BMO Brings Tokenized Cash to Google’s Blockchain
Amid a flood of stablecoin launches, many of the world’s leading financial services firms continue to champion tokenization. Robinhood’s CEO highlighted the technology’s industry-transforming potential last year, and now Blackrock CEO Larry Fink has echoed that enthusiasm with similarly strong remarks. Fink noted that the global proliferation of digital wallets has created the ideal conditions […]
European Retailers Fight EU Plan to Mandate Cash Acceptance
A European coalition of retailers and wholesalers is pushing back against a proposed EU rule that would require businesses to accept cash. In a statement, the industry group EuroCommerce responded to ongoing EU payment discussions taking place as consumers across Europe continue shifting toward contactless cards, mobile wallets, and other digital payment methods. While merchants […]
Modernizing Payments: Tackling the Toughest Tech Challenges
Banks are racing to modernize their payments systems, as real-time payments surge and artificial intelligence begins to reshape every corner of the industry. What once seemed like a back-office upgrade is now a critical priority—one that can define customer relationships and market positioning. In a PaymentsJournal Webinar, Scotty Perkins, Head of Product Management at ACI […]
Microsoft Warns of New IRS-Based Phishing Attacks
Microsoft has detected a surge in sophisticated phishing campaigns timed to exploit heightened anxiety during tax season, as cybercriminals ramp up efforts to trick both individuals and businesses. According to the company, criminals are sending fraudulent emails masquerading as tax refunds, payroll documents, filing reminders, and requests from tax professionals. These messages are intended to […]
India Floats Plan for Converting Gift Cards into Mutual Funds
Gift cards are moving beyond retail and rewards programs—now, regulators are exploring how they can serve as an entry point into investing. The use cases for gift cards have continued to expand, especially as prepaid products have become an integral component of many organizations’ loyalty and incentives programs. The versatility of these solutions has prompted […]
The Growing Data Battle Between Banks and Fintechs
JPMorgan Chase shook the industry last year when it announced plans to charge fintech companies for access to customer data. This marked a major shift in a model where third-party providers have increasingly bridged the gap between legacy banks and digital services. Financial firms have supplied the application programming interfaces (APIs) that are now central […]
The EU Invites Turkey to Join SEPA
The European Union has made overtures to Turkey about joining the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA), though Ankara has yet to respond. An EU envoy suggested that participation in the payments system could deepen Turkey’s integration with the European economy and make it easier—and cheaper—for people to send money across borders. Several other non-EU countries, […]
Stripe Launches Tempo Blockchain to Power AI-Driven Payments
Stripe is betting that the next evolution of payments won’t be drive by humans, but by autonomous AI agents transacting on blockchain rails. Blockchain has become a core component of the financial services infrastructure, underpinning everything from stablecoins to artificial intelligence models—and increasingly serving as the foundation for programmable, always-on commerce. Stripe has been an […]
What Banking Customers Want—and Don’t Want—From Chatbots
Customers increasingly view the mobile app as their primary point of contact with their bank, yet satisfaction with digital service remains low—particularly when it comes to the now-ubiquitous chatbot. Too often, these bots fail to answer specific questions and offer little clarity when customers need to reach a real person. For younger customers especially, the […]
As Credit Card Balances Hit Record Highs, Is a Rate Cap the Answer?
A record 111 million U.S. consumers were carrying a balance on their credit cards at the end of last year—two million more than at the end of 2024. Together, these cardholders now owe more than $1 trillion to banks. Based on average outstanding balances, a typical cardholder making only the minimum payment would pay about […]