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
January 15, 2026
On the web
China’s Digital Yuan Architect Accused of $8M Crypto Bribery Scheme
Cryptonews
"Yao Qian, the former architect of China’s digital yuan, accepted crypto bribes worth over $8 million while holding senior regulatory positions, Chinese state media revealed this week. The case exposes how corrupt officials exploited the same blockchain technology Yao helped develop to conceal illicit transactions through hardware wallets and anonymous transfers."
Jamie Dimon Warns a ‘Parallel Banking System’ Is Emerging—and It Could Put Trillions in Deposits at Risk
Inc.
"Stablecoins that offer interest-bearing rewards may increasingly resemble bank deposits. But unlike traditional deposits, they lack the regulatory safeguards that undergird the banking system. That gap, according to Jamie Dimon, risks creating what he calls a “parallel banking system.”"
Afterpay Data Reveals 96% of U.S. Customers Paid Off Black Friday Cyber Monday Purchases Early or On Time
Block
"Afterpay announced that 96% of its U.S. Pay-in-4 customers who shopped during the 2025 Black Friday and Cyber Monday period paid off their purchases early or on time. The data reflects a broader trend of consumers using Afterpay as a tool to manage holiday spending responsibly—without the burden of interest charges or revolving debt that often accompany traditional credit card purchases."
Recycling the Narrative on Cash
ABA Banking Journal
"Contrary to popular narratives, cash usage may be declining, but it is far from dead. Data from the Federal Reserve and industry studies show that cash usage remains significant for older and low-income consumers, unbanked households and as a contingency payment option. Consumers hold more cash than before the pandemic and rely on its reliability and anonymity, reinforcing the need for banks to maintain consistent cash access."
Nacha: EFT Healthcare Claim Payments Continue to Rise in 2025
Nacha
"It’s a trend that started more than a decade ago: Every year there’s a steady climb in the number of ACH healthcare claim payments from insurers to healthcare providers, and the value of those payments. 2025 is no exception, and the figures are impressive. Last year’s payments were worth a combined $2.94 trillion, up almost 11% from 2024, and a jump of 234% from 2014."
January 14, 2026
On the web
Open Banking Limited Marks 8 Years of Transforming the UK’s Financial Landscape
Open Banking
"Open Banking Limited (OBL) marks the 8th anniversary of open banking in the UK – an innovation made possible by the implementation of PSD2,- and a pivotal moment for the UK economy. This milestone comes as the FCA, in a recent letter to the Prime Minister, identified open banking as a key initiative to drive national growth and unlock new use cases, particularly SME lending."
Deutsche Bank Expands Support for PayPal to Strengthen Global Payment Capabilities
PayPal
"PayPal and Deutsche Bank announced the expansion of their long-standing relationship that will deliver enhanced payment solutions across the United States, Europe, and Asia-Pacific. Under this expanded agreement, Deutsche Bank will scale up the merchant settlement, payouts, and begin withdrawals and collection solutions for PayPal in the US. In Europe and Asia-Pacific, Deutsche Bank will support PayPal in various ways as well."
Visa Partners With BVNK to Enable Stablecoin Payouts on Visa Direct
Decrypt
"Payments giant Visa has partnered with London-based stablecoin infrastructure provider BVNK to enable stablecoin-funded payouts across Visa Direct, expanding the network’s payment options beyond traditional fiat rails. Under the partnership, BVNK will power stablecoin payments for Visa Direct, Visa’s $1.7 trillion money-movement platform."
Visa 2026 Global Economic Outlook: AI Adoption and Shifting Trade Patterns Drive Economic Transformation Beneath Steady Growth
Visa
"Visa forecasts structural economic transformation driven by AI adoption, supply chain rewiring and accelerating business investment that supports stable 2.7% global growth. Global GDP projected to grow 2.7% in 2026, with surface stability masking fundamental shifts in trade, technology and demographics; Rise in business investment gains should offset softening consumption; Small businesses outpace consumers in AI adoption, with AI-integrating firms showing significantly higher transaction growth"
FIS Launches Industry-First Offering Enabling Banks to Lead and Scale in Agentic Commerce
FIS Global
"FIS® announced the launch of its first offering to enable agentic commerce on the heels of announcing the close of the acquisition of its FIS® Total Issuing™ Solutions portfolio. FIS’ new agentic commerce offering is the first to enable banks to safely and securely conduct commerce with AI agents and card networks."
