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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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March 18, 2026
Top Post
Personal Shoppers for Everyone: How the Rise of Agentic Commerce Will Transform Online Retail [+Video]
EPAM
"The distance between seeing a product and buying it is collapsing. New user interface models are changing how consumers discover, engage with, and purchase from brands. At the center of this shift is Agentic AI, an advancement poised to fundamentally reshape the digital marketplace. This shift means brands risk losing their direct connection to consumers. As shoppers increasingly rely on AI-driven agents for discovery and purchasing, visibility will depend less on owned websites and more on the quality of content and product data that can be fed to these new systems."
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."
Visa’s Jack Forestell Calls the Agentic Web the Biggest Payments Opportunity in Two Decades
Crypto News
"Visa’s Chief Product and Strategy Officer just said the quiet part loud. Jack Forestell told attendees at the Wolfe Research FinTech Forum last week that “the agentic web is the biggest opportunity that I’ve seen in my 20-plus years in payment technology.” That’s not a throwaway line from a mid-level product manager. It’s the strategic thesis of a $592 billion company that processes roughly $16.7 trillion in payment volume annually. When Visa says something is the next big thing, the payments industry tends to pay attention — or scramble to catch up."
Square's 2026 Local Economy Report Reveals the Neighborhood Network Effect
Block
"Square published its 2026 Local Economy Report report, a first-of-its-kind analysis revealing how "regulars" and the neighborhood networks they create are the backbone of thriving local economies. The report reveals that regular customers drive 6x more revenue for local businesses and unpacks the patterns and trends in their spending. This includes regulars making predictable purchases, tipping more generously, and prioritizing in-person experiences, which ultimately creates the steady demand businesses rely on during periods of economic uncertainty."
JPMorgan Partners With Mastercard to Launch Virtual B2B Card in Europe
Retail Systems
"JPMorgan Chase’s payments arm has partnered with Mastercard to launch its virtual card in Europe. JPMorgan Payments plans to tap into Europe’s position as the world’s second-largest payments market after rolling out the virtual card in the US. By adopting the JPMorgan Payments virtual card, businesses in sectors such as insurance, healthcare, travel and commercial real estate can digitise accounts payable and receivable."
Nubank Dominates Credit in Brazil, but Mercado Libre Is Poised to Change the Game
Finsiders Brasil
"Nubank and Mercado Libre together accounted for 36% of the growth in credit card stockover the last 12 months, according to a report to a report by Itaú BBA. Nubank leads in volume and is already highly profitable in this product. Mercado Libre is still losing money on, but analysts say the Argentine company's turnaround is yet to come. And the reason is simple: according to the investment bank, Mercado Libre is building something structurally more powerful in credit than any other digital bank in the country."
Capital One Launches Capital One Travel App
Capital One
"Capital One announced a strategic evolution of its travel business and award-winning travel portal, as well as the launch of the Capital One Travel App. Capital One is taking a step forward in its goal to build a fully integrated travel franchise, bringing the technology, talent, and supplier relationships underpinning Capital One Travel in-house. The Capital One Travel App is the ultimate expression of this evolution—a unified ecosystem that leverages award-winning technology to help cardholders travel smarter and with greater confidence."
Klarna Smashes 1 Million Merchants Milestone
Klarna
"Klarna has surpassed 1 million merchants globally. Klarna has grown the number of merchants offering its payment methods by 47% in the past year, adding 285,000 merchants in 2025, and more than 115,000 in the final quarter alone. The growth is being driven by Klarna's expanding agreements with the world's leading payment service providers, giving merchants around the world easier access to Klarna at checkout."
American Express Now Offers Virtual Cards in Concur Expense to Simplify Expense Management
American Express
"American Express announced the integration of American Express Virtual Cards into Concur® Expense, expanding its partnership with SAP® Concur to deliver integrated spend management solutions to enterprise clients. Employees can use Virtual Cards for business spending while administrators maintain control through built-in spending limits, get added security through uniquely generated Card numbers, and can review, manage and reconcile expenses all in one place."
March 17, 2026
Top Post
Mastercard, Visa Can Appeal UK Ruling That Merchant Fees Breach Antitrust Law
"Visa and Mastercard can challenge a judgment that found their default multilateral interchange fees charged to retailers infringe competition law, London's Court of Appeal ruled on Tuesday, in a long-running legal battle over the charges. The Competition Appeal Tribunal ruled last year, in linked lawsuits brought by hundreds of merchants, that Visa and Mastercard's multilateral interchange fees breached European competition law. The merchants' lawyers previously said that was the first time Visa and Mastercard's commercial card and inter-regional multilateral interchange fees had been found to infringe competition law."
