Checkout.com Launches Face Authentication

Checkout.com, a leading global payment solutions provider, has launched advanced facial authentication technology. With this move, the company aims to expand its identity verification (IDV) suite. This new feature enables businesses to verify returning users through real-time video analysis and facial matching within seconds, which significantly reduces friction in important areas of user journeys such as password recovery, employee onboarding, and secure access verification.

With this leap forward, Checkout.com is redefining digital trust. With the integration of this advanced face authentication technology, the company supports its clients in delivering seamless, secure user experiences while effectively mitigating fraud and unauthorized access.

Key Takeaways

The new face authentication technology by Chekcout.com enables businesses to verify returning users in seconds using live video and facial matching. It renders traditional methods like passwords, one-time codes, or manual reviews obsolete.
The system integrates AI-powered facial recognition and liveness detection to counter spoofing methods like masks, deepfakes, video injection, etc., to ensure high security.
Companies like Uber Eats, DocuSign, and European fintech Swan are already using this technology. Swan reported reducing passcode reset times from days to minutes and doubling conversion rates for that flow.
This service is in line with the Identity Verification (IDV) and Know Your Customer (KYC) requirements across the industries. It has also been built to meet FIDO Alliance certification standards for trust and regulatory compliance.

Checkout.com Adds Face Authentication to Speed Up Logins and Fight Online Fraud

On April 29, 2025, Checkout.com added face authentication to its identity-verification tools. It uses a short-lived video and facial matching to confirm a returning user in seconds. That means you can skip passwords, one-time codes, and manual document checks. You just look at the camera, and the system does the rest.

Checkout.com started in 2009 in London. Its founder, Guillaume Pousaz, built a global payments network that handles transactions for big names like Netflix, Pizza Hut, and Coinbase. By 2022, it was valued at $40 billion. Today, it offers a unified API that covers payments, fraud management, and compliance.

Online fraud keeps getting more clever. In 2024, identity fraud cases in Europe jumped by 150% compared with the year before. Banks, insurers, and digital platforms all face phishing, deepfakes, and spoofing attacks. At the same time, users want smooth, fast access to their accounts. They don’t want to dig out a password or wait for a code.

Face authentication aims to solve both problems at once. Once you’ve signed up and your face is on file, you open your app or browser and let it record a quick video. The system checks the new video against the one it stored during onboarding. It also looks for signs of spoofing – like replayed videos, masks, or static photos – to make sure you’re there.

Under the hood, it’s a mix of computer-vision algorithms and liveness detection. The software analyzes tiny head movements and facial micro-expressions that are almost impossible to fake. All of this happens in the background, without you needing extra hardware. Developers just call the same ID-verification API they already use for document checks. In return, they get a clear pass or fail decision, plus a response code.

This tool works for all kinds of flows. If you forgot your password, it can speed up recovery. When a new team member joins, it can verify their ID in minutes instead of days. It can also protect high-value actions, like changing payment details or approving large transfers. And it comes into play whenever a business wants to be sure the person on the other end is the right person.

Companies across sectors can benefit. Financial services firms can add it to online banking sign-ins. Healthcare portals can protect patient records. E-signature platforms can confirm signers’ identities. Even food-delivery apps or loyalty programs can use it to guard high-value rewards. Airlines could tie it to passenger check-in or lounge access.

On the compliance side, it meets FIDO Alliance standards and supports KYC (know your customer) and AML (anti-money laundering) rules. That means firms can show regulators audit logs and proof of identity checks without juggling paper documents. And because the face templates are stored securely, they never touch a server in plain sight.

Early adopters have seen real benefits. Swan, a European fintech, cut passcode reset times from three days to a few minutes and doubled its conversion rate for that flow. DocuSign and Uber Eats also rolled out the feature to keep their platforms safe and smooth. In these tests, Checkout.com customers saw returning-user conversion rates rise by as much as eight percentage points.

Benjamin Grall, Senior Product Manager at Swan, shared that integrating face authentication from Checkout.com has revolutionized their passcode reset process, reducing it from three days to just minutes while enhancing security. The update has also doubled user conversion rates for this flow, significantly improving both user experience and operational efficiency.

Milan Jani, VP of Product at Checkout.com, emphasized that their biometric solution sets a new standard in identity verification. It delivers faster, more secure authentication while adhering to strict ethical guidelines. Designed to meet FIDO Alliance certification standards, the solution consistently performs at a high level, providing businesses and users with a secure and inclusive experience.

Experts say adding biometrics to existing verification can lift security and user satisfaction at the same time. A recent survey found 49% of people believe digital ID checks make the internet safer, and more than half in places like France see them as the future of payments. Younger users, especially Gen Z and millennials, are already comfortable using face recognition in other parts of life, like unlocking phones.

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In a crowded market, Checkout.com sets itself apart by folding face checks into the same API it uses for payments and risk. Other vendors focus on onboarding or only on biometric scans. Checkout.com extends that to re-authentication, so businesses don’t need separate systems for first-time and returning-user checks. That saves development work and reduces costs over time.

No technology is perfect, and biometrics can struggle with fairness. Some systems have higher error rates for certain age groups or skin tones. Checkout.com says it tested its models across diverse users to cut bias. It claims consistent accuracy whether you’re young or old, male or female, light- or dark-skinned.

Because it plugs into Checkout.com’s dashboard, businesses get a single view of payments, fraud, and identity checks. They can tweak thresholds or review logs in one place. And with the company’s global reach, the service runs in more than 150 currencies and dozens of countries.

Looking ahead, Checkout.com plans to refine its face models and add new use cases. Age checks could help with alcohol sales or age-restricted content. Continuous authentication – where the system verifies you in the background while you use a service – could stop session hijacks. These updates will roll out over the next year as AI and biometric tech keep improving.

This launch shows how biometric tools can live alongside familiar security measures. Instead of digging for a password or waiting for an email, you just look at the camera. And businesses get a way to fight fraud without creating more steps for their users. As online fraud grows, tools like face authentication will play a bigger role in keeping accounts secure and customer experiences smooth.

About Checkout.com

Checkout.com is a British multinational financial technology company that provides a unified platform for processing payments, sending payouts, and managing card programs. Originally founded in 2009 as Opus Payments by Swiss entrepreneur Guillaume Pousaz, the company rebranded to Checkout.com in 2012 and is headquartered in London, United Kingdom. In early 2022, it reached a valuation of $40 billion, making it one of Europe’s most valuable fintech startups.

Its cloud-native payments infrastructure offers local acquiring in over 50 countries across Europe, North America, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific, and supports transactions in more than 150 currencies – helping merchants minimize cross-border fees and FX costs. With 19 offices worldwide – including hubs in New York, Paris, Dubai, and Hong Kong – Checkout.com serves marquee clients such as Netflix, Pizza Hut, and Coinbase. Backed by investors including Tiger Global Management, Franklin Templeton, Insight Partners, and the Qatar Investment Authority, it has raised over $1 billion across successive funding rounds to fuel its rapid global expansion and ongoing payment innovation.

Conclusion

Checkout.com’s launch of face authentication marks a significant milestone in the evolution of digital identity verification. By combining speed, security, and user convenience into a single solution, the company is helping businesses stay ahead of rising fraud threats without compromising user experience. Early results from adopters like Swan demonstrate clear, measurable benefits – faster workflows, higher conversion rates, and greater trust.

As digital interactions become more central to everyday life, biometric authentication is no longer a luxury – it’s a necessity. With its seamless integration, global reach, and commitment to ethical standards, Checkout.com is not just following the trend but shaping the future of secure, frictionless digital access.

Mastercard Unveils Agent Pay

Mastercard has introduced Agent Pay, a purpose-built payment infrastructure designed to support agentic commerce, where autonomous AI assistants perform transactions on behalf of users. This is a strategic step toward enabling secure, seamless payments in AI-driven environments.

