MainMoney Introduces Palm-Based Biometric Identification for Payments in DR Congo
MainMoney has rolled out a palm‑vein biometric payment platform in Kinshasa, allowing consumers to complete transactions without a bank card or mobile device. The technology reads the unique vein pattern inside a user’s palm to verify identity in real time. By leveraging this contact‑based authentication, the system aims to simplify point‑of‑sale interactions in a market where many lack traditional banking tools. The launch marks the first large‑scale deployment of palm‑based payments in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Stablecoins and Cryptocurrencies Are Increasingly Being Used by Europeans for Everyday Transactions : Research
OKX’s analysis of card transactions between Jan. 28 and Feb. 26, 2026 shows stablecoins are now routine payment tools across Europe. Grocery purchases account for 26% of OKX Card activity, while food‑related spending makes up 44% of all transactions. National patterns reveal German...
BNPL Fintech Affirm Reports Steady YoY Revenue Growth, Beats Earnings Estimates
Affirm posted a strong Q3 FY2026, with gross merchandise volume (GMV) of $11.6 billion, up 35% year‑over‑year, and total revenue of $1.039 billion, a 33% increase. Net income turned positive at $103 million, while adjusted operating income rose to $281 million, representing 27% of...
Little Learnings #8
MoonPay unveiled the MoonAgents Card, a virtual Mastercard debit card that lets AI agents spend stablecoins directly from a self‑custodial on‑chain wallet. The card bridges the gap between autonomous agents and the real‑world economy by converting stablecoins to fiat at...
Kotak Neo Joins TradingView as Broker Partner
Kotak Neo, the brokerage arm of Kotak Mahindra Bank, has become a broker partner on TradingView, allowing Indian investors to place equity, futures and options trades directly from the platform’s charts. The integration supports trading on NSE, BSE, MCX and...
How Chime Overcame Trust Challenges when Deploying Its AI Agent
Chime launched its AI copilot, Jade, to automate customer‑service interactions, confronting a core trust hurdle with users handling under $100,000 incomes. By allowing seamless handoffs to human agents, Jade now handles 70% of the company’s 2024 support contacts, boosting automated...
YC‑backed Parker Files Chapter 7 Bankruptcy After $200M Claim
🚨SCOOP: YC-backed Parker, which claimed to have raised "over $200 million in funding," officially filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy yesterday, I can be the first to report. The news follows the abrupt shutdown of the ecom-focused banking & credit card startup...
Stablecoin Market Controversies: Why the Term Is Akin to Horsepower, Who Needs Stablecoin Sandwiches, and Why Aren’t Stablecoins Mainstream Yet?
Stablecoins are touted as a fast, low‑cost bridge for cross‑border payments, but their path to mass adoption remains fraught with controversy. The article likens the hype around stablecoins to horsepower ratings—impressive on paper but not always reflective of real‑world performance....
Opera-Backed Stablecoin App MiniPay Rides Africa Demand to 15 Million Wallets
Opera’s MiniPay stablecoin wallet has surpassed 15 million activated wallets, more than double the count a year earlier. The platform processed 360 million peer‑to‑peer transactions worth over $300 million by the end of 2025, with USDT as the primary asset and a dominant...
Bumpa and Vendorcredit Partner to Launch Bumpa Capital, Expanding Credit Access for Nigerian SMEs
Bumpa, a leading Nigerian e‑commerce platform, has teamed with supply‑chain fintech Vendorcredit to launch Bumpa Capital, a credit product embedded directly in the Bumpa marketplace. The service lets merchants apply for working capital and receive funds within hours, using their...
Building Outcome-Based Pricing for Fin for Sales
Intercom unveiled an outcome‑based pricing model for its AI sales agent, Fin. The new plan charges $10 for each lead that meets the customer‑defined qualification criteria, while unqualified interactions cost $1. The model replaces activity‑based fees with a metric tied...
Lightspeed Appoints Bhawna Singh as CTO to Accelerate AI, Payments and Wholesale Tools
Lightspeed Commerce announced Bhawna Singh as its new chief technology officer, pairing the hire with a suite of AI‑driven product upgrades for retail and hospitality merchants. Singh, a former CTO of Okta and Glassdoor, will steer the platform’s next phase...
