The South African Reserve Bank (SARB) has announced a shift in priorities, focusing on upgrading its existing payment systems rather than launching a consumer-facing central bank digital currency […]
Black Friday FNB Outage Disrupts Payments: Customers Turn to Alternatives
South Africa’s First National Bank (FNB) faced technical challenges during Black Friday, leaving customers with payment issues as their app experienced widespread outages. Users reported login errors and […]
South Africa Prioritizes Modern Payment Infrastructure Over CBDC Launch
The South African Reserve Bank (SARB) has ruled out the need for a retail Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) at this time, opting instead to focus on modernizing […]
BlackRock: Bitcoin’s Future Lies in Value, Not Payments
BlackRock has stated that its clients primarily view bitcoin as a store of value, not a global payment tool. The firm believes the scenario of widespread bitcoin use […]
Alibaba Teams Up with JPMorgan to Launch Regulated Tokenized Payment System
Alibaba and JPMorgan have unveiled a new payment system for businesses, offering tokenized deposit payments for cross-border transactions. This move addresses regulatory pressure on private stablecoins in China, […]
JPMorgan Launches Blockchain-Based Deposit Token for Institutional Clients on Coinbase’s Base Layer 2
JPMorgan Chase has launched JPM Coin, a deposit token designed for institutional clients leveraging Coinbase’s Base Layer 2 network. This innovation offers fast and secure, regulated payments backed […]
Square Merchant Acceptance of Bitcoin Expands Nationwide
Square has rolled out Bitcoin payment acceptance for its US merchants nationwide, offering access to BTC payments for over 4 million sellers with zero fees until 2027. This […]
Tangem Launches Visa-Backed USDC Crypto Card for Global Spending
Tangem has just launched a groundbreaking Visa-backed crypto card that enables global spending of USDC stablecoin, starting late November 2025. This innovative card opens the door to millions […]
x402: Enabling AI Agents to Own Their Transactions
Coinbase’s x402 initiative aims to revolutionize payments by empowering AI agents to conduct transactions autonomously. This rethinking of the internet economy hinges on a new protocol standard, enabling […]
What is x402? How It Works and the Growing Ecosystem
In the digital age, transactions are becoming increasingly integrated into online interactions. To address specific challenges in payment systems, protocols like x402 are emerging. Developed by Coinbase in […]
Citi Partners with Coinbase to Develop Blockchain Payments Network
Citigroup, a major Wall Street bank, has joined forces with Coinbase to modernize payment systems and streamline transactions for clients. The collaboration aims to bridge traditional banking models […]
Australia’s Central Bank Unveils Priorities for Modernizing Payment Systems
The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has outlined four key areas it plans to focus on to modernize the nation’s payment systems, striking a balance between innovation and […]
Fed Unveils New Pathway for Crypto Companies to Access Payment Systems
Federal Reserve Governor Chris Waller proposed a new system that would grant eligible institutions direct access to the Fed’s payment rails, known as a limited-access master account. This […]
Waller Proposes ‘Payment Account’ Framework for Crypto Firms to Access Fed Payment Rails
Federal Reserve Governor Michael S. Barr proposed a new framework called a ‘payment account’ during his opening remarks at the Federal Reserve Payments Conference. This proposal aims to […]
2025’s Payments Puzzle: Cash, Cards, and Crypto Coexist in a Dynamic World
The payments landscape in 2025 is a fascinating blend of the traditional and the cutting-edge. While cash and cards remain familiar pillars, mobile wallets, fast transfers, and digital […]