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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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April 24, 2026
On the web
Alipay Brings Mobile Payments to the Car
Finews
"At the Beijing International Automotive Exhibition 2026, Chinese tech firm Banma Intelligence and fintech giant Alipay unveiled a new AI-powered in-car system that allows drivers to make purchases using only their voice."
April 23, 2026
On the web
UK Unveils Reforms to Prepare Payments Sector for Future Innovation
Banking Exchange
"The UK government has launched a package of reforms aimed at modernizing payments regulation. A key pillar of the reforms is the integration of payment services and e-money regulation into the UK’s core financial services regime, establishing a single, coherent framework covering both traditional and emerging forms of money, including stablecoins and tokenized deposits. For the first time, stablecoins used for payments will be brought into scope of UK regulation."
India to Pitch BRICS Payment System Similar To Brazilian PIX
Watcher
"According to a report from the Revista Forum, India is set to put forward a policy at the BRICS summit to launch a new payment system similar to the Brazilian PIX for cross-border transactions among member nations. This will not be a common currency like the euro, but could mandate central banks to settle transactions directly with each other. The move will make the bloc no longer rely on the US dollar for trade and cross-border settlements."
April 22, 2026
On the web
Russia Advances Sweeping Crypto Bill With Provisions for 'Circumventing Sanctions'
Decrypt
"Russia's State Duma passed a crypto regulation bill, establishing the country's first framework for digital asset regulation while maintaining restrictions on domestic cryptocurrency payments. The legislation would classify cryptocurrency as property, enabling legal protection in court proceedings including bankruptcy and divorce cases. The bill's provisions for cross-border crypto transactions could provide Russian companies a payment mechanism outside traditional banking systems that Western nations have restricted."
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."
Singapore’s Metacomp Rolls Out AI Agent Governance Framework for Financial Institutions, Regulators
Blockhead
"Singapore-based financial services firm MetaComp has launched what it describes as the first governance framework for AI agents operating in regulated financial services, introduced at Money20/20 Asia. Alongside the framework launch, MetaComp announced the expansion of its AgentX agentic financial services Skill ecosystem, described as the first such ecosystem from a licensed financial institution, available from today across Claude, Claude Code, OpenClaw, and other compatible AI platforms via the Model Context Protocol."
April 21, 2026
On the web
EthSwitch Moves to Launch Merchant Portal and AI-Driven Credit Scoring System [Ethiopia]
Birr Metrics
"EthSwitch is preparing to introduce a merchant portal and a credit scoring framework as part of its next phase of infrastructure development, aimed at deepening payment interoperability and expanding financial inclusion in Ethiopia’s digital financial system. The national payments switch has already deployed the ETHQR interoperable QR standard and a Request to Pay (RTP) feature within its instant payments ecosystem. The merchant portal is designed to address persistent gaps in payment visibility, settlement confirmation, and reconciliation at the point of sale."
On the wires
ION Brings Mandatory EU Payee Verification Live at Scale
PR Newswire
"ION Treasury, a global provider of treasury and risk management solutions for corporations, financial institutions, and central banks, announced the introduction of Verification of Payee (VoP) capabilities across its treasury solutions. This enables customers to comply with a major EU payments regulation as it moves into active enforcement."
April 17, 2026
On the web
What Is a Stablecoin Settlement Layer and Why It Matters for Africa
The Nation Newspaper
"In traditional finance, payment and settlement are two different things. A payment is the instruction to move money (like a swipe of a credit card). Settlement is the actual movement of the underlying asset. In Africa’s current banking landscape, settlement is a game of digital promises. Because local banks often lack direct relationships with one another across borders, they rely on a global web of intermediaries. A stablecoin settlement layer, however, is a blockchain-based rail where the payment and the settlement happen simultaneously."
Education: From Queues to QR Codes: India’s Payment Revolution
Government of India
"India’s financial journey has evolved over centuries from barter systems and cowrie shells to coins, paper currency, and cheques. For much of its modern history, cash remained the dominant mode of transaction. The early 2000s marked the beginning of digital transformation in payments. The Reserve Bank of India introduced systems like Real-Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) in 2004 and Immediate Payment Service (IMPS) in 2010, enabling faster and round-the-clock transfers."
