In other news…

BNPL

• Marqeta to introduce new BNPL solution, Marqeta Flex, the product aims to enhance the provision of BNPL payment options in payment apps and wallets.
• Klarna launches flexible payment options for Zoom Workplace. Through this move, users across the US and several European markets, including the UK, Sweden, Germany, Finland, Denmark, the Netherlands, Austria, Belgium, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Spain, and Poland, are set to be able to access Zoom’s premium services with scaled financial flexibility.
• North American BNPL giant Affirm lands in the UK. Flight booking site Alternative Airlines and fintech and payments processor Fexco are onboard as UK launch partners, with more brands expected to follow

CORPORATE ACTIVITY

• Marqeta stock downgraded as Deutsche Bank flags missteps in client ramp-up

CROSS-BORDER

• Standard Chartered embeds with Wise for global remittances. Standard Chartered will be Wise’s first Tier 1 global bank customer

DIGITAL, RETAIL & ‘Neo’ BANKING

• Barclays completes Tesco Bank acquisition. Barclays has completed the £600 million acquisition of Tesco Bank’s retail banking business. Barclays will now manage credit cards, unsecured personal loans, deposits and the operating infrastructure under the Tesco brand. The finance wing of the supermarket will keep its insurance and money services such as ATMs, travel money and gift cards.

ISSUING

• According to Juniper Research, 90% of Payment Cards to Use Sustainable Materials by 2029 
• NatWest partners with Mastercard to launch mobile virtual cards for UK companies. The new solution was entitled Approval2Buy with Mobile Virtual Cards, and it was developed to use Mastercard’s mobile virtual card application.