Stablecoin

Brazil's real-time payment rail is adding PayPal as an option for small- to medium-size business payments; HSBC is launching a Hong Kong dollar-denominated stablecoin; Sezzle expands BNPL; and more in this week's global payment roundup.

The card network expanded work with blockchain firms OwlTing and Tempo, increasing its reach into agentic commerce and stablecoins.

The credit card giant's BVNK acquisition wasn't a bet on crypto hype. It was a hedge against irrelevance. It suggests that the companies that defined the last era of finance are now preparing for a very different future.

Banks are more active in the digital asset option than stablecoins. Those involved say the appeal is the similarity to traditional banking, only faster and more digital.

After a nearly two-decade long "ice age" in which few new banking charters were granted, regulators have shrugged off a zero-failure mentality and are allowing some risk back into the system.

Most banks are likely not large enough to not support stablecoins and tokenized deposits on their own, creating a new way for legacy IT firms to compete with fintechs.

The card brand introduced tech for businesses to tap agentic AI, while Revolut counters Italy's accusations of inaccurate marketing. That and more in the American Banker global payments and fintech roundup.

The largest crypto theft of 2026 hit Drift Protocol after attackers exploited a small security council, putting a spotlight on DeFi vulnerabilities.

American Banker data finds that a majority of executives investing in technology expect payments enhancements in the immediate future as well as further out.

American Banker data finds that regulatory clarity is the top ask from executives holding back on adoption planning.

The French crypto wallet company is expanding into the U.S. and growing its institutional enterprise offerings as new regulation opens opportunities for digital asset investment.

The systemic risks posed by stablecoins on public blockchains go further than deposit flight and market dislocation — there's also technology risk. But Noelle Acheson argues that these should be incorporated into guardrails rather than used to stop progress.

Bank of Montreal has introduced a tokenized cash and deposit platform, while the London-based Monument is partnering with the Midnight Foundation's distributed ledger. Also, Starling Bank's AI play, stablecoins gain ground in APAC and Africa and more in the American Banker global payments and fintech roundup.

Draft legislative language meant to break an impasse on stablecoin yield circulating among stakeholders includes a lengthy list of exceptions to a ban on rewards for stablecoin holdings, making it unlikely to satisfy banks as negotiations continue.

Western Union CEO Devin McGranahan said at the Digital Asset Summit in New York that stablecoins were a great way to earn float revenue on money moving through its network. But the possibilities didn't end there.

Speaking at the Digital Asset Summit, the Comptroller of the Currency argued that part of his goal in shifting the agency's posture toward the crypto industry is to allow smaller financial institutions to engage in novel technologies, which he said will keep banks relevant.

New research from American Banker finds that the largest banks are the top players in stablecoin issuance and on-chain technology adoption.

Some of the country's largest financial institutions are rolling out stablecoins. With the right strategy, community and mid-tier banks can also reap the benefits of the new payment rail.

The Oklahoma community bank partnered with two digital asset companies to create a cross-border form of tokenized U.S. dollar deposits.