ACH Is Thriving, and Banks Are Struggling to Keep Pace
Automated Clearing House (ACH) remains the dominant U.S. payment rail, with volume accelerating due to a government mandate eliminating paper checks and expanding Same‑Day ACH windows. While FedNow and RTP push real‑time payments, ACH still handles bulk payroll, government disbursements, and B2B settlements. Legacy mainframe ACH platforms are brittle, costly, and unable to process modern ISO 20022 files, prompting banks to consider modernization. Finastra showcases a cloud‑native, API‑first ACH solution that many banks are now adopting to stay competitive.
Ahold Delhaize USA Introduces Pay by Bank Partnership with Fiserv
Ahold Delhaize USA has broadened its partnership with payments‑technology leader Fiserv to roll out Pay by Bank across the e‑commerce sites and mobile apps of The GIANT Company, Giant Food and Stop & Shop. The new option lets shoppers link...
Miami Fintech Pepper Pay Files for Chapter 7 Bankruptcy with $3.4M Debt
Miami‑based fintech Pepper Pay LLC filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy on March 31, 2026, initiating liquidation of its modest assets. The company reported roughly $665,000 in assets against over $3.4 million in liabilities, with a single unsecured creditor, TSYS Acquiring Solutions, owed about...
Agentic AI & Automation in Finance Summit 2026 Convenes Industry Leaders in Stockholm
The Agentic AI & Automation in Finance Summit 2026 convenes on 15 September in Stockholm, marking the ninth European edition of the global series. More than 25 leading speakers will address senior executives from banking, fintech, insurance and broader financial...
Argentina’s Fintech Landscape in 2026
Argentina’s fintech sector is booming as persistent inflation and currency volatility push consumers and businesses toward digital finance. The market, worth about $1.13 billion in 2024, is projected to exceed $4.2 billion by 2033, with digital banking adoption surpassing 60 percent of the...
Sri Lanka Bets on Fee-Free QR Payments to Move Past Cash Into the Digital Age
Sri Lanka has launched a National QR Payment Promotion Programme, removing merchant fees on LankaQR transactions up to 5,000 rupees (about $13.5). The fee waiver, announced on April 6, targets small retailers and aims to shift everyday commerce from cash to...
What Is Accounts Payable Automation? AP Automation Benefits & Best Practices
Accounts payable (AP) automation replaces manual invoice handling with software that captures, validates, routes, and pays invoices. The technology slashes processing costs from $12‑$40 per invoice to $2‑$4 and reduces cycle times from roughly 15 days to 3‑5 days. Integrated...
Meet the Brand: Corpay
Corpay, an S&P 500 corporate payments firm, introduced its Corpay Complete platform in the UK in April 2025, uniting corporate and virtual cards, accounts‑payable automation, expense and supplier management, and cross‑border payments. The solution integrates with existing ERP systems to give finance...
Revolut Evolution: Tracking First Decade Milestones of Europe’s Most Valuable Fintech Startup
Revolut reported a robust 30% year‑over‑year increase in active users during 2025, reinforcing its aggressive expansion agenda across Europe and beyond. A recent private share sale pushed the fintech’s valuation to roughly $75 billion, cementing its status as Europe’s most valuable...
Why Is the US so Hard for European Neobanks to Crack?
European neobanks have struggled to enter the US, with Monzo and N26 exiting after costly attempts. The US market’s fragmented regulatory framework and a banking model focused on lending make it expensive for fee‑free, payments‑centric fintechs. Revolut is pursuing a...
Safaricom Migrates M-PESA App Users to My OneApp in Platform Consolidation Push
Safaricom has begun shifting users from its standalone M‑PESA app to the newly launched My OneApp, a unified platform that will eventually host more than 10 million customers. The migration, which started on April 3, consolidates the M‑PESA and mySafaricom apps into...
GLAAS Raises $5M From Co-Founder Devesh Sachdev
GLAAS, an embedded credit infrastructure platform for MSMEs, secured a $5 million investment from Devesh Sachdev, who also joined as co‑founder and managing director. Sachdev, former founder of Fusion Finance, will help strengthen GLAAS’s in‑house NBFC, Gromor Finance, and expand co‑lending...
