HIGHLIGHTS

Alipay has embedded QR code payments into Rokid AR glasses, enabling users to pay instore by looking at labels. After voice verification, transactions complete in seconds, significantly faster than phone-based methods. This innovation aims to usher in a new era of hands-free, immersive shopping experiences. 

Visa and eTip partnered to accelerate tip payouts for hospitality workers. Through Visa Direct, digital tips can now be sent to platforms like Venmo and PayPal in real time, eliminating multi-day waits. Launching in the US, this collaboration aims to provide faster access to earnings, especially as digital tipping increases and recent legislation reduces federal taxes on tips.

PayPal’s new “Storefront Ads” turn online ads into shoppable storefronts across the web.  Expected to launch in the US this summer, PayPal seeks to leverage transaction data and payment rails to allow consumers to buy products directly within the ad unit, expanding merchant reach and creating a different shopping experience. 

In other news…

CORPORATE ACTIVITY 

France’s BPCE has agreed to acquire Portugal’s Novo Banco for $7.4 billion, including Lone Star’s 75% stake. This acquisition, also including the Portuguese state’s share, will expand BPCE’s retail operations beyond France and aligns with the ECB’s push for European banking consolidation. Currently the deal is planned to be completed in the first half of 2026. 

Metro Bank is in early talks with Pollen Street Capital regarding a potential takeover bid. This comes after a challenging period for the UK challenger bank, marked by regulatory issues and emergency capital raises. 

CROSS-BORDER 

dLocal and Juspay have partnered to enhance cross-border payments in emerging markets. This collaboration combines Juspay’s orchestration with dLocal’s 900+ local payment methods, offering businesses and customers diverse, seamless transaction options across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. 

Visa’s “Money Travels” report reveals a significant shift in remittances to app-based digital payments. Globally, 53% of surveyed consumers now prefer digital apps for international money transfers, citing ease of use and security. This outpaces traditional methods like banks (34%) and cash mail (12%), with high digital adoption seen across North America (60-70%), Saudi Arabia (69%), UAE (65%), Mexico (75%) and Peru (75%). 

Wise and Lunar are partnering to integrate Wise’s cross-border payment infrastructure into Lunar’s app, benefiting over a million users in the Nordics. This collaboration will enable faster, more affordable, and transparent international money transfers in over 40 currencies, with 65% of payments arriving in under 20 seconds. 

CRYPTOASSETS/BLOCKCHAIN/DLT 

South Korea’s ruling party plans to allow stablecoin issuance by local firms with equity capital and guaranteed refunds. This aims to boost the nation’s active crypto market, despite some central bank concerns about monetary policy. 

JPMorgan Chase has filed a trademark for “JPMD,” likely signalling a new dollar-backed stablecoin. This comes as stablecoins gain regulatory clarity in the US and follows their “JPM Coin.” 

Coinbase and Gemini are reportedly close to securing EU crypto licences under the Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) framework. Coinbase seeks approval in Luxembourg, while Gemini is finalizing its license in Malta, enabling both to offer crypto services across the EU. 

Visa is expanding its stablecoin settlement capabilities in EMEA for USD cross-border transactions, aiming for 24/7, low-cost settlements. Having settled $225M in USDC already, Visa predicts every financial institution will need a stablecoin strategy by 2025. 

Coinbase launches “Coinbase Payments” to simplify USDC stablecoin acceptance for merchants globally, including Shopify. This system removes blockchain complexity, enabling instant, 24/7, low-cost payments. It arrives as stablecoin adoption rapidly increases and regulatory frameworks like the new US Senate bill emerge. 

DIGITAL, RETAIL & ‘Neo’ BANKING 

Peymo launched an AI-driven “multi-hybrid” banking platform. It unifies fiat, crypto, tokenized assets, and embedded finance, offering voice-first AI assistance for managing finances, optimizing payments, and real-time asset protection, aiming for seamless, smart banking. 

FRAUD & CYBERSECURITY 

AdvanThink and Quandela are collaborating to integrate Quantum AI into payment fraud detection. This partnership aims to create a more effective, efficient, and resilient solution for real-time fraud detection by leveraging Quantum Machine Learning to enhance speed, accuracy, and resistance to sophisticated attacks.

LITIGATION 

Sezzle is suing Shopify for antitrust violations, alleging that Shopify used its dominant e-commerce platform to stifle competition in the BNPL market. Sezzle claims Shopify copied its BNPL model, then implemented tactics to default merchants to Shop Pay Instalments and hinder rival BNPL providers, harming competition and consumers.

OPEN BANKING & PSD 

The UK’s new Data (Use and Access) Bill looks to enable the expansion of open banking to open finance. This legislation empowers consumers to share their data across various sectors like energy, telecoms and retail, fostering innovation and new financial services beyond just payments, including insurance, investments and pensions. 

Wollette has unveiled WollettePay, a new open banking payment solution launching in Q4 2025. It offers instant, one-tap account-to-account payments with biometric security, aiming to provide an alternative to card-based payments. 

REALTIME/INSTANT PAYMENTS 

Brazil’s PIX has launched “PIX Automático”, enabling automated recurring payments. Users will be able to authorise a payment once, after which, future payments are processed automatically and instantly. Pix Automático will facilitate recurring payments for things like subscriptions, utility bills, rent and school fees.

SCHEMES 

Unzer has joined the European Payments Initiative (EPI) to support the launch of the Wero digital wallet. Unzer will enable merchants in Germany and Austria to accept Wero payments, starting with e-commerce later in 2025. Wero, which already has 40 million users, aims to expand beyond peer-to-peer payments into e-commerce and point-of-sale transactions.