Central to the system is the introduction of Mastercard Agentic Tokens, a new form of tokenization. This is a new class of secure, dynamic tokens derived from the same trusted technology that powers contactless payments, digital wallets, and Payment Passkeys. But now, these tokens are reimagined for machine-to-machine commerce.

Agent Pay is engineered to integrate directly with leading AI platforms. The first implementation will be with Microsoft, connecting Mastercard’s payment network to the Azure OpenAI Service and Copilot Studio. This integration will allow AI systems to securely complete purchases within conversational interfaces, without user intervention at the point of sale.

Key Takeaways

Mastercard’s new system allows AI agents to securely complete payments on behalf of users using verified digital tokens.
Each AI assistant receives a unique, traceable token tied to your account, separating real card data from agent activity.
Initial rollout includes Microsoft’s Azure and Copilot Studio, with additional support from IBM, Braintree, and Checkout.com.
Mastercard uses tokenization, real-time fraud detection, and identity verification to manage risk and build user trust.

Mastercard Launches Agent Pay for AI-Driven Transactions

Mastercard has introduced something new called Agent Pay. It’s not a futuristic idea – it’s already here, and it changes how people and businesses can let AI handle their purchases. Think of it this way: instead of you shopping online, your digital assistant could do it for you. Not just picking items, but paying for them too.

This system works by giving AI agents a kind of digital payment card that’s tied to your account but doesn’t reveal your real card number. These are called agentic tokens. Each AI assistant gets its token, which makes it easier to track and control what they’re doing. So if your assistant orders a pair of shoes or a business supply, it uses this token to pay, not your real card.

There’s a lot of concern when it comes to letting AI make payments. Mastercard seems to know that and is building checks into the system. Before any payment happens, the AI has to be registered and verified to prove its trustworthiness. This trusted identity is recognized by merchants to differentiate real, authorized agent-initiated transactions from risks.

Let’s say you’re chatting with a shopping assistant online about what to wear to a birthday party. The AI might show you a few dresses and then ask, “Should I go ahead and buy this one for you?” If you say yes, it can finish the purchase using that secure token. You don’t have to open a new tab or manually enter payment info. It’s all done through that conversation.

For businesses, this could be even more useful. Imagine a textile company that needs to order fabric from different suppliers. An AI agent could find the best deals, handle back-and-forth questions, make sure delivery timelines are met, and then pay for it, all through a secure setup without needing someone to check every step.

Mastercard is working with big tech partners to roll this out. Microsoft is one of the main ones. Their tools, like Azure and Copilot Studio, are being built to support these types of AI agents, especially for companies. IBM is also involved, helping larger businesses use AI to automate their internal tasks, including payments.

Payment platforms like Braintree and Checkout.com are joining too. They’ll help merchants accept these agent-driven transactions just like regular payments.

The most important part of Agent Pay is safety. Mastercard is relying on its token system to keep transactions secure. It’s the same system used when you tap your phone to pay or store your card online. On top of that, they’ve added new steps to make sure only verified AI agents are allowed to make payments. There are also extra layers like real-time fraud detection and biometric checks on the user’s device to stop anything suspicious before it happens.

This idea of letting AI handle payments isn’t completely new, but until now, it hasn’t been very organized or secure. Mastercard is trying to change that by creating a system that’s built for how people actually use AI today. The company has already been using AI in other areas, like spotting fraud, and says this new step fits into that bigger plan.

One reason they feel confident in pushing this forward is the strong network of partners they’ve lined up. Microsoft and IBM bring the tools that many companies already rely on. Braintree and Checkout.com help with payments on the business side. Together, these companies make it easier for Agent Pay to be used in real-world situations.

For users, control is a big deal. You can decide what your AI is allowed to do. Maybe you permit it to spend up to $100 without asking you every time, but anything over that needs your approval. Merchants will also be able to see that a transaction came from an agent, not a human, which helps with tracking and reporting.

At the same time, Mastercard is keeping regulators in mind. They know there are questions about how AI should interact with financial systems, especially if it’s making decisions and spending money. So the company is adding clear rules and safety features to prevent fraud, misuse, or errors.

For now, the focus is mostly on business use. It’s easier to roll out complex tools in environments where companies already use AI for tasks like procurement. But Mastercard says consumer features will follow, and we could start seeing Agent Pay in personal digital assistants and apps soon.

There’s also competition on the horizon. Visa is working on something similar. They’ve teamed up with companies like OpenAI and Samsung, looking at how AI agents could be used in consumer electronics and digital assistants. The difference is that Mastercard’s version is built on an already-proven token system, which could make adoption faster and safer.

When you look at the bigger picture, this isn’t just about speeding up shopping. It’s about shifting how transactions happen altogether. Instead of going to a website, entering your card details, and waiting for confirmation, you might just tell an AI agent what you need and let it handle the rest. If it can do it safely and within the limits you set, that saves time and effort.

There are still a few hurdles ahead. Businesses will need to upgrade their systems to recognize and process these agent-led payments. Customers will need to feel confident that their AI assistant won’t buy the wrong thing or overspend. And regulators will need to make sure the systems are fair, transparent, and accountable.

But Mastercard says it’s ready for all of that. Their system can track agent behavior, resolve disputes, and stop fraud before it happens. The fact that they’re using existing infrastructure, like the same token technology behind mobile payments, gives them a head start.

Jorn Lambert, Mastercard’s chief product officer, said the company is moving toward a new way of handling payments by focusing on what consumers will need shortly. With the introduction of Agent Pay, Mastercard is starting to reshape how people and businesses interact with AI in everyday transactions. A key part of this includes giving merchants tools to identify which AI agents are trustworthy and which may pose risks.

He also pointed out that as this shift gains momentum, the industry needs to come together to set clear standards for how these AI-driven payments should work. One example is using protocols like the Model Context Protocol within Secure Remote Commerce, which helps create a reliable system for scaling agent-led transactions and making them more secure for everyone involved.

Mastercard recently also agreed to invest $300 million in Corpay’s cross-border business, securing roughly a 3% equity stake in a unit valued at about $10.7 billion.

As part of this deal, Corpay becomes the exclusive provider of high-value, account-to-account cross-border payments and currency-management tools for Mastercard’s banking clients. In return, Mastercard will offer its virtual card programs exclusively through Corpay to corporate customers.

About Mastercard

Mastercard Inc. is an American multinational technology company in the global payments industry, headquartered in Purchase, New York. Founded in 1966 as Interbank/Master Charge and rebranded as MasterCard in 1979 (now stylized “Mastercard”), the firm operates a real-time transaction processing network that connects issuers, merchants, and consumers across more than 210 countries and territories. Its suite of products—including credit, debit, and prepaid cards, as well as value-added services like fraud prevention, tokenization, and data analytics—facilitates the movement of funds and information, enabling more than 2.5 billion cards in circulation and trillions of dollars in annual purchase volume.

A publicly traded company on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker “MA,” Mastercard delivered net revenues of $28.2 billion in fiscal year 2024, up 12% year over year, with net income rising 15% to $12.9 billion. Building on this financial momentum, the company continues to broaden its technological edge through strategic acquisitions, such as the cybersecurity specialist Recorded Future, to bolster its fraud prevention and intelligence offerings, while investing heavily in AI and tokenization to drive the next generation of digital payment solutions. Beyond its core business, Mastercard advances social impact via the Mastercard Foundation, which holds assets of approximately $47 billion and supports education and economic development initiatives in nearly 50 countries.

Conclusion

Agent Pay marks a clear step toward practical, secure AI-driven payments. By combining trusted token technology with new controls for machine-led transactions, Mastercard is building a system that fits how people and businesses are starting to use AI in real life.

With strong partners and a focus on safety, the company is laying the groundwork for AI agents to take on more responsibility in everyday commerce, while keeping users in control.