April 16, 2026
On the web
Click to Cancel: The UK’s New Subscription Contract Regime
Whitecase
"The UK Government has published its plans for implementing the new subscription contracts regime established under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (DMCCA). The new regime will introduce "cooling-off" periods at the end of free trials and upon auto-renewal, alongside new obligations designed to make it "straightforward" for consumers to cancel unwanted subscriptions. With implementation targeted for Spring 2027, businesses are strongly recommended to begin their compliance planning now."
April 15, 2026
On the web
Buenos Aires Mandates Electronic Payments in Land-Based Gaming to Boost Transparency
iGamingToday.com - News, insights and Slots review
"The regulatory body that oversees gambling activities in the province of Buenos Aires has recently announced mandatory electronic betting payments. Specifically, it has been decided that interoperable QR Codes should be used when placing bets at agencies, racetracks, and gaming halls. Clearly, this initiative will have far-reaching implications since it means abandoning cash in favor of digital transactions linked to bank accounts and debit cards."
April 13, 2026
Top Post
India’s Central Bank Mulls Delay for Some Digital Payments to Curb Fraud
MSN
"India's central bank is suggesting the introduction of a delay for certain digital payments above a threshold as part of measures to curb rising fraud, and sought stakeholder feedback on the proposals in a discussion paper. The Reserve Bank of India outlined four possible safeguards, including a lag for certain authorised push-payment transactions above 10,000 rupees ($107.92), additional authentication for high-value transfers by vulnerable users, limits on credits into some bank accounts without enhanced checks, and customer-controlled safeguards such as disabling digital payment channels."
On the web
Hong Kong’s Stablecoin Revolution Will Be Whitelisted
Blockhead
The HKMA handed its first approvals to the banks that already print the Hong Kong dollar. That tells you everything about what these tokens are meant to be. HSBC has been clear about its intended use cases: peer-to-peer payments through PayMe, merchant payments, and subscriptions to tokenised investment products.
Flutterwave Secures Nigerian Banking License to Accelerate Payment Efficiency
Intelligent CIO Africa
"Flutterwave, one of Africa’s leading payments companies, announced it has secured a Nigerian banking license. By securing this banking license, Flutterwave gains greater control over how funds move within its ecosystem, including the ability to hold deposits and manage financial flows across its platform."
April 10, 2026
On the web
Latam Insights: Global Pix, Mercado Libre Ends Token
Crypto News
"The Central Bank of Brazil has revealed its next steps to keep improving and growing Pix, the ubiquitous instant payment system used by almost all adults in the country. According to local media, the Central Bank plans to launch International Pix, a standard feature that would allow individuals and companies to complete cross-border payments and remittances using the Pix network. While Pix is already available internationally in Argentina, the U.S., and Portugal, this new initiative would make it permanent, interconnecting instant national payment systems and streamlining settlements."
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
AP+ and Bolt Group Announce the Next Chapter for Popular Peer to Peer Payments App, Beem [Australia]
Australian Payments Plus
"Australian Payments Plus (AP+) has signed an agreement for Bolt to acquire its consumer payments app, Beem. Over the years, Beem has spearheaded the group expense tracking trend and achieved more than 3 million app downloads, while maintaining an average app store rating of 4.9 out of 5. The sale of Beem reflects a deliberate move for AP+ to sharpen its focus on the role it plays in building and operating Australia’s critical payments and identity infrastructure, including eftpos, the NPP, ConnectID and BPAY.”"
Why the UK is Mulling a Centralised Testing Regime for Banking AI
The Global Treasurer
"The Bank of England and the UK government are weighing a landmark proposal to introduce a common testing regime for general-purpose AI models. The move aims to strip away the ‘black box’ opacity of US-developed algorithms and relieve the operational burden on individual lenders. With roughly 75% of UK financial firms now deploying AI, the sector has “substantially outpaced” almost every other industry in adopting the technology. However, this rapid rollout has left regulators uneasy."
Namibia Sets 2030 Vision for Digital Payments Growth
CoinGeek
"The Bank of Namibia (BoN), together with the Payments Association of Namibia and financial stakeholders, has launched the National Payment System (NPS) Vision and Strategy 2026 – 2030 to accelerate digital transformation and promote inclusive economic growth in the African nation. The NPS was unveiled as part of the “Inclusive Payments, Shared Prosperity: Charting the Next Era” strategy, which aims to modernize Namibia’s payments infrastructure and strengthen financial innovation."