On the web
OCC, Former Comptrollers Urge Court to Overturn Illinois Interchange Ruling
ABA Banking Journal
"An Illinois state law restricting interchange fees for certain payments threatens the national banking system by interfering with federal powers to regulate that system, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and a group of 10 former comptrollers said in separate court filings last week. The Illinois Interchange Fee Prohibition Act, or IFPA, bans banks, payment networks and other entities from charging or receiving interchange fees in Illinois on the portion of a debit or credit card transaction attributable to tax or gratuity."
PayPal Eyes 70-Country PYUSD Expansion With Rewards For Its Stablecoin, Despite CLARITY Act Limbo
CoinDesk
"The expansion comes as the CLARITY Act remains stalled in the Senate due to disagreement over stablecoin rewards. As per the last proposal, PayPal would not be able to offer rewards on stablecoin holdings since it is not the issuer of PYUSD. Regulatory uncertainty could force PayPal to revise its rewards model or international strategy."
PPro Integrates Cash App Pay, Connecting Merchants With Millions of Gen Z and Millennial Consumers
PPRO
"PPRO announced that Cash App Pay is now available on its platform to merchants and PSPs operating in the U.S. This partnership enables businesses in PPRO’s network to offer a fast, mobile-first payment method that meets the expectations of digitally native American consumers and helps merchants connect with Cash App’s engaged customer base. Cash App Pay allows customers to pay directly from their Cash App balance*, linked bank account, or debit card, without needing to use a physical card."
Early Warning Services Expands Paze® Online Checkout to Citi
Early Warning
"Early Warning Services, the company behind Zelle, announced that Citi will offer Paze, the bank-offered online checkout solution, expanding access to millions of customers through one of the largest U.S. credit card issuers. Eligible Citi cardmembers will be able to activate Paze through Citi.com, the Citi Mobile® App or mywallet.paze.com. Customers can then look for the Paze button at the online checkout of participating retailers and easily complete their purchase with just a few clicks."
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."
Paytm’s New In-App Calculator Makes Splitting Bills Super Easy
NewsBytes
"Paytm just rolled out an in-app calculator on its payment screen, making it super easy to split bills at grocery stores, pharmacies, or markets:No need to switch between apps. You can quickly add up amounts, see the total in both numbers and words, and confirm everything before entering your UPI PIN."
Thunes Brings Stablecoin Payouts to 11,500 Banks via Swift Connectivity, Bridging Traditional Finance and Digital Assets
Thunes
"Thunes unveiled a major breakthrough in cross-border payments by offering its Pay-to-Stablecoin-Wallets solution to banks globally through their existing Swift connectivity. This innovation enables the 11,500 institutions on the Swift network to send real-time payments to more than 500 million stablecoin wallets worldwide, with zero additional integration. Thunes acts as a bridge between the fiat and the digital assets ecosystem."
UPI Payments Can Be Made Simply by Shaking Your Phone, Hassle-Free
MSN
"Now, you can make UPI payments simply by shaking your phone. To do this, open your payment app and shake it. Shaking the phone will open the QR code scanner, allowing you to make payments in no time. With so many payment apps available these days, finding a QR code scanner can sometimes be difficult. This can be time-consuming and can delay your payment. To avoid this hassle, PhonePe offers the 'Shake and Pay' option."
Capital One Redefines Its Role With Discover And Brex Platform Shift
Yahoo Finance
"For Capital One, the combination of Discover and Brex turns what used to be a credit card centric lender into a much broader payments and software platform. Discover brings a proprietary card network and a larger consumer footprint, while Brex adds corporate liability cards, expense management tools, and integrated business payment solutions. Taken together, that pushes Capital One closer to the model you see at players like American Express, JPMorgan Chase, and to some extent fintechs that combine cards with workflow software."
Garanti BBVA Unveils a Personalized Smart Wallet Packed With Rewards
BBVA
"Garanti BBVA has completely overhauled BonusFlaş. Android users can quickly switch between registered cards before paying. GarantiPay and 3D Secure online payments, credit card and bill payments, motor vehicle tax payments and card-to-card international transfers can all be carried out without a physical card. For customers with multiple cards, total limit, remaining limit and total balance are visible on a single screen."
