Top Low-Cost SMS Gateway Providers: Best SMS Modem Providers and Recommendations for 2026
In 2026 businesses are reverting to hardware‑centric SMS gateways to gain control, cost predictability, and reliable high‑volume messaging. Skyline emerges as the leading low‑cost provider, offering multi‑port modems that can send up to 5,440 SMS per minute and support auto‑SIM switching. Smaller vendors like SMSurge and MassMsgHub serve niche or entry‑level needs but lack the scalability of Skyline. The article outlines a buyer’s guide that weighs performance, integration flexibility, and total ownership cost when selecting an SMS gateway solution.
Oxbow Partners Launches New York Office for US Expansion
Oxbow Partners, a specialist insurance strategy consultancy, has opened its first North American office in New York, marking a strategic US expansion. The new location will deliver corporate advisory services such as commercial due diligence, post‑acquisition strategy, and integration support....
Why Vixio Has Become Essential for Managing Rapid Regulatory Change
Vixio, a RegTech platform launched in 2006, now serves financial services, gambling and payments firms by automating regulatory change management with AI‑enhanced technology and human expertise. It monitors 200+ jurisdictions, 1,400 authorities and over four million data points, offering tools...
Bilt, Affirm Aim to Capitalize on Proposed Credit Card Rate Cap
Fintechs Bilt and Affirm are rolling out new credit products as political pressure mounts on traditional bank‑issued cards. Bilt introduced three cards with a 10% APR cap for the first year, while Affirm is preparing a rent‑pay‑later offering with real‑time...
Vinted Pay Teams up with AMLYZE for Compliant Expansion
Vinted Pay, the payments arm of Europe’s leading second‑hand marketplace, has partnered with AMLYZE to embed advanced AML/CFT compliance technology as it rolls out across new markets. AMLYZE will provide real‑time transaction monitoring and customer risk assessment tools, leveraging its...
Top E-Signature Solutions for Fintech: A 2026 Review
The 2026 review evaluates five leading e‑signature platforms—pdfFiller, Scrive, OneSpan, Adobe Sign, and DocuSign—tailored for financial institutions. It outlines each solution’s core features, compliance focus, and pricing structures, highlighting pdfFiller’s low‑cost integration and OneSpan’s bank‑grade security. The analysis shows how...
Southern Utah Man Sentenced to 3 Years in Prison for Crypto-Linked Wire Fraud Scheme
Brian Garry Sewell, a 54‑year‑old from Washington County, Utah, was sentenced to three years in federal prison after pleading guilty to wire fraud. Prosecutors said he defrauded at least 17 investors of roughly $2.9 million between 2017 and 2024 and ran...
Crypto Exchanges Face Ban in South Korea as Google Play Updates Rules
Google announced that, starting Jan. 28, crypto exchange and custodial wallet apps on Google Play in South Korea must upload proof of acceptance of their Virtual Asset Service Provider registration with the country’s Financial Intelligence Unit. The rule targets offshore platforms,...
Nevado AI Introduces Autonomous Platform for Financial Services
Nevado AI has launched an autonomous, agent‑orchestrated platform tailored for financial services and insurers, aiming to replace cumbersome legacy systems. The solution bundles compliance, human oversight, and deep industry context into a unified AI‑native environment. By automating workflow orchestration and...
Replacing Manual KYC with Automated Verification
Manual know‑your‑customer (KYC) processes are creating onboarding friction, compliance exposure, and higher operational risk for regulated financial firms. Recent enforcement actions, such as FinCEN’s $3.5 million penalty against Paxful, highlight the cost of scaling human‑led checks. KYC automation—leveraging digital identity capture,...
Moldova Moves to Regulate Crypto Under EU-Style MiCA Rules
Moldova announced plans to adopt its first comprehensive cryptocurrency law by the end of 2026, mirroring the European Union’s Markets in Crypto‑Assets Regulation (MiCA). The draft, being prepared by the finance ministry, the National Bank, the market regulator and the...
WordPress Membership Plugin Flaw Exposes Sensitive Stripe Data via @Sejournal, @Martinibuster
A critical vulnerability was discovered in StellarWP’s Membership Plugin – Restrict Content, exposing Stripe SetupIntent client_secret values. The flaw lets unauthenticated attackers retrieve these secrets without any login or capability checks. Rated 8.2 (high) on the CVSS scale, it affects all releases...
