"Coinbase has launched a new fixed-rate loan product that lets customers borrow USDC using bitcoin as collateral. The new service gives borrowers something Coinbase’s existing bitcoin-backed loans do not: a fixed interest rate and a fixed repayment date. The loans are powered by Morpho Midnight, a lending protocol designed for fixed-rate and fixed-term digital asset loans."
Global Banks Call for Clearer AI Agent Liability Processes
TechInformed
"Six banks are calling for clearer dispute processes and liability allocation in agentic commerce as AI agents are given greater authority to complete purchases. In their “Building Trust in Agentic Commerce” principles paper, the banks say liability can become unclear when an AI agent exceeds the authority a customer gave it. The banks said agentic commerce has already moved from closed trials into live pilots and early scaling while standards, policies and consumer protections remain under development."
Open USD Stablecoin Goes Live as Stripe, Visa and Mastercard Open It to Businesses
Unchained
"Open USD (OUSD), the dollar stablecoin backed by Coinbase, Mastercard, Shopify, Stripe and Visa, went live on Wednesday. Businesses can start building with OUSD through Mastercard, Stripe and the Visa Stablecoin Platform now, with Coinbase access beginning Oct. 1. The token runs natively on Ethereum, Solana, Base and Tempo, and will first be available to trade on Coinbase, Kraken and Uniswap. OUSD is issued by Bridge, the stablecoin infrastructure firm Stripe owns."
September 29, 2026
On the web
Sumsub Launches Apac Agentic AI Council on Governance and Agent Identity
TNGlobal
"Compliance technology company Sumsub has launched an Asia-Pacific Agentic AI Council, a cross-sector forum intended to develop practical guidance for organizations deploying autonomous AI systems. The council’s work is organized around three pillars: Adopt, covering where AI agents create value and the conditions for deployment; Build, covering technical foundations such as agent identity, secure architecture and interoperability; and Govern, covering accountability mechanisms and practical governance frameworks."
September 28, 2026
Top Post
Thousands of Banks Can Now Sue Over Apple Pay Fees in One Antitrust Case
AppleInsider
"U.S. banks and credit unions can pursue their Apple Pay fee claims together after a federal judge certified their antitrust lawsuit as a class action. The financial institutions accuse Apple of blocking competing tap-to-pay wallets on iPhone while charging card issuers fees for transactions. They argue Apple could impose fees because rival wallets couldn't compete for payments on the iPhone. Card issuers pay Apple 0.15% of the value of credit card purchases through Apple Pay and half a cent for each debit transaction, according to the lawsuit."
On the web
Quant: What the Clearing House Mandate Really Means
CryptoTicker
"The Clearing House selected Quant as technology partner for tokenised deposits backed by 25 large US banks. Quant supplies the layer for interoperability, orchestration and transaction management for a new network through which financial institutions can clear and settle tokenised deposits. Connection to the existing RTP and CHIPS payment systems is explicitly part of it. Overledger is Quant's operating system for enterprises. It works as a programming interface that connects various public and private blockchains with classic banking systems."
On the wires
AptPay Expands Its iGaming Payment Infrastructure With Direct Visa Connectivity and a New Way for Players to Receive Funds in Real-Time1
Business Wire
"AptPay, a payment technology company specializing in payment orchestration, announced plans to integrate directly with Visa Direct, expanding AptPay’s card payout capabilities and introducing Visa Direct Alias, a U.S.-only service currently in pilot, to its growing money movement platform. The direct Visa integration expands that infrastructure by enabling Visa Direct for Card to support real-time payouts to eligible Visa cards."
September 25, 2026
On the web
UK Banks Complete First Live Customer Transactions Using Tokenised Sterling Deposits
UK Finance
"UK banks have collaborated to complete the first live customer transactions using tokenised sterling deposits. The transactions were delivered through the Great British Tokenised Deposit (GBTD) initiative, which was convened by UK Finance and involves Barclays, HSBC UK, Lloyds Banking Group, Monzo, Nationwide, NatWest and Santander. The first set of transactions included: Two remortgage completions and a consumer ‘marketplace’ transaction: The transactions were executed on the GBTD platform, developed by Quant."
Education: Tokenized Deposit Networks: A Practical Guide for the Banking C-Suite in 2026
Banking Exchange
"Strategic interest in tokenized deposits surged in 2026, following huge interest in stablecoins in 2025. The rise of payment stablecoins and the bipartisan passage of the GENIUS Act in July 2025 naturally led financial institutions to seek digital dollars they could keep on their own balance sheet and use for lending in the fractional reserve banking system. Recent regulatory clarity has helped. On April 9, 2026, the FDIC proposed a rule confirming that a tokenized deposit is treated exactly the same as the deposit sitting in a bank’s core today."
