Credit Cards in Russia: Comrade, Watch Your Rubles
Russia’s credit‑card market has been reshaped by the 2022 G‑7 sanctions that forced Visa and Mastercard out, prompting a rapid rollout of the state‑run Mir system. While Mir now handles the bulk of domestic transactions, delinquencies surged 70% between October 2024 and April 2025, reaching roughly 110 billion rubles (about $1.1 billion). Consumer interest rates have climbed above 50%, and new card issuance stalled at 3.3 million in 2025 against a 100‑million‑card base. The sector’s biggest hurdles remain inflation, high borrowing costs, and underdeveloped credit‑scoring tools.
How the U.S. Built Its Faster Payments Ecosystem
A decade after the Federal Reserve outlined a real‑time payments vision, the U.S. now operates two thriving instant‑payment networks—The Clearing House’s RTP and the FedNow service. RTP processes up to 2 million transactions daily, hitting a single‑day value record of $8.36 billion,...
Cash App Users Can Now Pay Over Time on P2P Transfers
Cash App introduced a pay‑over‑time feature that lets users split peer‑to‑peer transfers into short‑term installment plans. The service charges a 7.5% fee and allows weekly repayments for up to six weeks, with a minimum transfer of $25. It is the...
What Banks Get Wrong About Small Business Credit Cards
Banks are underselling small‑business credit cards by focusing on rates and fees while neglecting the operational tools owners value, such as expense separation, cash‑flow integration, and employee spending controls. The Javelin Strategy report shows many merchants already hold personal accounts,...
Google Warns That Quantum Computing Could Soon Crack Crypto Encryption
Google researchers demonstrated that emerging quantum computers could break widely used cryptocurrency encryption far more quickly than previously estimated. While current attacks remain theoretical, the firm warned that existing mitigation measures on blockchains like Bitcoin may not suffice as quantum...
Mobile Payments Stall as Switzerland Clings to Cash and Debit
Switzerland’s payment landscape remains dominated by cash and debit cards, with mobile wallets such as Apple Pay and Twint capturing only 17% of transactions in 2025, a slight decline from the previous year. Debit cards lead at 37% of all...
BetMGM Is the Latest Gambling Platform to Move Away From Credit Cards
BetMGM announced it will no longer accept credit‑card payments for its online sportsbook, following a Pennsylvania regulator‑imposed settlement over fraud and inadequate identity verification. The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board fined the operator $100,000 after uncovering schemes where fraudsters opened hundreds...
Turning a Prepaid Card Into a Long-Term Relationship
Javelin Strategy’s new report reveals prepaid cards are evolving from one‑time gifts into recurring spending tools as consumers repeatedly load them. Loyalty programs at brands like Starbucks and Chick‑fil A incentivize continuous use, turning cards into everyday payment methods. Issuers focus...
New Zealand’s Credit Card Surcharge Ban May Not Happen After All
New Zealand’s proposed ban on in‑store credit‑card surcharges, slated for May, is effectively dead after the ACT Party withdrew its support. The legislation, introduced last year, faced opposition from Retail NZ, which warned businesses would shift costs to prices. While...
Stablecoins Are Moving Beyond the Dollar
Stablecoins pegged to currencies other than the U.S. dollar are gaining traction, with the non‑USD segment reaching about $1.1 billion in February—tripling over three years. Euro‑pegged EURC dominates this space, handling over 90 % of transfer volume, while half of holdings sit...
The Emotional Toll of Financial Fraud
In this episode of Payments Journal, host Rima Katz talks with Dal Sahota of LSEG Risk Intelligence and Suzanne Sando of Javelin about the rising emotional and behavioral toll of financial fraud worldwide. Their research shows that 71% of adults...
European Retailers Fight EU Plan to Mandate Cash Acceptance
A coalition of European retailers and wholesalers, led by EuroCommerce, is opposing an EU proposal that would obligate all businesses to accept cash. The group is urging policymakers to embed broad exemptions for unmanned sites, safety‑critical environments, and high‑cost scenarios,...
Modernizing Payments: Tackling the Toughest Tech Challenges
Banks are racing to modernize payments as real‑time transactions surge and AI reshapes the industry. A recent ACI survey of 200 banks placed payments modernization as their top priority, emphasizing faster product launches and innovative customer solutions. Executives highlighted the...
