Coinbase Delays Vote on Clarity Act
Objections from Coinbase helped scuttle the Senate’s consideration of the Clarity Act, a landmark crypto infrastructure bill. After Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong said the bill would amount to a “de facto ban” on tokenized equity offerings, the Senate canceled its markup session, which is now expected to be rescheduled in the coming months. The bill, […]
To Forecast Agentic Commerce Adoption, Look to Biometrics and Digital IDs
There has been considerable fanfare surrounding the emergence of agentic commerce, followed by a race to build the supporting infrastructure. While there has been less hoopla accompanying biometric authentication and digital identification cards, there are lessons from the evolution of these technologies that can be applied to agentic commerce initiatives. As Christopher Miller, Lead Emerging […]
Visa Eases Stablecoin Payment Settlement for Merchants
Visa is bringing stablecoins into the mainstream of global payments, launching a program that lets merchants settle international transactions without ever touching a digital asset. Under the partnership between Visa and stablecoin infrastructure provider BVNK, businesses in certain markets will be able to pre-fund payments using digital assets and send payouts directly to recipients’ digital […]
The Best Time for Consumers to Spend Holiday Gift Cards? Now
As National Use Your Gift Card Day approaches, many retailers are developing strategies to encourage consumers to spend the unredeemed gift cards they received over the holidays. The spending power significant: U.S. consumers are estimated to be holding roughly $23 billion in unused prepaid cards. This latest demand, combined with traditionally slower January sales, led […]
Where Financial Institutions Fit in the AR/AP Value Chain
A single purchase request now triggers a web of approvals, data exchanges, and funding decisions that stretch far beyond traditional accounts payable and receivable processes. As AR/AP workflows grow more complex, banks and networks face a critical question: where do they truly fit in a value chain full of opportunity, but short on clarity? To […]
Ant International Logged Over 2 Billion Cross-Border Payments Last Year
In many of the world’s fastest-growing economies, small- to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) rely on efficient cross-border payment solutions to thrive. While numerous options exist, Ant International’s platform is seeing significant growth. The global payments giant supported more than 2 billion cross-border transactions in 2025, many originating from rapidly expanding markets like Southeast Asia, South Asia, […]
Klarna Wades into a Crowded European P2P Market
Buy now, pay later pioneer Klarna has launched peer-to-peer payments in 13 European countries, expanding its services as it moves closer to becoming a full-service digital bank. In a market already crowded with P2P apps, Klarna’s millions of existing users could give it a competitive edge. For now, Klarna users can only send money to […]
Present and Accounted For: Digital Gift Cards in Incentive Programs
In the post-COVID era of remote work, organizations often struggle to find meaningful ways to recognize their top performers. In-person celebrations are not always possible, and traditional physical gifts can sometimes feel impersonal or difficult to deliver effectively. In this context, digital gifting platforms have risen dramatically as a powerful tool to celebrate achievements, boost […]
Experian Raises Concerns Over Emerging Agentic Commerce Fraud
Artificial intelligence is helping shoppers find items and compare prices, but it also introduces new risks. According to Experian, the top fraud threat this year is AI agents and their potential to disrupt the evolving retail landscape. In the past, merchants and financial institutions relied on blanket defenses to identify and neutralize any activity originating […]
Massachusetts Bill May Pass Credit Card Surcharges to Consumers
Massachusetts, one of the few states where it is still illegal for businesses to surcharge customers for credit card payments, is considering new legislation that would reverse that policy. The proposal is the latest development in a broader pushback against rising credit card fees. The Massachusetts bill, which passed out of committee last week, would […]