CRED Upgrades Kuvera for Affluent Investors
Fintech leader CRED has upgraded its wealth‑management platform Kuvera to better serve affluent investors. The revamp adds a behavioural framework that scores users on discipline, allocation and performance, aiming to improve long‑term compounding. A new "Surplus" feature lets idle cash...
Why Regen Ag Producers Can’t Get Capital—And What Alternative Lender Steward Is Doing About It
Steward, founded by Dan Miller in 2015, offers a direct‑to‑investor lending platform that finances regenerative‑agriculture projects ignored by traditional banks. The model lets individuals invest as little as $100, underwriting loans for farmers, processors and regional food‑system infrastructure. Notable deals...
Interledger Foundation Creates Open Payments Curriculum with 10 Universities
The Interledger Foundation has partnered with more than ten universities across North America, Europe, Australia, and Africa to launch an open‑payments curriculum. The program embeds the Interledger Protocol into coursework ranging from finance and law to cybersecurity and entrepreneurship. Students...
Get Cash Out of the Backpack: Adopting Digital Communication And Payments
ClassDojo is launching a new Payments feature that embeds a payment button directly into its messaging platform, allowing teachers to collect field‑trip fees, fundraisers, and technology charges without envelopes or separate portals. The service is powered by PayTheory’s infrastructure, which...
Online Trading Expo 2026 Sets Stage in Hong Kong to Redefine the Future of Fintech and Global Brokerage
The Online Trading Expo 2026 will be held on May 27‑28 at AsiaWorld‑Expo in Hong Kong. Organized as a premier fintech gathering, the event aims to connect global brokerage firms with AI‑powered trading platforms and decentralized finance innovators. Organizers promise...
Cboe Options to Introduce Stop Limit Order Functionality for Complex Orders
Cboe Options will add stop‑limit order functionality for complex, multi‑leg options strategies effective May 18 2026, pending regulatory review. The upgrade introduces a Stop Complex Order Auction (SCOA) to seek price improvement and maximize execution quantity. Orders can be submitted any session...
Leverate Launches Advanced MT4/MT5 Hosting Review Solution for Brokers
Leverate has launched an advanced MT4/MT5 hosting and broker review solution that continuously monitors server performance and recommends optimal hosting locations based on traders’ geographic distribution. The service consolidates server setup, maintenance, gateway management and 24/7 monitoring into a single...
Devexperts Adds In-Chart Trading Assistant to DXcharts
Devexperts has launched an AI‑powered in‑chart trading assistant for its DXcharts library, enabling traders to create and apply custom indicators using plain English. The feature, part of a new DXcharts package, eliminates the need for programming knowledge, shortening learning curves...
FP Markets Adds Acuity AI-Based Trading Signals
FP Markets has partnered with Acuity Trading to launch FP Markets Intelligence, an AI‑powered suite of trading tools for its retail FX and CFD clients. The platform delivers market sentiment analysis, AI‑driven signals and real‑time research, and is fully integrated...
Paris Wants to Introduce Contactless Bank Card Payments
Île‑de‑France Mobilités is weighing an open‑payment system that would let riders tap a bank card directly on the Paris metro and RER, with a decision expected in May. The region already piloted contactless card payments on buses, aiming for full...
NSX to Incorporate Aquis Equinox Matching Engine Alongside Market Surveillance Tools Into Its Platform
The National Stock Exchange of Australia (NSX) announced a partnership with Aquis Exchange to embed the Aquis Equinox matching engine and advanced market‑surveillance tools into its trading platform. The upgrade targets high‑performance, low‑latency execution and greater order‑volume capacity across equities...
Beeks Signs Significant Proximity Cloud Contract with FX Broker
Beeks Financial Cloud Group announced a five‑year Proximity Cloud contract with a large FX broker worth £2.1 million (≈$2.7 million). The broker, a private‑cloud customer since September 2025, will expand to dedicated Proximity Cloud across multiple locations, with revenue recognized this fiscal year....
