Europe

ACCEPTANCE & PROCESSING

Klarna rolled out a new Tap to Pay feature across 14 European markets, transforming its app into a contactless wallet for in-store purchases. The NFC-based capability lets users tap their phone at checkout using the Klarna app instead of adding a card to Apple or Google Wallet.

IRIS is now available at all physical and online points of sale nationwide, making Greece the first country in Europe with universal account-to-account payments acceptance at every POS. The rollout ensures instant payments can be used in stores, e-shops, peer-to-peer transfers, and bill payments to professionals and government.

Worldpay has extended its partnership with ClubManager, a software provider for sports and fitness clubs, to power embedded payments as the platform grows in the UK. Under the deal, ClubManager has integrated Worldpay for Platforms, allowing clubs to accept card and direct debit payments seamlessly within ClubManager’s management software. Worldpay’s technology, used both in Australia and New Zealand, and will now support its UK expansion.

Rest of the World

CROSS-BORDER

Regulators in China and Vietnam have officially rolled out a cross-border QR code payment system, enabling Chinese visitors to pay at Vietnamese merchants via existing mobile wallets. The scheme connects China’s digital payment platforms with Vietnam’s national QR standard “VietQR,” facilitating seamless QR-based payments at stores, restaurants, tourist sites and more. The initiative is a collaboration between Vietnam’s NAPAS network, UnionPay International, ICBC, and Vietcombank, following an MoU and technical integration over the past year.

CRYPTOASSETS/BLOCKCHAIN/DLT

Zepz has announced the launch of stablecoin-linked Visa cards for users of its Sendwave digital wallet. In partnership with Bridge, Zepz will allow Sendwave Wallet customers to spend their USDC “digital dollar” balances at any merchant that accepts Visa. When a customer swipes the card, Bridge’s technology instantly converts the stablecoins to local fiat currency behind the scenes, so the transaction is processed like a normal Visa payment for the merchant.