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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 14, 2026
On the web
European Central Bank: Crypto Payments Have Minimal Use Among Euro Area Merchants
Menafn
"Crypto acceptance is extremely limited: the ECB reports 0.2% of euro area businesses accepting crypto for online purchases. Cash still leads at physical locations, accepted by 92% of businesses with point-of-sale outlets. Mobile payments are the main growth area or in-person transactions, rising to 68% acceptance in 2026 from 36% in 2024. Crypto and stablecoins show little traction at physical points of sale, staying below 1% in both 2024 and 2026."
August 10, 2026
On the web
Bix Introduces Unified Financial Platform for Modern Payments [Europe]
Yahoo Finance
"Bix announced the launch of its unified financial platform, bringing together self-custody digital asset management, payment capabilities and European banking services within a single application. The platform is designed to simplify financial management by integrating services that have traditionally been offered through separate providers. The platform enables users to maintain control of their digital assets while accessing payment functionality through the Visa network for eligible cardholders."
July 23, 2026
On the web
Google Slapped with $1 Billion Fine Under Landmark EU Digital Law
CNBC
"European regulators have fined Google 890 million euros ($1 billion), alleging the company gives preferential treatment to its own services. The fine is Google’s first under the European Union’s sweeping Digital Markets Act (DMA) which aims to scrutinize Big Tech’s operating practices in Europe. European regulators alleged the company gives preferential treatment to its own services."
July 21, 2026
On the web
European Central Bank Moves Digital Euro Project Into Next Legislative Phase
Digital Watch Observatory
"Speaking in Rome, ECB Executive Board member Piero Cipollone said the digital euro could be introduced in 2029 if the legislative process is completed by the end of 2026. He said the project is intended to complement cash, strengthen Europe’s payments infrastructure and preserve the role of banks in the digital payments ecosystem."
July 15, 2026
On the web
Europe’s Digital Euro: What It Is and How It Would Work
Technology Org
"The digital euro would be an electronic version of cash issued by the ECB. That would make it the only form of central bank money available to the public in digital form. The ECB has pledged to keep physical cash in circulation indefinitely, even as its use keeps declining and cryptocurrencies, including dollar-pegged stablecoins, grow more popular. The central bank argues that its money acts as an anchor of trust for the financial system. Supporters add that it would cut the euro zone’s reliance on U.S. payment firms such as Visa, Mastercard and PayPal."
July 14, 2026
On the web
Stripe, SumUp and Revolut Among Firms Chosen to Test ‘Digital Euro’
"Stripe’s European arm and Irish fintech SumUp are among 36 firms chosen to test the eurozone’s first online currency. The year-long pilot will begin next year and will see staff from the European Central Bank and national central banks test run payments between each other and with selected shops and restaurants. Other firms in the digital euro pilot include payments app Revolut. The ECB-backed project is the bloc’s attempt to rival dominant US payment providers Visa and Mastercard and provide an alternative to crypto currencies and stable coins."
The European Central Bank Selects 36 Banks and Payment Service Providers for Testing the Digital Euro
Informat
"The pilot will start in the second half of 2027 and will test for 12 months online, offline, in stores, and between people. The currency used will be an experimental version, without the status of legal tender, and the test does not mean that the ECB has already decided to launch the digital euro."
July 13, 2026
On the web
Europe’s Payment Power Struggle: Can Visa and Mastercard Be Displaced?
International Banker
"Europe’s payment system is entering a new phase in which pertinent questions about market structure, competition and efficiency are increasingly being reframed as questions of financial sovereignty. What was once a discussion about interchange fees and merchant costs has expanded into a broader assessment of how much control Europe retains over the infrastructure that underpins everyday commerce. And at the centre of this system sit Visa and Mastercard."
July 8, 2026
On the web
Revolut to Delist USDT as MiCA Regulations Take Effect
Tekedia
"The decision by Revolut to delist USDT on August 31 marks a significant development in the evolving cryptocurrency regulatory landscape. As one of Europe’s leading financial technology platforms, Revolut’s move reflects the pressure on digital asset service providers to comply with stricter regulations. Under the Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) framework, digital asset providers must ensure that stablecoins satisfy specific authorization, reserve transparency, governance, and consumer protection requirements."
