North and Visa Team to Elevate the Payments Game
North, a three‑decade‑old fintech, has teamed with Visa to roll out three new payment solutions: Visa Network Token Service, Real‑Time Account Updater (RTAU) and Account Name Inquiry (ANI). The token service replaces sensitive card numbers with non‑reversible identifiers, while RTAU automatically refreshes expired card data to prevent declines. ANI adds a name‑verification step that curtails fraud before a transaction reaches the processor. Together, the suite aims to make payments faster, safer and more revenue‑friendly for merchants of any size.
Fed to Launch Roundtable to Fight Payment Fraud
The Federal Reserve, the FCC and the U.S. Treasury are creating a public‑private roundtable to tackle the growing threat of payment fraud, Vice Chair Michelle Bowman announced. The forum will review fraud‑prevention efforts, data‑sharing practices and cross‑sector solutions, drawing on...
US Agentic Sales to Reach $1T by 2030: Report
A joint ICSC‑McKinsey report projects U.S. agentic commerce—AI‑enhanced B2C retail—to generate $1 trillion in revenue by 2030. Today, 68% of consumers have used an AI tool while shopping, and 62% rely on AI for brand, price and review comparisons. Physical stores...
Fiserv Moves Through ‘Transition Year’
Fiserv announced a wave of senior hires, including a COO for merchant solutions and a CRO for its Clover POS unit, as part of a “transition year” aimed at reversing low single‑digit revenue growth. The company also closed two offices,...
Amex to Sell Travel Unit Stake for $1.5B
American Express announced it will divest its 30% stake in Global Business Travel Group (GBTG), generating $1.5 billion from the transaction. The sale is part of a broader $6.3 billion deal that hands GBTG to Long Lake Management, backed by General Catalyst...
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...
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....
Nacha Confab Fun Included Swag, Mixers and Games
The Nacha Smarter Faster Payments conference in San Diego attracted over 2,300 industry professionals and featured roughly 100 exhibitor booths. Attendees enjoyed interactive swag such as custom‑stitched caps, “Fraud Fighter” backpacks, and novelty toys, while startups turned compliance topics into...
How AI Is Bettering B2B Payments
Billtrust, the accounts‑receivable software firm owned by EQT, is accelerating AI integration while eyeing European expansion. CEO Grant Halloran highlights AI‑driven automation of AR communications, voice and chat interfaces, and a roadmap toward fully autonomous operations. The company serves 2,600...
Tourism Group Decries Credit Card Bill
The newly formed U.S. Tourism Economy Alliance, backed by the Electronic Payments Coalition, issued a press release condemning the Consumer Credit Card Competition Act. The bill would require credit‑card issuers with at least $100 billion in assets to offer an alternative...
Why EWS Created Certos
Early Warning Services rebranded its fraud‑prevention division as Certos, consolidating its original risk‑reduction roots from 1990. The new brand highlights the unit’s scale—screening $11 trillion in payments and processing 100 million new account openings last year. Certos now employs roughly half of...
Stripe, Google Partner on Agentic Commerce
Stripe announced that its Link digital wallet will be usable by Google Gemini’s AI agents, letting the bots complete purchases on behalf of users. The integration expands Stripe’s agentic commerce network, which already includes Meta, Microsoft Copilot and OpenAI’s ChatGPT....
Amex Pushes for Agentic Standards
American Express announced it will lead the payments industry toward a shared standard for agentic commerce, introducing the first consumer‑protective framework for AI‑driven transactions. The company’s new policy shields cardholders from charges caused by erroneous AI agents, while emphasizing authenticated...
Visa CEO Envisions Stablecoin, Agentic Benefit
Visa CEO Ryan McInerney said the company will treat stablecoin and emerging agentic commerce transactions with the same unit economics as its traditional card business. By building a "bridge layer" through Visa‑as‑a‑Service, Visa aims to capture revenue from digital wallets...
Visa, Mastercard Defend Card Fee Settlement
Visa and Mastercard are defending a proposed interchange‑fee settlement that would cut rates by 10 basis points, set a 1.25% fee for standard consumer cards, and let merchants decline premium cards while adding surcharges or discounts. The deal aims to...
Harnessing AI to Fight Fraud
Payments firms are turning to artificial intelligence to counter a new wave of AI‑driven fraud, as highlighted at the Nacha Smarter Faster Payments conference in San Diego. Speakers warned that fraudsters are deploying "polymorphic agentic agents" that adapt in real...
ISO 20022 Gains Remain Elusive
U.S. payments infrastructure has shifted to the ISO 20022 messaging standard, but banks are still only scratching its potential. At the Nacha Smarter Faster Payments conference, Fed officials and industry leaders highlighted that most institutions rely on legacy translation layers, limiting...
