Block has combined buy now/pay later with peer-to-peer payments, part of a big bet that younger consumers want an alternative to credit cards.

The card-issuing company has appointed CFO Mike Milotich as interim CEO as Simon Khalaf steps down. The firm also agreed to buy European payment provider TransactPay.

Flexa's new tap-to-pay function is the first cryptocurrency contactless payment option that does not require an app or the internet to function.

The company's cards will combine with the Alipay digital wallet, enabling foreign travelers to use local currency while reducing fees and processing steps. That and more in the American Banker global payments roundup.

More consumers and small-business clients are clamoring for earned wage access, as states step up regulation and a CFPB interpretive rule hangs in the balance.

The state legislature has passed a bill that would remove exceptions to a 12% interest rate cap that would make many alternative forms of lending infeasible. It sits on the governor's desk, awaiting signature.

FNB Corp marked the grand opening of its new downtown Pittsburgh headquarters this week. The bank owns and occupies the majority of the 26-story tower in the city's Hill District, a new addition to the city's skyline and one of the few new towers built in the city's business district in recent years. And long-time bank executive Robert Goldstein has died at 84.

The payments company, which is unifying parts of its operation to deepen its reach with consumers and businesses, saw its stock fall more than 10% after reporting mixed earnings, though analysts are more bullish on the company's future.

By enabling consumers to link multiple payment options together, the card network can counter similar moves by rival Visa and fintechs such as Curve.

Regulators are investigating the technology giants over concerns their financial apps are violating competition rules. That and expanding tech in emerging markets highlight this week's American Banker global payments roundup.