Perplexity Selects PayPal to Power Agentic Commerce

Perplexity Doubles Down on AI Shopping with PayPal Partnership

Perplexity is turning up the heat in the AI race, taking on Anthropic, OpenAI, and Google with a major new move: a new strategic partnership with PayPal to supercharge agentic commerce on its Perplexity Pro platform.

This Perplexity-PayPal Partnership puts Perplexity at the forefront of chat-powered shopping, where AI doesn’t just recommend – it completes the entire transaction. Starting this summer in the U.S., users will be able to buy products, book travel, and purchase tickets instantly using PayPal or Venmo – directly within the chat.

PayPal will power the transaction layer, handling payment processing, shipping, tracking, and invoicing, all within the chat flow. With passkey-enabled one-click checkout, the process is designed to be fast, frictionless, and secure.

One query. One click. Full checkout.

Key Takeaways

Users can now book travel, buy products, and get tickets directly within a chat using PayPal or Venmo – no redirects, no extra steps.
The partnership enables end-to-end commerce, with PayPal handling checkout, shipping, tracking, and invoicing – all inside the Perplexity Pro interface.
This move marks a shift from AI that suggests to AI that acts, turning natural-language queries into completed transactions.
Backed by PayPal’s global security tools and user base, the feature launches in the U.S. this summer, with broader expansion to follow.

Perplexity-PayPal Partnership to Turn AI Chats into Commerce-Ready Conversations

On May 14, 2025, Perplexity announced that it had selected PayPal to power transactions within its AI assistant platform. This move signals a major shift in how users will interact with artificial intelligence, moving beyond simply getting answers to actually completing purchases, bookings, and other tasks directly within a chat. The partnership is launching in the U.S. during the summer of 2025 and will allow users of Perplexity Pro to buy products, book travel, or get tickets with a single query and a click, using PayPal or Venmo.

This Perplexity-PayPal partnership matters because it blends the immediacy and intelligence of AI with the trusted infrastructure of PayPal’s payment ecosystem. When users ask Perplexity questions like “Find me a hotel in Chicago under $200 next weekend,” the system will not only offer a list of options – it can also handle the actual booking, with no need to visit another site. That’s a powerful shift. What used to be a multi-step process involving search, clicks, redirects, and entering payment details is being condensed into a seamless experience driven by natural language.

According to PayPal CEO Alex Chriss, the goal is to “make it easy and secure to shop right in the chat when inspiration strikes.” This isn’t just a convenience upgrade – it marks the emergence of what Perplexity calls “agentic commerce,” a term that essentially means giving AI the ability to not just provide information, but to act on it. Imagine saying, “Get me two tickets for tonight’s show,” and that being the end of the process. Perplexity’s AI can now respond with availability, prices, and a simple PayPal checkout link – all inside the same conversation.

At the heart of this Perplexity-PayPal partnership is trust. Perplexity’s CEO, Aravind Srinivas, has repeatedly emphasized the company’s focus on accuracy and reliability. Choosing PayPal, with its global reputation for secure transactions and fraud protection, supports that mission. “We share a vision for how important trust is in the age of AI,” Srinivas said. PayPal brings robust features like tokenized payments, passkey authentication, and global wallet support into the Perplexity experience, ensuring users don’t have to sacrifice security for convenience.

This move comes at a time when both companies are rapidly evolving. Perplexity, which handles over 780 million queries per month, recently raised $500 million in funding and is now valued at around $14 billion. It’s positioning itself as more than a search tool – it’s aiming to be a full-featured digital assistant that doesn’t just suggest but acts. That makes PayPal an ideal partner. With over 430 million active accounts in nearly 200 markets, PayPal brings scale, infrastructure, and user familiarity.

For users, this change means fewer steps between intention and action. Ask a question, get an answer, make a decision, and complete the task – all within the same interface. No more copying links, switching apps, or re-entering payment info. And it’s not just about shopping. Travel bookings, ticket purchases, and potentially even services like food delivery or ride-hailing could eventually be handled through the same interface. PayPal’s integration enables Perplexity to plug into a broad range of commerce experiences, with shipping, invoicing, and tracking all included automatically.

For Perplexity, this opens up new business opportunities. It can now generate revenue from transactions – via booking fees, affiliate commissions, or partnerships with service providers – on top of any subscription income from its Pro users. And it gives the company a competitive edge over more traditional AI offerings that still rely on directing users elsewhere for transactions. In a crowded AI market, offering an end-to-end solution could be a key differentiator.

PayPal also stands to benefit. Embedding its payment tools into conversational interfaces allows it to stay relevant as digital interactions shift away from websites and apps toward chat-based environments. This kind of embedded commerce gives PayPal a front-row seat in the next generation of user interfaces. Instead of being an option on a checkout page, it becomes the checkout itself, built into the flow of conversation and powered by AI.

This development is part of a broader trend where AI isn’t just used to retrieve information but to take real-world actions. These systems are beginning to understand intent and context well enough to carry out tasks that previously required human follow-up. That might sound futuristic, but it’s already here in the form of services like this. It’s a step forward from the static search results or product listings that users are accustomed to.

There are still challenges to overcome. For now, the launch is limited to U.S. users. Expanding globally will take time, and integrating with regional payment systems, local regulations, and service providers won’t be simple. Convincing users to trust an AI with purchases will also be an ongoing effort, especially for high-stakes transactions like travel. While PayPal’s security tools help, users still need time to adjust to the idea of conversational commerce.

That said, the opportunity is clear. Once users see how much easier it is to act on a decision within the same conversation where it was made, habits will shift. And as more apps, services, and platforms open up to similar integrations, the idea of toggling between apps and websites for everyday tasks may soon feel outdated.

Looking ahead, Perplexity plans to expand the scope of its agents. The company envisions AI systems that can handle full-day planning: from finding a restaurant to booking a table, ordering a ride, and adding it all to your calendar. With the PayPal integration in place, those agents can now complete the transaction part of that journey, turning a chat into a complete digital assistant experience.

For now, though, the focus is on making the initial experience smooth and secure. When the feature launches this summer, users in the U.S. will be able to access a new kind of commerce – one that’s built into the way they already ask questions and make decisions. The simplicity and immediacy of buying directly from an AI chat may well set a new standard for what people expect from digital tools.

As Perplexity and PayPal continue to develop this integration, the line between asking and acting will blur. Conversations won’t just lead to answers – they’ll lead to outcomes. And with PayPal powering the back end, those outcomes will come with the speed and security users have come to expect. This isn’t just a new feature. It’s a preview of how digital commerce, AI, and trust-based infrastructure are coming together to redefine how we get things done.

About Perplexity

Perplexity AI, founded in December 2022 by Aravind Srinivas, Denis Yarats, Johnny Ho, and Andy Konwinski, is a San Francisco–based generative AI–powered web search engine that synthesizes conversational answers with inline citations to web sources. The platform leverages leading large language models – including GPT-4.1, Claude, Gemini, and Grok – alongside its proprietary Sonar and R1 1776 engines to deliver real-time, accurate responses across its freemium web interface, mobile apps, and Chrome extension.

Since launch, Perplexity has raised over $665 million in funding, comprising $165 million by April 2024 and a $500 million round in June 2025 that valued the company at $14 billion, and counts investors like Jeff Bezos, NVIDIA, Databricks, Tobias Lütke, and Nat Friedman among its backers. Rapidly growing its user base, the company processed 780 million queries in May 2025, averaging 30 million daily, and continues to expand its AI capabilities with products like its upcoming Comet agentic browser.

