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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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September 2, 2025
On the web
Infosys, Mastercard Collaborate on Cross-Border Payments
Yahoo Finance
"Infosys announced a strategic collaboration with Mastercard to offer financial institutions enhanced access to Mastercard Move, its portfolio of money movement capabilities. Mastercard Move provides direct disbursers, banks, non-bank financial institutions and their customers with fast, secure money transfer solutions, both domestically and internationally."
Zelle Payment Network Reframes Everyday Payments as Acts of Care [Video]
Lbb Online
"Zelle, the person-to-person payment network that reaches more than 150 million enrolled accounts in the US, has launched a new brand platform and creative campaign: 'When It Counts.' More than a tagline, 'When It Counts' signals Zelle’s shift from utility to cultural relevance, positioning the platform as quietly essential infrastructure in the people-for-people economy."
Klarna Launches Debit-First Card Across Europe for Everyday Spending
Klarna
"Klarna is expanding its debit-first card across the EU, following a successful US launch in July this year. The Klarna Card challenges traditional credit card providers by giving consumers the power to pay upfront or flexibly, and 685,000 Americans have already signed up for the card since July. The Klarna Card, powered by Visa Flexible Credential, is debit by default, letting users pay instantly with their own money, while also offering flexible options."
America’s Banks Will Continue to Consolidate
Banking Exchange
"The number of banks has gone down 50% in the last 20 years, but it still has a long way to go before it is similar in nature to other countries. Larger banks will continue to scoop up regional banks. In contrast, Canada has fewer than 80 banks in total and yet is considered one of the more stable systems in the world, with the banking sector considered fully prepared for an economic downturn."
Uber Drivers Fear For Safety As Platform Now Allows Cash Payments: 'We Have A Target On Our Head'
Yahoo Finance
"Drivers working with Uber Technologies Inc. have expressed concern as the ride-hailing platform officially begins accepting cash payments for rides in the U.S. With Uber offering cash payments in multiple cities like Los Angeles, Tampa, San Diego and Jacksonville, drivers working with the ride-hailing giant fear for their safety as they could be targets for theft, Business Insider reported on Wednesday."
August 29, 2025
On the web
Software Eats the Checkout-Evolution of POS [History]
Mastercard
"For decades, the point of sale (POS) has been the driving force behind in-store transactions. However, in the rapidly advancing landscape of technology, emerging innovations are redefining the traditional POS. As technology continues to move forward, customers are seeking seamless and personalized shopping experiences."
People Hated Shopping Carts When They Were Invented in 1937
History Facts
"During the Great Depression in the 1930s, most Americans were just trying to get by, and few had the luxury of coming home from the grocery store with extra items. But that didn’t stop an Oklahoma grocer from coming up with the idea of a shopping cart, an invention that started out almost as disdained as it was practical.The man behind the idea was Sylvan N. Goldman, owner of the Humpty Dumpty grocery chain. One thing stood out: Customers would stop shopping once their handheld baskets got too heavy."
UK Banks to Invest £1.8 Billion in GenAI by 2030 as Zopa Bank Unveils Plans to Re-Skill 100,000 Workers
Financial IT
"Digital bank Zopa and Juniper Research have today released a new study detailing the seismic impact of Generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen AI) on the UK banking sector. UK banks are poised to invest over £1.8 billion ($2.5bn) in Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) by 2030 to increase staff productivity, cut costs, and enhance user experience -- underscoring the growing importance of Large Language Models (LLMs) in meeting evolving customer expectations."
Automated Clearing House Payments [History]
Federal Reserve History
"Automated Clearing House (ACH) payments were first established in the 1970s by the Federal Reserve System and the banking industry. Up to that point, cash and checks had been the principal methods for retail payments in the United States. ACH payments, which are initiated electronically, were envisioned as a more-efficient payment method."
“Future of Banking: Navigating Change” Conference Highlights Opportunities and Challenges for Community Banking
Kansas City Fed
"On June 5, experts from the financial industry and regulatory community gathered at the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City...Although new technologies such as faster payments may also present some near-term challenges for community banks, they are likely to present substantial opportunities for these institutions as well. Faster payments technologies, particularly services such as FedNow, are increasingly shaping banking behavior, driven primarily by customer demand for speed and convenience."