Prediction Market Users Lose Big as 0.1% Capture $500M on Polymarket
A Wall Street Journal study finds that 0.1% of Polymarket users earned almost $500 million since 2022, while overall prediction‑market wagering jumped to $24.2 billion in the past year. The lopsided payouts have drawn criticism from regulators and consumer‑risk researchers.
KCB Disburses About Sh1.5 Bn ($11 M) in Digital Loans Daily Using Data Analytics
Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) is using data analytics to approve and fund roughly Sh1.5 bn ($11 m) in digital loans every day. The high‑volume rollout highlights the bank’s push toward faster, algorithm‑based credit decisions in Kenya’s fast‑growing fintech market.
Ramp in Talks for $750M Raise, Targeting $40B+ Valuation
Fintech startup Ramp is in advanced discussions to raise $750 million at a pre‑money valuation exceeding $40 billion, a steep jump from its $32 billion post‑money valuation just six months earlier. The fundraising follows a year of rapid revenue growth and an AI‑centric...
Kalshi Secures $1 B Series F, Valuation Jumps to $22 B
Kalshi announced a $1 billion Series F financing round led by Coatue, doubling its valuation to $22 billion. The funding reflects an 800% rise in institutional trading volume and positions the platform as the dominant U.S. prediction‑market venue.
Coinbase Cuts 14% of Staff as AI Push Meets Crypto Market Slowdown
Coinbase announced a 14% workforce reduction—about 700 employees—framed as an AI‑driven efficiency overhaul. The move comes as crypto prices hover near $81,000, overall market cap slips 1%, and trading volumes contract, echoing a wider fintech trend of cost‑cutting amid slower...
Circle CEO Jeremy Allaire Tightens USDC Auditability to Counter Crypto Fraud
Circle chief executive Jeremy Allaire announced a suite of new auditability measures for USDC, including monthly attestations, regulated reserve composition and real‑time reporting. The move targets crypto’s fraud problem and aligns the stablecoin with growing institutional demands for transparency.
How Merchant Choice Routing Can Boost a Retailer’s Bottom Line
Debit cards now represent over 75% of Australian card payments, making transaction‑cost efficiency a priority for retailers. Merchant Choice Routing (MCR), also called Least‑Cost Routing, lets merchants direct debit transactions to the cheaper network—typically the domestic eftpos system—without altering the...
Amazon Introduces AgentCore Payments With Stablecoin Support From Coinbase And Stripe
Amazon unveiled AgentCore Payments, a new checkout service that lets merchants accept stablecoins such as USDC. The platform is powered by integrations with Coinbase and Stripe, combining Coinbase's crypto licensing with Stripe's payment infrastructure. Amazon says the service will enable...
Renewed Strategy Boosts GoTyme
GoTyme Bank, formerly TymeBank, has rebranded and migrated one million customers to a redesigned app in under three months. The new platform offers biometric login, free PayShap payments under R5,000 (≈ $270), a 10% savings rate and a buy‑now‑pay‑later service called...
Software Company Barespace Launches Embedded Finance Platform
Irish AI‑driven SaaS firm Barespace has unveiled Barespace Capital, an embedded finance platform that lets salon owners secure growth funding directly within the booking and operations system they already use. The launch follows a €2.9 million seed round (about $3.2 million) and...
City of London Calls for Tech-Led Fraud Fight
The City of London Corporation is urging technology firms to create stronger digital identity‑verification services to curb financial‑sector fraud. It proposes a voluntary, secure network that lets users verify once with a trusted provider and reuse that proof across multiple...
Morgan Stanley Enters Crypto, Threatening Coinbase Amid Clarity Push
Morning Minute: Morgan Stanley Is Coming for Coinbase ⚔️ 💬 Morgan Stanley just launched crypto trading on ETrade, while the White House wants the Clarity Act signed by July 4. https://t.co/SJofPaYnQE https://t.co/7ilJCNJ7lH
Unlimit And Decentro Expand Cross-Border Payments Access For Indian Businesses
Unlimit, an on‑ and off‑chain payment provider, has partnered with Indian fintech infrastructure firm Decentro to embed its paytech stack into Decentro’s platform. The integration gives Decentro’s corporate clients direct access to Unlimit’s global settlement network, including popular local payment...
