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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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June 6, 2025
On the web
Fiserv to Acquire AIB Merchant Services
Fiserv, Inc.
"Fiserv, Inc. announced that it has agreed to acquire the remaining 49.9% of AIB Merchant Services (AIBMS), its joint venture with AIB Group, in a transaction focused on driving continued growth in Ireland and the broader European market. Founded in 2007, AIBMS is one of Ireland’s largest payment solution providers and one of Europe’s largest e-commerce acquirers."
June 5, 2025
On the web
Wise Gets RBI Nod for Cross-Border Payment Aggregation in India
IBS Intelligence
"Global FinTech Wise has received in-principle approval from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to operate as a Payment Aggregator – Cross Border for export transactions. The approval marks a significant step in Wise’s deepening commitment to India’s fast-growing cross-border payments landscape."
Netflix, Amazon, Globoplay, OLX and Others Are ‘Pioneers’ in Automatic Pix
Finsiders Brasil
"On June 16, Automatic Pix will debut with eight companies selected by the Central Bank (BC), a group called “Pioneers”: Amazon, Globoplay, Grupo OLX, Cemig, Disney+, Netflix, Spotify and Visão Prev. The new feature was designed to replace or compete with recurring payments made today using credit cards, bank slips or direct debit, but with greater security, reach and fluidity."
Retailers Turn to BNPL Apps to Ease Cost-Of-Living Strain
GlobalData
"As rising prices squeeze household budgets on both sides of the Atlantic, major retailers in the UK and US are turning to Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) services like Klarna, Affirm, PayPal and Afterpay to offer more flexible payment options. In the US, Affirm is widely used by major retailers including Walmart and Peloton. Walmart enables BNPL at checkout through Affirm for purchases over $144, including electronics, home goods and sports equipment."
Brazil’s Payment Revolution Accelerates: Pix Automático Launches
MEF
"Brazil’s payment landscape is evolving yet again with the launch this month of PIX Automático. With PIX already transforming how individuals and businesses transact, the addition of automation has major implications for the mobile ecosystem. In this post, MEF CEO Dario Betti explores how enabling automated recurring payments marks the next phase in Brazil’s instant payments journey and may impact stakeholders."
On the wires
Mastercard and PayPal to Partner on Mastercard One Credential to Supercharge Choice at Checkout
Business Wire
"Mastercard and PayPal are teaming up to offer shoppers more choice and control over how they check out. Mastercard has innovated One Credential so that consumers can use a single credential that delivers multiple ways to pay and tailor their payment preferences. Now, Mastercard and PayPal will have the opportunity to codevelop new features utilizing Mastercard’s One Credential and bring these solutions to more consumers."
June 4, 2025
Top Post
Ant International Rolls Out AI-as-a-Service for Fintechs, Superapps
Fintech Singapore
"Ant International has launched its new artificial intelligence platform, Alipay+ GenAI Cockpit, as part of a broader AI strategy aimed at helping fintech companies and super apps develop more secure and efficient financial services. The AI-as-a-Service platform is set to be officially deployed by its first external clients in Southeast Asia and South Asia starting June 2025."
On the web
Venmo Introduces New Debit Card Benefits and Payment Options as Rival Cash App Struggles
TechCrunch
"The PayPal-owned payment platform debuted new debit card benefits and expanded the ability to make payments with retailers such as TikTok Shop and Uber. The revamped Venmo Debit Card, now features a tap-to-pay capability. Additionally, cardholders now get 15% cash back at Lyft, McDonald’s, Sephora, Walgreens, and Walmart. Venmo also rolled out the option for cardholders to initiate automatic transfers, enabling them to schedule transfers and set specific balance thresholds that automatically trigger reloading when the balance falls below a certain level."
Global Payments and Sage Launch Embedded Vendor Payments Solution
StockTitan
"Global Payments Inc. announced that its MineralTree business, which provides modern, secure, easy-to-use accounts payable (AP) and payment automation solutions, and Sage, a leader in accounting, financial, HR and payroll technology for small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs), launched a vendor payments solution built directly within Sage Intacct. The solution, Vendor Payments powered by MineralTree, gives finance teams a seamless way to pay vendor bills without ever leaving their Sage Intacct instance."
