Holiday Shopping Soars, Driven by AI and E-Commerce
Despite macroeconomic concerns, the holidays are still a priority for consumers. Early data from Visa shows that U.S. holiday retail spending rose 4.2% year-over-year, excluding inflation. The report is based on payments activity tracked from early November and excludes automotive, gas, and restaurant spending. While in-store purchases still account for nearly three-quarters of holiday spending, […]
Who Would Benefit from the Fed’s “Skinny” Crypto Accounts?
In a proposal that has drawn both interest and concern, the Federal Reserve is exploring whether crypto exchanges and fintechs should be granted limited access to its payments system through a type of “skinny” master account. Currently, these companies rely on intermediary banks that already hold master accounts at Federal Reserve Banks to process transactions […]
Is UPI’s Rapid Growth Squeezing India’s Payments Market?
India’s United Payments Interface (UPI) continues not only to dominate the payments landscape but to grow at a relentless pace. As new players attempt to enter the market, however, concerns are emerging that UPI may be crowding out other payment modes—such as credit cards—potentially stifling innovation and limiting consumer choice. Still less than a decade […]