About PayPal

PayPal Holdings, Inc. is an American multinational financial technology company operating an online payments platform that enables digital money transfers and payment-processing services for consumers and merchants, with its headquarters in San Jose, California. Founded in December 1998 as Confinity by Max Levchin, Peter Thiel, and Luke Nosek, the company launched its first electronic payments service in 1999, went public in 2002, and was acquired by eBay later that year. As of 2023, PayPal serves over 426 million active accounts across more than 200 markets, processing $1.53 trillion in total payment volume, and features a portfolio of brands including Venmo, Honey, Zettle, and Xoom.

Employing around 27,200 people worldwide as of December 2023, PayPal reported net income of $4.25 billion on revenue of $29.8 billion for the fiscal year, reflecting its strong market position and ongoing growth. Following its 2015 spin-off from eBay, PayPal has continued to innovate under President and CEO Alex Chriss, integrating AI-driven fraud detection and rolling out new capabilities such as “Tap to Pay” on iPhones to enhance user accessibility and security.

Conclusion

Perplexity’s partnership with PayPal marks a turning point in how people interact with AI. Instead of just offering suggestions, Perplexity Pro can now follow through, completing purchases, bookings, and other transactions within the same conversation where the request begins. By bringing PayPal’s trusted infrastructure into the chat interface, the companies are streamlining commerce in a way that reduces friction and saves time.

This integration positions Perplexity to compete not just with other AI tools, but with entire categories of search, booking, and shopping platforms. It also opens new revenue streams and strengthens user engagement by keeping the entire experience in one place. For PayPal, it’s a way to stay central as digital interactions shift from websites and apps to AI-driven chats.

The feature launches in the U.S. this summer and could help set the tone for how digital assistants function going forward. As both companies refine this offering and expand its reach, users will likely come to expect more from the AI tools they rely on – not just answers, but results.

Revolut and Lightspark Join Forces to Speed Bitcoin Payments

Revolut Supercharges Bitcoin Payments with Lightspark Integration Across the UK and Europe

Revolut, a global leader in financial technology, has taken a decisive leap forward in digital payments by integrating Lightspark’s advanced Bitcoin infrastructure. With this Revolut-Lightspark partnership, Revolut brings the power of the Bitcoin Lightning Network directly to its customers in the UK and select European Economic Area (EEA) – countries.

With this move, Revolut is trying to get rid of the delays and high fees that have long plagued Bitcoin transactions. Using Lightspark’s next-generation tools, including the Universal Money Address (UMA), a platform that now enables fast, low-cost, and scalable BTC payments.

Key Takeaways

Revolut is integrating the Bitcoin Lightning Network to enable faster, lower-cost Bitcoin payments for users in the UK and select EEA countries.
Lightspark’s technology, including the Universal Money Address (UMA) and MoneyGrid, simplifies Bitcoin transfers and improves transaction reliability.
This move strengthens Revolut’s crypto strategy by shifting from crypto trading toward enabling practical, everyday use of digital assets.
The partnership positions Revolut competitively as more financial platforms look to support scalable Bitcoin payments through the Lightning Network.

Revolut-Lightspark Partnership to Launch Bitcoin Lightning Network Payments in the UK and EEA

Revolut, one of the world’s leading fintech platforms with over 52 million users, has announced a strategic partnership with Lightspark to integrate the Bitcoin Lightning Network into its services. This collaboration represents a major leap forward for real-world Bitcoin payments, shifting the cryptocurrency from a store of value to a truly usable medium of exchange.

The goal of this partnership is clear: enable Revolut users in the UK and select EEA countries to send and receive Bitcoin faster, cheaper, and more efficiently. Lightspark brings to the table its advanced Bitcoin infrastructure tools, including a robust Lightning Network implementation and the Universal Money Address (UMA) protocol, which drastically improves the user experience of sending Bitcoin by removing the complexity associated with traditional wallet addresses.

For Revolut, this move is the natural progression of its crypto strategy. Since rolling out crypto trading and custody services across 30 EEA countries and the UK, the company has steadily positioned itself not just as a place to buy and sell crypto, but as a platform that enables real-world use. Its crypto division is growing rapidly, and the decision to integrate the Lightning Network signals Revolut’s intent to lead, not follow, in the next wave of digital finance innovation.

Bitcoin’s biggest limitations as a payment method have long been its speed and cost. Traditional Bitcoin transactions can take several minutes to confirm, and during periods of high network congestion, fees can spike significantly. These inefficiencies make on-chain Bitcoin impractical for everyday use, like splitting a restaurant bill or sending small amounts of money to friends. That’s where the Lightning Network comes in. It’s a layer-2 scaling solution built on top of Bitcoin that allows for nearly instant payments with very low fees. Instead of every transaction being recorded directly on the blockchain, Lightning opens payment channels between users, allowing them to transact rapidly off-chain and only settle the final balance on the main network when necessary.

Lightspark has made Lightning viable for mainstream financial institutions by offering a complete suite of developer and enterprise tools. Its MoneyGrid technology intelligently routes transactions through the network to minimize liquidity issues and ensure reliability. Additionally, the Universal Money Address system allows users to send Bitcoin using simple email-like identifiers – for example, “jane@revolut” – instead of long alphanumeric wallet addresses. This reduces errors, enhances user confidence, and simplifies the experience to a level consumers expect from modern financial services.

David Marcus, co-founder and CEO of Lightspark and former president of PayPal, emphasized the transformative nature of this partnership. He described the Lightning Network as the 5G of money, a vast improvement over the “dial-up” speed of traditional banking systems. His vision is of a financial future that is instant, low-cost, and borderless – one that aligns closely with the fintech ethos Revolut embodies.

Emil Urmanshin, General Manager of Crypto at Revolut, echoed this sentiment, noting that integrating with Lightspark allows the company to provide its users with faster and more affordable financial solutions. By doing so, Revolut isn’t just enhancing its platform; it’s helping to redefine how digital assets can be used in the global economy.

The implications of this integration go far beyond a single app feature. It could serve as a model for other financial platforms to follow, especially as demand increases for crypto to move beyond speculative investment and into practical utility. It’s worth noting that Revolut is joining a growing list of major companies embracing the Lightning Network. Coinbase recently began routing some Bitcoin payments via Lightning through Lightspark’s infrastructure, and Strike, another prominent player in Bitcoin payments, processed over $6 billion in Lightning transactions last year. The momentum is building.

By incorporating Lightspark’s technology, Revolut addresses several core challenges that have limited Bitcoin’s utility. First, transaction speed improves dramatically. Payments on the Lightning Network are typically completed in seconds, compared to 10 minutes or more for on-chain confirmations. Second, the cost is significantly lower. Fees are often just fractions of a cent, which makes Bitcoin practical for small transactions and micro-payments. Third, user experience improves through features like UMA, which eliminates the need to handle confusing and risky wallet addresses.

This partnership also positions Revolut well in a competitive landscape where fintech companies are racing to integrate advanced crypto capabilities. Cash App, for instance, has supported Lightning payments for some time. For Revolut, the move helps it stand out not just as a crypto-friendly platform but as a serious contender in the race to define the future of digital payments.

From a business perspective, Revolut benefits by offering differentiated features that strengthen customer retention and acquisition. For users, the main value lies in the convenience and speed of transactions, especially when sending funds across borders or paying for services in real time. The integration also opens the door to additional use cases such as peer-to-peer tipping, micropayments for content, and seamless global remittances.

Of course, there are challenges. The Lightning Network requires liquidity to function smoothly, and while Lightspark’s infrastructure is designed to mitigate this issue through intelligent routing, scaling up to millions of users could stress even a robust system. Additionally, regulation remains a concern. Although off-chain Lightning payments may navigate some of the transaction-related regulatory scrutiny, Revolut still needs to ensure compliance with anti-money laundering (AML) and know-your-customer (KYC) requirements.