Amid Challenge From Banks, Illinois Legislators Move to Delay Ban on Certain Credit Card Fees
Chicago Tribune
"Illinois legislators voted to delay for one year a ban on certain credit card fees that was set to take effect July 1 amid a legal challenge by banks. A measure passed by legislators and signed into law by Gov. JB Pritzker last year would prevent banks and credit card companies from charging retailers a small fee on sales taxes and tips. Pritzker still has to sign off on the legislature’s move to extend the deadline to July 1, 2026."
Worldline Initiates the Launch of Wero in Ecommerce Starting This Summer
Worldline
"Worldline is ready to launch the new Wero payment method, enabling eMerchants to accept it in Germany from this summer onwards. Wero for eCommerce will subsequently be launched in Belgium in October 2025 and in France in early 2026"
More Than One in Five Americans Fell Victim to Financial Fraud
Banking Exchange
"With the number and severity of financial fraud incidents and scams rising in recent years, 21% of adults have fallen victim to money-related fraud in the past year. The Fed’s Economic Well-being of US Households in 2024 report found that among fraud victims, 17% were targeted through credit card fraud while 8% experienced other forms of financial fraud."
Visa Study Reveals UAE Consumers Would Shop More Online with Simpler Checkout Experience
Visa Middle East
"Visa, a global leader in digital payments, today announced the findings of its “Checkout Friction Report”, which highlights strong consumer demand for a more secure and seamless eCommerce experience. Despite the widespread adoption of eCommerce and significant progress in growing the UAE’s digital economy, opportunity remains for retailers to enhance checkout experience and increase customer satisfaction."
Revolut to Install First ATMs in Spain, Plans to Reach 200 by 2026
Finance Magnates
"British fintech firm Revolut will launch its first automated teller machines (ATMs) in Madrid and Barcelona, two major Spanish cities. These ATMs will allow non-registered users to obtain a Revolut debit card on the spot and use it without any charge."
Thunes Secures Money Transmission Licenses to Operate in the United States
Thunes
"Thunes, the Smart Superhighway to move money around the world, announced it has secured the 50 licenses it requires to operate in the United States."
Global Payments Agrees to Divest Payroll Business to Acrisure
GlobalData
"Paytech firm Global Payments has signed a definitive agreement to sell its payroll business, Heartland Payroll Solutions to fintech entity Acrisure for $1.1bn. The divestiture is part of Global Payments' strategy to streamline its operations and focus on being a “pure play” commerce solutions provider."
June 3, 2025
Top Post
One Year in, Mastercard’s Checkout Transformation Gains Ground Across Europe
Mastercard
"One year after announcing its vision to phase out manual card entry and drive 100% tokenisation, Mastercard is celebrating major strides across Europe, where a growing number of partners are adopting the technologies that underpin safer, smarter digital commerce. Nearly half of Mastercard e-commerce transactions are now tokenised in Europe. These tokenised transactions, including Secure Card on File (SCOF), Click to Pay, and digital wallets, have increased by over one third in the past year."
On the web
PayPal Enhances Popular Online Credit Offering with New Physical Card for In-Store Use
PayPal
"PayPal announced that PayPal Credit can now be used everywhere with the introduction of a new physical card, issued by Synchrony. This expands its popular digital PayPal Credit offering to use both online when checking out with PayPal and in-store and everywhere Mastercard® is accepted."
Treasury Issues RFI for Transition to Electronic Payments
Financial Regulation News
"The U.S. Department of the Treasury issued a request for information (RFI) related to an executive order that seeks to transition federal disbursements to electronic payments. The executive order (EO) in question is 14247, “Modernizing Payments to and From America’s Bank Account.” Beginning Sept. 30, all federal payments that are currently made by paper check —including Social Security benefits, tax refunds, and vendor payments — will be made electronically."
Deutsche Bank and Mastercard Partner to Power Merchant Solutions With Open Banking Payments
Mastercard
"Deutsche Bank and Mastercard are proud to announce a strategic partnership designed to accelerate the evolution of open banking and redefine the payment experience for merchants and consumers across Europe. The collaboration will elevate Deutsche Bank’s Merchant Solutions offering, particularly its Request to Pay (R2P) service, by introducing new levels of choice, flexibility, and efficiency with account-to-account based payments on Mastercard’s trusted open banking network."
