Blockchain CBDC Cryptocurrencies Digital Currency Stablecoins

Episode 282 - Why You Need a Stablecoin Strategy, with Ran Goldi, Fireblocks

In this episode, Yvette Bohanan welcomes back Ran ‘Goldi' Goldshtein, Senior VP of Payments and Networks at Fireblocks to provide his perspective on the evolution of the digital currency space. Tune in as they break down a stablecoin transaction, discuss the current state and adoption of blockchain technology, and review various use cases for stablecoins. They define terms like TradFi, Defi, and smart contracts, and explore the impact of tokenized deposits and AI on the digital currency landscape.

Global

PhonePe Integrates ChatGPT Into UPI App

Startupro News

“PhonePe announced a pioneering collaboration with OpenAI to embed ChatGPT-powered AI features directly into its UPI app ecosystem, marking a major step in integrating generative AI into India’s digital payment landscape. This partnership will enable users to access AI-driven assistance across PhonePe’s consumer and business offerings, allowing for interactions related to payments, product research, travel […]

Tags: India

Card Acceptance Credit Cards Interchange Mastercard Visa

Episode 281 - Fanning the Flames - Unpacking the Latest Proposed Settlement of the Payment Card Interchange Litigation

In this episode, Bryan Derman, Russ Jones, and Chris Uriarte share their first-take analysis of last week’s proposed settlement of the long-running antitrust litigation between Visa/Mastercard and a group of merchants regarding Payment Card Interchange and Merchant Discounts. The discussion covers the basic parameters of the settlement proposal and then investigates some of the possible reactions by merchants, issuers, and networks were the settlement to be approved the by judge.

Companies

Ant International’s Antom Launches AI‑Powered MSME App for Finance and Business Operations

Business Wire

“Antom, a leading provider of merchant payment and digitisation services under Ant International, today announced EPOS360, an app that brings point-of-sale (POS) system, payments, banking, lending, and growth support together to help micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) move from setup to scale efficiently.”

Tags: Ant International

Global

Paytm Unveils All-New App With AI Features to Enhance Payment Experience

Business Standard

“Paytm, India’s full-stack merchant payments leader, has launched a redesigned version of its flagship app, integrating artificial intelligence-driven features to personalise everyday transactions for its users. The update introduces a cleaner user interface alongside over 15 new features. One of the standout innovations is the launch of “Gold Coins,” a first-of-its-kind initiative that rewards users […]

Tags: India

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.

Paytm Partners with Groq to Power Real-Time AI for Payments and Platform Intelligence

Konexio Network

“Paytm, India’s full-stack merchant payments leader and the pioneer of mobile payments, QR codes, and Soundbox, announced a partnership with Groq, the U.S.-based leader in real-time AI inference, to bring fast, intelligent, and cost-efficient AI to its platform. Under this collaboration, Paytm and its associate entities will deploy GroqCloud, to achieve faster, more cost-efficient and […]

Merchants Orchestration PSPs

Demystifying Payments Orchestration: Part 3 - Defining the Payments Orchestration Landscape

The 5 payments orchestration implementation models explored in this post reflect a spectrum of control, customization, and complexity. Understanding the distinct characteristics and where each orchestration model excels and where it introduces risk or limitations is essential for selecting the right fit.

Artificial Intelligence Glenbrook Payments Education

Episode 277 - Fanning the Flames - Recent Developments in Agent Protocols

Tune in for a fly-on-the-wall perspective with Russ Jones and Yvette Bohanan in this bonus Fanning the Flames on recent developments in agent protocols.

Companies

OpenAI and PayPal Team Up to Power Instant Checkout and Agentic Commerce in ChatGPT

PayPal Newsroom

“PayPal, Inc. announced it will adopt the Agentic Commerce Protocol (ACP) to expand payments and commerce in ChatGPT. Millions of ChatGPT users will be able to check out instantly using PayPal, and PayPal will support payments processing for merchants leveraging OpenAI Instant Checkout. PayPal will also connect its global merchant network to OpenAI, creating a […]

Tags: PayPal

Digital Currency Glenbrook Payments Education

Episode 276 - Fanning the Flames - Stablecoin Economics

In this Fanning the Flames episode, Russ Jones and Yvette Bohanan take you behind the scenes to show the "making of" our new stablecoin economics slide. Listen in as they discuss the points of monetization and key revenue streams in the stablecoin value chain, and address questions around practical usage and the evolving landscape.

Companies

Mastercard Launches Merchant Cloud to Simplify and Support Commerce Growth in Global Acceptance Ecosystem

Mastercard

“Mastercard announced Merchant Cloud, a next-generation payments platform. The platform offers scheme-agnostic solutions for credential tokenization, guest checkout, fraud protection, identity verification, and approval rate optimization. It also provides customers with a variety of gateway services, such as omnichannel experiences, efficient transaction routing, and access to data insights.”

Tags: Mastercard

Consumers Merchants Payment Operations Payments Acceptance

Episode 275 - The Criticality of Optimizing the Payments Experience, with Anne Hay and Mike Kaplan, PayNearMe

In this episode of Payments on Fire, Chris Uriarte welcomes Anne Hay, Chief Marketing Officer, and Mike Kaplan, Chief Revenue Officer, from PayNearMe to discuss the evolution and optimization of the payments experience.

Companies

Checkout Secures Georgia Banking Charter Milestone, Accelerating US Investment to Win the Enterprise Digital Payments Market

Checkout

“Checkout.com announced that the State of Georgia Department of Banking and Finance has officially accepted its application for a Merchant Acquirer Limited Purpose Bank (MALPB) charter. This reinforces the company’s commitment to deliver a powerful payments platform specifically designed for US enterprise merchants.”

Tags: Checkout.com

Companies

Enhancing Merchant Category Code (MCC) Classification for Mobility Payments: Analysis of Existing MCC Ranges for New Mobility MCCs

U.S. Payments Forum

“As mobility services expand beyond traditional public transit, accurate Merchant Category Codes (MCCs) are critical for transaction clarity, reporting, rewards, and subsidy programs. This U.S. Payments Forum white paper analyzes gaps and opportunities in MCC classification for micromobility, public transportation, carsharing, ridesharing, EV charging, and parking. It highlights how inconsistent MCC use impacts the payments […]

Tags: U.S. Payments Forum