Join us in New York on September 29-October 1 for our next Payments Boot Camp and Advanced Payments workshop!
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.
Search Payments News
May 19, 2026
On the web
Mastercard: How to Stop the Scammers Behind the Storefronts
Mastercard
"The growth of digital payments helped millions of legitimate businesses move online fast and gave people a convenient, safe way to shop from home. But the same tools that help a real merchant launch quickly also made it simpler for criminals to set up fake storefronts. Technology like generative AI has made it even harder for consumers to detect them, thanks to deepfake videos from non-existent satisfied customers, rafts of testimonials generated from a single prompt and professional-grade websites and ads."
May 18, 2026
On the web
Mastercard and JD.com Announce Strategic Partnership to Support Business Growth Through Payments Innovation
Mastercard
"Mastercard and JD.com, a technology and service company with supply chain at its core, announced a strategic partnership to deliver innovations that build a more connected, secure and intelligent commerce ecosystem. JD.com and Mastercard will work together to further integrate and enhance global payment connectivity by developing a payment infrastructure to support JD.com’s international business development and enable broader use cases in global commerce."
May 14, 2026
On the web
Can Mastercard Ride the Agentic Commerce Wave With PhotonPay?
Yahoo Finance
"Mastercard is exploring the fast-growing world of agentic commerce through a new collaboration with PhotonPay. The companies recently completed a live AI-powered payment demonstration in Hong Kong, where an AI agent autonomously selected, booked and paid for a ride using a tokenized payment credential. The test transaction combined PhotonPay’s programmable financial infrastructure with Mastercard’s Agent Pay capabilities."
Amazon’s New Prime Business and Amazon Business Credit Cards, Powered by U.S. Bank and Mastercard, Are Now Available with Enhanced Rewards and Flexible Financing
Mastercard
"Amazon launched the new Prime Business Card and Amazon Business Card, bringing together the Amazon rewards business customers love with powerful new benefits to help businesses make the most of their spending on Amazon. These cards, issued by U.S. Bank as part of the Mastercard network, offer rewards wherever customers are shopping, access to flexible financing for purchases, and no annual or foreign transaction fees."
May 8, 2026
On the web
Here’s Why Mastercard Is Betting Big on BVNK — and Stablecoin
Global Finance Magazine
"The card company has positioned itself as a bridge between its global network and on-chain payment systems. For a technology that’s designed to leave traditional finance on the sidelines, credit card payment networks are making significant investments in stablecoins. Mastercard’s announced acquisition of BVNK, an enterprise stablecoin infrastructure provider, could usher in a new era of digital expansion for the legacy payments company. According to Mastercard, the deal’s final price tag could reach $1.8 billion by the time it closes at the end of 2026."
May 7, 2026
On the wires
Mastercard and Yellow Card Partner to Unlock Stablecoin Payment Innovation Across EEMEA
PR Newswire
"Mastercard and Yellow Card, a licensed stablecoin infrastructure provider operating primarily across Africa, with additional capabilities in select emerging markets, have announced a strategic partnership to accelerate stablecoin-enabled payment innovation across Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EEMEA), with plans for global expansion."
May 5, 2026
Top Post
Mastercard: Subscription Fatigue Is Real. Control Should Be, Too
Mastercard
"While the payments ecosystem has been focused on streamlining the dispute resolution process for consumers, merchants need help too. That’s where a new partnership between Mastercard and Fraud Deflect. Fraud Deflect will be integrated with Mastercard’s Ethoca Consumer Clarity Smart Subscriptions to bridge the communication gap between merchants and card issuers. The service will allow subscription-based businesses to proactively resolve recurring payment disputes before they turn into costly chargebacks."
On the web
Stablecoin Startup Rain Joins Mastercard as a Principal Member
The Block
"Stablecoin payments startup Rain is partnering with Mastercard to expand its card offerings. According to an announcement on Monday, Rain is now a Mastercard Principal Member, enabling it to offer stablecoin-powered credit and prepaid cards on the second-largest global payment network. The startup also has a preexisting relationship with Visa."
April 21, 2026
On the web
Cryptocurrencies How Mastercard Plans To Process Card Payments Through Stablecoins
CoinSpot
"Mastercard is integrating stablecoins into card settlements. Banks will be able to use digital dollars like SoFiUSD. A partnership with SoFi Technologies will allow SoFi Bank to settle in SoFiUSD. The Galileo platform will open up this model to other banks and fintech companies as well. This is specifically about the post-payment settlement stage. Nothing will change for users—they will continue to pay with cards as usual. But the settlements between banks may go through blockchain and digital assets. Using its Multi-Token Network, Mastercard plans to support various forms of tokenized money, including stablecoins, tokenized deposits, and digital equivalents of fiat currencies."
April 20, 2026
On the web
Mastercard Builds AI Foundation Model to Power Payments, Security and Personalization
CDO Magazine
"Mastercard is developing a new artificial intelligence foundation model trained on billions of anonymized transactions, aiming to enhance payments, cybersecurity and customer experiences across its network. The model is designed as an “insights engine” rather than a chatbot, using structured financial data to predict transaction patterns and improve decision-making across services such as fraud detection, loyalty programs and analytics. To build the system, Mastercard is using a type of deep learning architecture known as a large tabular model (LTM) which differs from the large language models used in popular chatbots."