Still, the potential upside is significant. For Revolut, this could be the beginning of a much larger crypto payments strategy. If the rollout is successful in initial markets, expansion to other regions, deeper integrations into Revolut’s business banking services, or even partnerships with retailers for point-of-sale Bitcoin payments could follow. It may also prompt traditional financial institutions to re-evaluate their stance on Bitcoin and Lightning Network capabilities, especially if consumers begin demanding faster and cheaper alternatives to existing payment rails.

The timing is strategic. With institutional Bitcoin adoption on the rise, from public companies holding BTC on their balance sheets to increased flows into Bitcoin ETFs, public trust in crypto as an asset class is growing. But trust alone doesn’t drive usage – infrastructure does. What Lightspark and Revolut are building is infrastructure with a purpose: making Bitcoin practical.

In the end, this partnership could be one of the most consequential in the evolution of Bitcoin’s role in the financial ecosystem. It’s not about headlines or hype – it’s about solving real problems with real technology. Revolut is using its reach and reputation to bring Bitcoin payments to the mainstream, while Lightspark provides the technical foundation that makes such a move feasible and sustainable.

If successful, this collaboration will not just be another fintech feature release – it will be a signal that the world’s financial systems are ready to evolve, and that Bitcoin, powered by the Lightning Network, has a real shot at becoming money for the internet age.

About Revolut

Revolut Group Holdings Ltd, doing business as Revolut, is a British multinational neobank and financial technology company headquartered in London, England; it was founded on 1 July 2015 by Nikolay Storonsky and Vlad Yatsenko. Since its launch, Revolut has expanded its mobile banking platform to serve more than 52.5 million retail customers across over 48 countries and employs over 10,000 people globally. The app offers both free and subscription-based digital banking services, including domestic and international bank transfers, multi-currency current accounts, debit and credit cards, peer-to-peer payments, stock and cryptocurrency trading, savings accounts, personal loans, insurance, and buy-now-pay-later products.

As of August 2024, Revolut’s valuation reached $45 billion, making it the most valuable private tech company in Europe, and its latest annual report recorded $4 billion in revenue and $1.4 billion in profit before tax. By mid-2024, Revolut was preparing for a potential initial public offering, with filings underway for a Nasdaq listing and discussions for a London float, even as it holds full banking licenses in the UK and through its Revolut Bank UAB subsidiary under the European Central Bank, offering deposit protection in 30 EEA markets. In May 2025, the company announced a $1.1 billion investment plan over three years to expand its presence in France and establish Paris as its Western European headquarters.

About Lightspark

Founded in May 2022 and headquartered in Los Angeles, Lightspark Group, Inc. delivers enterprise-grade infrastructure for real-time Bitcoin and Lightning Network payments via its flagship “Money Grid,” which bridges traditional banking rails with decentralized blockchain networks to enable instant, low-cost, borderless transactions. The platform supports connectivity across 140+ countries, processes transactions in over 120 currencies, and serves more than 300 million end users, powering solutions such as Lightspark Connect, Universal Money Addresses (UMA), and the Spark smart-routing engine.

Co-founded by fintech veteran David Marcus (formerly President of PayPal and head of Facebook’s Diem project), Christian Catalini, and Tomer Barel, Lightspark launched with a seed round co-led by Andreessen Horowitz’s a16z Crypto and Paradigm, joined by Felix Capital, Coatue Management, Matrix Partners, and Ribbit Capital in May 2022. Since then, the company has forged key integrations – including powering Lightning transactions for Coinbase’s millions of users – and continues to expand its ecosystem through developer SDKs, compliance-grade services, and global partnerships aimed at driving mainstream adoption of Bitcoin payments.

Conclusion

The partnership between Revolut and Lightspark marks a turning point in how Bitcoin can be used for everyday transactions. By combining Revolut’s global user base and regulatory footprint with Lightspark’s infrastructure and Lightning Network expertise, the two companies are removing key barriers that have held back Bitcoin’s practical use – speed, cost, and complexity.

If adoption scales as intended, this could reshape expectations for digital payments, not just in crypto, but across the broader financial industry. For Revolut users, it means faster and cheaper transfers. For the fintech sector, it signals that Bitcoin is no longer limited to investment – it’s being built for utility.

Mastercard Partners with OKX and Nuvei to Power Stablecoin Transactions

Mastercard Doubles Down on Stablecoins as the Future of Global Finance

Mastercard is betting on stablecoins, seeing them as the future backbone of efficient, programmable payments, disbursements, and remittances. With global regulatory frameworks solidifying, Mastercard is accelerating its push to bring stablecoins into the heart of mainstream payments, disbursements, and remittances.

But scale requires more than vision. Mastercard is focused on three non-negotiables: real-world utility, seamless integration with existing financial infrastructure, and a frictionless user experience. To deliver on this, the company is executing a bold, end-to-end strategy to make stablecoins as accessible, reliable, and intuitive as traditional currencies.

The company has already formed several strategic partnerships with crypto leaders, including Kraken, MetaMask, Monavate, Bleap, Bybit, Gemini, Binance, and Crypto.com, to enable wallets and drive card issuance and acceptance. And its latest Mastercard-OKX-Nuvei partnership marks another decisive step toward enabling stablecoin payments at scale, for both consumers and merchants.

Key Takeaways

Mastercard’s collaboration with OKX and Nuvei marks a shift from experimentation to real-world use of stablecoins. The goal is to make stablecoins as usable as traditional currencies for everyday payments and seamlessly integrated into existing financial systems.
Through the OKX-branded Mastercard, users can pay with stablecoins at over 150 million merchants globally. Transactions are automatically converted in the background, eliminating the need for manual conversions and making digital assets more user-friendly.
The partnership enables merchants to settle transactions in USDC through Nuvei, avoiding traditional banking delays and foreign exchange costs, especially useful in cross-border commerce.
This initiative is part of Mastercard’s larger push to modernize payments using blockchain. Features like Crypto Credential (simplified wallet identity), regulatory-aligned stablecoin support, and real-time settlement position Mastercard as a bridge between traditional finance and the digital asset economy.

Mastercard-OKX-Nuvei Push to Mainstream Stablecoins Through Strategic Partnerships and Infrastructure Expansion

Mastercard’s recent partnership with cryptocurrency exchange OKX and payment processor Nuvei marks a significant move in the evolution of digital payments. The collaboration aims to bring stablecoin transactions, once considered niche and experimental, into the mainstream financial system. With this initiative, Mastercard is signaling its intent to provide practical applications for blockchain-based digital currencies and to support a future where stablecoins become an accepted part of everyday commerce.

Stablecoins are digital assets designed to maintain a stable value by being pegged to traditional currencies, such as the US dollar. They offer the efficiency and accessibility of cryptocurrencies while avoiding the extreme volatility typically associated with them. Mastercard’s decision to support stablecoin transactions reflects growing institutional interest in these digital assets, which are increasingly seen as a practical solution for faster, cheaper, and more transparent financial transactions, particularly across borders.

The core of Mastercard’s strategy revolves around building a seamless infrastructure for spending and accepting stablecoins. Through its collaboration with OKX, Mastercard is enabling users to spend stablecoins directly using the OKX-branded card. This card, issued under Mastercard’s global network, allows users to pay at over 150 million merchant locations worldwide. By linking digital wallets to Mastercard’s payment rails, users can spend their stablecoin balances just as they would use a debit or credit card. This is a major step in reducing the gap between digital assets and everyday usability.

OKX, one of the world’s leading cryptocurrency exchanges and Web3 technology companies, brings deep crypto-native experience to the partnership. The launch of the OKX Card ensures that users can access their digital funds conveniently and securely. Instead of having to manually convert stablecoins to fiat currencies before making purchases, users can transact directly, with conversions handled automatically in the background. This type of integration removes significant friction from the user experience, making it easier for the general public to adopt digital assets without needing technical knowledge of blockchain systems.