April 7, 2026
On the web
Kenswitch and Visa Sign Framework Agreement to Support the Evolution Of Kenya’s Payments Ecosystem
Kenswitch
"Kenswitch Limited, Kenya’s shared payments infrastructure provider, and Visa, a global leader in digital payments, announced the signing of a framework agreement to collaborate on advancing payment innovation and supporting the continued development of Kenya’s domestic payment processing and settlement ecosystem. The agreement brings together Kenswitch’s national payments infrastructure and Visa’s global digital payments expertise to support financial institutions, merchants, businesses, and consumers across Kenya."
Multicurrency Crypto Wallet: The Future of Flexible and Secure Payments
News18
"The #1 global gaming platform, proudly announces the launch of Multiwallet – an innovative feature that brings all currencies together in one account with separate wallets for INR, USDT, and USDC. This innovative solution lets users easily manage their funds, combining crypto and fiat payments while keeping every transaction safe, transparent, and fully under their control."
Cross Switch Goes Live With Absa Pay to Deliver Frictionless, Bank Authenticated Payments for South African Merchants
Cross Switch
"When customers select Absa Pay at checkout, they are routed to a secure Absa environment to authenticate the payment directly with their bank before being returned to the merchant’s platform to complete the transaction. Absa developed Absa Pay to provide fintechs, e‑commerce platforms, and other digital partners with a safe, authenticated way to engage with the bank through secure, API‑based systems. Through the enablement of Absa Pay, Cross Switch merchants benefit from strong customer authentication, real‑time payment confirmation, and consistent system reliability delivered through bank‑side monitoring."
April 6, 2026
On the web
Why UPI Payments Will Feel Different From April 2026 [India]
ET Edge
"From April 1, 2026, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is set to implement a major overhaul of India’s digital payment security framework. These new rules which were formally issued under the “Authentication Mechanisms for Digital Payment Transactions Directions, 2025”,will significantly change how Indians use UPI, debit/credit cards, mobile wallets, and online banking. The most important feature of the new framework is mandatory two-factor authentication (2FA) for all digital payments."
Aussies Face Grim Warning Amid New Bank
Yahoo Finance
"One of Australia’s most hated hidden fees has been removed. The RBA released its review of merchant card payment costs and surcharging, recommending three changes to Australia’s payment network. These include removing surcharges which will be banned from October 1, with businesses now having to display the entire cost - including credit charges – as part of the sticker price. The RBA is reducing interchange fees – which are paid by a business’ bank to the customer’s bank, will be lowered while the RBA promised to ensure increased transparency surrounding fees charged by card networks."
The United States Attacks Pix Again, and Lula Reacts
Finsiders Brazil
"Pix has once again come under scrutiny from the US government led by Donald Trump . A report published by the Office of the United States Trade Representative alleges that the Brazilian instant payment system "disadvantages" US electronic payment service providers. According to the annual US trade the Central Bank will give preferential treatment to the Pix system, to the detriment of other payment systems. This includes, therefore, card brands such as Visa and Mastercard."
April 3, 2026
Top Post
China Expands Digital Yuan Network — 12 New Banks Join as E-CNY Push Accelerates
Crypto Economy
"The People’s Bank of China (PBOC) has given a major push to its central bank digital currency (CBDC) network. A total of 12 new financial institutions, including seven national joint-stock banks and five regional commercial banks (notably Bank of Ningbo), have joined the digital yuan (e-CNY) operating platform. This ends the previous oligopoly of the “Big Six” large state-owned banks This expansion process is not accidental; it is linked to a key regulatory shift: the e-CNY has been reclassified as M1, now functioning as a digital deposit that generates interest."
On the web
Ghana’s National ID Cards Can Now Make Payments
TechCabal
"Ghana’s National Identification Authority (NIA), a statutory body mandated to establish a national identification system, has now added a digital wallet to the Ghana Card, the identification card used for services like SIM registration and passport applications. The new payments feature, first announced in September 2025, allows users to make use of ATMs, make payments in stores and online, make international payments with over 200 countries, and access other services such as insurance and emergency assistance."
UnionPay Launches Agentic Payment Open Protocol Framework: Building an Open, Trusted Smart Payment Ecosystem
Yahoo Finance
"On April 2, a special taxi booking transaction was successfully completed in Hong Kong, China. After entering the booking information into the AI assistant developed by the technology company Evonet, the tester quickly received a list of available taxi types and prices from the ride-hailing platform Hoppa, along with a recommended booking option. UnionPay has officially released the Agentic Payment Open Protocol (APOP) framework – UnionPay's solution for agent-based payments – leveraging its platform capabilities and neutrality."
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."