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
Mastercard and Krungthai Card Complete First Live Agentic Transaction in Thailand
Mastercard
"Mastercard announced the completion of a pilot that delivered its first authenticated agentic transaction in Thailand with Krungthai Card Public Company Limited (KTC). The pilot demonstrated how AI can support consumers to complete everyday tasks — such as transportation — securely and seamlessly. In the inaugural test case, an AI agent booked a ride from Suvarnabhumi airport to Central Chidlom through Elife, a global mobility provider. The booking and agentic transaction were facilitated by an AI agent, which connects to Elife’s network of services."
March 27, 2026
Top Post
Mastercard Tests AI-Driven Payments in Puerto Rico
News is My Business
"Mastercard said it completed live end-to-end transactions using artificial intelligence-powered shopping agents across Latin America and the Caribbean, including in Puerto Rico, where Oriental Bank and Evertec participated. The company said that means an AI assistant can now do more than recommend a product or service, it can complete an actual purchase for a customer using existing payment infrastructure and the cardholder’s consent. Mastercard said the transactions were carried out in controlled environments using Mastercard Agent Pay, the company’s platform for what it calls agentic commerce, in which AI systems can search for products, recommend options and complete purchases on behalf of users."
March 26, 2026
On the web
Cornell Tech Partners With Mastercard to Advance AI Governance Standards
Cornell Chronicle
Cornell Tech has launched a research collaboration with Mastercard to advance methods for evaluating and auditing generative artificial intelligence systems. Supported by Mastercard’s AI Governance program, the project will examine how to improve transparency and real‑world benefits from generative AI.
The research effort includes a core team of Cornell Tech faculty members who are leaders in the fields of algorithmic fairness, AI evaluation, the ethics of technology and human-AI interaction.
Mastercard Explores Sale of Payments Unit It Bought From Nets in 2019, FT Reports
Mastercard
"Mastercard is seeking to sell the real-time payments unit that it acquired from Denmark's Nets Group in 2019 for $3.2 billion, the Financial Times reported on Thursday. The credit card giant has hired investment bankers to lead a sale of the business that could draw interest from private equity groups, the report said. Mastercard is likely to fetch a lower valuation than the price it paid, the report said."
March 18, 2026
On the web
Mastercard and Google Team Up to Build Trust for AI-Powered Shopping
The Defiant
"Mastercard has unveiled Verifiable Intent, a new open, standards-based trust framework co-developed with Google, designed specifically for "agentic commerce" — a world where artificial intelligence (AI) systems don't just assist shoppers, but actively plan, decide, and complete purchases autonomously. The core problem Verifiable Intent aims to solve is visibility: when a consumer delegates a purchase to an AI agent, the clear “click buy” or "tap to pay" moment that traditionally signals intent disappears."
March 17, 2026
On the web
Mastercard to Acquire BVNK to Connect On-Chain Payments and Fiat Rails
Mastercard
"Mastercard announced a definitive agreement to acquire BVNK, a leader in stablecoin infrastructure, for up to $1.8 billion, including $300 million in contingent payments. The deal further expands Mastercard’s end-to-end support of digital assets and value movement across currencies, rails and regions."
March 16, 2026
On the web
Mastercard Move Expands China Connectivity With New Bank of Shanghai Collaboration
Disruption Banking
"Mastercard announced a collaboration between Mastercard Move, its money movement platform, and Bank of Shanghai (BoS) to enable seamless, bi-directional payment flows between China and global markets. As international trade, migration and education continue to grow, people and businesses increasingly rely on fast, predictable and transparent global payments. The integration of BoS into Mastercard Move streamlines these cross-border flows, giving SMEs, students and families a more efficient way to move money into and out of China, strengthening a vital financial bridge between China and the world."
March 12, 2026
On the web
Mastercard Move Expands China Connectivity With New Bank of Shanghai Collaboration
Mastercard
"Mastercard announced a collaboration between Mastercard Move, its money movement platform, and Bank of Shanghai (BoS) to enable seamless, bi-directional payment flows between China and global markets. As international trade, migration and education continue to grow, people and businesses increasingly rely on fast, predictable and transparent global payments. The integration of BoS into Mastercard Move streamlines these cross-border flows, giving SMEs, students and families a more efficient way to move money into and out of China, strengthening a vital financial bridge between China and the world."
March 11, 2026
On the web
Mastercard Advances Its Agentic AI Strategy With Virtual C-Suite, Bringing Executive Level Intelligence to Small Businesses [Video]
Mastercard
"Mastercard is advancing a new era of AI with capabilities that span the full commerce lifecycle, from understanding how money moves to predicting risk and opportunity to recommending and executing next best actions. Mastercard’s growing suite of AI-powered capabilities is designed to pioneer the shift from insight to action — all with privacy, trust, and human oversight at the core."