India Floats Plan for Converting Gift Cards Into Mutual Funds
India's securities regulator SEBI has unveiled a framework allowing gift‑card balances to be converted into mutual‑fund units. The scheme limits each transaction to 50,000 rupees (about $537) and requires funding through electronic transfers or the UPI network. By treating prepaid...
The Growing Data Battle Between Banks and Fintechs
JPMorgan Chase announced it will charge fintech firms for access to its customer data, upending a long‑standing practice of free data sharing that powered many digital‑banking services. The move reflects a broader shift as banks seek to monetize APIs and...
The EU Invites Turkey to Join SEPA
The European Union has formally invited Turkey to join the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA), a move that could tighten economic ties and lower cross‑border transaction costs. Over the past year, Albania, Moldova, Montenegro and North Macedonia joined, bringing SEPA...
Stripe Launches Tempo Blockchain to Power AI-Driven Payments
Stripe has launched Tempo, a new blockchain platform designed to power autonomous AI‑driven payments. Built with digital‑asset firm Paradigm, Tempo’s mainnet already supports over 100 integrated services and aims to handle high‑volume cross‑border payouts, remittances, and tokenized deposits using stablecoins....
What Banking Customers Want—And Don’t Want—From Chatbots
Banks increasingly rely on mobile apps as the main customer interface, but chatbot satisfaction remains low. Research from Javelin Strategy shows bots often serve as complex call‑routing tools that frustrate users, especially younger consumers who expect swift human assistance. Institutions...
As Credit Card Balances Hit Record Highs, Is a Rate Cap the Answer?
A record 111 million U.S. consumers carried credit‑card balances at year‑end, pushing total debt past $1 trillion. The average annual percentage rate slipped to 22.3% in Q4 2025, down from 22.8% a year earlier. Policy advocates propose a 10% interest‑rate cap, arguing it...
The Fate of Agentic Commerce Hinges on an Elusive Resource: Trust
In this episode, Rima Katz and experts from FinScan and Javelin Strategy discuss how trust in payments is shifting from post‑transaction reassurance to real‑time verification, especially as agentic AI begins to act on behalf of consumers. They explore the technical...
Crypto.com Brings Crypto Payments to Tourists Visiting South Korea
Crypto.com has teamed up with KG Inicis, South Korea’s leading payment gateway that controls roughly 40% of the market, to enable crypto‑based payments for inbound tourists. The integration routes crypto transactions through Crypto.com Pay, instantly converting them to Korean won...
Where Are the Biggest Opportunities in the Commercial Prepaid Market?
Commercial prepaid card loads reached $426 billion in 2025, signaling a rapidly expanding B2B market. Javelin Strategy’s 2026 report highlights healthcare benefits, employee incentives, and state‑run government programs as the most promising growth segments over the next five years. Corporate travel...
UK Banks Wary as Contactless Payment Limits Are Lifted
The UK is scrapping the £100 ceiling on contactless card payments, theoretically allowing unlimited tap‑to‑pay transactions. However, many banks are signaling they will retain their own limits due to heightened fraud exposure. Contactless already dominates UK in‑store spending, with 94.6%...
UPI Tightens Grip on Global Instant Payments Market
India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) now processes more than four‑fifths of all real‑time transactions worldwide, accounting for 81% of global instant payments. Transaction volume surged from ₹7,176.9 crore in FY22 to ₹22,167.9 crore in FY25, a 35% year‑over‑year increase. The system’s expansion...
Global Scam Reporting Platform Launches with OpenAI Support
The Global Anti‑Scam Alliance (GASA) has launched scam.org, an AI‑powered platform built on OpenAI technology. The site consolidates scam education, reporting tools, prevention guidance, and victim support under one global hub. Backed by leading cybersecurity firms, it aims to improve...
Vertical SaaS Is Cashing in on Payments
Vertical SaaS providers such as Toast, Mindbody, and ServiceTitan are turning embedded payments into a core revenue stream, often surpassing traditional software fees. By integrating point‑of‑sale functionality, these platforms streamline transaction processing, reconciliation, and data capture for small businesses. The...
Study Finds That AI Is Organizations’ Top Cybersecurity Fear
More than half of surveyed organizations now rank generative AI as their top cybersecurity threat, overtaking stolen credentials. AI‑driven attacks such as deepfakes and hyper‑personalized phishing are proliferating, with phishing emails appearing every 19 seconds in 2025. Nearly 40% of...
