Eye on POS: Preferred Hotels Prefer Toast; NCR Voyix Expands at Stater Bros. Markets
Toast Inc. joined Preferred Hotels & Resorts' Alliance Partner Program, becoming an endorsed point‑of‑sale provider for the luxury hotel group’s 625 independent properties across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and Ireland. The partnership opens a new hospitality revenue stream for the Boston‑based restaurant‑payments platform. At the same time, NCR Voyix announced an expanded agreement with Southern California grocery chain Stater Bros. Markets, deploying its modern commerce platform across nearly 170 stores. Implementation starts in Q3 2026 with phased rollouts through 2027, enhancing store reliability and efficiency.
AI‑Driven Travel Roll‑up: Long Lake Buys Am
Biiiiiiiiiiig fintech news today: Long Lake Management, a startup backed by @generalcatalyst, agreed to acquire @AmexBusiness Global Business Travel (Amex GBT) for approximately $6.3 billion. This is probably mixed news for @tryramp, @brexHQ, and @Navan. Validation that there's an opportunity, but new...
Launching $1B Fund for Next‑Gen Finance & AI
Today we’re announcing $1 billion in new funds to back the bold founders shaping the next era of finance and technology. I’ve been following the flow of assets my entire career and have never seen a more dynamic time. Financial...
Zephyr's Adjusted for Risk: Tokenization & ETFs - The End of Traditional Market Barriers?
Roxanna Islam of TMX VettaFi discussed fast‑growing ETF trends on Zephyr’s Adjusted for Risk podcast, highlighting the rise of spot Bitcoin ETFs since January 2024 and the consolidation of crypto flows into larger funds like iShares IBIT. She noted strong momentum in...
State AGs Target E-Cigarette Payments
State attorneys general, together with New York City, have sent letters to nine major credit‑card and payment‑processing firms demanding action against illegal online sales of e‑cigarettes to minors. The coalition, representing 25 AGs, cites the 2009 Prevent All Cigarette Trafficking...
Gambling or Derivatives: CFTC Rulemaking Exposes a Structural Divide Over Prediction Markets
The CFTC closed its public comment period on a proposed rule for prediction markets after receiving more than 1,500 responses, revealing a stark split between industry and state regulators. Companies such as Coinbase, Kalshi, and investors like Andreessen Horowitz argue...
OwlTing Group (NASDAQ: OWLS) Launches OwlPay Agent Wallet, Targeting the Emerging Multi-Trillion-Dollar Agentic Commerce Economy
OwlTing Group (NASDAQ: OWLS) launched OwlPay Agent Wallet, a self‑custody digital wallet that lets AI agents send, receive and manage stablecoins on behalf of users. The wallet operates on Ethereum, Stellar and Solana and leverages OwlTing’s U.S. money‑transmitter licenses in...
Securitize Becomes First Broker-Dealer Approved to Custody Tokenized Securities: FINRA
Securitize received FINRA’s Continuing Membership Application approval, becoming the first broker‑dealer authorized to custody tokenized securities. The clearance lets the firm offer an integrated stack that combines custody, brokerage, and issuance for on‑chain IPOs. This regulatory milestone addresses a long‑standing...
FIS’ New Cloud-Based Record-Keeping System Could Unlock the Potential of 401(k) Plans
FIS Global Retirement is set to launch a cloud‑based record‑keeping platform in July 2026 that consolidates its Omni and Relius systems, adding AI‑driven analytics and third‑party integration. The legacy COBOL architecture, which underpins services for 68 million participants, has limited innovation...
Coinbase Shares Rise as the CLARITY Act Expected to Move to Markup in Senate Banking Committee
Coinbase shares rose after insiders reported the CLARITY Act will move to markup in the Senate Banking Committee by May 11. The legislation crafts a compromise on stable‑coin yield, banning interest‑like rewards while allowing activity‑based incentives. Coinbase’s chief legal officer praised...
Mercury Runs 2 Million Lines of Haskell in Production, Handling $248 B in Transactions
Mercury, the fintech serving 300,000 businesses, has kept a 2 million‑line Haskell codebase in production while processing $248 billion in 2025 transactions. The blog post by senior engineer Ian Duncan details how the company’s DevOps practices, hiring strategy, and operational discipline made...