Sezzle Eyes Checking Accounts
Buy‑now‑pay‑later firm Sezzle is evaluating a checking account, a secured credit card and an AI‑driven shopping assistant as part of its push toward a “super‑app” financial platform. The initiative follows the launch of low‑cost mobile‑phone plans and aims to deepen...
Tactics to Combat Fraud and Protect Your Business Reputation
U.S. consumers lost more than $12.5 billion to fraud in 2024, a 25 % jump from the prior year, with online shopping incidents ranking second among fraud types. The surge threatens both financial performance and brand reputation, as 75 % of shoppers would...
Why Credit Card Rate Caps Hurt Consumers, Small Businesses
A bipartisan effort in Congress is pushing a 10% cap on credit‑card interest rates. Proponents argue it would make borrowing cheaper for families and small businesses. Analysts warn the blunt cap could force lenders to close or sharply reduce most...
What Drives Real-Time Payment Growth
HSBC has extended its tokenized deposit service to the United States, offering 24/7 blockchain‑based cross‑border payments in USD, EUR and GBP. In an interview, Tom Halpin, head of global payments solutions for HSBC North America, said real‑time payment growth is...
Amex CEO Gushes over Next Gen
American Express posted its strongest quarterly growth in three years, with first‑quarter revenue of $18.9 billion, up 11%, and net income rising 15% to $2.97 billion. Spending by Gen Z cardholders surged 38% YoY and Millennials 13%, while older cohorts grew only modestly....
Repay Attracts $1B Takeover Offer
Repay Holdings received an unsolicited $1 billion takeover proposal from Forager Capital Management, offering $4.80 in cash per share—a 75% premium to the 30‑day volume‑weighted average price. Forager, which already owns a 13% stake, disclosed the offer in an SEC filing...
Fintechs Push Bill for Fed Payment Rail Access
U.S. Representatives Young Kim (R‑CA) and Sam Liccardo (D‑CA) introduced the Payments Access and Consumer Efficiency (PACE) Act, a House bill that would allow qualified fintechs to access the Federal Reserve’s FedACH and FedNow payment rails as “registered covered providers.”...
PayPal, NFL Make Connection
PayPal has secured a multi‑year deal to become the NFL’s official peer‑to‑peer payments partner, positioning its apps—including Venmo—as the go‑to tool for fans to send, pool, and split money for tickets, tailgating and other expenses. The partnership promises exclusive sweepstakes,...
How the Visa-Mastercard Card Fee Case May End
A proposed settlement to end the long‑running Visa‑Mastercard interchange‑fee litigation would cut rates by ten basis points for five years and set a 1.25% fee for standard consumer cards for eight years, while giving merchants the right to decline certain...
FIS, Barclays Extend Core Banking Tie
Fidelity National Information Services (FIS) has secured a multi‑year extension of its core‑banking technology contract with Barclays, adding the company’s Profile service for real‑time, multi‑currency deposit processing. The upgrade is designed to help Barclays accelerate retail deposit growth, cut costs...
Tapping Into the Latest Emerging Payment Solution Trends
Consumers now expect a broad menu of payment options, with 61% using digital wallets and 35% trying buy‑now‑pay‑later services in the last 90 days, according to Discover’s 2025 Payments State of the Union research. Adoption of account‑to‑account (A2A) rails is...
The Business Case for Blockchain in B2B Payments
Blockchain is being repositioned as a utility for B2B payments, distinct from cryptocurrency. Finance leaders can use distributed ledger technology to speed settlement, cut intermediaries, and improve transparency. Stablecoin‑based rails and integration with ERP systems enable automated, auditable transactions, reducing...
How EWA Improves Workers’ Lives
Earned wage access (EWA) lets workers tap wages they have already earned, offering an interest‑free, on‑demand alternative to traditional pay cycles. Industry data shows users understand fees, use the service responsibly, and experience higher take‑home pay without added overdraft costs....
U.S. Bank Eyes Amazon Tie-Up for Small-Biz Boost
U.S. Bank announced a co‑brand credit‑card partnership with Amazon aimed at 700,000 small‑business owners, slated to launch in Q3 2026. The deal is expected to generate roughly $1.6 billion in new loans and $75‑85 million in quarterly net‑interest revenue. Leveraging a digital...
Visa, Mastercard Settle Merchant Claims
Visa and Mastercard have settled interchange‑fee claims from about 65 merchants in New York, ending a decade‑long antitrust dispute that was headed for trial. The settlements include payments of $4.2 billion from Visa’s escrow account, covering roughly 90% of its transaction...
OCC Plans to Preempt Illinois Interchange Law
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) has submitted a draft executive order to preempt Illinois' Interchange Fee Prohibition Act, which is slated to take effect in July 2025. The Illinois law caps swipe fees for merchants and...