A Year of Tariffs: Looking Back at the Global Impact
A year after the United States launched its aggressive tariff regime, a Javelin Strategy report finds that global supply chains adjusted faster than anticipated, limiting consumer‑price spikes and product shortages. Low‑margin imports such as electronics, toys and apparel remained stable,...
Agentic Commerce Traffic on Coinbase’s Protocol Has Yet to Accelerate
Coinbase’s x402 protocol, built on the HTTP 402 status code, aims to let AI agents execute instant stablecoin payments. Recent CoinDesk data shows the platform processes roughly 131,000 transactions per day with about $28,000 in total volume, and even its...
Bilt 2.0: All Dressed Up and Nowhere to Go
Bilt’s original rent‑rewards credit card, co‑branded with Wells Fargo, failed to generate sustainable revenue and was discontinued. The replacement, Bilt 2.0, partners with tiny fintech bank Column, NA, whose assets are under $1 billion and interest earnings are negligible. Early user reports describe...
Crypto Gateways Offer Access at an Inflection Point for Digital Assets
Crypto gateways are evolving from simple "Pay with Crypto" buttons into full‑stack payment orchestration platforms that route, settle, and ensure compliance for digital assets. They enable merchants to accept cryptocurrencies directly or indirectly, with hybrid solutions allowing stablecoin usage while...
Cashless Payments Gain Ground at Self-Serve Laundries
A recent poll shows that more than half of U.S. self‑serve laundries now earn the majority of their revenue from cashless payments, with 52.3% reporting a significant rise in digital transactions over the past three years. While two‑thirds still accept...
Government Backing and Cross-Border Payments Fuel Digital Yuan
China’s e‑CNY has processed roughly $2.37 trillion in transactions over the past two years, buoyed by explicit government backing and a blanket ban on private cryptocurrencies. The digital yuan now anchors Project mBridge, a cross‑border payment network that has expanded to...
Tokenization: From Security Tool to Future-Ready Payments
In this episode, hosts Prima Katz, Kyle Cook (Principal Product Manager at Ixopay) and Don Apgar (Javelin Strategy) discuss how tokenization has evolved from a security fix to a strategic tool for payment performance, connectivity, and merchant autonomy. They explain...
Visa Enhances Payments Orchestration Tools for Merchant Acquirers
Visa has launched its Intelligent Authorization platform for merchant acquirers across the Asia‑Pacific region. The solution offers a single‑API pathway that leverages Visa’s card‑network infrastructure, allowing banks to forego building dedicated processing stacks. Integrated AI routing selects the most cost‑effective,...
Despite Fintech Encroachment, Banks Can Remain the Go-To for SMBs
In this episode, host Rima Katz talks with Eleanor Bontrager of Byserve and Don Apgar of Javelin Strategy about the fragmented fintech tools small businesses currently use for payments, receivables, and cash‑flow management. They explain how SMBs juggle multiple apps,...
Swift Moves Ahead with Retail Cross-Border Payments Network
Swift has introduced a new framework for retail cross‑border payments, with over 25 banks slated to process transactions under the rules by June. The initiative expands Swift’s traditional focus on interbank and commercial transfers to consumer‑level payments, targeting faster settlement,...
Stablecoins Power Philippines’ Thriving Gig Economy
The Philippines’ gig workforce, now about a quarter of employed workers, is turning to stablecoins for cross‑border payouts. Traditional bank transfers can delay payments for days and erode earnings by up to 10% through fees and FX conversion. Stablecoins such...
Santander and Mastercard Pilot Agentic Commerce
Santander and Mastercard completed Europe’s first fully agentic payment when an AI‑driven agent bought a T‑shirt in Spain, marking the inaugural regulated‑bank transaction of its kind. The pilot used Mastercard’s Agent Pay platform, demonstrating that AI agents can transact while...
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...
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....
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,...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
Germany Plans to Eliminate Checks Entirely by 2027
The episode examines Germany’s plan to shut down all paper check processing by the end of 2027, highlighting the dramatic drop from 75 million checks in 2007 to just 2 million in 2024, now representing only 0.01% of cashless payments. It attributes...