September 24, 2026
On the web
BRICS Drops Common Currency Plan and Pivots to Integrated Payment System to Cut Dollar Reliance
Yahoo Finance
"BRICS leaders ended their 2026 summit without a proposal for a common currency, instead backing greater interoperability between national payment systems and more settlement in local currencies. BRICS Pay and potential CBDC links could create cross-border payment routes that reduce reliance on the dollar without requiring an entirely new currency. The strategy targets some of the same problems addressed by FedNow, XRP, and Stellar, but there is currently no evidence that BRICS plans to integrate XRP or XLM."
September 23, 2026
On the web
New Requirements Accelerated for UK Consumer Subscription Contracts
Latham & Watkins
"Multinational consumer-facing businesses are subject to a global patchwork of consumer protection laws and regulations, all of which create a complex regulatory landscape. Requirements around consumer subscription contracts are rapidly evolving and increasingly divergent across national regimes. Businesses offering subscriptions to UK consumers must prepare for new requirements related to transparency, reminders, cooling-off periods, and cancellation rights from January 2027."
September 22, 2026
Top Post
Global Banks Collaborate on Principles for Trusted Agentic Commerce
Bank of America
"ASB Bank, Bank of America, Capital One, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, ING Group and NatWest Group unite to publish a set of joint principles as agentic commerce is poised to reshape the future of payments. The principles are designed to help guide the development of agentic commerce while supporting wider industry collaboration. Publication of this paper builds on a wider conversation, with the consortium inviting participants across the ecosystem to apply the principles in practice and shape future implementation."
On the web
Tokenized Deposits and Stablecoins: How Banks Can Compete on Payment Orchestration
Oracle
"Banks are making decisions about how tokenized deposits and regulated stablecoins will fit into their payments businesses. The implications for deposit funding, customer access, and settlement differ. Those differences become important when a payment crosses from one institution to another. The answer affects where banks hold liquidity, how they settle obligations, and what services they can offer corporate clients. Recent U.S. initiatives bring the issue into focus...."
Conference of State Bank Supervisors Issues Framework for AI
Financial Regulation News
"The Conference of State Bank Supervisors (CSBS) has released a new supervisory resource about using artificial intelligence. The new framework will help state examiners assess the uses of and risks of AI at state-chartered banks and state-licensed nonbank financial institutions, and provide clarity to financial institutions about what a state examiner may request in reference to an institution’s AI-based products, services and tools."
September 21, 2026
Top Post
Stablecoins are Now the Only Regulated U.S. Crypto Asset
StablecoinInsider
"Crypto's legislative push ended last Tuesday. On September 15, the Senate voted on a motion to proceed to consider the Clarity Act but failed to reach the 60-vote threshold needed to open debate, and it's unclear when the Senate will reconsider the vote or whether the bill will change first. Losing in Congress doesn't mean the banking lobby is done. The OCC and Treasury are writing rules that could accomplish much of what Section 404 would have. The Treasury deadline: Comments on Treasury's proposed GENIUS rule are due by October 19, 2026. "
On the web
Visa’s Stablecoin Settlement Just Hit $20 Billion. The Rail Is Built Before the Rules Are.
Yahoo Finance
"Visa has officially crossed the $20 billion annualized run rate for stablecoin settlement, a milestone that serves as a instrument in the debate over the future of payment rails. This momentum arrives at a curious moment in the regulatory calendar. The GENIUS Act, which established the federal framework for payment stablecoins, is set to become fully enforceable on January 18, 2027. Yet, the federal agencies tasked with writing the rulebook — including the OCC, FDIC, Fed, NCUA, Treasury, FinCEN, and OFAC — missed their July 18, 2026, deadline."
September 18, 2026
On the web
Education: U.S. Currency Program Now Producing Nonsequential $1, $2, $5, $20 Straps
FRB Services
"In 2023, the U.S. Currency Program (USCP) began a multiyear process of modernizing its banknote production equipment, which will result in nonconsecutive sequencing of serial numbers on all new straps of U.S. currency. During the transition period, changes to serial number sequencing will be phased in by denomination. Until the transition is complete, both sequential and nonsequential straps may appear in orders of U.S. currency. The USCP is now producing $1, $2, $5 and $20 denominations on the new equipment."
September 16, 2026
On the web
Mastercard and Trip.com Pave the Way for Agentic Commerce in the Travel Sector [Video]
Mastercard
"Mastercard and Trip.com have joined forces to showcase AI powered booking experiences for the travel sector. Powered by Mastercard’s Agent Suite for Merchants and in partnership with Network International, the organizations are showcasing how consumers will be able to search, book, and complete purchases through Trip.com’s AI agent TripGenie. By combining Trip.com’s travel ecosystem."