Best Online Platform for Payment Processing in Zambia
Zoyk has been identified as Zambia’s top online payment processing platform, offering seamless integration of mobile‑money services like MTN and Airtel alongside card and bank transfers. The solution consolidates payment collection, real‑time tracking, and supplier payouts within a single dashboard,...
Wake Up, WEX
WEX Inc., a $5.6‑$6.4 billion payments‑infrastructure firm, faces a proxy battle as 4.9% activist Impactive Capital nominates three directors to a shrunken nine‑seat board. The activist targets the combined CEO‑Chair role, underperforming Mobility growth, a faltering Corporate Payments strategy, and what...
Mortgage Brain Launches AI Charter to Combat Hidden Data Risks in Broker Tech
Mortgage Brain has unveiled its first AI Charter, establishing formal standards for building, governing, and deploying artificial intelligence within the heavily regulated mortgage sector. The charter targets hidden data risks by ensuring client information stays within Mortgage Brain’s own infrastructure...
Ethereum Hailed as Generational Wealth Asset Amid $651M DeFi Hack Fallout
Analysts point to Ethereum’s $280 billion market cap and $16.6 billion in tokenized real‑world assets as evidence it could become a generational‑wealth vehicle. At the same time, a record $651 million loss from April’s DeFi hacks fuels skepticism among Wall Street firms, highlighting...
AdvisorTech Platforms Dump Aggregators as Integration Fails
[May 2026 AdvisorTech] What's next for data aggregation? @MorningstarInc r is selling the client account aggregation data provider ByAllAccounts, becoming the latest AdvisorTech platform to offload a data aggregator that it acquired in the mid-2010s (following Envestnet's sale of Yodlee...
Autonomous Corporations Already Trade, Manage, and Invest without Humans
We're watching the birth of autonomous corporations in real time AI agents are already: • Trading tokens • Managing treasuries • Deploying capital • Optimizing yield • Executing strategies All without human intervention The zero human company isn't a thought experiment anymore It's a working prototype
Co-Branded Credit Cards Still Hold Promise for Smaller Issuers
Co‑branded credit cards remain a viable growth engine for smaller issuers despite recent high‑profile missteps such as Wells Fargo’s Bilt partnership and Goldman Sachs‑Apple’s costly credit extension. The article highlights that the overall co‑brand market is still thriving, with new opportunities emerging...
Singapore WealthTech Targets Hong Kong’s Wealthy, Idle Savings
🇸🇬⤴️🇭🇰 Why #Singapore wealth-tech firms are choosing #HongKong as their first overseas market: Chocolate Finance joins Syfe and Endowus in targeting the city’s wealthy population and idle savings. @SCMPNews: https://t.co/MZ5MGkEcmT #WealthTech #WealthManagement #Asia #SoutheastAsia
The Geopolitical Battle Over Monetary Infrastructure
The United States has publicly warned Brazil over its instant‑payment system Pix, viewing the platform as a challenge to traditional monetary sovereignty. The article argues that control of payment rails—ranging from retail‑level instant transfers to wholesale central‑bank digital currencies—has become...
Rasan Sustains Growth Trajectory in Q1 2026, Delivering Highest Ever Quarterly Revenue of SAR 261 Million, More Than Doubling Year-on-Year
Rasan Information Technology Company reported record Q1 2026 revenue of SAR 261 million (≈$70 million), a 117% increase year‑on‑year. Adjusted EBITDA surged 219% to SAR 115 million (≈$31 million), lifting the margin to 44%, while adjusted net profit rose 220% to SAR 103 million (≈$28 million)....
DTCC Reports on Progress and Timelines on Delivery of DTC’s Tokenization Service
The Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (DTCC) announced that its DTC tokenization service will begin limited production trades in July 2026, with a full launch slated for October 2026. The service, developed with input from more than 50 financial firms,...
Banks, Credit Unions Still Cool to BNPL
American Banker’s 2026 BNPL Tradeoff Survey of 186 banking professionals shows large, national banks are increasingly embracing buy‑now‑pay‑later (BNPL) as a revenue generator, while community banks and credit unions remain skeptical. About 58% of institutions that already offer BNPL say...
Exclusive: Stablecoin Startup Rain Is Worth $1.95 Billion and Plans to Issue Cards with Mastercard in a Push to Woo...
