Increase your payments knowledge today with our On-Demand Learning options. Learn on your schedule with a self-paced format and up to 1 year of access.
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
May 2, 2025
On the web
Growing Number of Retailers Adding on Extra Fees [Video]
NBC News/YouTube
"A growing number of retailers are adding on extra fees or surcharges to transactions. Some of the additional charges come with the cost of using a credit card to purchase while others are a result of tariffs. NBC News' Yasmin Vossoughian has more on the extra fees and the consumer reaction to the charges."
Stripe Radar Now Protects ACH and SEPA Payments From Fraud
Stripe
"Programmable financial services company Stripe announced an expansion of Radar, Stripe’s AI-powered fraud prevention product, for ACH and SEPA payments. Radar assesses more than 1,000 characteristics of a potential transaction in order to determine, in less than 100 milliseconds, the likelihood that it’s fraudulent. On average, Radar users see a 42% reduction in SEPA fraud and a 20% reduction in ACH fraud."
Why the Capital One/Discover Deal Is About Much More Than Payments
The Financial Brand
"The deal is as much a banking milestone as much as a major payments development, with reverberations that could impact everything from deposit generation to small business finance. Up next: Could Capital One make a grab for the Apple Card portfolio?"
May 1, 2025
On the web
FIS Harmonizes Payments with Launch of Unified Money Movement Hub
FIS Global
"Global financial technology leader FIS® announced the launch of its Money Movement Hub, an innovative payments solution that helps to simplify the back-end infrastructure of financial institutions by enabling them to connect to multiple payment networks and process payments in one place. Designed as a turnkey solution for a wide range of institutions - from super regional banks to community banks - the Money Movement Hub supports a modernized payments journey that can change with each client’s needs."
Bank of England: Bank’s Renewed RTGS Service Goes Live
Bank of England
"On 28 April, our renewed RTGS service – known as RT2 – went live. RT2 will support our strategic objectives for RTGS and CHAPS and act as an open platform for change and innovation, driving improvement in wholesale settlement efficiency and facilitating greater competition. Coupled with the introduction of ISO 20022 payments for CHAPS in 2023, this delivers enhanced resilience, greater interoperability, increased user functionality and greater access."
CIBC Launches CIBC Adapta™ Mastercard®, the First Credit Card in Canada That Automatically Adapts to Spending Behaviour, Rewarding Cardholders More for Everyday Purchases
Mastercard
"CIBC announced its innovative new, no annual fee CIBC Adapta Mastercard, the first credit card in Canada that automatically determines the cardholder’s top three spend categories each month based on where they spend the most, and rewards them with 50% more points on those categories."
How Fifth Third Uses Its AI-Powered Chatbot Jeanie to Talk Smarter and, More Importantly, Listen Better
Tearsheet
"Fifth Third is among the traditional banks leveraging AI via its chatbot, Jeanie, to manage customer inquiries and enhance service quality and satisfaction. From the AI that fuels Jeanie to the team behind the scenes, we explore how the chatbot came to life — and where it’s headed next."
Visa Launches AI Agents for Shopping [Video]
YouTube
"Visa announced that it is allowing customers to use AI platforms to make purchases and is collaborating with Anthropic, Microsoft Corp, OpenAI and other AI firms on the product launch. Visa CEO Ryan McInerney speaks with Bloomberg Technology's Caroline Hyde about how the company is enabling AI agents to help customers save time on finding and paying for the ideal item or service online."
JPMorgan’s Blockchain Unit Expands Into MENA With 8 Major Bank Deals
The Block
"JPMorgan's blockchain business unit, Kinexys, has expanded its footprint in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), securing partnerships with eight of the region's leading banks. The development signals a broader shift toward blockchain integration in banking infrastructure. The banks are using Kinexys to enhance cross-border payments, treasury functions and transaction efficiency."
Sam Altman’s Eye-Scanning Project Launches Cryptocurrency in the US
The Verge
"Beginning this week, Worldcoin (WLD) will be available in most of the US for the first time, including via exchanges like Coinbase. Those who scan their eyes at a World orb will receive 16 WLD. The Sam Altman co-founded startup behind the project, Tools for Humanity, is also working with Visa to release a debit card later this year that converts WLD to fiat currency at checkout."
