Companies

Klarna to Launch Dollar-Backed Stablecoin as Race in Digital Payments Heats Up

Reuters

“Swedish fintech firm Klarna on Tuesday said it will launch a U.S. dollar-backed stablecoin, becoming the latest major payments company to move deeper into digital assets as regulators tighten oversight of the sector. The token, called KlarnaUSD, is currently in testing and will be available on the mainnet in 2026, will be fully backed by […]

Tags: Klarna

Deals

Green Dot Agrees to $1.1bn Breakup Deal

FinTech Futures

“Green Dot Corporation has agreed to be acquired by Smith Ventures and CommerceOne Financial Corporation in deals totalling approximately $825 million to $1.1 billion. The first half of the agreement will see Smith Ventures acquire Green Dot’s non-bank fintech operations. On the other side, CommerceOne will acquire Green Dot Bank, including related assets and operations.”

Companies

Mastercard Unveils New Open-Loop Mobility Product

Fintech Global

“Mastercard has reinforced its position at the forefront of mobility innovation with the launch of its enhanced open-loop transit solution. The company’s open-loop transit solution allows riders to tap into public transport systems using existing Mastercard debit or credit cards, as well as digital wallets on mobile phones or wearables. This removes the need for […]

Tags: Mastercard

Companies

Mastercard’s 2030 Vision Builds an Intelligent Future for Payments

The Asian Banker

“At the Singapore FinTech Festival 2025, Sandeep Malhotra, executive vice president of core payments for Asia Pacific at Mastercard, outlines how the firm is reshaping regional payments infrastructure through tokenisation, interoperability and AI‑ready systems amid accelerating digital transformation.”

Tags: Mastercard

Companies

Mastercard Brings Agentic Payments to Life with Majid Al Futtaim in the UAE

Mastercard

“In a world where artificial intelligence is reshaping how people shop, pay, and connect, Mastercard is introducing Agent Pay in the UAE, and today marked its first transaction outside the US.  As part of this pilot phase in the UAE, Mastercard is collaborating with Majid Al Futtaim, a leader in shopping malls, communities, retail, and leisure […]

Tags: Mastercard

Global

ChatGPT Joins PhonePe: AI To Transform UPI Payments Across India

Patna Press

“In a major leap for India’s fintech sector, PhonePe has announced a strategic partnership with OpenAI, aiming to integrate ChatGPT-powered AI features into its digital payments app. The move marks the beginning of a new era where artificial intelligence meets everyday transactions, making UPI interactions smarter, faster, and more conversational. Through this collaboration, users will […]

Tags: India

Companies

Coinbase Abandons $2 Billion Acquisition of Stablecoin Firm BVNK

Yahoo FInance

“Coinbase has ended negotiations to acquire stablecoin startup BVNK, according to a Fortune report on Tuesday. Sources told the publication that the proposed deal was valued at approximately $2 billion. Both the American crypto exchange and Mastercard had been in advanced discussions to acquire BVNK, the UK-based fintech firm that builds stablecoin infrastructure. Coinbase and BVNK then […]

Industry

Atlanta-Based App Aims to Speed Payments for Immigrant Small Business Owners

CBS News

“An Atlanta fintech startup launched by an immigrant entrepreneur is transforming how small immigrant-owned businesses manage payments and cash flow. Pagarva, a mobile point-of-sale app built for multilingual immigrant micro-businesses, recently raised capital through Atlanta’s new Pinnacle Innovation Accelerator and is now scaling across the metro area. The app allows merchants to accept cards, Venmo, […]

Companies

Mastercard and Thunes Bring Stablecoin Payouts to the Mainstream

Mastercard

“Mastercard and Thunes have teamed up to accelerate global money movement for banks, payment service providers and end-users by expanding stablecoin wallet payout capabilities. Through this strategic collaboration, announced at the Singapore Fintech Festival , Mastercard Move will facilitate near real-time payouts to stablecoin wallets via Thunes’ Direct Global Network, harnessing the speed, liquidity, and […]

Tags: Mastercard Thunes

Companies

Mastercard Champions Password-Free, Number-Free Checkout Across Asia Pacific by 2030

Mastercard

“At the Singapore FinTech Festival, Mastercard announced its ambition to make online shopping across Asia Pacific password-free and number-free by 2030. While more than a third of Mastercard transactions worldwide are already tokenized, achieving that vision in the world’s largest and fastest-growing e-commerce market — projected to exceed USD 7 trillion by 2030[1] — will require collective […]

Tags: Mastercard

Industry

JPM Coin: A New Era for Stablecoins in Asia's Fintech Scene

Onesafe

“JPM Coin’s arrival signals a significant shift in the stablecoin world, introducing fresh standards for compliance and institutional trust. This change presents both challenges and opportunities for Asia’s fintech startups, who must adapt to a rapidly evolving landscape. In this post, let’s unpack how JPM Coin’s entry is reshaping the stablecoin market, what hurdles smaller […]

Industry

Episode Six and Fireblocks Join Forces to Deliver Unified Payments Solution Bridging Traditional and Digital Finance

Business Wire

“Episode Six and Fireblocks announced the co-development of a unified payments solution at Singapore Fintech Festival. The payments solution seamlessly integrates traditional and digital finance, bringing fiat, stablecoins, loyalty points, and other digital assets onto a single, programmable platform, empowering financial institutions to operate across asset classes with speed, security, and flexibility.”

Companies

Visa Unveils 2025 Creator Report; Introduces Creator Agent Pilot with Karat

Visa

“Visa is using the scale of its network to help creators easily and securely pay and get paid, access capital and grow their enterprises with the same tools and resources available to small businesses worldwide. Visa’s new creator-research, Monetized: Visa 2025 Creator Report is a comprehensive study of the creator economy spanning five regions. In […]

Tags: Visa

Artificial Intelligence Conferences & Meetings Stablecoins

Episode 279 - Fanning the Flames - Money 20/20 2025 Recap

Chris Uriarte and Drew Edmond are back from Money 20/20 and join Yvette Bohanan on this episode to provide their insights on the prevailing themes and standout announcements.  Tune in to also hear tips for navigating the conference and overall thoughts on the evolution of Money 20/20 and other industry events.

Global

Beyond QR Codes: The Indonesian Unicorn Driving Southeast Asia’s Digital Payments Evolution

NBC

“Indonesian fintech unicorn Xendit is helping reshape Southeast Asia’s payment landscape by offering Stripe-like infrastructure tailored to the region’s unique challenges. In this episode of CNBC’s “Beyond the Valley,” Xendit co-founder and Chief Operating Officer Tessa Wijaya joins Arjun Kharpal at the Singapore Week of Innovation and Technology (SWITCH) to discuss unifying a fragmented payments […]

Tags: Indonesia