Two Prime Selected to Manage $250 Million in Bitcoin for Digital Wealth Partners
Digital Wealth Partners has appointed Two Prime to manage roughly $250 million in bitcoin for its institutional clients, expanding an existing relationship. Two Prime offers a suite of bitcoin‑focused services, including one of the world’s largest bitcoin‑secured lending operations. The mandate...
Polygon Trims Workforce Amid $250M Stablecoin Payments Pivot
Polygon Labs announced a strategic pivot toward a payments‑first model, centered on stablecoin rails and an "Open Money Stack." The shift follows a $250 million acquisition of crypto‑ATM firm Coinme and developer platform Sequence. Sources indicate up to 30% of staff...
TBC Uzbekistan Launches TBC Plus Subscription Service
TBC Uzbekistan, the leading digital banking platform in Central Asia and a subsidiary of the London‑listed TBC Bank Group, has introduced TBC Plus, a new subscription‑based service. The offering expands the bank’s portfolio beyond core banking to include premium financial...
Sedgwick Launches Global Specialty Platform for Complex Claims
Sedgwick has unveiled its Global Specialty platform, a dedicated solution for managing the world’s largest and most technically complex insurance losses. The service is anchored in London and will operate through regional hubs across Asia, the Middle East, and the...
Frankenmuth Taps Duck Creek to Modernise Distribution
Frankenmuth Insurance has selected Duck Creek Technologies to replace its legacy agency management system with the Duck Creek OnDemand Distribution Management SaaS platform. The new solution, now live, supports commercial, home, auto and life lines across more than 800 independent...
KBC Bank to Launch Bitcoin and Ether Trading in Belgium Under MiCA
KBC, one of Belgium’s largest banks, will begin offering Bitcoin and Ether trading to retail investors on Feb. 16 via its Bolero platform, using a proprietary custodial solution. The service complies with the EU’s Markets in Crypto‑Assets Regulation (MiCA) and follows...
Key Technology Trends for 2026: Strategic Technology Trends to Look Out for This Year
By 2026, AI‑augmented enterprises will become the norm, with generative AI moving from experimentation to large‑scale deployment across business functions. Companies must also prepare for post‑quantum cryptography, adopt sustainable‑by‑design IT, and leverage edge AI to meet performance, security, and ESG...
Only 24% of Americans Saved More in 2025
PYMNTS Intelligence’s September Paycheck‑to‑Paycheck Report finds only 24% of Americans increased savings in the first half of 2025, while 68% remain living paycheck to paycheck. Liquid buffers are sharply uneven: struggling households hold just $2,336 versus a national average of...
Smart Money Habits Every Young Professional Should Follow
Young professionals face overlapping financial pressures, but adopting disciplined habits can secure long‑term wealth. The article outlines ten practical steps, including meticulous expense tracking, building a 3‑6‑month emergency fund, and automating savings. It warns against lifestyle inflation and emphasizes responsible...
How Former Attorney Brian Kent Helps Providers Win No Surprises Act IDR Cases
The No Surprises Act forces providers into a structured Independent Dispute Resolution (IDR) arbitration system, where precision and strategy determine payment outcomes. Former attorney Brian Kent, now President of Ardú Partners, leverages his legal background to help healthcare organizations win IDR...
Trusted Smart Chain Completes CertiK Audit, Advancing Secure RWA Tokenization
Trusted Smart Chain announced the successful completion of a comprehensive security audit by CertiK, a leading blockchain audit firm. The audit examined smart‑contract logic, permissioning and threat resilience, confirming the network’s readiness for tokenized securities and real‑world asset issuance. By...
EMCD Reports Strong 2025 Growth as It Scales Beyond Mining Into a Global Crypto-Finance Platform
EMCD reported a 58% increase in hashrate to 34.11 EH/s, supported by over 66,500 miners in more than 100 countries. The firm’s crypto‑finance suite expanded, with Coinhold savings locking $60 million and generating $3.7 million in rewards, while its exchange processed $90 million in...
Good Tokens Broadens Adoption of Blockchain-Based Solutions for Global Good
Good Tokens, the nonprofit arm of KaJ Labs, announced a push to expand blockchain‑based solutions for humanitarian, education, sustainability, and digital equity projects. The initiative leverages decentralized ledgers and AI to increase transparency, efficiency, and accountability in social‑impact programs. By...
