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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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December 3, 2025
On the web
Game-Changing Euro Stablecoin: 10 Major Banks Launch Qivalis to Challenge US Dominance
CryptoRank
"Imagine a digital payments landscape not dominated by the US dollar. That future just got closer. In a bold move, a consortium of ten European banking giants, including UniCredit, ING, and BNP Paribas, has announced a joint venture named Qivalis. Their mission? To launch a regulated, euro-based stablecoin by late 2026. This initiative represents a strategic push to build a European-led payment infrastructure and reduce reliance on foreign digital currencies."
Revolut: Get Extra Protection on the Move With Street Mode
Revolut
"Street Mode is a powerful new addition to Revolut's Wealth Protection feature. Once activated, it delays outgoing transfers over your chosen limit while you’re away from trusted locations to keep your Revolut account safe from potential fraudsters. Then it asks for extra confirmation to make sure you — and only you — are in control."
December 2, 2025
On the web
Wise Receives Conditional Regulatory Approval to Launch in South Africa, Marking Company's First License in Africa
Wise Newsroom
"Wise has secured conditional approval from the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) to operate as a Category 2 Authorised Dealer in Foreign Exchange with Limited Authority (ADLA). This approval marks Wise's first-ever regulatory approval in Africa and paves the way for its entry into South Africa, enabling it to offer transfers for personal customers in the country."
Circle Brings USDC Stablecoin To x402 Protocol For AI Agent Micropayments
Yellow
"Circle is advancing machine-to-machine payment infrastructure by integrating its USDC stablecoin into the x402 protocol, enabling autonomous AI agents to execute micropayments without human intervention. The stablecoin issuer announced plans to connect its Gateway product with x402, creating a foundation for high-throughput agentic transactions across multiple blockchain networks. The x402 protocol, which revives the long-dormant HTTP 402 "Payment Required" status code, has gained momentum as a standard for internet-native payments."
Visa Survey Finds AI and Crypto Poised to Transform U.S. Holiday Spending
Business Wire
"Visa Inc. released new survey data, revealing AI’s influence in shopping and spending, a generational shift in consumer spending behavior, and emerging payments trends this holiday season. "The data tells a fascinating story about the spending shift we're witnessing: shoppers are embracing AI and digital tools at remarkable speed, with nearly half of Americans now using AI to enhance their shopping experience," said Bruce Cundiff, vice president, Consumer Insights at Visa."
Aeropay and Cross River Launch Request for Payment (RfP) to Power Instant Consumer Pay-Ins on the RTP® Network
Business Wire
"Aeropay announced the launch of Request for Payment (RfP) in partnership with Cross River Bank. This new offering expands on the two companies’ current instant payment offerings and enables U.S. businesses to accept instant consumer pay-ins via the RTP® network, delivering faster, safer, and more reliable payment experiences. Splash Sports, an online real money gaming platform, will be the first customer of Aeropay to implement the capability to power real-time pay-ins."
Diebold Nixdorf Unveils DN Series® 300 and 350: Transforming Self-Service Banking
Diebold Nixdorf
"Diebold Nixdorf announced the launch of the DN Series® 300 and 350, the next generation of self-service cash dispensers. Powered by the company's new DM7V dispensing module, the ATMs deliver an intelligent cash-handling ecosystem, ensuring high availability, security and reliability. The DN Series 300 and 350 feature a shared cassette infrastructure across dispensers and recyclers. This streamlines cash replenishment cycles and cash-in-transit strategies."
Sony Bank Plans to Launch Dollar-Pegged Stablecoin in the US by 2026
ForkLog
"Sony Bank, a subsidiary of Sony Financial Group, intends to issue a US dollar-pegged stablecoin in 2026, according to Nikkei. The token is expected to be used for payments related to video games, subscriptions, and anime content. This initiative targets American customers, who account for approximately 30% of the Japanese corporation’s external sales of entertainment products. The use of the “stablecoin” aims to reduce payment processing costs compared to existing solutions like credit cards."
Checkout.com Announces 62% YoY Growth Over Black Friday Cyber Monday Weekend, Processing More Than $5.2bn
Checkout
"Checkout.com experienced a 62% year-on-year growth in the total volume of ecommerce payments processed across its network, with record payment volumes of over $5.2 billion. Black Friday and Cyber Monday weekend saw consumer online spending increase by over a third (36%) when compared to the final weekend of the previous month. New research shows one in three planned to use an AI agent to assist with Black Friday shopping deals."
Small Business Credit Card Satisfaction Surges, Led by Financially Challenged Businesses, J.D. Power Finds
J.D. Power
"While the overall business outlook, credit card debt and spending patterns for small businesses in the United States are largely unchanged this year, satisfaction with small business credit cards is rising. According to the J.D. Power 2025 U.S. Small Business Credit Card Satisfaction Study released, the year-over-year improvement in customer satisfaction is highest among financially unhealthy small businesses for whom credit cards and their rewards programs have become critical business tools."
