Peru’s Instant Payment System Will Rely on India’s UPI
Peru plans to implement a real-time digital payments system based on India’s UPI sometime next year. Notably, Peru chose not to model its system after Pix, the highly successful payment platform adopted by neighboring Brazil. That choice may have less to do with South American politics or financial strategy and more to do with India’s […]
Mastercard Expands Agentic Commerce Efforts to UAE
The launch of agentic commerce platforms like Mastercard’s Agent Pay represents a new phase in how artificial intelligence is integrated into the shopping experience. Still, agentic commerce is far from ubiquitous, and Mastercard is now moving forward with plans to pilot Agent Pay in the UAE. These platforms aim to give users an AI agent […]
Why Student Loans Should Be a Touchpoint for Financial Institutions
As fintechs and digital-first banks have entered the industry, many financial institutions have searched for ways to reach new customers and build stronger relationships. Although many consumers have student loans and are concerned about their ability to repay, banks often neglect to address this critical aspect of their customers’ financial lives. In Student-Loan Debt and […]
Brazil Considers Taxing Crypto Cross-Border Payments
Much has been made of the potential efficiencies that stablecoins and other cryptocurrencies could bring to cross-border payments, but Brazil’s government also believes their use creates a tax loophole. According to Reuters, Brazil’s Finance Ministry is considering expanding the scope of its financial transaction tax to include certain cross-border payments made with digital assets. Under […]
JPMorgan’s In-Car Payments Unit Takes the Exit Ramp
JPMorgan Chase has decided to shut down its VW Pay division, formally known as the J.P. Morgan Mobility Payments Solution. The Luxembourg-based unit struggled to achieve profitability in the once-promising field of automotive payments, which enables customers to make digital payments for fuel, parking, and other internet-connected services. JPMorgan will continue providing mobility services to […]
How the Gift Card Revolution Will Accelerate Next Year
Once a humble piece of plastic tied to a single merchant, gift cards have evolved into flexible ecosystems that sit at the forefront of many brands. A major driver of this transformation has been digital gift cards, which have reshaped the way the industry views prepaid products. Today, gift cards are not only central to […]
In the Era of BNPL, Deferred Interest Offers Hang On
With the holiday shopping season already underway, many gift givers may be enticed by the promise of deferred-interest financing. Although buy now, pay later options have stolen much of the spotlight from this older model—once popular when shoppers were as likely to have a store card as a general-purpose credit card—a handful of card issuers […]
LinkedIn Messages Are a Popular Protocol for Phishing Attacks
Cybercriminals are expanding their playbook. While email and text remain common phishing channels LinkedIn messages are quickly gaining traction as a new favorite target. According to The Hacker News, LinkedIn has become an appealing target because many professionals—including company executives—access the platform on corporate devices. At the same time, many organizations haven’t put the same […]
Navigating the Risks and Rewards of Credit Card Balance Transfers
Balance transfers can be a powerful tool for consumers who are struggling with mounting credit card debt, but such offers come with their fair share of risks. For consumers, there is the risk that rolled-over debt can avalanche if unforeseen circumstances arise and they can’t to pay off their obligations in time. Because roughly half […]
JPMorgan, Fintechs Agree on Payments for Customer Data
The long-running dispute between JPMorgan Chase and the third-party apps that rely on its data has finally reached a resolution. According to CNBC, JPMorgan has signed contracts with fintech firms that account for more than 95% of the data requests made to its systems, agreeing to sell them customer information for a negotiated fee. The […]