Bank of England Plans Sweeping Overhaul to UK Payments Infrastructure
The United Kingdom’s central bank is advancing two major initiatives aimed at moving the nation closer to 24/7 financial settlement infrastructure. Many businesses and consumers no longer understand why they can send a stablecoin or real-time payment in seconds while traditional bank transfers remain constrained by business hours. To address this gap, the Bank of […]
Bitcoin’s ATM Boom May Be Coming to an End
Bitcoin Depot, the largest bitcoin ATM operator in North America, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and plans to shut down operations while exploring a sale of its assets. The collapse is more than just the failure of one company—it may signal the unraveling of the bitcoin ATM industry itself, a business that once promised […]
After Kraken’s “Skinny” Fed Account, What’s Next for Crypto?
In March, the cryptocurrency exchange Kraken entered territory long reserved for banks. By securing a so-called “skinny account” from the Federal Reserve, Kraken gained direct access to the same payment rails used by the country’s largest financial institutions—a privilege historically limited to banks. The decision could reshape far more than the crypto industry. It signals […]
Mexico Moves Away from Cash and into Digital Payments
At gas stations and convenience stores across Mexico, cash is starting to lose its default status as digital payment infrastructure expands nationwide. A new rollout from FEMSA signals how quickly that shift is moving from policy ambition into retail reality. Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum said FEMSA’s payments unit NetPay will deploy a digital payment system […]
Supercharging Chase Platinum, Plus an Apple Tie-In
Chase’s latest offer on the flagship Chase Sapphire Reserve card jumped to a whopping 150,000 points for their $795-annual fee card. Instead of converting the penny-to-points into cash, strategic reward harvesters can parlay their points into $3,000 in flights and hotels when booked through Chase Travel. Benefits on top of that—with merchant tie-ins—can add another […]
AI, Fraud, and the New Authentication Playbook for Financial Institutions
WEBINAR AI, Fraud, and the New Authentication Playbook for Financial Institutions May 13, 2026 1:00 pm EDT [contact-form-7] Can passwordless authentication help financial institutions stay ahead of AI-driven fraud? Financial institutions are facing unprecedented pressure as AI accelerates both the speed and sophistication of fraud attacks. Passwords—already the weakest link in authentication—are quickly becoming indefensible […]
Palo Alto Network Warns of Looming AI Fraud Deluge
Cybersecurity firms worldwide have sounded alarms about the potential for devastating AI-driven exploits, and Palo Alto Networks warns an overwhelming wave of fraud attacks is imminent. The company’s Chief Product & Technology Officer, Lee Klarich, noted in a blog post that Palo Alto estimates there was only a “narrow three-to-five-month window” for organizations to outpace […]
PhotonPay Completes its First Live Agentic Payment Together with Mastercard
What happens when AI agents can transact, coordinate, and move money on their own? The future is beginning to take shape. PhotonPay, a next-generation financial operating system, reached a milestone in agentic transaction together with Mastercard, marking an early step toward the emergence of AI-driven financial infrastructure in Hong Kong. In a live operational demonstration, […]
Merchants Voice Concerns Over Potential Change to Debit Fee Rules
The landmark digital assets-governing CLARITY Act is under consideration in the U.S. Senate, but merchants are taking issue with a potential amendment to the bill that could alter longstanding debit fee rules. The Durbin Amendment to the Dodd-Frank Act separated banks into two tiers, with the dividing line set at $10 billion in assets. Banks […]
Amazon Rolls Out New Business Cards, Its First with U.S. Bank
A new shake-up is coming to small business payments as Amazon expands its card strategy through a partnership with U.S. Bank, introducing two new business cards on the Mastercard network. The launch marks a notable shift—these are Amazon’s first business cards issued outside of American Express after an eight-year partnership. Amazon also continues to offer […]