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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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April 29, 2025
On the web
Xero Launches US Online Bill Payments, Powered by Bill
Bill
"Xero launched the ability for its US customers to pay bills within Xero as part of its strategic partnership with BILL, a leading financial operations platform for small and midsize businesses (SMBs). Xero and BILL are helping small businesses to streamline their accounts payable and make cashflow management even easier and more accessible."
April 28, 2025
Top Post
Mastercard Unveils End-to-End Capabilities to Power Stablecoin Transactions – From Wallets to Checkouts
Business Wire
"Mastercard is advancing the future of payments, finance and technology with new, global end-to-end stablecoin acceptance and payments capabilities. With increasing global regulatory clarity, stablecoins are evolving from crypto trading tools to essential solutions that bring efficiency and programmability to payments, disbursements, and remittances. Harnessing this potential, Mastercard is ensuring that people and businesses can make and receive stablecoin payments – anytime, anywhere."
On the web
BNPL Tracker: 41% of Users Late in Past Year, More Using Loans for Groceries
LendingTree
"More than 4 in 10 (41%) users of buy now, pay later (BNPL) loans say they paid late on one of them in the past year, up from 34% just a year ago, according to a LendingTree survey. That’s just one of several troubling findings from our survey that asked people about their behaviors and perspectives around these popular loans. Along with increased late payments, we found a significant number of borrowers who take on several of these loans at one time, use them to buy groceries or takeout and believe that successfully managing one will boost their credit score."
114 Million Reasons to Keep Moving Forward on Industry-Led Standard for Secure Data Sharing
Financial Data Exchange
"Financial Data Exchange (FDX) is pleased to report that the use of standardized APIs to enable secure, permissioned data sharing continues to grow. According to a recent survey, roughly 114 million customer connections are now happening through APIs aligned to the FDX standard."
Delivering the Real-Time Rail to Canada
Payments Canada
"The technical build of the Real-Time Rail (RTR) has achieved 60 per cent completion on all fronts and is on target to be finished, as planned in Q3 of 2025. Once built, testing will begin on the system."
Deep Dive Data Drop: Zelle® Unveils First-Ever Small Business Report – Here’s What it Reveals
Zelle
"Main Street makes the American economy move, and Zelle® today released never-before published data that provides new insight into when, where, and how U.S. small businesses rely on the payment tool’s unique features to help boost growth and unlock opportunities. The new data, released ahead of National Small Business Month in May, underscores the growing role Zelle plays in helping reduce uncertainty for America’s Main Street economy."
Uber Drivers Can Now Accepts Cash Payments, in Certain Cities, on Certain Service Levels
Ksst Radio
"Yes, it is possible to pay for an Uber ride with cash in certain areas where the feature is supported. In these locations, riders can select “Cash” as their payment method within the app before requesting a ride. Once the ride is complete, the rider simply pays the driver directly in cash. However, the cash payment option is not available everywhere and is typically limited to select cities, especially in countries where cash transactions are more common."
Phixius by Nacha Expands Bank Account Validation Coverage With ValidiFI
Nacha
"Phixius by Nacha—a secure, peer-to-peer payment information network—announced today that ValidiFI is live on the Phixius network as an additional provider of bank account validation. Phixius now offers multiple providers of account validation, expanding the coverage of account validation data for Phixius users."
NPCI’s Netbanking 2.0 Looks to Replicate UPI Success, but Challenges Loom
Policy Circle
"The National Payments Corporation of India is set to give the net banking system a major makeover, aiming to replicate the revolutionary success of Unified Payments Interface and make online transactions even easier for users. The ambitious project, called Netbanking 2.0, is being spearheaded by NPCI’s subsidiary, NPCI Bharat BillPay Ltd, and is expected to go live within the next three to four months. Trial runs have already been completed."
UnionPay International and Dojo Partner to Expand Card Acceptance Across the UK
PR Newswire
"UnionPay International (UPI), dedicated to providing seamless global payment network, has announced a strategic partnership with Dojo , the UK's leading SME payment provider. This collaboration will significantly increase UnionPay card acceptance across the UK, providing cardholders with a seamless payment experience while enabling small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to tap into a vast international customer base."
