Europe

ACCEPTANCE & PROCESSING

GoCardless has launched an AI-driven feature called “Same Day Settlement+” to accelerate payouts and reduce failed direct debit transactions, enabling 96% of successful collections to settle on the same day and cutting late payment failures by 80%.

Electronic Payments Inc. (EPI) has acquired UK-based payments firm Handpoint, extending EPI’s platform into the UK, Europe and other markets. The deal merges EPI’s in-house acquiring network with Handpoint’s developer-focused technology, creating a single global payments stack for merchants and software partners.

BNPL

Klarna has agreed to a multi-year forward flow deal to sell up to $26 billion of its U.S. Pay in 4 BNPL loan receivables to Nelnet, moving these off its balance sheet for predictable funding and supporting Klarna’s growth as it gears up for an IPO.

CORPORATE ACTIVITY

Fiinu is acquiring FX brokerage Everfex in a reverse takeover deal worth up to £12 million, expanding the London-listed fintech’s services beyond banking-as-a-service and adding Everfex’s profitable trading operations ahead of Fiinu’s Q4 launch of its Open Banking-based “Plugin Overdraft” product.

Starling Bank has acquired London-based accounting software provider Ember to broaden its services for small business banking customers. The deal is part of Starling’s effort to extend its business banking suite with integrated accounting tools for SMEs.

Brex has secured a Payment Institution licence in the Netherlands, allowing the U.S. fintech to issue locally accepted corporate cards and process SEPA payments for EU clients. With an Amsterdam office and EU regulatory footing now in place, Brex is onboarding select European customers and plans to be fully operational by early 2026, with a UK licence next on its roadmap.

CRYPTOASSETS/BLOCKCHAIN/DLT

Coinbase has completed its $2.9 billion acquisition of crypto derivatives exchange Deribit, significantly expanding Coinbase’s global crypto derivatives business and making it one of the world’s largest crypto options platforms.

DIGITAL & eCOMMERCE

Xsolla has extended its payments coverage across regions including Europe by adding popular local methods like Bizum (Spain), Swish (Sweden) and Satispay (Italy), and it has partnered with Adyen to introduce a PSP model that lets game developers act as their own merchant of record for payments.

Accesso Technology Group unveiled accessoPay 3.0, a major upgrade of its payments platform for attractions and e-commerce venues. The new system offers a faster, redesigned online checkout with support for digital wallets (Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal/Venmo) and deep integration of Visa’s Cybersource tokenisation and Accertify fraud prevention tools to boost conversion and security.

FRAUD & CYBERSECURITY

Santander UK has introduced a new screen-sharing detection feature in its mobile banking app to combat scam attacks. The app will now blur sensitive information if it detects screen-sharing, protecting customers from fraudsters who trick victims into revealing banking details via remote access.

OPEN BANKING & PSD

eBay has integrated Open Banking into its Seller Capital program to expand financing access for merchants on its platform. The new system lets sellers securely share bank account data with eBay’s lending partners, enabling quicker, data-driven credit decisions and potentially larger loans for small businesses in the UK and Germany.

REGULATION (UK)

The Bank of England and the Financial Conduct Authority have signed a new Memorandum of Understanding on the supervision of financial market infrastructure, strengthening cooperation in overseeing critical payment and clearing systems.

The Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) decision to lift its ban on offering crypto exchange-traded products to retail investors is being hailed as a “pivotal moment” by industry figures. The rule change, likened by some to the Big Bang reforms of the 1980s, will allow UK retail investors access to crypto-based ETPs under the regulator’s new guidelines.

SCHEMES

UnionPay International has partnered with UK payments firm Dojo to expand UnionPay card acceptance to 150,000 more merchants (primarily in hospitality), allowing over half of UK merchants to now accept UnionPay cards and enabling British SMEs to tap into a larger base of Chinese and global customers.

North America

ACCEPTANCE & PROCESSING

BlueSnap has collaborated with Commerce (BigCommerce’s parent company) to launch the first B2B payments and accounts receivable automation solution built for BigCommerce’s B2B Edition.

BNPL

The New York Department of Financial Services (NY DFS) has extended the deadline for buy now, pay later firms to comply with a voluntary data request as the state implements its new BNPL law. Industry groups (American Fintech Council, Financial Technology Association) sought 30 more days to compile extensive transaction and demographic data. NY DFS agreed to push the due date to Sept. 13 while it drafts regulations under the law passed in May, which will require BNPL providers to be licensed and cap fees/interest similar to credit cards.

CORPORATE ACTIVITY

Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) and Bank of Montreal (BMO) are reportedly exploring the sale of their co-owned payments processor Moneris, in a move that could value the merchant acquirer at up to $2 billion. Moneris, founded in 2000 – serves ~325,000 merchants and processes nearly 5 billion transactions annually, and a potential deal (advised by PJT Partners) would mark a major shift in Canada’s payments processing landscape.

CRYPTOASSETS/BLOCKCHAIN/DLT

Wyoming has launched its own USD-pegged stablecoin, the Frontier Stable Token (FRNT), intended for real-world payments and usable anywhere Visa is accepted. Developed by the state’s Stable Token Commission with blockchain platform Avalanche and issuer Rain, FRNT is fully backed by short-term U.S. Treasuries and dollars (102% reserve) and marks the first production-grade government digital asset on a public blockchain. Officials say this innovation, enabled by the new GENIUS Act, will allow instant on-chain transactions for use cases like vendor payments, tax refunds, and benefits disbursement.

