U.K.

TransferWise once marketed itself as Robin Hood-style rival to banks. Now it sees itself as an ally.

The direct threats to the Trump presidency and Boris Johnson's tenure as prime minister of the U.K. create an extra layer of uncertainty for fintechs.

PayPal must pay a fine to the U.K.’s top financial watchdog for failing to keep its operations completely separate from iZettle while authorities investigated competitive effects of PayPal's purchase of the Sweden-based mobile POS provider.

As anti-money laundering requirements tighten in many jurisdictions, financial institutions and fraud prevention platforms are ditching legacy AML solutions for newer technology — but alternatives aren’t easy to come by yet.

Even though security vendors and payments providers are telling merchants they are ready to provide compliance for PSD2 on Sept. 14, a significant challenge remains in the learning curve and technology needs for merchants.

SumUp, a U.K.-based mobile point of sale company, needed a way to differentiate itself from larger rivals such as PayPal, Square and iZettle. Its solution is to offer faster settlement, in partnership with Starling Bank.

As the U.K. rapidly transitions toward a cashless society — with U.K. Finance predicting that by 2028, just 9% of payments will be in cash — even pocket money is going digital. And the disappearance of tactile interaction with cash changes how kids learn about budgeting.

Processors that rely on cross-border payments to reach new territories are feeling the economic squeeze of the looming Brexit deadline.

Gregor Dobbie is taking on the role of CEO of Vocalink as the company looks to expand its B2B payments business in the U.K.

Credit unions across the pond are hopeful that they will be able to push their legislative priorities once Parliament is no longer preoccupied with Brexit.

VCs have been devoting more attention — and funding — to U.K.-based digital remittance providers such as TransferWise, Revolut, WorldRemit and their smaller rival Paysend.

In recent years, the in-aisle payments and checkout-free stores have become increasingly common across the U.K. retail market, especially in the supermarket and grocery sector. Now High Street fashion outlets are coming under pressure to introduce faster and more convenient payment options to keep up with consumer demands.

The U.K.’s Equals Group’s FairFX currency unit has purchased Hermex FX, another U.K. firm serving corporate customers with currency exchange and payment services.

It’s not yet time to retire the notion that businesses favor checks for supply chains, but deployments in multiple markets signals a turning point in modernizing B2B payments.

Long overshadowed by food delivery startups such as Uber Eats and on-demand delivery service players such as Postmates, delivering fuel to a consumer’s vehicle is a convenience service that is growing in the U.S. and other markets.

Brexit seems more likely than ever, as the U.K.'s new prime minister, Boris Johnson, has committed to meeting the October 31 deadline for a deal to leave the EU. But despite the lingering uncertainty over how that will happen, Mastercard is not abandoning its bullish stance on Europe.

Glint has launched a U.S. version of its European gold-based debit Mastercard and app that creates an alternative currency for long-term savings as well as for use in spending on everyday transactions.

Just four months after receiving an e-money license from Central Bank of Ireland, fintech startup Soldo has raised €54 million ($60.5 million U.S.) to help fund its relocation from the U.K. into Ireland ahead of the possible Brexit split.

In the U.K., next-level fraud types — involving technologies such as push payments and P2P — are gaining traction now that EMV has been in place for more than a decade.

Transit has pushed contactless payments in the U.K., and it will happen in the U.S. too, according to Daniel Kornitzer, chief business development officer for Paysafe Group.