On the wires
Affirm Announces Strategic Global Partnership with UATP
Business Wire
"Affirm announced a new, long-term global partnership with UATP, a global network owned and operated by the world's airlines. This collaboration integrates Affirm’s flexible and transparent pay-over-time options directly into the UATP network, which includes thousands of leading airlines, rail carriers, and travel agencies."
April 30, 2025
Top Post
Find and Buy with AI: Visa Unveils New Era of Commerce
Visa
"AI is transforming how we shop and pay. Visa is bringing the power of its network and decades-long expertise to bring trust and security to AI-driven commerce. Introduced today at the Visa Global Product Drop, Visa Intelligent Commerce enables AI to find and buy. It is a groundbreaking new initiative that opens Visa’s payment network to the developers and engineers building the foundational AI agents transforming commerce."
The Future is Here: Visa Announces New Era of Commerce Featuring AI
Visa
"Visa kicked off its Global Product Drop by sharing how the combination of AI and digital commerce will mark a significant shift in the way consumers discover and buy products and services. In the near future, consumers will enable AI agents to browse, select, purchase and manage on their behalf. For this to be possible, agents will need to be trusted with payments, not only by users, but by banks and sellers as well."
Visa and Bridge Partner to Make Stablecoins Accessible for Everyday Purchases
Visa
"Stablecoins – once a technology confined to crypto communities – are making their way into headlines, dinner party conversations and soon, everyday transactions. Visa, and Bridge, a leading stablecoin orchestration platform and a Stripe company, announced a new card-issuing product. Fintech developers using Bridge can now offer stablecoin-linked Visa cards to their end customers in multiple countries through a single API integration."
On the web
Walmart’s Pay by Bank Project Remains on Track for 2025
Digital Transactions
"A test this past September of a real-time pay by bank payments option inside the Walmart app indicates the service is on track for a broader debut in 2025, Digital Transactions News has learned. Speaking at the Nacha Smarter Faster Payments 2025 conference in New Orleans, Sarah Arnio, Walmart Inc. director of digital payments, tells Digital Transactions News the project is current."
Survey: Innovative Use Cases Drive Businesses to Instant Payments
FedPayments Improvement
"Businesses are actively using instant payments. Nearly two-thirds of U.S. businesses (66%) are likely to use instant payments if offered by their primary financial institution, according to a Federal Reserve Financial Services survey. And when they can do so, they rate their financial institution higher: Businesses that use instant payments reported 10% greater satisfaction with their primary financial institution than businesses that do not."
PayPal Brings Together Developers, AI Leaders to Power Agentic Commerce at Dev Days
PayPal
"PayPal Holdings, Inc. announced it is leading the agentic commerce revolution by providing developers and merchants with innovative tools to create next-generation shopping experiences. Developers can now enable agentic AI experiences that allow customers to pay, track shipments, manage invoices, and more, all powered by PayPal and within an AI agent."
Banked, Chemist Warehouse and Shopback Launch Australia’s First In-Store Pay by Bank With Rewards Program
Banked
"Banked, the leading global Pay by Bank provider, has partnered with Australia’s top retail pharmacy group Chemist Warehouse, and leading shopping, rewards, and payments platform ShopBack, to launch the country’s first in-store Pay by Bank experience that also allows consumers to earn Cashback and rewards."
Finastra Launches Transformation Service to Support Multiple Messaging Standards, Including ISO 20022
Finastra
"Finastra announced the launch of its Transformation Service, supporting the translation of MT formatted messages to the new ISO 20022 MX messaging standard, among others. The Transformation Service is available to Finastra’s existing and new Financial Messaging customers looking to comply with Swift’s November 2025 deadline for the new cross-border payments and reporting plus (CBPR+) rules."
Digital Dollars: Banks and Public Sector Drive Blockchain Adoption
Citigroup
"Blockchain’s adoption is being driven by evolving regulation and a growing emphasis on transparency and accountability. This GPS report focuses on two key areas: enabling new financial instruments – such as stablecoins – and modernizing legacy systems. With the tailwind of regulatory support and factors such as the increased integration of digital assets into incumbent financial institutions and favorable macroeconomics, we expect increased demand for stablecoins ahead."