Dubai VARA Introduces Regulatory Framework for Virtual Asset Derivatives Trading
Dubai's Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) has launched Version 2.1 of its Exchange Services Rulebook, a purpose‑built framework that brings virtual‑asset derivatives under enforceable regulation. The rules apply immediately to all VARA‑licensed virtual‑asset service providers (VASPs) and require explicit authorisation plus...
Things Worth Reading: 7th April 2026
The week’s headlines spotlight rapid fintech expansion and mounting financial‑sector stress. TikTok is applying for a Brazilian fintech licence to launch consumer credit, while Jamie Dimon’s shareholder letter flags regulatory headwinds for the industry. Traditional banks are turning to advanced...
This Nigerian Founder Got an Offer From Elon Musk’s xAI After His AI Startup Went Viral
Nigerian entrepreneur Sulaiman Adewale’s AI‑driven banking assistant Xara, built on WhatsApp, has attracted 45,000 users and processed about $5 million in transactions within ten months. The platform lets users query spending and schedule payments through natural‑language chat, using a fine‑tuned large...
How-To Guide to Planning Your Next AP Automation Project
The guide outlines a step‑by‑step methodology for finance leaders to launch an accounts‑payable (AP) automation project, emphasizing strategic alignment with broader business goals. It recommends a phased rollout—starting with invoice capture and validation before adding approval workflows and payment automation—to...
Vietnam: HCM City Positions Sandbox as Financial Innovation Catalyst
Ho Chi Minh City has surged to 84th place in the global financial centre index, driven largely by rapid fintech growth that lifted its fintech ranking to 83rd. The city’s regulatory sandbox is being promoted as a policy laboratory to...
Rapid AI Evolution Collides with Sophisticated Scams
Thailand’s financial sector is moving into a "Banking 5.0" era where generative AI shifts from experiment to core infrastructure, accelerating automation, fraud detection and personalized services. Regulators, led by the Bank of Thailand, are deploying AI‑based supervision to shift oversight from...
The Integration Challenge that Led Vitals AI to Shut Down
Vitals AI, a data‑reporting startup spun out of the $4 billion Csenge Advisory Group, announced it will cease operations after roughly a year. The firm served dozens of advisory firms with $10 billion in platform assets, but the technical and financial burden...
Fintech VC Triple Bubble Nails $10 Million First Close on Its $50m Fund
Fintech venture fund Triple Bubble announced a $10 million Australian‑dollar first close (≈$6.6 million USD), anchored by Commonwealth Bank’s x15ventures. The fund, founded by Dom Pym, Brian Collins and Judy Anderson‑Firth, targets a $50 million Australian‑dollar final close (≈$33 million USD) by Easter 2028, drawing commitments from fintech founders...
New Jersey Has No Right to Ban Kalshi's Prediction Market, US Appeals Court Rules
A 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel ruled 2-1 that New Jersey lacks authority to regulate Kalshi’s prediction market, placing jurisdiction with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Kalshi argued its sports‑event contracts are swaps, not gambling, and the court...
BNY, Robinhood to Launch Trump Accounts
Bank of New York Mellon (BNY Mellon) will operate Treasury‑branded accounts and develop a dedicated mobile app, while Robinhood will serve as the brokerage partner for the new "Trump Accounts" program. The Treasury Department expects the service to launch around...
Ohpen Forges Strategic Technology Partnership with ASN Bank
Dutch lender ASN Bank has entered a strategic technology partnership with cloud‑native core banking provider Ohpen. The deal will replace ASN Bank’s legacy mortgage systems with an integrated SaaS platform covering origination, servicing and credit management. Ohpen’s solution promises higher...
CBA Onboards Customers with NFC Scans of ePassports
Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) has launched a fully operational onboarding system that reads ePassport NFC chips to verify new customers. Since its January rollout, more than 2,700 users have completed the process, which can be finished in as little...
Gift Cards Are Gaining Momentum: What Merchants Need to Know in 2026
TSG and Bank of America’s 2026 U.S. Consumer Gift Card Study shows gift cards are increasingly vital for merchants, driving new customer acquisition and larger transaction values. Over half of shoppers (55%) would try a new business because of a...
