Recent Posts
News•Feb 26, 2026
More States Are Tightening Their Gift Card Regulations
In 2025, 22 U.S. states introduced legislation aimed at curbing gift‑card fraud, a sharp rise from eight states the previous year. While many bills increase criminal penalties, several also impose new duties on merchants, such as conspicuous fraud warnings and enhanced record‑keeping. Texas and Arkansas have adopted tiered felony structures based on the number or value of counterfeit cards, and at least 15 states now permit cash‑out of low‑balance cards, with California setting a $15 threshold. Industry experts warn that cash‑out rules could unintentionally aid scammers.
By PaymentsJournal
News•Feb 25, 2026
Fast Installment Loans Growth: Card Managers Beware
Credit bureaus report a 24.1% year‑over‑year surge in unsecured consumer installment loans in December 2025, reaching 15 million loans worth $62.6 billion, with seven million classified as subprime. Meanwhile, credit‑card balances remain stable around $1.3 trillion, showing typical seasonal bumps but no comparable growth....
By PaymentsJournal
News•Feb 19, 2026
Stablecoins Expand in Payments, Yet Most Activity Remains Internal
The episode examines a McKinsey-Artemis Analytics report showing that while stablecoins process roughly $35 trillion a year, only about $390 billion is tied to real‑world payments, with most activity still internal to exchanges, custodians, and protocols. External payment use is growing fast,...
By PaymentsJournal
News•Feb 18, 2026
Surcharges and Discounts Can’t Overcome Payment Inertia
The Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta’s new report shows that merchants’ attempts to shift consumer payment behavior with cash discounts or credit‑card surcharges have little impact because shoppers stick to their preferred method out of habit. Discounts only influence cash‑oriented...
By PaymentsJournal
News•Feb 17, 2026
Olympics Payments Hurdles Are a Microcosm of EU Challenges
The episode examines how Visa's exclusive role as the card provider at the Milano‑Cortina Winter Olympics exposed Europe’s reliance on U.S. payment networks, leaving many visitors stranded with cash‑only options and long ATM queues. Guest Don Apgar explains that geopolitical...
By PaymentsJournal
News•Feb 13, 2026
Who Wins If the Debit Fee Cap Limit Gets Raised?
The episode examines a bipartisan bill to raise the Durbin amendment’s $10 billion asset threshold for debit interchange fee caps, indexing it to inflation and potentially expanding the exemption to banks with assets over $15 billion. Senators Ted Cruz and Katie Britt...
By PaymentsJournal
News•Feb 13, 2026
After FanDuel Cuts Credit Cards, Stored-Value Accounts Take Center Stage
FanDuel has stopped accepting credit cards for funding its U.S. sportsbook, casino, and racing accounts, citing regulatory pressure and the high fees and debt risks associated with credit‑card cash advances. The move shifts bettors toward stored‑value accounts—digital prepaid wallets that...
By PaymentsJournal
News•Feb 11, 2026
UK to Regulate BNPL in Transparency Push
The episode examines the UK’s new regulatory framework for buy‑now‑pay‑later (BNPL) services, which places providers under FCA oversight and mandates clear disclosure of terms, affordability checks, hardship support, and a route to the Financial Ombudsman. It highlights concerns about “phantom...
By PaymentsJournal
News•Feb 11, 2026
The Battle Between Apple and App Developers Reaches Japan
The episode examines how Apple’s new payment rules in Japan, introduced to comply with the Mobile Software Competition Act, are still imposing 15‑20% commissions even on external payment methods, prompting a coalition of over 600 companies to claim the fees...
By PaymentsJournal
News•Feb 10, 2026
How Payment Gateways for Businesses Can Help You Offer Your Customers More Options
The episode explains how modern payment gateways, especially Authorize.net, enable small and mid‑size businesses to accept a wide array of payment methods—from cards and eChecks to digital wallets and contactless options—through a single, integrated solution that often includes a merchant...
By PaymentsJournal