September 15, 2026
Top Post
Crypto Bill Falls Short in Early Hurdle on Senate Floor
The Hill
"A cryptocurrency regulation bill failed to advance on the Senate floor Tuesday, after all Democrats and a few Republicans blocked a procedural vote. The Senate voted 49-50 on a motion to proceed with consideration of the Clarity Act, failing to reach the required 60-vote threshold. It marks a major setback for the industry, which has long pushed for the measure setting up a regulatory framework for the crypto market."
On the web
House Passes Revised Version of Common Cents Act
ABA Banking Journal
"The House yesterday passed a revised version of legislation to officially end penny production and provide a framework for cash rounding when exact change cannot be provided. The version passed yesterday includes new language requiring the Treasury Department to give Congress 60 days’ advance notice before discontinuing any circulating coin. It also allows the Treasury Secretary to explore a new metals composition for nickel manufacturing to save costs. The legislation now heads to the Senate."
Ant International's Agentic Mobile Protocol Rolls Out Globally with Wallets and Acquirers
TechWire Asia
"As Ant International builds out its Agentic Mobile Protocol (AMP) with deeper interoperability and open-source initiatives, fintech and payment leaders are deploying the protocol globally at an accelerated pace. 10 Alipay+ mobile wallet partners will support AMP in Phase I. They are: Alipay (China), AlipayHK (Hong Kong SAR, China) and more. Phase I Acquiring partners: Adyen, Allinpay, Checkout.com, Fiserv, Global Payments, Nuvei, and Worldline. Cross-Sector Partnership on Trust with Card Networks, Monetary Authority of Singapore"
September 14, 2026
Top Post
CLARITY Act Faces Tuesday Senate Vote: Senate Republicans Release ‘Final’ Draft
Trading View
"Senate Republicans have reportedly put forward a revised 635-page version of the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act, commonly known as the CLARITY Act, late Sunday, calling it their "last, best, and final" offer to Democrats. This comes ahead of the procedural vote this week that could determine the fate of the crypto market structure bill in Congress. The new draft includes 126 substantial changes. The Senate votes at 2:15 pm ET Tuesday on cloture for the motion to proceed, which requires 60 votes."
Nearly 1,000 Merchants Tell Judge Proposed Settlement of Visa/Mastercard Lawsuit is ‘Riddled With Loopholes’
Merchants Payments Coalition
"The Merchant Payments Coalition said nearly 1,000 businesses and trade associations have called on a federal judge to reject the proposed settlement of merchants’ lawsuit over Visa and Mastercard credit card swipe fees.“We object to this proposed settlement because it would grant Visa, Mastercard and giant card-issuing banks sweeping liability immunity for their anticompetitive system of card fees and rules while providing merchants with temporary and meager relief that is riddled with loopholes that will make the relief largely ineffective."
On the web
Visa Research: The Rise of the “Couch Economy” Is Reshaping Consumer Spending
Visa
"New Visa Business and Economic Insights research finds consumers are increasingly shopping, streaming, dining and managing daily life from home, creating new opportunities for businesses that can deliver convenience and ongoing digital engagement. Digital commerce expanded across all six markets studied between 2019 and 2026. In three illustrative markets, the share of domestic payment volume occurring online and in-app rose from 48% to 58% in the U.S., 10% to 24% in Poland and 35% to 55% in the UAE."
September 11, 2026
On the web
What’s an ATM’s Total Cost of Ownership?
ATM Marketplace
"There's a lot more costs to consider than just the ATM itself. One also has to consider the cash itself, peripherals, repairs, maintenance and cash management. This can drive up the total cost of ownership of an ATM significantly. But there are new tools emerging that will bring that cost down. The future of ATM management is moving beyond reactive maintenance towards intelligent supply chain management."
September 4, 2026
Top Post
US ATMs Celebrate 57th Birthday
ATM Marketplace
"The first ATM was installed in the U.S. 57 years ago on Sept. 2, 1969 in the town of Rockville Center of Long Island, New York. It was deployed for Chemical Bank by the company Docutel. This was not the first ATM to be deployed, as that honor is held by a Barclays Bank location in 1967 in London. This initial ATM relied on carbon-14 impregnated vouchers that customers had to purchase from a teller. The ATM in 1969 used a magstripe card, but only allowed customers of Chemical Bank to withdraw cash. Read about 48 little known ATM facts.
On the web
Open Banking Has Proved Data Sharing Can Work – Now It Has to Prove It Can Create Value
Open Banking Expo
"The UK’s Open Banking ecosystem recently passed two significant milestones : more than one billion payments and 100 billion API calls across the CMA9 banks. Those figures matter. Open Banking is no longer an experiment operating at the edges of financial services. The infrastructure works at scale, adoption is growing and the market is moving from proof of concept towards everyday use. In June 2026 alone, 99.5% of reported API calls were successful."
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