Block Processes 124 Million Transactions as Americans Shop Local This Black Friday, Cyber Monday
Block
"Block, Inc. released its Black Friday, Cyber Monday results, revealing a shift toward local spending as Americans focus on neighborhood economies. Data indicates Block handled more than 124 million transactions across Square, Cash App, and Afterpay over the four-day shopping period, reflecting a 10% increase from last year."
X402 Ecosystem Expands as Solana Becomes Number-One Network for Payments
TradingView
"Solana just logged its biggest week yet for x402, with daily payment volume hitting an all‑time high of about $380,000 on Sunday and about 750% week‑on‑week growth. The rise of x402 payments on Solana marks a turning point for the HTTP-402-based protocol, with pay-per-request stablecoin transfers now flowing through facilitators at a pace that resembles the early contours of machine-driven demand. For Solana, becoming the busiest x402 venue strengthens the claim that low fees and high throughput are useful for machine and API micropayments."
China Closes Door on Stablecoin Adoption
Ledger Insights
"The People’s Bank of China announced it convened a meeting of several Chinese agencies to combat speculation in cryptocurrencies, and especially stablecoins. Most of China’s justice and legal agencies were involved alongside the regulators for markets, securities and foreign exchange. The key message is that there is no change in stance on cryptocurrencies and stablecoins, so the crackdown announced in 2021 is still in force and inter-agency coordination should be enhanced. “Virtual currency-related business activities constitute illegal financial activities,” according to the central bank statement."
Bank of America Says Its Wealth Management Clients May Put Up to 4% of Their Portfolio in Crypto
Yahoo Finance
"Bank of America (BAC) says its wealth management clients should start thinking about getting some crypto exposure in their portfolios. The firm is endorsing a 1%-4% allocation to digital assets for clients of its Merrill, Bank of America Private Bank, and Merrill Edge platforms. Its investment strategists will begin covering four bitcoin ETFs in January."
U.S. FDIC Chief Says First GENIUS Act Regulations Heading for Proposal This Month
CoinDesk
"The acting chief of the U.S. Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. said the banking regulator expects to start proposing rules for stablecoin issuers before the close of December, according to testimony Travis Hill is preparing to deliver Tuesday before the House Financial Services Committee. First up on the regulator's agenda for implementing the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins (GENIUS) Act: issuing a proposal for how the agency will handle issuers that apply for federal oversight."
On the wires
Payments Modernisation: Gap Between Confidence and Readiness Among Industry Leaders Widens, ACI Worldwide Study Finds
Business Wire
"Payments leaders remain confident about the pace of industry innovation, but many risk falling behind as expectations accelerate. New global research from ACI Worldwide and Globant reveals a widening gap between confidence and readiness that could define industry leadership in 2026 and beyond. The report Payments in Transition: Leadership in an era of transformation, based on a survey of 500 industry leaders across North America, Europe, Latin America, Middle East & Africa, and Asia Pacific, shows that while 69% of executives consider their organisations to be payments leaders, fewer than half (44%) say payments innovation is a C-suite priority."
Klarna Launches Tap to Pay for In-Store Purchases Across 14 Markets
Business Wire
"Klarna launched the brand new feature Tap to Pay across 14 European markets, bringing flexible payments into physical retail at scale and transforming the Klarna app into an everyday contactless wallet. With more than 80% of European shopping still happening in physical stores, Tap to Pay brings consumers the ease of online shopping into the bricks and mortar stores."
December 1, 2025
Top Post
Visa and AWS Enable Next-Generation Agentic Commerce Capabilities
Amazon
"Visa and Amazon Web Services, Inc. (AWS), an Amazon.com, Inc. announced a collaboration designed to empower developers and enterprises building towards agentic commerce. Visa will list the Visa Intelligence Commerce platform in AWS Marketplace, helping businesses and developers to connect seamlessly to a growing ecosystem of agentic commerce providers for next-generation reliable and secure payment experiences. AWS and Visa will also publish blueprints on the public Amazon Bedrock AgentCore repository designed for multi-network agentic retail shopping, travel booking, and payment reconciliation, enabling developers to create and connect complex workflows."
Mastercard SpendingPulse: US Black Friday Retail Sales up +4.1% YoY as Holiday Momentum Builds
Mastercard
"According to preliminary insights from Mastercard SpendingPulse™, U.S. retail sales excluding autos were up +4.1% on Black Friday, November 28 compared to Black Friday 2024. Mastercard SpendingPulse measures in-store and online retail sales, representing all payment types, and is not adjusted for inflation."
On the web
Sony Plans USD Stablecoin to Pay for PlayStation
Yahoo Finance
"Sony is planning to issue its own dollar-pegged stablecoin. The proposed token will be used to pay for media content, including games and anime. Stablecoins could power PlayStation and Crunchyroll payments as soon as 2026."