How Banks Can Reduce Fraud and False Declines with Predictive AI and Stream-First Architecture
Banks face soaring transaction volumes and increasingly complex payment corridors, expanding the fraud surface. Experts argue that merely reacting to bad transactions is insufficient; banks must detect “bad journeys” using predictive AI. When combined with a stream‑first architecture, AI can...
US Housebuilder to Launch Crypto Rewards After SEC ‘No-Action’ Letter
US homebuilder Megatel Homes announced the launch of MegPrime, a crypto‑rewards platform that issues MP Tokens for rent payments. The SEC issued a no‑action letter, allowing the program to proceed provided MegPrime follows the outlined compliance plan. Users can earn...
State Street Rolls Out New Crypto Tokenization Tools
State Street announced a new institutional digital‑asset platform designed to tokenise traditional assets such as money‑market funds, ETFs and stablecoins. The service combines blockchain connectivity, custody, and tokenisation tools for large‑scale investors. It builds on prior collaborations, including a Solana‑based...
More People Are Using Ethereum for the First Time, Data Shows
Ethereum on‑chain activity has surged in the last month, driven primarily by a wave of first‑time wallet creations rather than increased trading by existing users. Glassnode’s month‑over‑month retention data shows the “new” cohort spiking as ether steadied near $3,300 and...
Yieldseeker Unveils New Brand Identity as Platform Surpasses 3,700 Active AI Agents
Yieldseeker, the AI‑driven DeFi platform, announced a fresh brand identity as it crossed the 3,700‑active‑agent threshold. The rebrand signals the service’s shift toward a more mature, institution‑friendly image while retaining its focus on autonomous yield optimization. Users can launch self‑learning...
Iranians Grab Their Bitcoin as Protests Rage and Rial Tanks
Iranian protesters are rapidly moving Bitcoin from local exchanges into personal wallets as street demonstrations intensify and the rial collapses. Chainalysis data shows a sharp rise in withdrawals between Dec. 28 and Jan. 8, coinciding with an internet blackout. The rial has...
Interactive Brokers Accepts USDC Deposits; Ripple's RLUSD Coming Soon
Interactive Brokers announced that eligible clients can now fund their brokerage accounts with the stablecoin USDC, enabling 24/7 deposits that are converted to U.S. dollars within minutes. The service is powered by ZeroHash, which handles the conversion for a 0.30%...
Nexus Traps Tightening Nationwide
Digital marketplaces have amplified sales‑tax obligations for tech firms as states expand economic nexus rules. A 2018 Supreme Court ruling let jurisdictions tax remote sellers based on revenue or transaction volume, typically $100,000 or 200 sales. Recent updates, such as...
ESA Calls for EO Companies to Join the Insurance Game
The European Space Agency (ESA) and Liberty Mutual Reinsurance have launched a three‑year partnership to develop parametric insurance products using satellite Earth observation data. The collaboration will begin with a February workshop where LMRe outlines forestry‑related climate risks and invites...
The Next Big Push Forms as Dogecoin and Bittensor Cool and Zero Knowledge Proof Targets $1.7B Setup
Dogecoin steadied near $0.137 after the 21Shares spot ETF received approval, with futures volume spiking 654 % as traders await confirmed inflows. Bittensor (TAO) remained confined between $280 and $286, eyeing a breakout above the $300 resistance that could unlock a...
Is the Sword of Damocles About to Drop Again? (TWIF - China 1/15)
Chinese regulators have launched an antitrust investigation into Trip.com ahead of the Lunar New Year travel rush, warning of fines ranging from 1% to 10% of last year’s revenue. The move underscores Beijing’s continued scrutiny of domestic big‑tech firms despite...
Uniswap Lands on OKX’s X Layer as Exchange Deepens DeFi Strategy
Uniswap has launched on OKX’s X Layer, becoming the network’s preferred decentralized exchange. The integration lets X Layer users trade Uniswap’s token pairs and liquidity pools with layer‑2 gas costs and no fees from Uniswap Labs. X Layer, an EVM‑compatible...
