John Adams

The United States is threatening to curtail transactions into and out of Russia to discourage it from invading Ukraine. The standoff heightens existing friction between U.S. payments companies and Moscow, which could impose new restrictions on them in response to sanctions.

The card network's new cryptocurrency advisory service aims to help financial institutions catch up with companies like Square and PayPal by spotting opportunities to support stablecoins, nonfungible tokens and central bank digital currencies.

Research shows the number of fraudulent transactions and dollar amounts involved are soaring as merchants increasingly go digital. Credit card and other companies are expected to more than double what they invest in AI and other tech to fortify their systems.

As Visa and Mastercard weigh raising rates and retail heavyweights like Amazon push back, the fintech sees an opening for a lower-cost payments alternative that banks and credit unions can offer merchants.

The company, which will keep the Square brand for its card readers, also supports music, cash transfers, Bitcoin trading and other financial services.

The video-sharing site has rolled out a new feature that allows viewers to tip creators, adding to Stripe's network of clients in the crowdsourced entertainment industry.

Policymakers contend the fast-growing crypto sector poses many risks for consumers, but disagreements within the blockchain industry and Congress are expected to prevent the establishment of clear rules anytime soon.

The former PayPal president was hired to bring an entrepreneurial spirit to the social network, and he helmed major projects such as the Diem stablecoin. His exit raises questions about the direction of the businesses he oversaw.

The tech entrepreneur has been increasingly focused on Bitcoin, a key growth area for the payments company he co-founded.

The e-commerce giant has threatened to ban Visa cards in the U.K., and its partnerships with the likes of Affirm and Venmo give it alternative ways to accept payments — and the means to make good on that ultimatum.