On the wires
New MetaMask Metal Payment Card: Self-Custody Crypto Card With Direct Payments Unveiled by CompoSecure, Baanx and MetaMask
GlobeNewswire News Room
"CompoSecure, Inc., a leader in metal payment cards, security, and authentication solutions, in collaboration with Baanx and MetaMask, announced the launch of the MetaMask metal payment card. The new cutting-edge payment solution bridges the gap between self-custody crypto and real-world spending. This metal card enables users to securely pay directly from their self-custody MetaMask wallets, eliminating the need for traditional banking intermediaries."
ECB Forms Group to Simplify Banking Rules
Reuters
"The European Central Bank has launched a task force, chaired by Vice President Luis de Guindos, that will look for ways of simplifying banking rules in Europe, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters on Saturday. The central bank governors of Germany, France, Italy and Finland are also part of the task force, the source said."
Nubank Clears Major Hurdle in Securing Mexico Banking License
Reuters
Brazilian fintech Nubank said on Thursday that its Mexico arm received regulatory approval from the Mexican National Banking and Securities Commission to begin the process of becoming a full-service bank. In a statement, Nubank, one of the fastest-growing digital lenders in the world, said the process to secure the banking license in Mexico now requires a "rigorous regulatory audit" before obtaining final authorization.
April 25, 2025
Top Post
SuperCard X Enables Contactless ATM Fraud in Real-Time
Infosecurity Magazine
"A sophisticated mobile malware campaign using a new NFC-relay technique to steal payment card data has been uncovered by security researchers. Named “SuperCard X,” the Android malware operates under a Malware-as-a-Service (MaaS) model and enables fraudsters to carry out unauthorized transactions through Point-of-Sale (POS) systems and ATMs."
On the web
Phixius by Nacha Announces Collaboration with Kinexys by J.P. Morgan to Enhance Account Validation Capabilities
Nacha
"Phixius by Nacha (Phixius) — a secure, peer-to-peer payment information network— today announces a strategic collaboration with Kinexys Liink, the world’s first bank-led peer-to-peer data sharing network, part of Kinexys by J.P. Morgan. This collaboration establishes information exchanges between the two payment information networks, enhancing account validation coverage for financial institutions, fintechs and corporations."
Binance Tightens South African Compliance Rules for Crypto Transfers
Cointelegraph
"Binance is set to implement new compliance measures for South African users, requiring sender and receiver information for all crypto deposits and withdrawals. In an announcement on April 23, the largest exchange in terms of daily trading volume of cryptocurrencies said the move comes in response to local regulatory demands."
Amazon Puts Rs 350 Crore in Amazon Pay India Amid Rising Competition in Fintech
The Times of India
"Amazon has invested Rs 350 crore into Amazon Pay India to strengthen its position in the digital payments market, despite its UPI ranking slipping to eighth place. This investment follows previous capital infusions and comes as Flipkart's Super.money explores new funding."
PayPal and Coinbase Expand Partnership to Drive Innovation of Stablecoin-based Solutions
PayPal Newsroom
"Coinbase platforms to provide fee-free purchases and easy 1:1 redemption of PayPal USD while companies jointly explore new payment use cases"
On the wires
Truist First Bank To Begin Revolutionizing Bill Pay With Alias-Based Request for Payment via the RTP® Network
PR Newswire
"Truist Financial Corporation announced the successful completion of the initial testing phase of an innovative alias-based bill payment solution that leverages The Clearing House's RTP® network and Request for Payment (RfP) platform. The achievement positions Truist as the first financial institution to send and receive alias-based RfPs for transactions and deliver corresponding real-time payment and settlement via the RTP system."
April 24, 2025
Top Post
Capital One Banks on AI for Financial Services
NVIDIA
"Financial services has long been at the forefront of adopting technological innovations. Capital One’s strategy centers on a “test, iterate, refine” approach that balances innovation with rigorous risk management. The company’s first agentic AI deployment is a chat concierge that helps customers navigate the car-buying process, such as by scheduling test drives."