JPMorgan Revenue Rises on Payments, Card Income
JPMorgan Chase reported a strong first‑quarter performance, driven by a 12% jump in payments‑services revenue to $5.1 billion and a 9% rise in credit‑and‑debit card transaction volume. The commercial banking division benefited from higher corporate deposit balances and increased fee income,...
Stablecoins Remain Little Used for Payments
The Kansas City Fed estimates the stablecoin market at $300.5 billion, with nearly half (48.8%) serving as a trading asset and only 0.7% used for payments. About one‑third (29.3%) facilitate fund transfers, while roughly one‑fifth (21.2%) sit idle. The report notes...
DailyPay Pushes Back Against NY AG
DailyPay is fighting a New York Attorney General lawsuit that accuses it of violating state usury laws by offering high‑interest earned‑wage‑access loans. The company argues it is merely an adjunct to employer payroll systems, providing on‑demand pay that already belongs...
Which Discover Jobs Are Disappearing
Capital One is trimming Discover Financial Services staff, targeting application engineers for the steepest reductions. The bank plans to eliminate 124 application engineers, 54 senior associate application engineers, and 38 principal application engineers by May 4, part of a broader 1,139‑job...
Expensive Tabs Shift to Mobile: Stripe
Stripe’s latest checkout report shows U.S. shoppers increasingly using mobile devices for higher‑priced purchases, with mobile share rising across every price tier over the past two years. Mobile transactions grew by 4.1 percentage points for purchases between $500 and $2,000,...
Repay Faces Kubra Purchase Opposition
Repay Holdings announced a $372 million cash‑plus‑debt acquisition of Kubra Data Transfer, aiming to merge complementary payment platforms. The combined entity would have generated roughly $548 million in revenue and $178 million of adjusted EBITDA last year. Veradace Partners, an 8.4 % shareholder, publicly...
Adyen Tool Speeds Business Payments
Netherlands‑based fintech Adyen unveiled Intelligent Money Movement, a unified platform that combines payment collection, payout processing, and liquidity management for large enterprises. The tool addresses the typical treasury setup of five to six banks, over 40 accounts and roughly a...
Bolt Lays Off Roughly 30% of Staff in AI Push
Bolt Financial announced it is cutting roughly 30% of its workforce, affecting fewer than 40 employees, as it pivots toward an AI‑centric operating model. CEO Ryan Breslow, who returned to the role in 2025, framed the move as essential to...
Why the Subscription Model Should Change
The U.S. Justice Department and FTC settled with Adobe for $150 million over deceptive subscription‑cancellation practices, sparking debate between regulators and SaaS firms. The settlement highlights that hidden or cumbersome cancel flows are not a retention tactic but a "trust tax"...
How US Credit Card Fees May Ebb
In a recent Nilson Report interview, publisher David Robertson affirmed that Visa and Mastercard will likely retain their U.S. dominance despite the rise of digital wallets and fintech challengers. He noted that merchants, led by giants like Walmart, are pressing...
Stablecoins to Infiltrate Market, Investors Say
Venture capital firm QED Investors hosted a panel asserting that stablecoins will augment, not replace, existing payment rails, creating a hybrid model that leverages the speed and low cost of crypto alongside the reliability of traditional systems. The discussion highlighted...
Fiserv, Grocer Expand Pay-by-Bank Effort
Payments processor Fiserv is widening its pay‑by‑bank pilot with the U.S. arm of Dutch grocer Ahold Delhaize, extending the service beyond the three initial brands to a broader customer base. The program, first launched last year on The Giant Company, Giant Food and Stop & Shop...
Illinois AG Defends Card Fee Law
Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul defended the Interchange Fee Prohibition Act, which bars merchants from passing interchange levies on sales tax and gratuities, before the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The state argues the law does not conflict with the...
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...
Global Cyber Fraud Attacks Rose Last Year
LexisNexis Risk Solutions reported that global cyber‑fraud rates rose to 1.6% across 116 billion online transactions last year, up from 1.5% in 2024. Bot‑driven attacks surged 59%, while human‑initiated fraud grew only 8%, with gaming, gambling and e‑commerce most affected. In...
How Order.co Is Modernizing Procurement and Spend Management at Scale
Order.co, a procurement platform for distributed teams, tackled two scaling hurdles: enforcing spend controls and automating high‑volume payments. By integrating Lithic’s payment infrastructure and Mastercard network, Order.co now issues single‑use and multi‑use virtual cards at scale while applying granular, real‑time...
Card Volume Rises with Digital Boost
U.S. card‑payment volume rose 6.4% to $11.46 trillion in 2025, surpassing the 5.9% increase recorded in 2024. Credit‑card activity grew 6.1% to $6.51 trillion, showing sustained borrowing despite higher interest rates. Visa retained the largest share, handling roughly 31% of debit and...