HSBC Joins Funding Round for Pan-Asia Fintech WeLab
HSBC has joined a $220 million debt‑equity round for WeLab, the Hong Kong‑based fintech that runs two digital banks and serves more than 70 million customers across Hong Kong, Mainland China and Indonesia. The financing, also backed by Prudential, Fubon Bank, HKIC, TOM Group...
Dip in Mortgage Rates Gives First Horizon a Boost
First Horizon’s loans to mortgage companies surged 20% in Q4 2025, adding $776 million and becoming the largest driver of its 2% total loan growth. Seasonally adjusted home sales hit a two‑year high, fueling fresh demand for warehouse financing. The bank...
Payments Fintech dLocal Plans Business Expansion Into Asian Markets
dLocal, the Uruguay‑based fintech known for simplifying cross‑border payments in Latin America, announced a multi‑year expansion into Asia that will begin in 2026. CEO Pedro Arnt called the continent a strategic priority, outlining plans to boost sales teams, open new...
West Virginia Lawmaker Introduces Bill to Allow State Crypto Investments
West Virginia Senator Chris Rose introduced the Inflation Protection Act, allowing the state treasury to allocate up to 10% of its portfolio to precious metals, Bitcoin and other digital assets that exceed a $750 billion market‑cap, as well as to regulated...
Swift to Build Shared Blockchain Ledger for Tokenised Assets
Swift is adding a blockchain‑based shared ledger to its global payments network after successful interoperability trials that coordinated tokenised bond issuance, settlement and lifecycle events. The trials involved BNP Paribas, Intesa Sanpaolo and Société Générale and demonstrated delivery‑versus‑payment using both fiat and the...
DTCC Aiming to Make All 1.4 Million Securities in Its Custody Digitally Eligible
The Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation announced plans to make all 1.4 million DTC‑eligible securities digitally eligible through its tokenization platform. The initiative, built on the Securrency acquisition, will let participants convert assets to and from tokenized forms in as little...
Felix Protocol to Launch Spot Equities on HyperEVM
Felix Protocol announced a partnership with Ondo Finance to launch spot equities on HyperEVM, Hyperliquid’s Layer 1 blockchain. The initial rollout will list over 100 U.S. stocks, with a roadmap to exceed 1,000 equities in the coming months. By routing liquidity...
Ondo Finance TVL Doubles to Over $2B in Less Than a Year
Ondo Finance’s total value locked (TVL) surpassed $2 billion this week, more than doubling its level from early March 2024. The surge is anchored by its tokenized U.S. Treasury fund, OUSG, which now holds over $820 million in short‑term Treasury bills. Ethereum...
KYC Regulatory Trends to Watch in 2026
In 2026 regulators worldwide are tightening KYC oversight, shifting focus from documented policies to demonstrable effectiveness. The FATF’s latest recommendations, the FCA’s data‑driven supervision, and the EU’s AMLA rollout all demand continuous, risk‑based customer due diligence, robust beneficial‑ownership verification, and...
California Penalizes Nexo $500,000 for Risky Crypto Loans
California's Department of Financial Protection and Innovation fined Nexo Capital $500,000 for offering 5,456 crypto‑backed loans to state residents without a required financing license. The loans, issued between July 2018 and November 2022, lacked any credit‑worthiness assessment and were marketed...
Deep Tech Startups in the EU: Revolutionizing Tomorrow’s Industries
Deep‑tech startups across the EU are turning academic breakthroughs into commercial ventures, spanning AI, quantum computing, biotechnology, advanced materials and clean‑energy solutions. Robust public programmes such as Horizon Europe and public‑private co‑investment models are de‑risking capital‑intensive R&D, while specialized venture funds...
Kroger Teams With Uber as Food Prices Pressure Consumers
Kroger is extending its grocery delivery footprint by integrating nearly 2,700 of its stores into Uber's ecosystem, including Uber Eats and Postmates, for same‑day service. The move mirrors its existing DoorDash partnership and aims to capture shoppers seeking convenience amid...
Bitcoin Whale Balances See 21% Bounce After Fastest Sell-Off Since 2023 Ends
Bitcoin whale addresses added roughly 46,000 BTC this week, marking a 21% rebound and the first positive one‑year net change since November 2025. The surge follows the steepest weekly drawdown for whales since early 2023, which saw a 220,000‑BTC loss....