The Future of KYC Is Layered—And Data-Driven
In this episode, Reema Katz talks with John Jones of DataZoo and fraud analyst Jennifer Pitts about how KYC is evolving into a layered, data‑driven process. They explain that relying on a single verification method is no longer enough; instead, trusted authoritative data, document verification, biometrics, and behavioral signals must be combined to create a continuous, real‑time view of identity. The discussion highlights challenges such as synthetic identities and thin‑file consumers, and stresses the need for transparency, global coverage, and low‑friction workflows. Both guests predict a shift toward data‑first models, perpetual KYC, and portable digital identity schemes.
Embedded Payments Are Becoming Core to Vertical SaaS
In this episode, host Rima Katz talks with Brad Penneke of Worldpay and Don Apgar of Javelin Strategy about how vertical SaaS platforms are evolving from niche tools into core operating systems for SMBs, with embedded payments becoming a natural...
Klarna Brings BNPL Into Google’s AI Shopping Experience
Klarna’s buy‑now‑pay‑later services are now embedded in Google’s AI‑powered Gemini app and Google Search checkout flows. The integration surfaces Klarna’s flexible payment plans, including BNPL and longer‑term financing, with an affordability check at point of purchase. Klarna reports AI‑referenced traffic...
Cantaloupe-365 Deal Targets Fast-Growing Unattended Retail Market
The acquisition of Cantaloupe by 365 Retail Markets is now complete, merging Cantaloupe’s payment‑processing and connected‑vending expertise with 365’s self‑checkout and POS platforms. The combined firm will expand into sports venues, transit hubs, manufacturing campuses and senior‑living communities, targeting the...
Morgan Stanley May Have Reset the Crypto Trading Fee Baseline
Morgan Stanley, through its E*TRADE platform, has begun a pilot spot‑crypto trading service that charges a flat 0.5% fee per transaction. The fee undercuts Charles Schwab’s 0.75% spread and competes directly with Robinhood’s 0.35‑0.95% range. Powered by Zerohash, the service...
The Passkey You Can’t Steal: Why Hardware Beats Software for High-Stakes Authentication
In this episode of Payments Journal, host Rima Katz and guests Adam Lowe (Chief Product & Innovation Officer at Composecure/Arculus) and Tracy Goldberg (Director of Cybersecurity at Javelin) dissect the difference between software‑synced passkeys and hardware‑bound passkeys. They explain that...
Google Cloud and Solana Streamline AI Agent Payments
Google Cloud and Solana have launched Pay.sh, a gateway that lets autonomous AI agents make real‑time payments using Solana wallets and stablecoins. The platform removes traditional onboarding steps—authentication, account creation, and subscription management—by exposing enterprise‑grade APIs directly to agents. Pay.sh...
Disneyland Testing Move Toward a Cashless Park
Disneyland has begun a pilot that makes more than a quarter of its outdoor vending carts cashless, accepting only credit cards, Disney gift cards or mobile wallets. The shift targets pre‑packaged items like ice cream, while fresh‑food stalls still take...
The EU Seeks to Break Its Dependence on Visa, Mastercard Rails
The European Central Bank released a position paper outlining a roadmap to diminish the EU’s reliance on U.S.-based Visa and Mastercard networks, which currently process more than 60% of card transactions in Europe. The strategy calls for a home‑grown, account‑to‑account...
New Zealand’s Regulators Expand Open Banking Efforts
New Zealand’s financial regulators are extending their open‑banking agenda beyond the December rules, mandating standardized APIs that let approved fintechs access customer data with consent. The reforms aim to tighten security, curb screen‑scraping, and create a level playing field that...
Rand Vs. Dollar: South Africa’s Bet on a New Stablecoin
The episode examines South Africa’s launch of ZARU, a rand‑pegged stablecoin built on Solana by a consortium including Luno, Sanlam, EasyEquities and Lesaka. It explains how ZARU is backed by domestic assets like government bonds and is currently limited to...
Why the UK Is Exploring Instant Payments
The Bank of England is consulting on a new consumer‑payment system that would let shoppers pay directly from bank accounts, mirroring Brazil’s Pix and India’s UPI. Deputy Governor Sarah Breeden argues the scheme could increase competition, lower transaction fees for...
BRICS Puts Its Payment Rail on the Front Burner
The episode examines the BRICS nations' renewed push to create a cross‑border payment rail built on interoperable central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) rather than a new shared currency. It explains how India, leveraging its UPI expertise, is steering the initiative...
How PayPal’s New Tax Service Fits Into Its Overall Strategy
PayPal is launching a free, DIY tax‑filing service for its debit‑card users in partnership with april, pulling financial data from PayPal accounts to streamline federal and state returns and allowing refunds to be deposited directly into PayPal. The move aims...
PhotonPay Expands UK Local Payment Rails via New Collaboration with ClearBank
The episode details PhotonPay's new partnership with ClearBank, which gives PhotonPay's business clients indirect access to the UK’s Faster Payments, BACS, and CHAPS rails via ClearBank’s API-driven infrastructure. This collaboration enables the issuance of virtual accounts, real-time GBP collections and...