Stablecoin startup Rain, valued at $1.95 billion after a $250 million Series C, announced a partnership with Mastercard to issue credit and prepaid cards backed by stablecoins. The deal expands Rain’s card network beyond Visa, targeting large institutions that prefer a single payments...
From Code to Direction: Deriv’s VP of Engineering on Rebuilding the Software Development Pipeline Around AI
Deriv is rebuilding its software development pipeline around AI, moving engineers from hands‑on coders to directors who set intent and standards. The company embeds unified steering documents and quality gates so AI can generate, test, and document code consistently. An...
Coinbase Is Building on a Dual-Engine Structure, but Trading Still Sets the Tone
Coinbase’s Q4 2025 earnings underscore that, despite two years of expanding into subscriptions, custody, stablecoin infrastructure and institutional products, its trading business still drives the majority of revenue. Trading volume fell 18% year‑over‑year, accounting for roughly 70% of total earnings,...
Piero Cipollone: Digital Assets, Payment Efficiency and Monetary Policy
In a May 4, 2026 speech, ECB Executive Board member Piero Cipollone outlined how tokenisation and distributed‑ledger technology could reshape payments, but only if central banks provide a risk‑free digital settlement layer. He announced the Eurosystem’s Pontes project, which will...
Banks Are Entering a $312 Billion Market They Don't Fully Understand
Banks are racing into a roughly $312 billion stablecoin market that they barely understand. Mastercard’s $1.8 bn purchase of BVNK marks the biggest stablecoin deal ever, positioning the payments giant in the B2C/B2B settlement layer. Meanwhile, JPMorgan’s internal stablecoin JPMD already moves...
Four Nigerian Banks Processed $208 Billion in Mobile Transactions in 2025
In 2025 Nigeria’s four largest banks processed a combined ₦286.19 trillion (≈$208.15 billion) in mobile transactions, narrowing the gap with fintech rivals. GTCO alone handled ₦72.4 trillion ($52.66 billion), while its pay‑with‑transfer volume surged 7,814.8% to ₦10.4 trillion ($7.56 billion). United Bank for Africa, Zenith Bank...
Mexico’s Banks Handed Out Millions of Cards That Nobody Wants
Mexico’s banks have flooded the market with millions of debit cards, yet adoption remains stubbornly low due to the country’s entrenched cash‑first culture. Even as fintech firms pour roughly $200 million into digital‑payment incentives, most consumers still prefer cash for everyday...
Stitch Adds BNPL to Payments Platform
South African payments infrastructure firm Stitch has added a buy‑now‑pay‑later (BNPL) option to its enterprise payments platform. The service, now live with merchants such as Lego, The North Face and Duck Apparel, lets shoppers split purchases into two to six...
National Highways Authority of India Warns of FASTag Blacklisting over Improper Use
India’s National Highways Authority (NHAI) has warned that motorists who use FASTag handheld rather than affixed to the windscreen risk having the tag blacklisted. The advisory stresses that proper placement enables instant RFID scanning, reducing delays at toll plazas. Improper...
Robinhood Q1 Shows 47% Crypto Revenue Drop, CFO Charts Profit Path
Robinhood posted first‑quarter revenue of $1.07 billion, with cryptocurrency revenue plunging 47% to $134 million. CFO Shiv Verma said the firm remains crypto‑bullish but is trimming costs and expanding other lines to keep earnings growth alive.
MobiKwik Launches New Campaign on UPI & Loans with Rajasthan Royals
MobiKwik has launched the #EverythingIsFair campaign in partnership with the Rajasthan Royals, spotlighting its UPI payment and instant personal‑loan services. The initiative uses short films featuring Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ravindra Jadeja and Shimron Hetmyer to illustrate everyday cash‑back transactions and five‑minute loan approvals. The...
Housing Bank Rolls Out Open Banking Platform to Power Jordanian FinTechs
Housing Bank announced on May 3, 2026 the launch of an advanced open‑banking platform that gives fintechs and digital service providers secure API access to core banking functions. The move is designed to broaden financial inclusion in Jordan and align...
UAE Unveils Integrated FinTech Ecosystem to Cement Global Hub Status
The United Arab Emirates rolled out a fully integrated FinTech ecosystem that blends advanced digital infrastructure, flexible regulation and public‑private collaboration. Executives say the move will slash market‑entry times and attract worldwide innovators, positioning the UAE as a premier global...