June 29, 2026
On the web
Visa Adjusts Europe Interchange Fees, Shares Steady Into Key Inflation Data
Ad-hoc News
"Visa Inc. has updated its interchange fee structure for certain cross-border consumer card transactions within the European Economic Area, according to recent regulatory filings and network notices. The NYSE-listed payments group remains under close European regulatory scrutiny as investors also eye upcoming US inflation data and its impact on broader equity valuation."
June 26, 2026
On the web
The European Banking Authority Consults on a Draft Methodology for Setting Fines Under the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA)
European Banking Authority
"The European Banking Authority (EBA) published a Consultation Paper with a draft methodology for setting fines in its role as supervisor under MiCA. The objective is to ensure that fines imposed on issuers of significant crypto-assets are consistent, proportionate and transparent, and effectively support compliance with the regulatory framework."
June 18, 2026
On the web
Stablecoin Shakedown: Binance, Coinbase And Kraken Restrict USDT In Europe Ahead Of MiCA Deadline
Trading View
"Europe’s stablecoin market is moving into its next, stricter phase as major exchanges continue reshaping USDT access for users in the European Economic Area under the EU’s Markets in Crypto-Assets framework. Binance, Coinbase, Kraken and other platforms have adjusted stablecoin access for EEA users under MiCA. The shift has hit Tether’s USDT hardest because Tether has not obtained MiCA authorization for the token. The key date now is the final CASP compliance cliff on July 1, 2026."
May 11, 2026
On the web
Bank of England Echoes EU Concerns over Multi Jurisdiction Stablecoins
Ledger Insights
"Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey expressed concerns about stablecoins, especially the potential impact on the UK if there’s a stablecoin run. The European Central Bank and European members of parliament have raised a related concern. Where a stablecoin operates under a common brand across multiple jurisdictions, holders may seek to redeem in whichever country offers the easiest path, consuming reserves that were sized for local holders."
ECB President: EUR Stablecoin Case “Weaker than it Appears”
The Full FX
"European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde has poured cold water on efforts to introduce euro stablecoins, arguing that the products, which “were initially designed to solve a narrow problem within the crypto ecosystem” need to have their two current functions – monetary and technological – separated, to overcome what is a “far weaker” argument for their deployment."
May 7, 2026
On the web
EU Presses Anthropic For Access To Mythos As Cyber Concerns Grow
Banking Exchange
"European Union officials are increasing pressure on Anthropic to provide access to its unreleased AI model Mythos, as concerns rise among regulators that the technology may expose vulnerabilities across the region’s banking system. Officials from the European Commission and the EU’s cyber agency ENISA will scrutinize the risks of the Mythos model in the European Parliament."
April 27, 2026
On the web
ECB Picks Open European Standards for Digital Euro, Sidelining Visa and Mastercard
Yahoo Finance
"The European Central Bank (ECB) signed agreements with three European standard-setting bodies to build the digital euro on open, non-proprietary infrastructure, directly challenging the dominance of Visa and Mastercard across the eurozone. The deals with the European Card Payment Cooperation (ECPC), nexo standards, and the Berlin Group give the digital euro a free, shared technical foundation that any European payment provider can adopt without paying global card scheme fees."
April 22, 2026
On the web
European Banks Tap Fireblocks for Mica-Compliant Euro Stablecoin
Cointelegraph
"A 12-bank European consortium led by Qivalis is partnering with Fireblocks to develop a regulated euro stablecoin under MiCA, targeting launch in the second half of 2026. European banks and policymakers are stepping up efforts to reduce reliance on dollar stablecoins in digital payments and settlement, and European banks and corporates are selecting partners and infrastructure providers to accelerate euro stablecoin initiatives across the region."
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."
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."
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."
March 27, 2026
On the web
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 20, 2026
Top Post
Visa Launches ‘Agentic Ready’ Programme to Advance Agentic Commerce in Europe
Visa
"Visa announced the launch of Visa Agentic Ready, a new global programme, designed to support the payments ecosystem as it prepares for a new era of agentic commerce. Launching first in Europe, including the UK, this builds on Visa Intelligent Commerce. In its first phase, Visa Agentic Ready focuses on issuer readiness, providing issuing partners with a structured pathway to test and validate agent-initiated transactions, working in close partnership with Visa and selected merchants to explore how these transactions could operate securely, at scale, in controlled production environments."
