Block's merchant unit is deploying a virtual assistant to sweeten its offer to merchants, while Amazon pushes Pay by Bank. Plus, Zelle reaches a milestone and more in American Banker's global payments and fintech roundup.

The lender beat fourth-quarter earnings estimates but warned that a strategic shift toward auto and home equity loans will compress near-term profits.

In a major setback for banks and credit card networks, a federal judge upheld an Illinois law that bans the collection of interchange fees on sales tax and tip portions of card transactions. Banks are expected to appeal the ruling.

Adjustments related to higher credit risk weights for new acquisitions and rate shifts offset increases in the government-sponsored enterprise's core earnings.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics issued its delayed January employment report Wednesday morning, showing the economy added 130,000 jobs in January. But the agency also sharply revised its estimates for total jobs created in 2025 to 181,000 from 584,000.

Bank-favored provisions that were included into the House's version of a bipartisan housing bill threaten to derail Senate passage, but Senate Banking Committee moderates seem skeptical of the combination.