On the web
Modern Treasury: Formalizing Our Partnership with Blankfactor
Modern Treasury
"Today marks an exciting milestone for Modern Treasury, as we announce our partnership with Blankfactor, a subsidiary of Globant specializing in financial technology services. By combining Modern Treasury's payment operations expertise with Blankfactor's technical implementation capabilities, we're better positioned than ever to help companies modernize their payment infrastructure."
New Research Shows U.S. Businesses Resolve Pain Points, Find Solutions With Instant Payments
Federal Reserve
"U.S. businesses are using instant payments to solve common payment pain points and improve customer and employee experiences, according to a new survey released by Federal Reserve Financial Services. Most businesses (66%) said they were likely to use instant payments if offered by their primary financial institution, and businesses using instant payments reported 10% greater satisfaction with their primary financial institution than businesses that do not."
Project Meridian FX Shows Possibility of Cross-Border Linkages for FX Transactions Between Wholesale Payment Infrastructures
BIS
"Project Meridian FX proves that wholesale payment infrastructures, such as real-time gross settlement (RTGS) systems, can be interoperable via new technologies for FX transactions. The joint project between the Bank for International Settlements, Bank of England, Bank of France, Bank of Italy, Deutsche Bundesbank and European Central Bank explored synchronising foreign exchange (FX) transactions. It demonstrated that FX transactions could be settled across jurisdictions and different types of infrastructures."
Milestone for Alipay Tap! QR Code Based Contactless Payment and Customer Engagement Solution
Retail Technology Innovation Hub
"Alipay Tap!, a QR code-based contactless payment and customer engagement solution introduced by Alipay in China in June 2024, has picked up over 100 million users within an 11 month period. The Alipay Tap! solution now supports over 300 scenarios, including ordering food at restaurants, vending machines, power bank rentals, and customer membership and loyalty programs."
Google Pay Rolls Out Integration of eWallets – ShopeePay and TNG eWallet in Malaysia
TNGlobal
Google announced the integration of ShopeePay and TNG eWallet (an Alipay+ Partner) with Google Pay in Malaysia, marking Google Pay’s first eWallet integrations in Southeast Asia.
BILL Expands Category Leadership, Empowering Businesses to Streamline Procurement and Take Control of Cash Flow
Bill
"BILL announced new powerful procurement capabilities and several other meaningful innovations to help businesses and accountants take control of their cash flow and win. BILL is the first company to seamlessly unify robust procure-to-pay workflows with AP, AR, Spend & Expense and Insights & Forecasting in a single, intuitive platform."
On the wires
10% Rebate: Bybit Card Introduces USDC Cashback
PR Newswire
"Bybit now offers cashback in both of the dominant USD-denominated stablecoins for Bybit Card holders. Starting Apr. 18, Bybit Cardholders will be able to diversify their cashback earnings into USDC. Once approved, new users will receive a virtual card compatible with Apple Pay or Google Pay."
April 23, 2025
On the web
eBay and Klarna Deepen Global Strategic Partnership to Empower Flexible Shopping in the U.S.
Klarna
"eBay announced the expansion of its global strategic partnership with Klarna, the AI-powered payments and commerce network, to the U.S. market. eBay is rolling out Klarna’s flexible payments options to millions of eBay’s U.S. shoppers. The expanded partnership reflects eBay’s continued investment in bringing more choice, flexibility, and control to buyers while enhancing affordability across key categories."
ACH Network Sees Strong Start to 2025; Volume and Value Increases for Both Standard and Same Day ACH
Nacha
"The ACH Network began 2025 with impressive gains in both standard and Same Day ACH during the first quarter. ACH payment volume rose 4.2% to 8.5 billion. The value of those payments was $22.1 trillion, up $1.4 trillion, or 6.6%, from a year earlier. Same Day ACH continued its growth trajectory, recording 326 million payments valued at $897 billion."
Credit-Card Companies Brace for a Downturn
WSJ
"Credit card companies are bracing for a potential economic downturn and increasing reserves to cover expected future losses. Delinquencies are rising and are in line with levels from before the pandemic. Some firms are tightening lending or targeting affluent clients; Amex sees steady performance among high-income consumers. [Subscription Required]"
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