March 19, 2026
Top Post
Wero Attacks Margins, Visa and Mastercard Protect Rent
Paperjam
"With reduced costs and rapid deployment, Wero is establishing itself as a credible alternative to cards in Europe. Behind this pressure on everyday payments, the bulk of Visa and Mastercard’s profitability is based on cross-border flows, a high value-added segment that European infrastructures do not yet cover. Stablecoins, particularly at Visa, could strengthen this position."
March 13, 2026
On the web
Europe’s Agentic Commerce Shift: Why AI Agents Are Set to Become Economic Actors
Retail Banker International
"Europe has crossed a new threshold by allowing an AI agent to perform a regulated financial transaction. With Santander and Mastercard completing the region’s first live end-to-end AI-executed payment, the significance goes beyond the technology itself. This was not a simple API trigger but an autonomous system acting with delegated authority, marking a defining moment: AI agents are becoming economic actors."
March 12, 2026
On the web
European Central Bank Unveils Tokenized Finance Plan to Bolster EU’s Financial Autonomy
CoinDesk
"The European Central Bank set out a timeline for building a tokenized wholesale financial ecosystem centered on the euro to safeguard its role as a leading international currency. The strategy hinges on Pontes, a distributed-ledger-based transaction layer, and Appia, a long-term project to design the architecture, governance and standards of a tokenized financial system. The initiative aims to bolster the EU's financial sovereignty, strategic autonomy and resilience while adapting market infrastructure to blockchain-based assets."
March 11, 2026
Top Post
Agentic Payments: A New Challenge for Europe’s Payments Ecosystem
Osborne Clarke
"The rapid development of AI-agent-initiated payment models signals a pivotal shift for the European payments ecosystem. While current implementations are pilot-based within the EU, market signals suggest production deployments are targeted as early as 2026. As AI-agent technology moves from the 'back office' to the 'front office' for payment institutions, the relevance of regulatory requirements increases significantly. In this context, questions arise around the regulatory classification of the service, the allocation of liability, and the satisfaction of authorisation requirements and Strong Customer Authentication (SCA)."
On the web
How Close Is the EU to Break Free From Visa and Mastercard’s Grip?
Euronews
"In 2023, Visa and Mastercard processed about 4.7 trillion USD in payment volume across the bloc. Transactions in 13 out of 21 eurozone member states still run exclusively on international card schemes. US card brands monopolize almost the entire international segment, handling 61% of the euro-area card transactions. Increasing EU-US tensions have heightened fears of 450 million European citizens being potentially cut off from international financial infrastructures."
March 10, 2026
On the web
Goodbye Visa & Mastercard - Europe Is Building Its Own Payment System [Video]
MSN
"Europe is preparing one of the biggest changes to its financial system in decades: the digital euro. Today, most digital payments in Europe rely on American companies like Visa and Mastercard. Every card payment passes through private networks that charge fees and process large amounts of transaction data. The digital euro could change that. Instead of relying on private payment networks, Europeans would be able to pay directly through a public digital wallet issued by the European Central Bank."
March 5, 2026
On the web
Euro Safe Asset Status up for Grabs in Emerging ‘Multi-Moneyverse’
OMFIF
"A key plank of the developments is the European Central Bank’s provision later this year of a facility for Eurosystem banks to settle tokenised finance in public money. The Federal Reserve is avoiding even pseudonymous efforts in this area for now, wary of the political risk in appearing to work on a central bank digital currency, which in retail form is explicitly banned. Even parts of the Eurosystem have studiously avoided calling their Pontes initiative ‘wholesale CBDC’."
March 4, 2026
On the web
Why Europe Needs a Payment System Independent of Mastercard and Visa [Video]
Euro News
"Most card or online purchases in Europe go through Visa or Mastercard, two American companies that lead global payments. EU leaders now see this as a risk Europe can't ignore, and they're acting. Wero is a digital wallet created by European banks and payment companies to avoid using card networks."
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