NFC World

Britain’s largest banks are preparing to launch a new domestic payments scheme designed to reduce the UK’s reliance on global card networks and accelerate the adoption of account-to-account payments powered by open banking infrastructure. UK banks unite behind domestic payments network The initiative, developed under the umbrella of the UK Payments Initiative, is backed by […]

The debate around European payments sovereignty has intensified significantly over the past two years. Policymakers, regulators and financial institutions across the continent are increasingly questioning Europe’s dependence on international payment networks, particularly at a time of heightened geopolitical uncertainty and growing concerns around economic resilience. Visa’s €500 Million European Investment Against this backdrop, Visa has

Global card giant Mastercard is reportedly seeking financial support from Brazil’s largest payment processors after suffering substantial losses linked to the collapse of Banco Master and its fintech subsidiary, Will Bank. Mastercard seeks help after Brazilian fintech collapse The dispute centres on roughly R$5 billion in unsettled merchant payments generated through Will Bank’s Mastercard-branded credit

Italy’s state-backed lender Cassa Depositi e Prestiti is preparing to increase its holding in payments giant Nexi, signalling Rome’s determination to retain influence over one of Europe’s most strategically important financial infrastructure providers. Italian state-backed lender to increase share in Nexi CDP Equity, the investment arm of the Italian state lender, plans to lift its

Chinese payments giant Alipay has unveiled what it describes as the world’s first AI Wallet and Token Pay platform, marking a significant step towards embedding payments directly into the emerging “agentic economy”. Alipay launches AI Wallet and Token Pay The launch, announced by parent company Ant Group, reflects a broader industry shift in which artificial

Open banking and payments infrastructure provider Plaid has launched a new guaranteed ACH payments solution designed to reduce settlement risk and accelerate transaction approvals for businesses operating in the digital payments ecosystem. Plaid targets ACH payment risk  The new product, Plaid Guaranteed Payments, reflects growing demand among fintechs, lenders and digital commerce platforms for faster

The scale of global financial crime has reached unprecedented levels, with illicit financial activity estimated to have surged to $4.4 trillion in 2025, according to new research from Nasdaq Verafin. AI-Driven Financial Crime Pushes New Limits  The findings underline the growing sophistication of criminal networks and the increasingly central role artificial intelligence now plays in

The European Commission has launched a fresh consultation on the future of the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA), signalling that Europe’s flagship crypto framework may already require recalibration less than two years after its implementation. European Commission Reassesses MiCA  Introduced in 2024, MiCA was designed to establish a harmonised regulatory structure for crypto-assets across the

The traditional online checkout is undergoing a profound transformation as artificial intelligence, digital wallets and increasingly localised payment preferences reshape how consumers complete purchases. AI Agents and Digital Wallets redefining checkout  New data from Stripe suggests that checkout is evolving from a simple payment stage into a sophisticated layer of identity verification, personalisation and real-time

A growing coalition of European lenders is betting that stablecoins can strengthen the continent’s position in digital finance, with Amsterdam-based joint venture Qivalis adding 25 banks to its euro stablecoin initiative. European banks grow Euro Stablecoin ambitions The project now counts 37 financial institutions from 15 countries among its supporters, underlining the banking sector’s determination