August 28, 2025
Top Post
ISO 20022 for Financial Institutions: Navigating the End of Coexistence
Swift
"Are you prepared for the end of coexistence inNovember 2025? After 22 November 2025, the coexistence period between MT & ISO 20022 ends, and all cross-border payment instructions sent by financial institutions must be exchanged in the ISO 20022 messaging standard."
On the web
Reserve Bank Gets Green Light to Take Full Control of South Africa’s Instant Payment System
MyBroadband
"The Competition Commission has recommended that the Competition Tribunal approve the South African Reserve Bank’s acquisition of control over BankservAfrica, without conditions. BankservAfrica is the developer and processor of South Africa’s new instant payments system, PayShap, and the acquisition will give the Reserve Bank full control over it."
Zelle® Launches “When it Counts” Brand Platform, Elevating $1 Trillion in Payments into Moments that Matter
Early Warning
"Zelle®, the person-to-person payment network that reaches more than 150 million enrolled user accounts in America, is launching a new brand platform and campaign: “When it Counts.” The campaign, which goes live on September 2, shows everyday payments – to a babysitter, a roommate, or a loved one far from home – as quiet acts of care that power the people-to-people economy."
Proposing a Trusted Agentic Commerce Protocol
Forter
"AI Agents have barely begun to meet their potential. Across Forter’s network of over 280,000 merchants, we’ve seen a 700% increase in the number of sites where agents are browsing. While Agentic transactions might start as a fraction of total purchases, merchants don’t know who will be behind them. They won’t be using or augmenting their data sets. And if it’s a highly valuable customer behind the agent interaction, this disintermediation can lead to a rapid loss of control and revenue."
Deutsche Bank Optimises UPI Connectivity to Streamline Merchant Payments in India
LeapRate
"Deutsche Bank said that it has enhanced its merchant solutions in India by directly integrating with the country’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI), enabling faster and more reliable digital payment processing for large merchants and Payment Service Providers."
mBridge Cross Border CBDC Project Enters Next Phase in China
Ledger Insights
"Over the past couple of months there have been an increasing number of announcements about Chinese banks executing cross border payments using mBridge, the cross border CBDC initiative. The project was originally an initiative of the BIS Innovation Hub in Hong Kong in conjunction with the central banks of Hong Kong, Thailand, China and the UAE. It is a DLT solution that sidesteps Swift for cross border payments, enabling the final settlement of payments within seconds and reportedly at half the cost."
Payments Unbound
J.P. Morgan
"As new technology disrupts industries, the most successful companies are exploring new organizational paradigms. Crucially, the role of the treasury is evolving. J.P. Morgan Payments and WIRED take a closer look at how real-world treasurers are navigating these shifts and are putting innovation to work to make the most of new opportunities."
Driving Commerce: 3 Developments Putting the Automotive Economy in the Fast Lane
Mastercard
"More seamless EV charging, real-time parking info and remote software updates can help revolutionize how we get around."
On the wires
Green Dot, Along with Its Rapid! Pay Division, Joins the Workday Partner Program to Bring Seamless and Value-Driven Payroll Solutions to Workday Clients
Business Wire
"Green Dot Corporation along with its wage and disbursements division, rapid!, announced it has joined the Workday Partner Program. Through this partnership, Green Dot will deliver innovative payroll and payment solutions including earned wage access (EWA) designed to help streamline operations, improve employee retention and promote financial wellness for Workday customers."
Chase Supports Customers with Transition to Direct Deposit for Government Payments
Business Wire
"In light of the U.S. Department of the Treasury's announcement to phase out paper checks for most federal payments by September 30, 2025, Chase branches will be actively informing customers about the advantages of direct deposit, such as: Safety: Reduces the risk of lost or stolen checks; Speed: Payments are deposited directly into accounts, often on the same day they are issued; Convenience: Customers can access their funds anytime, anywhere."
August 27, 2025
Top Post
Instant Payment Use Cases: Property and Casualty Insurance
Fed Now
"The FedNow® Service can offer insurance carriers the ability to instantly send final and irrevocable funds 24x7x365, creating an opportunity to modernize the policyholder experience, thus growing satisfaction and enhancing loyalty. This resource describes the advantages of transferring funds with instant payments, and outlines next steps for insurance carriers, service providers and financial institutions."
