John Adams

A year after Russia's invasion of Ukraine thrust the country into chaos, financial services workers are helping to rebuild the country and are expressing hope for the future.

Ryan McInerney said Visa's debit volume has remained steady in the U.K., which has had real-time payments since 2008, and it sees the Fed's instant settlement option as a potential ally,

The U.K. payment firm recently paired with the small-business technology firm Bluevine, part of a growing network of collaborations to compete in the crowded international transfer market and cut out correspondent banks.

The card network says it is prepared to act on any new demand created by the recent banking crisis or possible economic downturn even though it reported slower growth in small-merchant card spending in the first quarter.

The card network's ambition to add services has led it to work alongside companies like JPMorgan Chase, Jack Henry & Associates and Stax.

Ryan Reynolds bets on Canadian fintech, Virgin Money expands its offerings, and more.

The blockchain company is working on a model for central bank digital currencies that it hopes will make it easier to transact across borders.

Companies holding a Bitlicense will have to follow similar standards for consumer protection, safety and soundness, and pay more to cover the cost of regulations.

Payments orchestration — or sending transactions to the best option based on cost, speed and other factors — is gaining fresh attention ahead of FedNow's anticipated July launch.

"The bar is being set by consumer interactions," says Alisa Ellis, who is helping lead modernization efforts at the financial institution.

The card brand is partnering with PayPal, Venmo and other firms in an attempt to erase the friction that accompanies transfers between different apps.

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Klarna, Fiserv, Worldline and other tech firms are using artificial intelligence-powered systems such as ChatGPT to modernize their offerings.

Typically called softPOS or Tap to Pay, the technology allows sellers to receive transactions without add-on hardware. It's becoming a popular payment option for small business and mobile sellers and other users.

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Finaro, Northmill and NMI are joining with the card network to expand contactless payment acceptance via smartphones without add-on hardware.

Circle has proposed using central bank digital currencies as part of a backstop to mitigate the same sort of risk that caused its own coin to lose its peg to the U.S. dollar during the run on Silicon Valley Bank.

The quest to make instant settlement ubiquitous in all countries requires scale and connectivity, creating opportunities for intermediaries that can handle the last mile.

Like bank and credit union branches, sit-down restaurants face rapid changes in consumer preferences, requiring a quick pivot to a growing range of digital service and checkout options.

Klarna adds chatGPT, BNP Paribas outsources to the Nordics, Mastercard teams with a French fintech and more.