Europe

ACCEPTANCE & PROCESSING

Praxis Tech has launched an AI-driven Smart Routing tool to help merchants boost their first-time payment approval rates. The system analyses performance across multiple payment providers and recommends optimal routing order changes, based on which processor is approving the most transactions for a given use case. By adjusting provider priority through these AI insights, businesses can increase successful payments on the first try while reducing redundant transaction attempts – improving conversion and lowering costs for merchants.

CORPORATE ACTIVITY

Corpay will acquire UK-based FX and banking provider Alpha Group for approximately $2.2 billion in cash. The deal, which represents a 55% premium on Alpha’s prior share price, expands Corpay’s cross-border solutions and diversifies its revenue. Alpha’s alternative banking platform for investment managers will complement Corpay’s offerings, and the acquisition is expected to boost Corpay’s earnings in 2026 once completed.

CROSS-BORDER

Solidgate unveiled a new Tuum-powered treasury platform to streamline cross-border money movement for SMEs. The solution offers multi-currency business accounts and supports mass payouts and 24/7 instant transfers via global rails like SEPA and SWIFT. Built on a modular core banking infrastructure, the platform reduces friction for internationally operating businesses by enabling features such as round-the-clock transfers, batch payouts to cards, and virtual IBAN accounts for global use.

CRYPTOASSETS/BLOCKCHAIN/DLT

Clear Junction launched an on-chain stablecoin transfer service – its first offering in a new digital asset product suite. The service enables institutional clients to send, receive, and convert major stablecoins, beginning with USDC and USDT, across Ethereum, Solana, and Tron networks. Targeting exchanges, fintechs, and e-money institutions. Clear Junction plans to expand into tokenized settlement, custody, and liquidity products as part of a broader blockchain strategy.

FRAUD & CYBERSECURITY

PayPal is creating 100 new jobs with the opening of an AI and fraud data science centre in Dublin. The facility will house roles in AI engineering, data science, risk modeling, and cybersecurity as the company invests in technology to “embed trust and safety in every transaction”. Supported by Ireland’s investment agency, the initiative reinforces Dublin’s status as a tech hub. Officials say the center will develop AI-driven fraud prevention and risk tools, reflecting confidence in the local talent ecosystem and PayPal’s commitment to innovative security measures in payments.

SCHEMES

The Payments Group has partnered with Austrian mobile payments scheme Bluecode to launch a pan-European prepaid mobile payment service that serves as an alternative to Visa and Mastercard. The prepaid service, activated in minutes and funded easily, using a Bluecode barcode or QR code, gives Europeans a home-grown digital payment method aligned with EU data privacy and regulatory standards.

North America

BNPL

Samsung Wallet has teamed up with BNPL provider Splitit to let U.S. users split in-store purchases into instalments directly from their smartphone. Rolling out from July 25, the new feature allows shoppers to pay over time using their existing Visa or Mastercard credit cards. This marks the first time card-linked instalment payments have been built into Samsung Wallet. At point-of-sale, users can tap “Pay in instalments” and the app will charge their linked card in multiple smaller payments.

CORPORATE ACTIVITY

Fiserv has signed a strategic deal with TD Bank Group which includes acquiring a chunk of TD’s Canadian merchant acquiring business. Under the agreement, Fiserv will purchase a portfolio of approximately 3,400 Canadian merchant relationships from TD, significantly increasing their reach in the country. Alongside this, TD Merchant Solutions will use Fiserv’s technology under a multi-year service agreement.

ISSUING

Mastercard has introduced an AI-powered Card Design Studio platform to help issuers create payment card designs in minutes. The tool allows banks/fintechs to upload their logo and card details, then uses generative AI and Mastercard’s design templates to produce ready-to-use card artwork. What used to take weeks can now be done almost instantly, accelerating card product launches. Mastercard says this is the first AI card design service by a major network and part of its efforts to simplify the card issuance process.

Branch has partnered with Lead Bank to expand its card issuing capabilities for workforce payments. Under the collaboration, Lead Bank will serve as a sponsor bank for Branch’s debit card and digital account products that power payroll advances, gig worker payouts, tips and other employer payments. By tapping Lead Bank’s Banking-as-a-Service platform and regulatory support, Branch aims to scale these services to more industries and deliver faster, compliant payments to employees and contractors across the U.S.

OPEN BANKING

Apiture has rolled out new real-time payment capabilities for the community banks and credit unions on its digital banking platform. The update enables those financial institutions to offer their customers instant payments via both The Clearing House’s RTP network and the Federal Reserve’s FedNow service, 24/7/365. Apiture notes that over half of U.S. businesses were already using RTP or FedNow in 2024, a figure projected to reach 80% by 2026. The firm says providing real-time transfers will help its mid-sized bank clients stay competitive, as immediate payouts and always-on digital experiences become an expectation for customers.

LATAM

REAL-TIME/INSTANT PAYMENTS

Caixa Econômica Federal has paid the latest Bolsa Família benefits via Pix, crediting 19.6 million low‑income households with between R$ 600 and R$ 1 000 each on 25 July. The social‑protection scheme now distributes every instalment through Brazil’s instant‑payment rail, pushing more welfare money straight into beneficiaries’ digital wallets and reinforcing Pix as a mainstream disbursement channel.

APAC

Acceptance & Processing

UnionPay International is enhancing payment convenience for Chinese tourists in Malaysia by broadening card acceptance and integrating its app with Malaysia’s DuitNow QR code system. UnionPay has also rolled out special promotions and enabled Malaysian-issued UnionPay cards to be used via WeChat Pay and Alipay in China, boosting cross-border payment connectivity.

Cross-Border

Ria Money Transfer has acquired a 60% stake in Japan’s Kyodai Remittance, adding 17 Kyodai stores and access to over 44,000 ATMs via Japan Post Bank and Lawson Bank. The deal strengthens Ria’s Asia-Pacific footprint and leverages Kyodai’s high-value transfer license, expanding Ria’s reach to 624,000 global locations amid Japan’s booming remittance market.

BNPL

Malaysia’s Domestic Trade Ministry has urged ‘Buy Now, Pay Later’ platform providers to self-regulate to protect consumers until formal legislation is in place. The call comes as BNPL usage soars from 83.8 million in H2 2024 to 102.6 million transactions in H1 2025, raising concerns that low-income users are at risk of mounting debts.

Middle East and Africa

ACCEPTANCE & PROCESSING

Mitsumi has partnered with UK-based fintech CLOWD9 to enhance digital payment processing across the Middle East and Africa. Mitsumi will use CLOWD9’s microservices-based infrastructure to launch and scale card issuance and payment solutions in new markets. Leaders from both firms highlighted that this collaboration will drive more innovative, resilient payment services across MEA, leveraging cloud technology to improve transaction stability and sustainability in emerging markets.