Visa

The card brand's spots will focus less on credit cards and more on real-time payroll, cryptocurrency and mobile commerce.

The technology holds great promise for financial services, but it could be just as powerful for scammers looking to break payment card encryption. Visa, Mastercard and others are already building new defenses.

The card brand is working with 70 cryptocurrency companies to meet consumer demand for paying in bitcoin and other digital currencies at the point of sale. It had little choice given that most retailers don't accept crypto directly and are in no rush to do so.

The company’s Tap to Phone technology exists in 30 countries. Visa is piloting the program in the U.S. with a six-city campaign that brings discounts, offers and grants to Black-owned small businesses.

U.S. regulators blocked the card network's attempt to buy Plaid last year for antitrust reasons. Its bid to acquire Tink, a similar company based in Sweden, may have a better shot given European officials' desire to promote open banking.

Visa Inc. has agreed to buy Swedish open-banking platform Tink AB as the payment giant looks to expand beyond its card network.

The bank and card brand will combine digital connections for supply chain finance and corporate disbursements.

The card network's Fintech Partner Connect, which was previously available only in Europe, provides a curated list of companies that Visa clients, including banks, can consult for help opening accounts or aggregating customer data.

Small businesses are upset at Visa and Mastercard's proposal to raise rates on cross-border payments initiated online, now that the European Commission's caps on credit and debit fees no longer apply in the U.K.

Days after Visa touted its crypto tech and settlement partnership with USD Coin, Mastercard showcased its work with the Central Bank of the Bahamas and supporting innovation such as digital ID.