Klarna Expands Digital Bank Offer With Peer-To-Peer Payments
Klarna
"Klarna has launched instant peer-to-peer payments in 13 European countries, marking the next step in its evolution as a digital bank. The new feature enables Klarna customers to send money to friends and family, whether splitting bills or gifting cash, directly from the Klarna app: as simple as handing someone cash, with the protection of a regulated bank."
January 13, 2026
Top Post
Banks Respond to Proposed Cap on Credit Card Interest Rates
Bank Policy Institute
"The Administration announced plans to issue an executive order imposing a temporary 10% cap on credit card interest rates. The Bank Policy Institute, American Bankers Association, Consumer Bankers Association, Financial Services Forum and Independent Community Bankers of America issued a joint statement: “We share the President’s goal of helping Americans access more affordable credit. At the same time, evidence shows that a 10% interest rate cap would reduce credit availability and be devastating for millions of American families and small business owners who rely on and value their credit cards, the very consumers this proposal intends to help. If enacted, this cap would only drive consumers toward less regulated, more costly alternatives. We look forward to working with the administration to ensure Americans have access to the credit they need.”"
On the web
Marshall, Durbin Reintroduce Credit Card Competition Act Backed by President Trump
Senator Roger Marshall
"On Tuesday, Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas) and Senator Dick Durbin (D-Illinois) reintroduced the Credit Card Competition Act, which was endorsed by President Trump early this morning. This legislation will increase competition in the credit card market and put an end to the Visa-Mastercard duopoly that is squeezing small businesses — and, ultimately, consumers."
Ingenico Launches Digital Currency Solution, Enabling Stablecoin Payments at Physical Checkouts, in Partnership With Walletconnect Pay
Ingenico
"Ingenico announced a partnership with WalletConnect Pay to enable stablecoin payments directly at checkout. The integration allows merchants to accept supported stablecoins, giving customers additional payment options and convenience when making purchases."
Non-Traditional Payment Method Acceptance and Customer Surcharges Grow Significantly at U.S. Small Businesses, J.D. Power Finds
J. D. Power
"Rising consumer interest in digital wallets, debit and credit cards, BNPL and even cryptocurrency has small business owners accepting more forms of payment than ever before, which puts third-party merchant services providers at the center of their livelihoods. According to the J.D. Power 2026 U.S. Merchant Services Satisfaction Study released, the manner and speed with which transactions are processed, as well as the ability to manage costs and avoid software and hardware glitches, have become critical drivers of satisfaction with merchant services providers."
Why Your Bank May Block Your Next Zelle Payment
NBC 7 San Diego
"Many banks are adding security measures and reminders to consumers who use Zelle. NBC 7 Responds contacted major banks and asked about their strategies to protect customers including Chase, Citibank, Bank of America, Wells Fargo and others."
Rising Payment Costs Push Uber to Drop Visa in Kenya
TechCabal
"Ride-hailing giant Uber has stopped accepting VISA cards in Kenya, cutting off a payment option once central to its pitch to business travellers and expatriates in East Africa’s biggest e-hailing market. Uber confirmed the decision, which took effect in January, in a statement to TechCabal, pointing to a review of payment methods following a jump in global costs."
‘Pig Butchering-As-A-Service’ Provides Ready-To-Use Kits, Infrastructure
SC Media
"Two “pig butchering-as-a-service” (PBaaS) providers are detailed in a recent report by Infoblox, demonstrating how off-the-shelf kits, templates, panels and infrastructure facilitate global scams similarly to malware-as-a-service (MaaS) and phishing-as-a-service (PhaaS). Pig butchering is a type of online scam originating in China that involves soliciting increasing payments from victims over an extended period of time, often under the guise of legitimate investment opportunity."
NIST Calls for Public to Help Better Secure AI Agents
Bank Info Security
"The U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology is seeking public input on how to secure agentic artificial intelligence systems as their use - and potential risks - expands across government and critical infrastructure networks."
The AI Platform Shift and the Opportunity Ahead for Retail
"At the National Retail Federation (NRF), CEO Sundar Pichai shared how Google is helping retailers grow in the AI platform shift. Announcements included a new protocol for agentic commerce, a new Gemini Enterprise for Customer Experience, and service expansions for Wing. The following is an abridged transcript of his remarks."