Mastercard is not just focused on the consumer side of the transaction. The partnership with Nuvei and Circle, the issuer of the USDC stablecoin, is designed to benefit merchants. When consumers pay with stablecoins or fiat currency, Nuvei enables merchants to settle transactions in USDC. This capability allows merchants to avoid traditional banking delays and foreign exchange fees, especially in cross-border commerce. It also provides the option for merchants to hold stablecoins as working capital, potentially gaining operational flexibility and faster access to funds.

Jorn Lambert, Chief Product Officer at Mastercard, stated that the advantages of blockchain and digital assets for mainstream applications are clear. To unlock their full potential, it must be as simple for merchants to accept stablecoin payments as it is for consumers to use them. He emphasized Mastercard’s belief in the ability of stablecoins to make payments and commerce more efficient across the entire value chain.

By including Circle’s USDC as a settlement asset, Mastercard is signaling trust in the regulatory compliance and transparency standards of certain stablecoins. USDC is backed by dollar reserves and subject to regular audits, which adds a layer of confidence for institutional adoption. This is especially important in the context of increasing regulatory scrutiny of digital assets. Mastercard’s focus on regulatory alignment and its track record of compliance provide a strong foundation for these offerings to expand across jurisdictions.

The partnerships are part of a broader effort by Mastercard to support blockchain-based innovation while maintaining consumer and merchant protection. The company is building a comprehensive framework that includes stablecoin transaction support, real-time settlement capabilities, on-chain identity verification, and integration with both fintech and traditional financial institutions. These tools enable Mastercard to act not just as a payment processor, but as a bridge between traditional finance and the emerging digital economy.

One of the more advanced features of Mastercard’s digital strategy includes its Crypto Credential service, which simplifies the process of sending and receiving digital assets. Instead of using complex wallet addresses, users can rely on verified usernames that ensure funds are being sent to the correct recipient. This usability improvement addresses one of the most common barriers to entry for non-technical users of cryptocurrencies and is part of Mastercard’s effort to make blockchain-based services more accessible.

The implications of these developments are wide-ranging. For consumers, the integration of stablecoins into payment systems offers new options for spending and managing money. It opens up possibilities for instant cross-border payments, more predictable remittance services, and new forms of financial inclusion for those without access to traditional banking. For merchants, it provides greater control over how they receive and manage funds, particularly when dealing with international customers or suppliers.

For the financial industry at large, Mastercard’s actions represent a shift from experimentation to implementation. While many companies have theoretically explored blockchain technologies, Mastercard is now building and deploying real-world infrastructure. This positions the company as a leader in the digital transformation of payments. At the same time, it raises the standard for what consumers and businesses can expect from modern financial services – namely, speed, transparency, and global accessibility.

Of course, the success of this initiative depends on several factors. Regulatory developments remain crucial. Governments around the world are working to create legal frameworks for stablecoins, and Mastercard must continue to align its operations with these evolving standards. Security, fraud prevention, and consumer education will also play key roles in building trust and encouraging adoption.

Nevertheless, Mastercard’s partnership with OKX and Nuvei sends a clear message: the company is investing heavily in the future of digital assets and is committed to making stablecoins a functional part of the global economy. This is not a speculative move or a publicity exercise – it is a calculated strategy aimed at redefining how value moves in the digital age.

In a financial world that increasingly values speed, efficiency, and transparency, stablecoins are poised to become essential tools. Mastercard’s role in shaping the infrastructure around them will likely influence how quickly and smoothly they become integrated into mainstream finance. By offering both consumer-facing tools and backend support for merchants, Mastercard is creating a comprehensive ecosystem that meets the needs of all participants in the payment cycle.

This approach could accelerate the transition toward digital money that is programmable, instantly transferable, and universally accepted. If successful, it may pave the way for broader adoption of other blockchain-based financial instruments, including tokenized assets, central bank digital currencies, and decentralized finance applications.

About Mastercard

Mastercard Incorporated is an American multinational financial services corporation headquartered in Purchase, New York, U.S.; founded in 1966 as the Interbank Card Association and publicly traded since its 2006 initial public offering, it operates an open-loop network processing transactions for credit, debit, and prepaid cards between merchants’ banks and card issuers in over 210 countries and territories. Mastercard is the second-largest payments network globally, trailing only Visa in transaction volume.

Committed to powering economies and empowering people in over 200 countries and territories, Mastercard offers a range of digital payment solutions – including the Masterpass digital wallet – and advanced risk management services, employing roughly 35,300 staff worldwide. In fiscal year 2024, the company reported revenues of US$ $28.2 billion and net income of US$ $12.9 billion, reflecting its strategic focus on technology innovation, partnerships across the payments ecosystem, and initiatives to build an inclusive, secure, and sustainable digital commerce network.

About OKX

OKX, originally founded as Okcoin in 2013 by CEO Star Xu, is a privately held blockchain technology company headquartered in San Jose, California, that operates one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges by trading volume. The exchange is incorporated in Seychelles and registered in the Bahamas, with regional offices in New York, Dubai, Singapore, Türkiye, Australia, Brazil, and across the European Economic Area, and employs over 5,000 staff worldwide.

OKX provides a broad range of trading products – including spot, margin, futures, and options – as well as staking and access to decentralized finance through its native OKX Wallet. The platform processes an average daily trading volume of around $3 billion and serves over 50 million registered users across more than 160 countries, positioning it as the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency exchange by volume as of June 2025. In February 2025, Aux Cayes FinTech Co, OKX’s operating arm, pleaded guilty to U.S. anti-money laundering violations and agreed to pay fines and forfeitures totaling nearly $505 million, prompting the implementation of enhanced compliance measures under external oversight through 2027.

About Nuvei

Nuvei Corporation is a publicly traded global payments technology company headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Founded in 2003 by Philip Fayer, Nuvei offers businesses modular, end-to-end payment processing solutions – encompassing both pay-in and payout capabilities – across e-commerce, point-of-sale, and digital commerce channels worldwide. The company went public in September 2020 with a US$ $700 million initial public offering on the Toronto Stock Exchange, followed by a US$ $424.8 million IPO on Nasdaq in October 2021. As of the end of 2023, Nuvei reported revenue of US$ $1.19 billion and employed 2,202 people globally.

Nuvei’s modular, flexible, and scalable platform supports merchant acquiring, card issuing (both physical and virtual), multi-currency processing, and advanced fraud and risk management services, connecting businesses to their customers in over 200 markets with local acquiring in 50+ markets, support for 150 currencies, and 700 alternative payment methods. In the three months ended September 30, 2024, the company processed US $61.3 billion in total transaction volume, generated revenue of US $357.6 million (a 17% year-over-year increase), achieved net income of US $17.2 million versus a net loss of US $18.1 million a year earlier, and recorded adjusted EBITDA of US $108.8 million

Conclusion

Mastercard’s collaboration with OKX and Nuvei reflects a clear and deliberate shift toward integrating stablecoins into everyday financial transactions. Rather than treating blockchain-based assets as future possibilities, Mastercard is building the tools and partnerships required to bring them into present-day use, benefiting both consumers and merchants. With a strong focus on regulatory compliance, user experience, and infrastructure development, the company is positioning stablecoins not as a parallel system but as an extension of the global payments network.

As stablecoins continue to gain traction across borders, Mastercard’s strategy shows how legacy financial institutions can adapt by working alongside emerging technologies and platforms. The success of this model may set a precedent for broader adoption of digital currencies, while also helping define standards for trust, usability, and efficiency in the ever-changing payments industry.

Visa and Bridge Partner to Make Stablecoins Available for Everyday Purchases

Stablecoins Are Going Mainstream – And the Visa-Bridge Partnership Is Leading the Charge

What began as a niche innovation confined within crypto communities is rapidly gaining traction as a mainstream financial tool. Stablecoins, which are digital assets pegged to the U.S. dollar, are moving beyond trading platforms and into the world of everyday transactions. Now, Visa and Bridge are partnering to accelerate that transition into practical payment solutions.