Paga Enters Crypto Through Partnership with Blockchain Network Sui
Paga, one of Africa’s oldest fintechs, announced a partnership with Mysten Labs’ Sui blockchain to launch crypto payments, yield‑bearing stablecoin accounts, tokenised asset offerings, and cross‑border rails. The deal was unveiled at the Sui Live event in Miami and follows...
The Invisible Engine Powering SA’s Informal Payment Revolution
South Africa’s informal economy, worth roughly R900 billion ($48 billion), is rapidly digitising as card payments outpace cash. Fintech firms such as iKhokha, Yoko and Flash have built lightweight payment solutions that now process over R20 billion ($1 billion) annually, with Flash alone handling...
Stablecoins and Money's Future at LatAm Forum
Follow live from 09:00 CET as I speak at the LatAm Economic Forum, organised by @BancoDeEspana. I will discuss stablecoins and the future of money. Watch here https://t.co/qunwAimIBw
CIOs Now Steer Banks' Future, Not Just IT
The CIO is no longer running IT … they’re running the future of the bank - https://t.co/5uAP8RzEpN
Safaricom Is Pushing M-PESA Deeper Into Kenya’s Retail Investing Market
Safaricom is deepening M-PESA’s role in Kenya’s retail investing market as assets in its Ziidi money‑market fund more than doubled to KES 18.7 bn ($145 m) in FY26, pushing total platform wealth to KES 21 bn ($162 m). The telecom giant launched Ziidi Trader, a mobile‑first...
Quick Fire 🔥 with Sarah Wahinya
Sarah Wahinya, Stellar’s East Africa lead, steers Web3 and fintech growth across the continent by linking global crypto infrastructure to local payment needs. She emphasizes that stablecoins like USDC replace slow, costly banking for freelancers and traders, turning crypto into...
Sharjah Media City Taps Fintech Ziina to Accelerate Digital Payments for SMEs
Sharjah Media City (Shams) has signed a partnership with UAE fintech Ziina to provide digital payment tools for small‑and‑medium enterprises operating in the free‑zone. The collaboration gives Shams businesses access to a mobile‑first platform that lets them send, receive and...
5G, Fintech, and Digital Services Drive Zain KSA’s Q1 2026 Growth Story
Zain KSA posted Q1 2026 revenue of SAR 2.66 bn (≈$710 m) and net profit of SAR 201 m (≈$53.7 m), more than doubling the year‑over‑year profit figure. EBITDA rose to SAR 804 mn (≈$215 m), underscoring strong operating performance as 5G expansion, the Yaqoot digital platform, and fintech venture...
Sage Future 2026: Jon Fasoli
At Sage Future 2026, Jon Fasoli, SVP of Sage Intacct, outlined the platform’s strategic direction, emphasizing AI‑driven analytics, deeper customer integration, and cross‑functional collaboration. He highlighted how innovation and agile governance are essential for enterprises to stay competitive amid rapid...
The Freedom Super-App: A Blueprint for an AI Future in Digital Finance
Freedom Holding Corp has turned its Kazakhstan‑focused brokerage into a full‑stack super‑app that blends regulated financial products with travel, food, health, government and media services. By year‑end 2025 the platform attracted 4.3 million users—over a quarter of the country’s digitally active...
Gresham and FundGuard Partner on Total Portfolio Data Solution
Gresham, a leader in enterprise data management, has teamed up with FundGuard, an AI‑enabled cloud‑native investment accounting platform. The partnership merges FundGuard’s multi‑book accounting engine with Gresham’s data‑governance tools, giving institutional investors a single, auditable source of real‑time data across...
Affirm Prepares to Raise $548.9 Million From Consumer Loans
Affirm is entering the securitization market with a $548.9 million bond issuance backed by a static pool of unsecured point‑of‑sale consumer loans. The transaction, named Affirm Asset Securitization Trust 2026‑X1, will be sold in four tranches, with Class A comprising $408.8 million and maturing...
Mercado Libre Sacrifices Short-Term Profits to Fuel Growth
Mercado Libre reported a 49% year‑over‑year jump in net revenue to $8.8 billion in Q1 2026, fueled by aggressive investments in free‑shipping, a new credit card, first‑party inventory and cross‑border trade. Despite the revenue surge, net income fell 16% to $417 million...