On the web
Mastercard Expands Partnership With Circle to Transform Digital Settlement for Merchants and Acquirers in Region
Mastercard
"Mastercard and Circle are deepening their longstanding partnership to enable USDC and EURC settlement for acquirers in the Eastern Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EEMEA) region. This expanded effort marks the first time that the acquiring ecosystem in EEMEA will be able to settle transactions in stablecoins, further cementing Mastercard’s role in connecting blockchain-native crypto assets with traditional fiat commerce infrastructure. Arab Financial Services and Eazy Financial Services will be the first to benefit from this expanded effort."
Google Cloud Is Developing Its Own Blockchain for Payments, Currently in Private Testnet
The Block
"Google Cloud is building its own blockchain network, named Google Cloud Universal Ledger (GCUL), for the financial sector, according to Rich Widmann, Google Cloud's Web3 Head of Strategy, who announced this on Tuesday. Widmann wrote in a LinkedIn post that GCUL aims to provide financial institutions with a "performant, credibly neutral" blockchain platform that enables Python-based smart contracts."
Online Merchants Focus On BNPL, Website Performance Ahead of Holidays
Chain Store Age
"Online merchants of all sizes are already taking steps to brace for the influx of Black Friday and Cyber Monday shoppers...While mobile devices drove more than half (54.5%) of holiday spending in 2024, desktop shopping maintained higher conversion rates throughout the season. "We're seeing a tale of two Black Fridays emerge," said Tamara Niesen, chief marketing officer at Woo. "Larger merchants are investing in performance optimization, sophisticated payment options, and long-term preparation strategies, while smaller businesses often focus on traditional approaches like inventory stocking."
Verification of Payee and the Evolution of Trust in Payments: An Inside View From a European EMI
Malta Today
"In October 2025, the European Union will mandate the implementation of Verification of Payee (VoP) — a mechanism requiring payment providers to check whether the account name entered by the sender matches the IBAN of the recipient, in real time. While this may appear to be a simple additional security step, the implications are far more structural."
FinCen’s Fentanyl Orders: What Banks Need to Know Before Oct. 20
ABA Banking Journal
"The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network has exercised a significant new authority to the fight against illicit fentanyl. FIs must cease any and all transmittals of funds, from or to CIBanco, Intercam, or Vector, as well as their Mexico-located branches, subsidiaries, and offices, by Oct. 20, 2025. The orders define “transmittals of funds” as the sending and receiving of funds, including convertible virtual currency."
Adyen Partners with Prommt to Power Seamless, Secure Payments in Hospitality and Beyond
Prommt
"Adyen announced a joint partnership with Prommt, the premium pay by link solution trusted by top brands in hospitality, travel, luxury retail, and professional services. Prommt’s market-leading platform enables hotels to request and collect secure, efficient and premium branded remote payments. It supports features like scheduled sends, automated reminders (SMS/email), file attachments, reporting, and refund management."
Why Gamers Are More Likely to Choose Cryptocurrency for Transactions in 2025
Breaking The Lines
"Modern online platforms offer dozens of methods for making deposits and withdrawing winnings — from bank cards and e-wallets to mobile payments. However, in recent years, gamers have increasingly chosen cryptocurrency for transactions. This payment format is rapidly strengthening its position and becoming a familiar part of the online gaming industry. Top platforms, including Wazamba casino, integrate popular tokens and stablecoins into their work,"
On the wires
German Banks Halted 10 Billion Euros in PayPal Payments on Fraud Concerns, Says Newspaper
Reuters
"German banks blocked PayPal payments totalling more than 10 billion euros ($11.7 billion) over fraud concerns, the Sueddeutsche Zeitung newspaper reported on Wednesday, without specifying its sources. The payments were halted on Monday after lenders flagged millions of suspicious direct debits from PayPal that appeared last week, the newspaper said."
August 26, 2025
On the web
How ACI Worldwide Plans to Take APP Scams Head-On - Part 1
Bank Info Security
"Real-time payments, or RTPs, and other forms of cashless transactions enable instant money transfers, offering convenience for both individuals and businesses. Cross-border RTPs alone now shift billions of dollars in remittance fees instantly. But fraudsters are exploiting the speed of these transactions, tricking millions of victims into parting with their savings through authorized push payment, or APP, scams. One way to contain this fraud is by embedding network intelligence into the messages associated with RTPs."
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