Wells Fargo’s Trademark Filing Suggests Wider Crypto Plans
Banking Exchange
"Wells Fargo could be exploring a deeper push into digital assets after filing a sweeping trademark application that hints at ambitions across cryptocurrency trading, payments, and blockchain software. The bank also describes a suite of blockchain-related software tools, including downloadable applications for staking digital assets, accessing non-fungible tokens (NFTs), managing cryptocurrency wallets, and executing digital asset transactions."
United Airlines, Currensea and Mastercard Launch UK-First Loyalty Debit Card for Frequent Flyers
Breaking Travel News
"United Airlines, in partnership with Currensea, the market-leading payments technology platform for co-branded multi-bank debit cards, and Mastercard, today announced the launch of the United AirlinesSM Debit Card, the first ever rewards debit card offered to UK travellers by a U.S. airline. The United Airlines Debit Card can be linked to any existing UK bank account and allows customers to earn miles and exclusive travel benefits from United on all their day-to-day spending."
March 16, 2026
Top Post
Visa and Fiserv Expand Partnership to Strengthen Payment Acceptance Across Europe
Visa
"Visa and Fiserv today announced an expansion of their long-standing partnership to deliver the Visa Acceptance Platform within Fiserv’s merchant acquiring and processing solutions across Europe. The collaboration introduces a unified, API driven acceptance layer designed to simplify integration for acquirers while helping merchants improve authorisation rates, reduce fraud and deliver seamless customer experiences. The expanded partnership builds on years of joint innovation across payments, acceptance and AI enabled services."
On the web
Sorting Through the Issues Surrounding Stablecoin
Atlanta Federal Reserve
"One way to demystify stablecoin is to think of this digital currency as the latest innovation in money, another step in the evolution to improve payments efficiency that began in Eurasia as early as 750 BCE. Considered from this perspective, it's no surprise that discussions around stablecoin have reached the level it has now that the federal government has authorized its use in the United States, though it's important to note that stablecoins are not backed or insured by the US government. Instead, under the new law, payment stablecoins must be backed one-to-one by high-quality, segregated reserves, primarily US dollars, Treasury bills, or cash equivalents."
Elizabeth Warren Blocks Permanent CBDC Ban in Senate Bill
Bidget
"The US Senate has approved a major housing bill that includes a temporary ban on a Federal Reserve central bank digital currency. The bill blocks the creation of a US digital dollar until Dec. 31, 2030. A section near the end of the bill places direct limits on the Federal Reserve, stating that the central bank cannot issue or create a digital currency or any similar digital asset through financial institutions or other intermediaries during the ban period."
Elon Musk’s X Money Debit Card Spotted in Action in New Payment Video
Yahoo Finance
"Elon Musk‘s X Money payments service may have gotten a major boost as a user shared a video of making a transaction using the service’s debit card. On Thursday, user Josh Wood took to the social media platform X to share a video of him making a transaction at a chain gas station. “Recorded for posterity,” Wood said in the caption, showcasing the metal debit card touted by Musk."
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."
Capital One Settles 360 Savings Suit Reshaping Costs And Customer Narrative
Yahoo Finance
"Capital One Financial has finalized a class action settlement involving holders of its 360 Savings accounts. The agreement establishes a US$425 million settlement fund for eligible customers dating back to 2019. Capital One will equalize interest rates on legacy 360 Savings accounts and its 360 Performance Savings product going forward."
FDIC Proposes Ban on Pass Through Stablecoin Insurance
Ledger Insights
"Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) Chair Travis Hill said the regulator is proposing a ban on pass through insurance for stablecoin reserves held at FDIC insured banks, and is inviting comments on the proposal. The GENIUS Act explicitly bans deposit insurance for stablecoins themselves. But there are two separate things here. There is the stablecoin, and then there is a deposit account holding reserves. Hill highlighted that the GENIUS Act is clear about the stablecoin itself, but doesn’t discuss the deposit accounts used for reserves."
March 13, 2026
On the web
Next-Gen Payment Cards: Virtual Solutions With No Limits [UK]
Wales 247
"The massive trend of 2026 is no-limit virtual cards. They are totally shattering the traditional banking mold, offering unprecedented flexibility, global reach, and zero of the usual restrictions. These virtual solutions are tailor-made for the era of digital nomads, crypto investors, and global biz. They literally erase borders, letting you top up your balance with crypto, make worldwide payments without limits, and keep fees down to an absolute minimum. In this piece, a detailed breakdown and ranking of the top platforms issuing these next-gen cards in reviewed."
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