The deal ends more than a year of speculation of who would take over Apple's coveted credit card portfolio.

The U.K. bank has completed a payment using the stablecoin alternative; while Revolut is trying to acquire Turkish neobank FUBS. Plus: execs tied to the Wirecard scandal are on their way to prison and more in the American Banker global payments and fintech roundup.

Articles about stablecoins, scams, fintechs, premium credit cards and open banking were just some of the topics that struck a chord with American Banker subscribers in 2025.

Brex is powering Fifth Third's commercial card issuance in a move that boosts the fintech's distribution network and provides the bank with a more competitive commercial card proposition.

As federal watchdogs step back from regulating "Buy Now, Pay Later" loans, state authorities are stepping in. This week, the attorneys general from California and several other blue states joined the fight.

The megabank laid out a series of changes, including the impending departure of its chief financial officer and other executive shifts related to a revamp of its U.S. personal banking line of business.

The Minneapolis-based bank launched the Split Card, a Mastercard that turns purchases into three-month installment plans, in an effort to attract younger customers.

Some customers reportedly complained about getting locked out of their accounts after signing up for the bank's new Strata Elite credit card. "We feel like we have done the right thing for all of our good customers," Pam Habner, Citi's head of U.S. branded cards, said Tuesday.

The credit card issuer added two programs with home goods retailers Raymour and Flanigan and Bed Bath and Beyond during the quarter while also increasing its stock buyback allocation and dividend payouts.

Merchants alleged the major card networks illegally conspired to shift fraud liability onto them with the adoption of EMV chip technology.

"We actually see a little bit more strength in the nonprime [consumer]," CFO Brian Wenzel told American Banker.

Habner, Head of U.S. Branded Cards and Lending at Citi, sits down with American Banker Editor-in-Chief Chana Schoenberger to discuss the credit card market.

The CardWorks subsidiary has officially taken over Ally Financial's Ollo credit card portfolio, ending a five-year dance between the two companies that first had Ally buying CardWorks for $2.7 billion.

Stablecoins don't compete with payment platforms. They do, however, provide a turbo-powered springboard for new projects that will, just as incumbents are adapting to the new tools.

Google has launched its Agent Payments Protocol, an open protocol that establishes a payment-agnostic framework for users, merchants and payments in agentic AI. Payment companies such as Adyen, American Express, Mastercard and PayPal helped develop the protocol.

The appointment ends a seven-month search for a permanent CEO. Milotich was named interim CEO in February following the resignation of former CEO and director Simon Khalaf.

Founder and executive chairman Edward Nigro will step back into the top executive spot after Ryan Sullivan informed the company he didn't plan to renew his employment contract.

Self Financial sees earned wage access as the perfect complement to its suite of credit building products. It's the latest example of EWA being paired with broader financial wellness products.

The online gambling operator, which was recently fined $450,000 by Massachusetts regulators, indicated that its new policy is designed to protect customers from cash-advance fees.