By the Numbers: Decline in Consumers' Use of Paper Checks
Atlanta Fed
"Do consumers like checks? We seem to write them often enough. In October 2024, the Survey and Diary of Consumer Payment Choice found that one-third of US consumers had paid with a check in the previous 30 days."
Can Revolut Compete With American Express?
Payments Culture
"Revolut is looking to compete with American Express (Amex) by offering a rewards-based credit card product in the UK. The startup-focused news outlet Sifted reported: Revolut is in the early stages of developing a points-based credit card, putting it in direct competition with incumbents such as American Express."
Visa, Ant International, Grab, Tencent Team Up to Grow AI Commerce
TNGlobal
"Global payment firm Visa announced that it is in explorations with Ant International, Grab, and Tencent to grow artificial intelligence (AI) commerce by enabling a secure and seamless checkout experience. Visa said in a statement that the firm is advancing its infrastructure, standards, and capabilities to power AI-driven commerce, opening new opportunities for consumers across Asia Pacific."
Small Business Sales Growth Inches Higher in May Despite Lingering Uncertainty
Fiserv, Inc.
"Fiserv, Inc. has published the Fiserv Small Business Index for May 2025, with the seasonally-adjusted Index remaining flat at 151. Despite shifting spending patterns as consumers navigate near-term economic uncertainty, small businesses maintained solid year-over-year sales growth of (+3.3%) and total transactions rose (+3.8%)."
Klarna and Visa Launch Pilot of New Debit Card with Increased Flexibility at Money 2020 Europe
Visa
"Klarna, the AI-powered payments and commerce network, unveiled the pilot launch of Klarna Card: a new debit product combined with access to built-in flexible payment options, powered by Visa Flexible Credential and issued by WebBank. Unlike traditional credit cards that can see consumers incur additional debt and interest charges, the Klarna Card will allow consumers to pay immediately or pay later when needed - online or in-store - at more than 150 million Visa-accepting merchants worldwide."
June 2, 2025
On the web
What Klarna’s Recent Report Says About U.S. Consumers’ Finances
Fast Company
"More Klarna customers are experiencing difficulties repaying their “buy now, pay later” loans, the short-term lender announced this week. The disclosure corresponded with reports by lending platforms Bankrate and LendingTree, which cited an increasing share of all “buy now, pay later” users saying they had fallen behind on payments."
Bank and Credit Card Apps and Websites Struggle to Stand Out, J.D. Power Finds
J.D. Power
"As mobile apps and websites have increasingly become the primary customer touch point for the nation’s bank and credit card brands, it’s getting harder to tell them apart from one another, given the similarity in core capabilities. According to a series of recent studies of bank and credit card mobile app and online users, released today by J.D. Power, the gap between best-performing and lowest-performing apps and websites has shrunk to its lowest level to date, providing customers a highly consistent but unmemorable digital experience from one brand to the next."
Visa Debuts Pay-By-Bank Solution in the UK
IBS Intelligence
"Visa has launched its account-to-account (A2A) payment solution in the UK, marking a significant step forward in the evolution of bank transfer payments. Designed to enhance consumer protection and streamline payments for businesses, the new offering enables users to manage bill and subscription payments directly through their banking apps, with Visa’s established security framework now extending to these transactions."
New Research Into Real World Stablecoin Payments Shows Some Surprising Results
Ledger Insights
"Artemis has produced a report on stablecoin real world payments based on a survey of 31 companies that process mainstream stablecoin payments. The average size of B2B payments on the Ethereum and TRON blockchains were pretty high ($219,000 each) compared to other chains such as Polygon where the average was under $10,000."
Agentic AI: A Game-Changer and Strategic Necessity for Banks
CNBCTV18
"Artificial Intelligence (AI) has just started to deliver on the promises of productivity gains, and banks are probably the front runners in adopting the latest innovations like AI agents. However, they have started to hit roadblocks when scaling AI, such as operating on legacy systems, limitations of surface-level automation, and struggling to get the maximum return on investment solely from employee productivity."
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