REALTIME/INSTANT PAYMENTS

Routable has launched FedNow instant payments for its accounts payable customers, expanding coverage for real-time transfers in the United States.

LATAM

ACCEPTANCE & PROCESSING

Xsolla has expanded its payment services across Asia, Europe, and the Americas, now offering recurring billing via Mercado Pago in Brazil through a partnership with Adyen.

CROSS-BORDER

Uruguay’s payments fintech dLocal has partnered with e-commerce marketplace Tiendamia to streamline cross-border transactions across Latin America. The collaboration lets Tiendamia accept local payment methods (cards, cash vouchers, e-wallets) in markets including Ecuador, Costa Rica, Peru, Argentina, and Uruguay via a single integration, without needing local entities. It also enables local currency payouts to sellers and logistics partners in those countries, with dLocal handling FX conversion, compliance, and real-time local settlement – ultimately simplifying cross-border checkout and improving success rates for regional online shoppers.

APAC

CROSS-BORDER

Stripe highlighted that stablecoins and AI are set to drive the next wave of cross-border commerce in Asia. At an event in Singapore, Stripe shared research showing nearly half of surveyed businesses in Singapore, India, China, and Japan plan to adopt stablecoins in the next two years, viewing them as programmable financial tools amid supportive regional regulation. Stripe has already rolled out stablecoin business accounts in 100+ countries (incl. Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Brunei) to enable global crypto-to-fiat payments, and through a partnership with Visa (via its acquisition of Bridge), Stripe users in multiple markets can spend stablecoin balances on Visa cards. The company also noted over 50% of its Asian clients made international sales in the past year, and it’s expanding local payment methods (like PayNow SG and GoPay ID) and deploying AI-powered fraud detection models to boost approval rates and secure transactions across the region.

CRYPTOASSETS/BLOCKCHAIN/DLT

Thailand is piloting a new “crypto-to-baht” scheme aimed at foreign tourists, allowing visitors to convert cryptocurrencies into Thai baht for local payments. Under the 18-month Tourist Digipay sandbox (launching later this year), overseas travelers can’t pay merchants directly in crypto but can exchange crypto for baht up to a limit of ฿500,000 per month. Thailand’s government sees this as an innovative way to boost tourism by modernizing payment options, with Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira noting the program will make it easier for visitors to spend without cash or credit cards.

SCHEMES

Visa is expanding its Click to Pay online checkout service across Asia Pacific through partnerships with 2C2P, Adyen, AsiaPay, and Worldpay.

Middle East and Africa

ACCEPTANCE & PROCESSING

Worldpay has joined forces with Mastercard to streamline money movement for consumers and businesses in the UAE through Mastercard Move.

UAE-based Zand Bank has partnered with Mastercard to enhance cross-border payment services for its retail, corporate, and institutional clients. In the first phase, Zand’s customers will be able to send money directly to bank accounts in multiple countries, transfer funds to mobile wallets worldwide, and access cash pickup at Mastercard’s agent locations – all via Mastercard’s Cross-Border Services (Move) network. Zand, the UAE’s first digital bank (launched 2022), says this partnership leverages Mastercard’s global reach to improve remittances and cash distribution for UAE customers without needing correspondent banking ties in each destination.

CROSS-BORDER

TerraPay has announced a strategic partnership with Lebanon-based Whish Money to enhance cross-border money transfers and digital payments for Whish users.

The Bank of Algeria has joined the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS), becoming the 18th African country to connect to the cross-border instant payments network. PAPSS – launched by Afreximbank and the African Union – allows efficient intra-African money transfers by linking central banks, commercial banks, and switches across the continent. Algeria’s entry follows recent Northern Africa momentum (Tunisia, Egypt, Morocco) in PAPSS participation. Officials say this move will cut cross-border transaction costs (PAPSS has already saved up to 27% in fees for users) and boost trade, as Algeria integrates with a system that has connected 150+ banks and is expanding transaction volumes via digital channels.

MOBILE MONEY/WALLETS

Dubai’s du Pay has introduced a “Salary in the Digital Wallet” (SITW) feature allowing workers in the UAE to receive their wages directly into the du Pay mobile wallet. Licensed by the Central Bank, du Pay’s wallet (with an associated debit card and IBAN account) already supports international remittances, bill payments, and in-store/online payments. The new salary deposit feature is aimed at boosting financial inclusion for the large segment of UAE employees earning under AED 5,000 with limited bank access, giving them instant access to their funds via the app and card. Users can open a zero-balance account and use du Pay for everyday transactions, which the company says will reduce cash handling and speed up payments for this underserved group.

REALTIME/INSTANT PAYMENTS

South African fintech Peach Payments has launched real-time clearance (RTC) payouts for merchants on its platform. This new service enables businesses to disburse funds instantly – allowing rapid float top-ups, automated bulk payments, and near-instant settlement of refunds, commissions, gig worker earnings, salaries, and more. The RTC Payouts feature automates reconciliation and keeps payouts flowing even if a recipient’s bank is offline, significantly improving efficiency. Peach Payments (which plans to extend the service beyond South Africa, pending regulations) says early users saw a 75% reduction in settlement times, and the upgrade will support its expansion into new African markets and use cases.