This partnership enables stablecoin transactions without requiring merchants to adopt any specialized crypto infrastructure. Instead, stablecoin functionality is integrated directly into Visa’s existing global payment network. Consumers top up approved stablecoins like USDC or USDP into a Bridge-enabled wallet or application, then use a Bridge-issued Visa card to make purchases anywhere Visa is accepted.

At the point of sale, Bridge seamlessly deducts the precise stablecoin amount from the user’s on-chain balance, instantly converts it into the local fiat currency, and processes the payment over Visa’s trusted network. The solution will deliver real-time settlement with no disruption to the user or merchant experience. The initiative comes at a pivotal moment, as U.S. lawmakers move closer to passing landmark legislation to establish a regulatory framework for stablecoins.

Key Takeaways

Visa and Bridge have launched stablecoin-supported Visa cards, allowing users to spend USDC and USDP like regular money in stores and online, starting in six Latin American countries.
The partnership removes the need for merchants to adopt crypto tools, using Bridge’s platform to convert stablecoins into local currency at checkout, processed through Visa’s existing payment network.
This initiative is part of Visa’s broader plan to integrate digital currencies, aiming to expand stablecoin payments globally as interest grows among banks, fintechs, and regulators.
For users and businesses, the cards offer lower fees and faster access to funds, especially in regions with inflation, limited banking access, or high remittance costs.

Visa-Bridge Partnership To Launch Stablecoin Cards to Bring Digital Dollars into Everyday Spending

Visa, the global payments company, has taken another step toward including digital currencies in traditional finance. In April 2025, Visa partnered with Bridge, a stablecoin-focused platform owned by Stripe, to launch stablecoin-supported Visa cards. These new cards let people use stablecoins such as USDC (USD Coin) and USDP (Pax Dollar) for regular purchases. The product is now available in six Latin American countries: Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, and Chile. There are plans to expand to other regions, including Europe, Africa, and Asia, later this year.

This move is not just another crypto announcement. It is part of a wider strategy from Visa to make digital assets usable in the real world. It also reflects growing interest from banks, fintechs, and regulators in how stablecoins could improve payments, especially in places where access to dollars or banking services is limited.

Stablecoins are digital currencies that are tied to the value of a real-world asset, usually the U.S. dollar. They are designed to be less volatile than cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. But until now, most people used stablecoins mainly for trading on crypto exchanges or sending money across borders. Spending them in stores or online was difficult. Merchants didn’t accept them directly, and users had to go through complex steps to convert stablecoins into regular money.

That’s what this Visa-Bridge partnership is trying to change. The goal is to make stablecoins work like regular money at checkout, without requiring special wallets or merchant tools. The new stablecoin Visa cards work just like any other debit or prepaid card. A user loads stablecoins into a digital wallet linked to the card. When they make a purchase, Bridge converts the exact amount of stablecoin needed into the local currency and sends it through Visa’s network. The merchant gets paid in their usual currency. From the merchant’s point of view, it’s just another Visa transaction.

The product is built to be easy for both users and developers. Developers only need to use a single API (application programming interface) from Bridge to launch and manage their card programs. Bridge handles the background tasks like monitoring wallet balances, making currency swaps, managing compliance rules, and working with banks. It also partners with Lead Bank to ensure the cards meet financial regulations like anti-money laundering rules.

For users, the experience is simple. They use their stablecoins to shop wherever Visa is accepted – over 150 million places worldwide. They don’t need to cash out or move funds through a bank first. This reduces transaction costs and saves time. It also gives users more control over how they hold and spend their money, especially in regions where banking systems are unstable or inflation is high.

Jack Forestell, Chief Product and Strategy Officer at Visa, said that the company is focused on integrating stablecoins into its existing network and products in a secure and straightforward way. He explained that partnering with Bridge is a major step toward making stablecoins practical for daily use. The goal is to give people more control over how they manage and spend their money by adding stablecoins as a real payment option alongside traditional currencies.

Latin America was chosen for the launch because the need is especially clear there. Many people in these countries struggle with inflation and a lack of access to stable currencies. At the same time, smartphone use is widespread, and many people rely on digital wallets. Stablecoins offer a way to store value more safely and spend money across borders or in their own country without the usual banking fees. According to the World Bank, remittance fees in Latin America can reach 5% or more. Stablecoins cut down those costs and speed up the process.

Visa and Bridge say they’re starting in these six Latin American markets but will expand soon. Regions in Africa and Southeast Asia face similar challenges. Europe is also a target, especially as regulations like the EU’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) framework take shape. This gives companies clearer rules to follow, which makes it easier to offer new products.

From Visa’s point of view, this partnership fits into a larger strategy. Over the past two years, the company has been exploring how to connect digital currencies with its existing network. Visa has already processed more than $200 million in stablecoin-based transactions. It has tested stablecoin settlement on public blockchains like Ethereum and partnered with crypto firms to experiment with cross-border payments.

Visa CEO Ryan McInerney has said that stablecoins are still a small part of Visa’s overall volume, but he sees growth potential. The company wants to be ready if digital currencies become more widely used. Instead of treating stablecoins as a threat to the traditional system, Visa is trying to make them part of its service offerings.

Bridge, on the other hand, is focused on being the main technology layer for stablecoin payments. It lets developers build and customize spending products tied to stablecoins. Stripe, the parent company of Bridge, acquired it for around $1.1 billion earlier this year. That deal shows that large financial technology firms are taking stablecoin infrastructure seriously. Stripe plans to use Bridge’s tools to offer stablecoin payments to its business customers, many of whom are developers, marketplaces, and internet companies.

By joining with Visa, Bridge gets access to a global card network and established bank relationships. This makes it easier for developers using Bridge to launch stablecoin cards that meet local rules in different countries. Bridge takes care of complex steps like handling multiple blockchain networks, swapping currencies at the time of transaction, and managing real-time spending limits or fraud controls.

Both companies benefit. Visa adds a new kind of money to its network and keeps up with fintech competitors like PayPal, Mastercard, and Revolut, who are also rolling out stablecoin features. Bridge gets a chance to scale faster by tapping into Visa’s merchant base and international infrastructure.

From a business point of view, this is also a chance to build new revenue streams. Bridge and its partners can earn from card fees, conversion spreads, and premium developer tools. Visa adds more volume to its network and positions itself as a leader in new payment methods.

For users, the main benefits are lower costs, more flexibility, and access to dollar-like value even in unstable economies. If someone receives a paycheck or a remittance in USDC, they no longer need to sell it, wait days, or pay high fees to use it for groceries or a taxi. They can spend it instantly using the Visa card, with Bridge handling everything in the background.

For businesses, this opens the door to more efficient cross-border payments. A company in Colombia could pay a freelancer in Mexico in USDC, and the freelancer could spend the money directly without going through a bank or facing local currency conversion risks.

There are still challenges. Stablecoin regulations vary across countries. Some governments are cautious, while others are working on laws to support digital currencies. The success of this initiative will depend partly on how quickly clear and consistent rules emerge. There are also risks around stablecoin issuers and whether their reserves are fully backed and secure.

But the direction is clear. The financial industry is moving toward a model where traditional networks like Visa handle the user experience, while new tools like Bridge manage the digital asset layer. This combination makes it possible to add stablecoins to daily life without asking users or merchants to change how they operate.

This development also sets the stage for more programmable finance. Once stablecoins can be spent like regular money, developers can build new features into payments. For example, loyalty points could be given in tokens, spending limits could be set based on location or time of day, and peer-to-peer transfers could be completed instantly with on-chain records.

Visa’s work in this area is part of its broader efforts to prepare for the next phase of digital payments. The company has invested in areas like AI-driven payments, digital identity, and blockchain-based settlements. Adding stablecoins to its products is one part of that plan.