Stripe Starts Testing Stablecoin Product Based on Bridge
Ledger Insights
"Last year Stripe spent $1.1 billion acquiring Bridge, the company that provides cross border API infrastructure for stablecoin payments. On Friday a member of Stripe’s crypto product team, Jennifer Lee, announced on X that the company is starting to test its Bridge-based product and invited companies outside the US, UK and EU who want to access dollars."
Smooth Commerce Launches Interac Debit for In-App and In-Browser Payments for Restaurants and Hospitality Businesses
Interac
"Smooth Commerce, a leading provider of white-label digital ordering, loyalty, and engagement solutions for quick-service and fast-casual restaurant chains, hotels, and other hospitality and foodservice businesses, now offers Interac® Debit for In-App and In-Browser payments through Apple Pay and Google Pay."
April 29, 2025
On the web
The Request for Payment Promise for Real-Time Payments
Digital Transactions
"Request for payment on the RTP network from The Clearing House Payments Co. LLC has been a feature since the network launched 2017, but users’ increasing embrace of RfP is triggering more development of it. With real-time processing backing it, the RfP option allows billers and merchants to receive nearly immediate payment by sending a request through a network to customers and clients who have received services."
Square Expands Banking Services to Give Sellers Better Control of Their Cash Flow
Square
"Square announced new Square Banking tools that give sellers instant access to their cash flow and free, easier ways to manage their earnings. Today, business owners can conveniently sign up for a Square payments account and a free Square Checking¹ account in just minutes through one streamlined application—right on Square’s website and point of sale app."
Mastercard Unveils Agent Pay, Pioneering Agentic Payments Technology to Power Commerce in the Age of AI
Mastercard
"Mastercard announced the launch of its Agentic Payments Program, Mastercard Agent Pay. The program introduces Mastercard Agentic Tokens, which build upon proven tokenization capabilities that today power global commerce solutions like mobile contactless payments, secure card-on-file, and Mastercard Payment Passkeys, as well as programmable payments like recurring expenses and subscriptions. Mastercard will collaborate with Microsoft on new use cases to scale agentic commerce, with other leading AI platforms to follow."
Indian Authorities Keen to Charge Merchants Fees to Bolster Homegrown Payments Network, Sources Say
MarketScreener
"India's payments authority, the central bank, and industry are pushing the government to allow a fee on digital payments to large merchants made via its homegrown network to help boost growth, five sources told Reuters. The charge, known as Merchant Discount Rate (MDR), is considered crucial to boosting investment for payments firms, and reviving slowing growth in payments made via the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), India's own network, the sources said. "
Mastercard and Corpay Launch Strategic Partnership in Cross-Border Payments
Mastercard
"Mastercard and Corpay today announced an expansion of their partnership to deliver an enhanced suite of corporate cross-border payment solutions. As a result, Mastercard’s financial institutions and their customers will now have simplified access to robust, end-to-end cross-border payments choices, including carded and non-carded solutions supporting all ticket sizes."
Checkout.com Launches Face Authentication to Strengthen Digital Identity Verification
Checkout
"Checkout.com announced the launch of face authentication, an AI-powered extension to its Identity Verification (IDV) solution. The new feature enables businesses to securely verify and re-authenticate returning users in seconds using live video and facial matching, helping to remove friction from critical user flows such as password recovery, employee onboarding, and secure platform access."
European Payments Initiative Calls for Unity Among Local Wallets to Strengthen EU Autonomy
Tech.eu
"The European Payments Initiative calls on local providers to unite under a homegrown system, aiming to reduce dependence on Visa, Mastercard, and Big Tech wallets."
On the wires
Fasten Launches the Fasten Rewards Visa Card, Offering Points and Rewards for Auto-Related Spending
Business Wire
"Fasten today launched the Fasten Rewards™ Visa Card, an innovative credit card designed to make car ownership more affordable for consumers, while giving dealers a unique tool to enhance customer loyalty. With the Fasten Rewards™ Visa Card, consumers earn rewards on every auto-related purchase, from monthly car loan or lease payments to gas, tune-ups, tolls, and more—maximizing savings on essential expenses."
Take us with you
Payments on Fire is available on iTunes, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, Pocket Casts, and other podcast apps and services. Or just say “Alexa, play Payments on Fire podcast.”