Senate Unveils Updated Market Structure Bill Limiting Stablecoin Rewards on Idle Holdings
The Block
"Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Scott has released an amended crypto market structure bill reflecting months of bipartisan negotiations. The bill seeks to bar digital asset providers from paying interest just for holding a stablecoin, but would allow activity-based rewards tied to actions like transacting, staking, providing liquidity or posting collateral."
On the wires
Blackhawk Network Launches Category-Specific Prepaid Rewards Card for Fuel, EV Charging and Grocery Applications
Business Wire
"Blackhawk Network is expanding its partnership with Mastercard® to launch two new filtered prepaid card rewards products: the Drive Prepaid Card and the Grocery Prepaid Card. Designed to support more purposeful and relevant payment programs, these cards provide flexible reward options in high-demand redemption categories that align with targeted business goals."
Ingenico, Samsung, and Talus Bring a Mobile Business Operating Solution to North America
PR Newswire
"Ingenico, Samsung Electronics America, Inc. , and Talus, have partnered to bring a modern mobile business operating solution to the North American marketplace. With Ingenico SoftPOS tap-to-pay capabilities, the Talus mobile app transforms NFC-compatible Samsung mobile devices into payments terminals. No dedicated payments hardware is required."
January 12, 2026
On the web
FIS Completes Strategic Acquisition of Global Payments’ Issuer Solutions Business and Sale of Worldpay Stake
FIS Global
"FIS® announced the completion of its acquisition of Global Payments' Issuer Solutions business, formerly known as TSYS, for an enterprise value of $13.5 billion, or a net purchase price of $12 billion including $1.5 billion of net present value of tax assets. Offerings from this asset, the world’s largest issuing business, will now go to market under the FIS® Total Issuing™ Solutions portfolio brand."
Why Do Businesses Still Use Paper Checks?
Atlanta Fed
"The 2024 Federal Reserve Payments Insight Business Study by Federal Reserve Financial Services (FRFS) found that paper checks remain a leading payment method among the nation's small businesses. Despite the growing availability of digital alternatives, businesses with less than $10 million in annual revenue continue to rely on checks for their outgoing payments. The study found that nearly 80 percent of "Very Small" firms with revenue under $1 million use checks while "Small" firms lead all segments with 83 percent using paper checks for business payments."
Americans Carry $1.21 Trillion in Credit Card Debt, with 73% Tied to Essentials and Median Interest Rates at 25.3%
Yahoo Finance
"Americans now carry a record $1.21 trillion in credit card debt – with 73% tied to essential living costs – as median interest rates reach 25.3%. In new research released today, Academy Bank reveals how persistent financial pressures are pushing households to rely more heavily on credit cards for everyday expenses, with the average user carrying a $5,595 balance. The bank's latest white paper, "Managing High-Interest Debt: How Cash-Out Refinances Can Help Homeowners Find Relief," analyzes national debt trends."
ACI Worldwide Enables Paze℠ for Online Checkout, Advancing Speed and Convenience for Digital Commerce
ACI Worldwide
"ACI Worldwide and Early Warning Services have announced a new partnership to enable Paze as a checkout option available to its merchants. Paze is an online checkout solution developed by Early Warning Services that is offered by leading banks and credit unions in the U.S. The convenient Paze checkout experience enables consumers to pay online with their preferred credit and debit cards via added security through tokenization, and streamlined digital authentication."
Ant International and Google to Soon Enable AI Checkout in Chat
Asian Banking & Finance
"Ant International has collaborated with Google’s Universal Commerce Protocol to expand its artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities. UCP establishes a common language for agents and systems to operate together across consumer surfaces, businesses, and payment providers to enable commerce, Ant International said in a press release."
BNY Goes Live With Tokenized Deposits
Ledger Insights
"Bank of New York Mellon (BNY) has launched its tokenized deposit offering, targeting tokenized collateral and margin payments. The initiative has been a work in progress for the bank for several years. Since 2023, BNY has participated in Singapore’s Project Guardian where it has been testing the interoperability of tokenized deposits and FX with OCBC Bank."
On the wires
Checkout.com Secures Georgia Banking Charter Milestone, Accelerating U.S. Investment to Win the Enterprise Digital Payments Market
PR Newswire
"Checkout.com's application for a Merchant Acquirer Limited Purpose Bank (MALPB) charter was accepted by the Georgia Department of Banking and Finance. The charter will enable greater control, deliver improved digital payments performance for enterprise merchants, and allow Checkout.com to double down on US expansion plans."
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.