Payments

Block, which maintains its original Square brand for its business-focused products, is offering easier access to cash advances for small businesses. Also, Amex and Mastercard expand their virtual card strategy; and more in the American Banker global payments and fintech roundup.

12 states have laws governing earned wage access, also known as on-demand pay, and while many follow similar general guidelines, small – yet critical – distinctions are emerging with each new regulation.

The GENIUS Act in the U.S. and MiCA in the EU are creating a path to the mainstream for digital assets, while Britain won't have crypto regulation until 2026.

JPMorganChase and Apple are reportedly close to an agreement that would see the country's largest bank take over the Apple Card portfolio from Goldman Sachs.

Bankers are concerned about stablecoins gaining traction due to the passage of the GENIUS Act, and also continue to sound the alarm about the failure to resolve check fraud disputes, according to the latest quarterly survey from IntraFi.

International remittances are a key use case for Visa's stablecoin strategy, CEO Ryan McInerney said during its fiscal Q3 earnings call with investors. They also pair nicely with Visa Direct, the company's instant payment scheme, he said.

The company is relying on a boost from initiatives in crypto-related finance, AI-powered payment tech and connections to international digital wallets, though analysts cautioned geopolitics are hindering momentum.

Mounting liabilities are raising the stakes for an economy that has come to rely more and more on high-end consumer spending to power expansion.

Jack Dorsey's Block Inc. is adding a group payments feature to its Cash App as it aims to attract out of network users to its peer-to-peer money transfer and banking app.

Bank technology provider Fidelity National Information Services Inc. is partnering with Circle Internet Group Inc. to offer financial institutions the ability to conduct transactions using Circle's stablecoin.

The big box retailer is trying to increase share among its business clients by adding financing options for businesses that are navigating economic volatility.

Like its sibling app Zelle, Early Warning's digital wallet is trying to build a brand that can attract new members. Star One Credit Union is an early win.

Fedwire has migrated to ISO 20022, a messaging standard designed to make it easier for digital real-time processing rails to work together. It's a difficult lift for banks, but the agency promises it will be worth it.

Bread Financial continues to keep its eye on the potential inflationary impacts of the Trump administration's trade policies, despite the fact that its delinquencies and losses declined in the second quarter.

The fintech has made its core payment app interoperable with Venmo and will connect 2 billion users through partnerships in India, China, Brazil and other major digital commerce markets.

As the U.S. moves to make central bank digital currencies illegal, projects in other countries are moving slowly. Also: U.K. regulators look for new ways to monitor Apple and more in the global payments and fintech roundup.

The bank is reportedly considering allowing bitcoin and ethereum to back loans. Volatility in digital assets would make it a difficult market, according to payment experts.

The credit card issuer renewed and extended its 15-year partnership with Amazon and touted fresh partnerships with Walmart and PayPal as wins, but lowered its full-year guidance due to lower purchase volumes and higher payment rates.

Paxos and Mastercard are among the firms betting that legal clarity will lead to a wider range of stablecoin users.

Kate Luft, a former chief of staff for Citi CEO Jane Fraser, is now running the company's U.S. retail banking business. In her first interview since getting the job, Luft discussed what banks can learn from airlines and the advantages that incumbents have over fintechs.