Mastercard Launches New Crypto Partner Program
Mastercard
"Digital assets are entering a new phase. Introducing the Mastercard Crypto Partner Program - a new global initiative that brings together more than 85 crypto‑native companies, payments providers, and financial institutions to create a forum for meaningful dialogue and collaboration as this space continues to mature. Recognizing how much there is to learn from the innovators building on chain every day, the program will allow expertise and insights to flow both ways as we shape the future together."
March 6, 2026
On the web
Mastercard Conducts First Live Agentic Transaction in Malaysia with CIMB, Maybank and RHB Pilot
Mastercard
"Mastercard announced the completion of a pilot that delivered its first authenticated agentic transactions in Malaysia, marking a major step forward for trusted AI‑powered commerce. The pilot was conducted with CIMB Group Holdings Berhad, Malayan Banking Berhad and RHB Banking Group using Mastercard Agent Pay and was initiated by AI agents in a controlled pilot environment, ensuring security, transparency and full consumer control. The pilot demonstrated how AI can support consumers to complete everyday tasks — such as transportation — securely and seamlessly."
March 5, 2026
On the web
Santander and Mastercard Complete Europe’s First Live End-To-End Payment Executed by an AI Agent
Santander
"Banco Santander and Mastercard announced the successful completion of Europe’s first live end-to-end payment executed by an artificial intelligence (AI) agent, representing the first agentic payment carried out within a regulated banking framework and marking a significant milestone in the application of AI systems capable of initiating and completing transactions on behalf of customers. Santander carried out the transaction in a controlled environment using Mastercard Agent Pay."
March 3, 2026
On the web
SoFi and Mastercard Partner to Enable SoFiUSD Settlement Across Mastercard’s Global Payments Network
Mastercard
"SoFi’s fully reserved U.S. dollar stablecoin will support settlement across the Mastercard network, including for SoFi Bank, N.A. Galileo, SoFi’s technology platform, will be among the first to offer its clients and their issuing banks the choice to settle transactions using SoFiUSD. The Mastercard Multi-Token Network will look to support SoFiUSD, help expand interoperability between digital assets and traditional forms of money"
March 2, 2026
On the web
How Payments Fraud Is Growing in Scale and Sophistication. What Companies Can Do to Fight Back
Mastercard
"Fraud that targets payments is growing more complex and sophisticated. The criminal use of AI and the increasing standardization and reproduction of malware and other technologies: They act like a digital equivalent of old-fashioned burglary tool. For example, the number of stolen credit card records accessible for sale dropped by almost 20% in 2025 from the year before. However, the increasing sophistication and scale of attacks mean that nefarious players can make ever better use of what they can access."
February 24, 2026
On the web
Mastercard Move Set to Accelerate Banks’ Digital Payment Services
Banking Exchange
"Ericsson and Mastercard have announced a collaboration aimed at transforming how money moves globally, with implications for banks and fintechs. By integrating Ericsson’s Fintech Platform with Mastercard Move, which is Mastercard’s portfolio of money movement solutions, the partnership seeks to simplify digital wallet expansion, speed up new payment service launches, and reach underbanked populations."
February 18, 2026
On the web
Ericsson and Mastercard Enhance Global Digital Money Movement and Accelerate Digital Financial Inclusion
Mastercard
"Ericsson and Mastercard announced a collaboration to reshape how money moves across the world. By integrating the Ericsson Fintech Platform (Mobile Financial Services) with Mastercard Move, Mastercard’s portfolio of money movement solutions, the collaboration will empower telecom service providers, banks and fintechs to expand digital wallet capabilities, launch new payment services and reach unbanked or underbanked communities."
February 6, 2026
On the web
Mastercard Collaborates With Cyber Security Council to Safeguard Uae’s Digital Ecosystem
Mastercard
"Mastercard has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the UAE Cyber Security Council (CSC) to strengthen trust in the nation’s digital ecosystem. Through this collaboration, both entities will work together to advance cybersecurity resilience by sharing global best practices and supporting the development of forward‑looking cybersecurity policies. The two entities are also launching a joint report on the current state of the country’s cybersecurity landscape."
February 4, 2026
On the web
Mastercard Launches Fleet: Next Gen to Streamline Fleet Payments in Apac
Asian Banking & Finance
"Mastercard has launched Mastercard Fleet: Next Gen, a portfolio of new solutions for car fleet management and logistics operations. It offers global acceptance across millions of locations, including fuel, electric vehicle (EV) charging, maintenance, tolling, and ancillary fleet speed, according to a press release on 4 February 2026. Mastercard promises smarter authorisation controls and spend policies based on vehicle, driver, merchant categories, location, time, and amount."
January 27, 2026
Top Post
Mastercard Unveils Major AI Shopping Change Coming for CBA, Westpac Customers: ‘Australia’s First' Transaction
Yahoo Finance
"Global payments giant Mastercard announced it will expand its agentic payments technology further in Australia with the completion of Australia’s first authenticated agentic transactions, which are transactions completed by an 'AI agent', using Commonwealth Bank and Westpac cards. Mastercard’s ‘Agent Pay’ technology, which was launched in the US last year, allows shoppers to ask an AI agent to search, find and buy items for them."