How the CLARITY Act Reshapes Stablecoin Rewards
The Senate has reached a deal on how the long-delayed CLARITY Act would treat stablecoins, putting the legislation back on track. Senators Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) and Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.) agreed to a compromise addressing one of the main sticking points: whether crypto firms can reward users for holding stablecoins by paying interest. Banks have argued […]
From Hygiene Factor to Hero Product: Why the Card Deserves a Second Look
In an era of digital disruption and shifting consumer expectations, banks are being forced to rethink the fundamentals. One of the most overlooked tools in their arsenal—the humble payment card—is quietly becoming a powerful lever for loyalty, lifestyle alignment, and emotional engagement. The Missed Opportunity Numerous banks around the world have long treated the credit and […]
Brazil to Eliminate Stablecoins from Cross-Border Transactions
The Central Bank of Brazil is drawing a hard line on how crypto can be used in the country’s financial system, effectively shutting stablecoins out of cross-border payments. Under Resolution No. 561, such transactions will need to go through traditional foreign exchange channels or be processed via non-resident Brazilian real accounts held in Brazil, with […]
As Digital Fraud Booms, AARP Warns of Continued Analog Threats
AARP New York recently hosted a series of “The Big Shred NY!” events to shred sensitive documents—approximately 420,000 pounds in total—and remind consumers about the importance of safeguarding personal information. The organization highlighted that fraud cost New York residents more than $700 million last year, and that criminals will exploit every opportunity. While many attacks […]
Co-Branded Credit Cards Still Hold Promise for Smaller Issuers
Airlines pioneered co-branded credit cards decades ago as a way to reward frequent flyers and strengthen customer relationships in a rapidly growing industry. Since then, co-branded cards have expanded across nearly every sector—from retail and restaurants to hospitality. Not all co-brands, however, are created equal. Consider Wells Fargo’s recent bad investment with its Bilt partnership, […]
Uber Turns Its App into a Personal Shopping Service
Will Uber become the place where you don’t just get a ride, but also buy shoes, groceries, and anything else you need? The rideshare company is betting on exactly that as it rolls out a sweeping expansion of its app into shopping and other digital services, and expands its partnership with payment technology provider Block […]
EU Tightens Fraud Rules and Fintech Licensing in Open Banking Overhaul
The European Union is preparing to raise the stakes for open banking. With the Third Payment Services Directive (PSD3) and its accompanying Payment Services Regulation (PSR) moving through final approval stages, the bloc is edging closer to its most significant payments overhaul since PSD2. EU lawmakers have published their final compromise texts for the proposals, […]
Fueling Agentic Commerce with Dual-Rail Recurring Billing
PhotonPay, the stablecoin-powered operating system for global payment infrastructure, unveiled its dual-rail recurring system. Designed for emerging agentic commerce use cases, the system enables businesses to manage recurring payments across both fiat and stablecoin rails through a single integration. By abstracting the complexity of underlying payment protocols, it allows teams to focus on building and […]
Meta Brings Stablecoin Payouts to a Massive Global Ecosystem
After considering launching a stablecoin of its own, Meta is opting to leverage established digital asset infrastructure to enable stablecoin payouts. Through a partnership with Stripe, Meta will now offer some creators the option to receive payouts in Circle’s USDC. These payments can be received through most crypto wallets, including MetaMask, Phantom, and Binance, across […]
Google Donates Its Agentic Payments Protocol to the FIDO Alliance
In a move to promote interoperable standards for agentic commerce, Google is donating its Agent Payments Protocol (AP2) to the nonprofit industry group the FIDO Alliance, which is working on open frameworks for agentic interactions. While framed as an altruistic step, the decision also helps ensure Google remains deeply embedded in this emerging space. Google […]