UnionPay International and Amazon Payment Services Forge Strategic Partnership Across MENA
TechAfrica News
"UnionPay International and Amazon Payment Services have announced a strategic collaboration in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, across countries including UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Egypt, Jordan, and Lebanon. The agreement empowers merchants in the Amazon Payment Services network to accept UnionPay cards. Once the integration is complete, UnionPay cardholders will be able to access Amazon Payment Services’ merchants. In turn, Amazon Payment Services merchants will be able to tap into UnionPay’s vast global customer base across more than 80 countries and regions."
How Deposits Can Harness Tokenisation
BIS
"Tokenisation has challenged the way we think about money and promises a major leap in how the financial system functions. Understanding the technology behind tokenisation, together with the opportunities and risks it presents, is crucial. Tokenisation introduces the possibility of creating two distinct worlds: private permissioned platforms, which are regulated and governed by trusted entities, and public permissionless platforms, which operate in open, decentralised environments with limited oversight and greater risks."
UnionPay Taps Worldpay to Boost Cross-Border Payments
IBS Intelligence
UnionPay International has extended its decade-long partnership with Worldpay, introducing UnionPay 3D Secure (3DS) and ExpressPay capabilities to expand global online acceptance for UnionPay cards. The enhancement will allow UnionPay cardholders to make eCommerce transactions across major markets, including the US, UK, and Europe, as well as sectors such as airlines, retail, and hospitality.
CBDC Rollout Slows as Countries Hit Pause, Reevaluate Risks
Crypto News
"The rollout of CBDCs has hit a series of roadblocks in 2025, as several countries press pause or slow their efforts to introduce state-backed digital currencies. The South African Reserve Bank has published a position paper on the viability of a retail CBDC and concluded that these plans could be sidelined for now as it continues to focus on broader national payment reforms. South Korea: The Bank of Korea has officially suspended its ambitious CBDC project, “Project Han River”."
China’s Central Bank Reaffirms Crypto Ban, Flags Stablecoin Risks Following Multi-Agency Meeting
The Block
"China’s central bank reaffirmed its stance that digital assets have no legal status in the country following a multi-agency meeting on Friday. The PBoC specifically flagged stablecoins as failing to meet anti-money laundering and customer identification requirements, calling them a threat to financial stability."
Ant International Upgrades Antom Copilot to Advance Domain-Specific Agentic AI to Solve Global Payment Complexity
Antom
"Antom, a leading merchant payment provider under Ant International, announced major upgrades to Antom Copilot, its industry-first AI agent designed for merchant payment and operations management. Integrated into the Antom Merchant Portal, Antom Copilot now provides enhanced automation and tailored assistance based on learnings from real-world cases, to help merchants handle payment complexity more efficiently. Main features include..."
On the wires
Bolt Launches Bolt ID to Help Counter $35 Billion Synthetic Fraud Crisis
PR Newswire
"Bolt announced the introduction of Bolt ID, a network identity system that helps merchants and shoppers reduce the growing risks associated with synthetic identity fraud and account takeover attacks. The system operates across Bolt's checkout network and strengthens shopper identity without requiring users to create an account or opt into a marketing program. It verifies key elements of identity during checkout so that merchants and consumers can complete transactions with greater confidence."
Wirex and Algorand Expand Stablecoin Payments with New USDC Integration
PR Newswire
"Wirex announced a strategic partnership with Algorand Foundation to bring USDC on Algorand to more than 7 million Wirex users and 80 million Visa-accepting merchants worldwide. Wirex users can now hold, send, and spend USDC on Algorand directly within the Wirex app, benefiting from Algorand's efficiency and low fees. Through the Wirex Visa Card, users can spend USDC with real-time conversion, zero-FX fees, and global cashback rewards. Users can seamlessly move between fiat and stablecoins via ACH, SEPA, FPS, and other local rails, supported by 1:1 fiat-to-stablecoin conversion with no spreads, hidden costs, or friction..."
November 26, 2025
On the web
BHIM Launches UPI Circle Full Delegation, Allowing Senior Citizens, Young Adults to Make Payments Independently Within Set Limits
The Economic Times
"The NPCI BHIM Services Limited on Tuesday announced the introduction of UPI Circle Full Delegation on the BHIM Payments App, allowing primary users to authorise their trusted contacts to make UPI payments on their behalf of up to Rs 15,000. The move is expected to be a game-changer for senior citizens who have their own bank accounts but often hesitate from making digital payments and young adults who can manage their daily or educational expenses with safe, parent-controlled access."
Wise Becomes First Non-Bank to Go Live on Japan's Zengin System via API and Settle Directly With Bank of Japan
Fintech Finance
"Wise is now the first non-bank operating in Japan to connect via the newly established API method rather than the existing Relay Computer system. Additionally, Wise is now the first Funds Transfer Service Provider to settle payments directly with the Bank of Japan, making domestic yen payments almost instant by eliminating the need for intermediary banking partners."
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