Glenbrook’s On-Demand Learning program combines our expertly curated payments education curriculum with a self-paced format that fits your schedule – start today!
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
October 7, 2026
On the web
Crypto Industry Hits Back at Regulator Calls for EU Stablecoin Reward Ban
The Banker
"European central banks and regulators have called on the EU to stop stablecoin issuers paying yield to coin holders, but the crypto industry has criticised the ban holding the bloc back.The EU banking watchdog also warned of the “very significant risk” posed by third-country multi-issuance schemes. These initiatives involve entities issuing stablecoins in several jurisdictions, meaning that reserve assets may not be located in the same market as a redemption request, which the EBA argues brings a risk of shortfalls and therefore losses."
October 2, 2026
On the web
ECB’s Digital Euro Development Targets Visa and Mastercard’s 47% Market Share
The Cryptonomist
"Visa and Mastercard already process nearly half of every euro spent on cards across the eurozone, a dominance that has pushed European officials to build an alternative: a new European Central Bank digital currency known as the digital euro. A 12-month pilot of the digital euro is set to start in the second half of 2027, with 36 finance firms including Deutsche Bank, Revolut, Adyen and UniCredit taking part. Businesses across the euro area will be required to accept the digital euro, both in-store and online, by 2029."
September 30, 2026
On the web
Bancomat, Bizum, EPI/Wero, SIBS–MBWay and Vipps MobilePay Announce The Creation of a European Interoperability Entity to Connect Their Respective Solution
KBC Group
"Bancomat, Bizum, EPI/Wero, SIBS-MB WAY and Vipps MobilePay announced the creation of a new joint entity “European Network for Payments”, dedicated to operating and scaling interoperability between participating European payment solutions. The role of the newly established entity is to connect existing European payment solutions through a common technical and operational layer based on European standards, including instant account-to-account payments."
September 17, 2026
On the web
European Central Bank (ECB) Opens Digital Euro Pilot to Online and Mobile Merchants
BitKE
"The Eurosystem has launched a call for expressions of interest inviting e-commerce and mobile commerce (m-commerce) merchants operating in the euro area to participate in its digital euro pilot. The call follows the selection of payment service providers (PSPs) that will take part in the pilot. The pilot will give selected merchants an opportunity to work with the European Central Bank (ECB) and euro area national central banks to test a simulated digital euro ecosystem and provide feedback that could help shape the digital euro’s technical specifications."
September 11, 2026
On the web
Wero for Merchants: A New European Payment Solution for E-commerce
Fnac Darty
"Wero is entering a new phase of its development with Wero for Merchants, a European payment solution designed for e-commerce. To support this launch in France and Europe, BNP Paribas organized a press conference in Paris on September 8, 2026, which Fnac Darty joined alongside Wero and other major corporations. The Group will roll out Wero for Merchants on fnac.com in early 2027, before gradually extending it to physical stores and its other European markets."
August 27, 2026
On the web
Digital Euro: The ECB Ensures Maximum Privacy
Bit2Me News
"The European Central Bank (ECB) has reaffirmed its commitment to financial confidentiality in the development of its new digital currency. According to recent statements from its executive board, the future digital euro will offer the highest possible level of privacy, ensuring that the Eurosystem cannot link individual users to their everyday transactions. This approach aims to allay concerns about financial surveillance, striking a balance between technological innovation and the fundamental rights of European citizens."
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."
Take us with you
Payments on Fire is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, and other podcast apps and services.
Watch new video episodes on our YouTube channel.