AI Moves to Frontline, Shaping Bank Decisions
AI is moving from back office to front line in banking. Bank of America is deploying AI agents to support advisers in real time, shaping client interactions and recommendations. The shift is structural. AI is no longer assisting processes, it is starting...
Exclusive: Kalshi Announces Steps to Keep Kids Off Prediction Market
Kalshi announced a suite of new safeguards aimed at keeping minors off its prediction‑market platform, including mandatory facial‑recognition checks, selfie verification for high‑risk users, two‑factor authentication, and login‑alert tools. The company also plans to suggest personalized deposit limits when it...
Putting Africa’s Savings to Work for Its People
African economies sit on roughly $1 trillion of long‑term capital held by pension funds, insurers, sovereign wealth funds and banks, yet 60‑70% of that pool is locked in short‑term sovereign bonds because scalable domestic investment platforms are missing. Development banks can...
How Van Leeuwen Ice Cream Uses Square to Power 103 Stores
Van Leeuwen Ice Cream has expanded to 103 brick‑and‑mortar locations in 15 states, crediting Square’s integrated suite of loans, flat‑fee processing, reporting and marketing tools. The fintech partnership gave the company predictable cash flow, real‑time sales visibility and data‑driven menu...
What Keeps SMBs From Using Embedded Payments
Vertical SaaS platforms can leverage deep customer insight, but up to 40 % of SMBs that sign up for embedded payments never activate the feature. The gap stems from generic messaging, cumbersome onboarding and unclear pricing, not from resistance to change....
What McDonald’s Looks for in a Payment Partner
McDonald’s has relied on Adyen as its primary payments partner for over five years, valuing the provider’s ability to operate at enterprise scale across 60+ markets. Adyen delivers an end‑to‑end technology stack that streamlines innovation, reduces operational friction, and supports...
Polymarket Aave Payment Backbone Fun Raises 72 Million Series A
Polymarket, the decentralized prediction‑market platform, announced a $72 million Series A round led by Andreessen Horowitz and other top crypto investors. The financing will fuel the rollout of an Aave‑backed payment backbone designed to streamline settlement and liquidity across its markets. Polymarket...
Kraken Acquires Bitnomial, Unlocking Full US Crypto Derivatives
Kraken just bought Bitnomial. This gives them full U.S. crypto derivatives trading that includes futures, options, and more on a regulated exchange. A major new on-ramp for institutions. https://t.co/gV87zv8yG4
Why SWIFT Is Too Slow for Your Global Workforce?
Traditional SWIFT‑based payroll can take five business days as payments bounce through multiple correspondent banks, incurring fees and eroding the amount received. Companies are turning to regulated stablecoins for payroll settlement, allowing funds to move directly on a blockchain in...
Lots of New Technology Options for Retail Investors
Retail investors are increasingly turning to AI agents to buy and sell stocks, a trend echoed by crypto‑powered exchanges that now offer AI‑driven trading bots. Transfer agents such as Computershare are pioneering tokenized equity issuance, with Broadridge providing on‑chain governance...
OPay Hires Citi, Deutsche, JPMorgan for $4 Billion US IPO
OPay has engaged Citigroup, Deutsche Bank and JPMorgan Chase to lead a prospective US initial public offering, aiming for a $4 billion valuation. The fintech, valued at $2 billion in 2021 and projected above $3 billion by end‑2025, operates a network of over...
India’s Digital Payments Transformation
In this episode of the Banker's Bookshelf, Balakrishnan "Baloo" Mahatavan, former NPCI executive and World Bank veteran, walks host Paolo Ceroni through India's remarkable digital payments evolution—from under a billion annual transactions in 2010 to over 225 billion by March 2025. He...
MoneyGram and Stellar Mark Five-Year Partnership with Stablecoin Expansion Across LATAM
MoneyGram and Stellar have marked the fifth anniversary of their partnership by expanding stablecoin‑backed remittance services across additional Latin American markets, including El Salvador. The new features let recipients hold, spend, or cash out stablecoins directly through MoneyGram’s extensive retail...
Prudent Corporate Launches AI Platform ‘Edge+’ for Mutual Fund Distributors
Prudent Corporate Advisory Services Limited has introduced Edge+, an AI‑powered platform for mutual fund distributors. The solution consolidates goal‑based planning, business analytics, marketing automation and research tools into a single interface, allowing distributors to generate asset‑allocation strategies and execute transactions....