Why China Is Offering Interest on Its CBDC
China is stepping up its push for digital currency adoption. Starting January 1, users of the e-CNY—the country’s central bank digital currency (CBDC)—will be able to earn interest, and their holdings will be protected under the country’s deposit insurance system, giving consumers more confidence in embracing the digital yuan. The move is intended to spark […]
The Trends That Will Modernize Payments Technology in 2026
The modernization of banks’ technology stacks, to this point, have only been the initial steps in a larger process. The adoption of real-time payments has shown how risk, compliance, and customer experience need to catch up to the instant payment environment. Even less visible functions like treasury services are being touched by modernization. These changes […]
Amid Digital Payments Surge, Australians Raise Concerns About Cash Access
Mobile wallet payments in Australia have grown 23-fold over the past six years, according to the Australian Banking Association. During this digital transformation, concerns have emerged that a significant portion of the population may be left behind. Alongside the rise of digital wallets, online banking has become the norm in Australia. As a result, the […]
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 […]
UK Scraps Transaction Caps on Contactless Card Payments
UK regulators floated the idea of removing the current £100 transaction limit for contactless payments with physical cards earlier this year. Now, the UK is moving forward with these plans, allowing financial services providers to set their own payment thresholds—or remove them entirely. These limits were established by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and currently […]
In a Pivotal Year for Prepaid Products, Digital Assets Emerge
The holiday season has increasingly revolved around gift cards, as more consumers prefer spending power over physical gifts. Although gift cards are an enduring offering, the prepaid industry has evolved to include an array of products that are as much about self-use as they are about handing out gifts. As Jordan Hirschfield, Director of Prepaid […]
Digital Watermarks Are the Latest Protection for Physical Gift Cards
As the holiday shopping season heads into its final phase, last-minute gift cards are expected to fly off the store shelves. This year, shoppers may benefit from a new technology designed to make those cards far more tamper-proof. Schnuck Markets, a grocery chain in the St. Louis area, recently completed a 10-week pilot program with […]
Amazon Pay Is One of the First Wallets to Support Biometrics on UPI
Not long after India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) launched a feature enabling users to approve payments with a fingerprint or facial scan, Amazon Pay rolled out its own support for biometric authentication. Previously, consumers were required to enter a PIN to authorize transactions. Under the new feature, UPI now allows transactions of up to ₹5,000 […]