Cross-border Payments Fast Payments Financial Inclusion

Episode 266 - Innovating Inclusive Financial Systems on the African Continent, with Sabine Mensah, AfricaNenda

In this episode, Joanna Wisniecka welcomes Sabine Mensah, Deputy CEO of AfricaNenda, a leader in financial inclusion, to explore Africa's dynamic path towards inclusive instant payment systems and the need for continued innovation and collaboration to enable access to financial services for all Africans on the continent by 2030.

Global

China Talks up Digital Yuan in Push for Multi-Polar Currency System

Reuters

“The head of China’s central bank pledged to expand the international use of the digital yuan and called for the development of a multi-polar global currency system, where several currencies dominate the world economy. China will establish an international operation centre for e-CNY in Shanghai, People’s Bank of China Governor Pan Gongsheng said on Wednesday […]

Tags: China

Industry

Apple, X, Airbnb, Google Exploring Stablecoin Payments

Ledger Insights

“Fortune published a report that several Big Tech firms, including Apple, X, Airbnb and Google, are exploring using stablecoins for payments, citing sources. A month ago the same magazine reported that Meta was exploring digital currencies. The news follows Uber’s confirmation yesterday that it was investigating the potential for stablecoin payments.”

Global

Reserve Bank of India to Roll Out New Use Cases for Digital Rupee

Cointelegraph

“The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is set to broaden the reach of its digital rupee pilots by introducing new use cases and features for both its retail and wholesale central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), according to the central bank’s Annual Report for 2024–25. The central bank said it aims to explore programmability and offline […]

Tags: India

Industry

Banks, Asset Managers, and Corporates Push Crypto and Digital Currencies Into the Mainstream Amid Shifting Financial Dynamics

Global Finance Magazine

“The largest bank in Italy, Intesa Sanpaolo, quietly purchased $1 million worth of bitcoin in early January. The move was not publicly disclosed; it surfaced in an internal bank memo. When pressed by reporters, CEO Carlo Messina described the purchase as merely a “test,” suggesting that Intesa may eventually acquire more bitcoin on behalf of […]

Industry

Kraken Teams up With Mastercard To Introduce Crypto Debit Cards

CoinDesk

“Kraken is working with Mastercard to enable crypto holders in the U.K. and Europe to spend digital assets at over 150 million merchants worldwide. Kraken will introduce physical and digital debit cards for everyday transactions using crypto and stablecoins. The initiative is part of Kraken Pay, a service that debuted earlier this year for cross-border […]

Industry

Paramount Business Jets Reports Significant Uptick in Cryptocurrency Payments for Private Jet Charters

PR Newswire

“Paramount Business Jets (PBJ), a premier provider of luxury private jet charter services, is pleased to announce a notable increase in clients utilizing cryptocurrency as a preferred payment method. Since integrating cryptocurrency payment options in late 2024, PBJ has observed a steady rise in clients opting for digital currencies. Notably, Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) have emerged as the most frequently used cryptocurrencies among PBJ’s […]

Global

Back to Cash: Life Without Money in Your Pocket Is Not the Utopia Sweden Hoped

The Guardian

“…In recent years the [Sweden] central bank has been working on its own digital currency, the “e-krona”, as cash declines. The project ended a couple of years ago, and the bank is now focused on monitoring the global development of digital currencies. Last year Norway, which has a popular equivalent to Swish called Vipps MobilePay, […]

Tags: Norway Sweden

Companies

The Future of Cross-Currency Payments: Insights from J.P. Morgan’s Vijay Lulla

The Global Treasurer

“The cross-border payments landscape is evolving fast. AI, blockchain, and digital currencies are driving innovation, but real-time processing and regulatory fragmentation remain challenges. Vijay Lulla, EMEA Head of Cross-Currency Payments at J.P. Morgan Payments, shares his insights on what’s next.”

Tags: JPMorgan Chase

Careers Glenbrook Glenbrook Payments Education

On-Demand Learning Offers Knowledge and Value to Payments Industry Professionals

Learn how Glenbrook’s high-quality on-demand learning helps payments professionals expand their knowledge and hone their skills.

CFPB Regulation

Payments Post #18: The Year of the Anti-Regulator?

In this Payments Post, we're thinking about the tension that’s emerged in the regulatory space as a result of the recent change in government with an eye on the controversial CFPB. Read our (not legal advice!) thoughts on what we see playing out in Washington, and what it might mean for the payments industry.

Global

Thailand to Test Crypto Payments for Tourists with Phuket Pilot Project

Fintech Singapore

“This initiative aims to allow foreign visitors to make payments using Bitcoin and other digital currencies”

Tags: Thailand

Global

CBDCs: Where Do We Stand in Europe?

Deutsche Bank

“Central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) have gained traction globally. In 2023, 94% of central banks have been engaged in some form of research, experimentation, pilot programme or deployment, a survey by the Bank of International Settlement (BIS) published in June 2024 found.”

Tags: Europe

Reports

Central Bank Digital Currencies: Legal and System Design Considerations

BIS

“A group of seven central banks (Bank of Canada, the Bank of England, the Bank of Japan, the European Central Bank, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, Sveriges Riksbank and the Swiss National Bank) together with the Bank for International Settlements, have been working together to explore selected aspects of central bank […]

Banking Industry Cross-border Payments Data Financial Inclusion Treasury & Cash Management

Episode 251 - Bridging the Communication Gap Between Treasury and Payments with Debopama Sen, Citi Treasury and Trade Solutions

Debopama Sen, Head of Payments at Citi Treasury and Trade Solutions, joins Glenbrook for this episode to explore how treasury and payments professionals can collaborate on opportunities presented by the evolving payments landscape.