Washington Post Cites GeoEconomics Research on China’s Cross-Border Digital Currency Platform mBridge
The Washington Post referenced a new GeoEconomics study highlighting China’s cross‑border digital currency platform, mBridge. The research notes that mBridge, built on the digital yuan, now supports real‑time settlements among pilot banks in Hong Kong, Singapore and other Asian hubs....
As New System Is Implemented, MARTA Faregates Are Open (for Now)
MARTA has temporarily left all faregates open until May 2 to smooth the rollout of its upgraded "better Breeze" tap‑to‑pay system. The agency is installing new faregates and ticket vending machines across the network, encouraging riders to use the new orange...
Treasury Taps BNY and Robinhood to Run Trump Accounts for Kids
The U.S. Treasury has appointed Bank of New York Mellon as the financial agent to develop the infrastructure for Trump Accounts, a children’s investment program created under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Robinhood Markets will serve as the operating...
Fintech Americas 2026 Wraps up in Miami with a Call for ‘AI with a Soul’
Fintech Americas 2026 concluded in Miami, gathering over 1,800 fintech leaders, 200 speakers and 100 innovators from more than 25 countries. The three‑day Money20/20‑affiliated event centered on the provocative theme “The 4th Dimension: AI with a Soul,” urging the industry...
Community Banking Association Challenges Coinbase’s Trust Bank Approval
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency granted Coinbase a conditional trust‑bank charter, prompting the Independent Community Bankers of America to label the decision a "grave mistake." The banking group fears Coinbase could tap the federal banking system without...
Fintech Rundown: A Rapid Review of Weekly News
Finovate’s weekly roundup highlights a wave of strategic moves across fintech. nCino named Keith Kettell chief revenue officer, while Paymentology teamed with South Africa’s Bank Zero to broaden digital banking access. Derivative Path launched an FX payments solution with Wells Fargo,...
Treasury Picks BNY, Robinhood for Trump Accounts Rollout
The U.S. Treasury announced a partnership with The Bank of New York Mellon and Robinhood to launch the “Trump accounts” retirement‑savings program for newborns. Each child born between 2025 and 2028 will receive a $1,000 seed funded by tax dollars,...
US Digital Wallet Use Projected to Grow by 2030
Worldpay’s 2026 Global Payments Report forecasts a decisive shift in U.S. consumer behavior, with digital wallets expected to handle 44% of online purchases and 26% of in‑store transactions by 2030. Already leading e‑commerce payments at 40%, digital wallets are set...
Square’s Latest Processing Win Is on the Golf Course
Square’s payments platform is now powering transactions at Golftec’s more than 260 U.S. locations, adding mobile, real‑time and buy‑now‑pay‑later capabilities. The integration has eliminated manual reconciliation, cutting administrative effort by 10,000 hours and saving roughly $100,000 in charge‑back costs. Transactions...
China’s Yuan May Be Going Global Faster than Western Data Suggests, Analysts Say
Analysts argue that China’s yuan is expanding globally faster than traditional metrics reveal, as an increasing volume of cross‑border transactions now flow through the country’s own payment network, CIPS. Because CIPS and bilateral settlement channels bypass SWIFT’s messaging system, they...
Bybit Launches Send Money in a Bid for Mainstream Users
Bybit, the world’s second‑largest crypto exchange by volume, unveiled a new Send Money feature that lets its 82 million users transfer funds in crypto or fiat to recipients who receive local fiat. The service, powered by Bybit Pay, promises settlement within...
Open Payments Kick Off Ahead of World Cup
Open Payments, a new cross‑border digital payment platform, launched ahead of the FIFA World Cup to streamline transactions for fans and vendors. The system links local banks, card networks and QR‑code solutions across the 32 host nations, aiming to process...
Why Payments Matter in Every Aspect of Travel
A new Skift‑Stripe report highlights that modernizing payment infrastructure is now a revenue‑critical priority for travel and hospitality firms. The research identifies three strategic levers—localized payment methods, buy‑now‑pay‑later options, and frictionless checkout—to boost conversion and guest satisfaction. Executives from Stripe...