Affirm Earnings Put Consumer Credit, Private Credit in Focus
Affirm reported a strong quarter, with gross merchandise volume climbing 35% year‑over‑year to $11.6 billion and revenue rising 33% to $1.04 billion. Delinquency rates remained flat, with 30‑plus‑day loans at 2.8% and 90‑plus‑day at 0.7%, indicating stable borrower performance. The company highlighted...
Palawan Group Strengthens Nationwide Payments Network Through BDO Partnership
Palawan Group of Companies has formalized a strategic partnership with BDO Unibank to integrate its extensive pawnshop and remittance network with BDO’s payment and collection services. The collaboration will allow BDO corporate billers, employees and customers to use over‑the‑counter locations...
Freo Secures Full Ownership of IndiaLends, Targeting 50 Million Users in India
Freo announced it has taken 100% ownership of IndiaLends, pending regulatory clearance, to combine its consumer‑finance platform with IndiaLends' loan marketplace. The deal positions Freo to serve more than 50 million users and marks a major step in India's fintech consolidation.
EY Teams with Rillet to Build Controls‑by‑Design Into AI Finance Platforms
EY US and AI‑native ERP provider Rillet have formed an alliance to embed risk management and audit‑ready controls into finance workflows from day one. The partnership targets firms that have outgrown mid‑market ERP solutions, promising a scalable, governance‑first operating model...
Adyen Posts Solid Q1 2026 Results, Announces Talon.One Acquisition as Shares Slip 0.9%
Adyen posted solid first‑quarter earnings and confirmed a deal to buy promotion‑engine Talon.One. The Dutch payments group’s shares fell 0.91% to €948.90 ($1,025) in early trading, reflecting a cautious market reaction despite the upbeat update.
Arab Bank Adopts J.P. Morgan’s Kinexys Blockchain Rail for On‑chain Payments
Arab Bank plc announced that selected branches will now use J.P. Morgan’s Kinexys Digital Payments blockchain rail. The move lets corporate and consumer clients settle transactions 24/7, targeting cross‑border payments, liquidity management and operational efficiency.
FastSpring Lands Strategic Investment From LLR Partners to Fuel Global Commerce Push
FastSpring, the merchant‑of‑record SaaS platform, secured a strategic investment from private‑equity firm LLR Partners, with existing backer Accel‑KKR staying on board. The capital will back product development, go‑to‑market expansion and broader global commerce initiatives, underscoring rising demand for integrated payment...
Visa Canada Teams with RemitBee to Enable Real‑Time Cross‑Border Payments
Visa Canada has partnered with Canadian remittance fintech RemitBee to embed Visa Direct into its platform, allowing users to move money instantly to bank accounts, digital wallets and Visa cards in more than 190 countries. The move targets the $19 billion...
CFTC Chair Michael Selig Pushes Formal Rules on Broker Registration for Crypto Software Developers
CFTC Chairman Michael Selig announced that the agency will move toward formal rulemaking to clarify when developers of non‑custodial crypto software must register as brokers. The proposal follows a 2026 no‑action letter to Phantom wallet creators and could reduce regulatory...
Protecting Your Business and Your Travelers From Payment Fraud
Adventure travel operators face rising payment fraud as bookings become more digital and cross‑border. A Flywire survey shows 71% of luxury travelers worry about payment security and 67% have disputed a travel‑related charge, while Mastercard predicts $15 billion in annual fraudulent...
Fidelity National Information Services Inc (FIS) Q1 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
Fidelity National Information Services (FIS) posted Q1 2026 adjusted revenue of $2.7 billion, up 6.3% year‑over‑year, and an adjusted EBITDA margin of 41.8%, improving by roughly 200 basis points. Free cash flow conversion surged to 142%, delivering $800 million, while the company...
Getting the Financial Action Task Force’s Travel Rule Right: Delivering on Guidance
The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is finalising guidance for its revised Recommendation 16, the “Travel Rule,” which will require detailed originator and beneficiary data for cross‑border payments above roughly $1,000. The revisions introduce a de‑minimis threshold, mandate the use of...