In the end, the Visa and Bridge partnership is a practical step that helps bring stablecoins into real-world use. It simplifies the way people spend digital dollars, especially in places that need better financial tools. It also shows how traditional and digital finance can work together, not by replacing one another, but by using the strengths of both.

As stablecoins become more regulated and accepted, more companies will offer products like this. For now, Visa and Bridge have set a new standard. Instead of keeping stablecoins locked in the world of crypto trading, they are helping turn them into a useful form of money, one that people can use anywhere they see the Visa logo.

About Visa

Visa Inc., a global payments technology company based in San Francisco, began operations in 1958 under the name BankAmericard and was later rebranded to Visa in 1976. Today, its VisaNet network connects over 15,000 financial institutions with hundreds of millions of merchants across more than 200 countries and territories. In FY24, Visa processed close to 234 billion transactions, averaging around 639 million daily, and handled payment volumes worth $13.2 trillion.

This translates to $35.9 billion in net revenue and $9.73 in GAAP EPS. The company’s multi-rail model includes services such as credit, debit, tap-to-pay, tokenization, account-to-account transfers, and fraud analytics, all backed by heavy investments in AI and cybersecurity.

The positive growth has continued into FY25, with Q2 net revenue rising 9% year-on-year to $9.6 billion, supported by 8% growth in payment volumes and stronger cross-border activity. Visa has now raised its full-year guidance, expecting low double-digit growth, driven by increased momentum in B2B payments, remittances, and value-added services.

The company also enhances its capabilities through acquisitions, including the recent $1 billion purchase of Brazilian banking tech firm Pismo, adding to previous deals with Tink and Currencycloud. Since 2010, Visa has completed 19 such transactions to stay competitive as the shift from cash to digital payments accelerates globally.

About Bridge

Bridge, now operating as Bridge by Stripe, was originally founded in 2022 by ex-Coinbase and Square professionals Zach Abrams (CEO) and Sean Yu (CTO) as a stablecoin infrastructure firm. The company offers a single API layer enabling businesses to issue, store, manage, and spend dollar- and euro-backed stablecoins, while Bridge takes care of technical layers like on-chain security, compliance, and gas fees.

Its offerings include cross-border payouts, wallet setup, white-label card issuing, and treasury functions, giving fintechs and enterprises a low-cost, round-the-clock alternative to traditional systems like SWIFT. Within just 18 months of launching, Bridge has onboarded hundreds of customers across Latin America, Africa, and Europe, scaling to over $5 billion in annual payment volume, and serving a wide range of clients, including aid agencies and digital platforms.

Stripe acquired Bridge in October 2024 for around $1.1 billion, closing the deal in February 2025, making it the largest acquisition in Stripe’s history. Now part of Stripe’s fintech product suite alongside Atlas and Issuing, Bridge supports new features like multi-currency stable-coin accounts and AI-driven treasury tools.

Early integrations have already led to key collaborations, such as Visa’s pilot of stable-coin debit cards in six Latin American countries and new payout infrastructure for Web3 creators and SaaS firms. Stripe sees this move as a forward-looking step to stay competitive in the evolving stable-coin space, especially as dollar-backed coins start playing a larger role in B2B and cross-border payments.

Conclusion

The Visa and Bridge partnership marks a shift in how digital currencies, particularly stablecoins, can be used in everyday life. By linking stablecoin wallets to Visa’s global payment network, this collaboration removes long-standing barriers to spending digital dollars in real-world settings.

It’s a move that supports users in regions with limited financial access, gives businesses new payment options, and helps Visa stay competitive in a changing financial landscape. While regulatory clarity is still evolving, this effort sets a foundation for stablecoins to function more like conventional money, without requiring major changes from users or merchants.

Truist Completes Initial Test of Alias-Based Bill Payment Solution

Truist has completed the initial testing of an innovative alias-based bill payment solution powered by The Clearing House’s RTP® network and Request for Payment (RfP) platform.

Through an internal pilot involving its credit card division and employee volunteers, Truist became the first financial institution to both send and receive alias-based RfPs and execute real-time payment and settlement through the RTP system – a major milestone in the evolution of secure, instant payments.

The solution significantly strengthens data security by leveraging aliases instead of account numbers, which eliminates the need to share sensitive banking information.

Key Takeaways

Truist is the first U.S. bank to both send and receive alias-based Requests for Payment (RfPs) and complete real-time settlement through The Clearing House’s RTP® network, marking a significant step toward safer, faster bill payments.
The system uses email and mobile number “aliases” instead of account numbers, reducing data exposure and fraud risk while maintaining compliance with industry security standards.
Internal testing showed immediate payment confirmation and fewer manual errors. Both billers and payers benefited from faster transactions and easier authorization using pre-enrolled tokens.
Following the pilot, Truist plans to launch the solution for select corporate clients in utilities, insurance, and telecom by Q3 2025, with broader availability in 2026, focusing on sectors where real-time payments can improve cash flow and reconciliation.

Truist Completes Pilot of Alias-Based Bill Pay Using RTP and RfP Technology

Truist Financial Corporation has completed the initial testing phase of its groundbreaking alias-based bill payment solution, leveraging The Clearing House’s Real-Time Payments (RTP®) network and Request for Payment (RfP) platform. This milestone marks Truist as the first financial institution to both send and receive alias-based RfPs and deliver real-time payment and settlement via the RTP system.

The pilot, which utilized Truist’s credit card division and volunteer employees, confirmed that businesses can now initiate payments using email or mobile number “aliases” instead of sensitive bank account details, while consumers gain instantaneous confirmation and enhanced security.

The surge in demand for instant, transparent, and secure transactions has compelled banks and fintech firms to rethink traditional bill payment methods. According to a recent report, between 70% and 80% of financial institutions are projected to enable instant payments by 2028, reflecting mounting pressure from both retail and commercial clients to adopt real-time solutions.

Amid this backdrop, alias-based payments have emerged as a leading innovation, allowing payers to send funds without exchanging account numbers, thereby minimizing data exposure and fraud risk.

At its core, Truist’s new system uses confirmed mobile and email “tokens” as aliases linked to specific bank accounts. When a biller issues an RfP, they reference a consumer’s pre-enrolled email address or phone number rather than a lengthy account number. Upon receipt, the RfP prompts the payer to authorize payment, which is then executed instantly via the RTP network.

This approach utilizes nearly 150 million enrolled U.S. mobile and email tokens, dramatically simplifying the authorization process and reducing manual data entry errors. By obfuscating bank details, the alias model strengthens overall data security and aligns with industry best practices for tokenization and fraud prevention.

The internal pilot leveraged Truist’s credit card division and a cohort of employee volunteers to simulate real-world billing scenarios. Throughout the test, Truist successfully sent and received alias-based RfPs, achieving instant settlement and real-time confirmation on the RTP network.

Feedback from participants highlighted the streamlined user experience: billers reported nearly instantaneous confirmation of payment receipt, while employees acting as mock consumers appreciated the ease of paying bills directly from a mobile alias without divulging account numbers. This proof-of-concept underscores Truist’s commitment to adopting modern, scalable architecture to meet evolving payment needs.

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A recent study also highlights that banks embracing RTP-enabled solutions not only meet consumer expectations for immediacy but also unlock new revenue streams through value-added services like dynamic billing and real-time reconciliation.

Meanwhile, competitors are racing to deploy similar token-based frameworks; however, few have bridged the gap between alias-based RfPs and true instant settlement. By pioneering this capability, Truist gains a competitive edge, particularly among corporate treasury and large commercial clients seeking next-generation payment tools.

According to Chris Ward, Truist’s Head of Enterprise Payments, the bank is harnessing modern, scalable technology to expand the possibilities of digital payments. By integrating with the RTP network, Truist delivers unmatched speed, simplicity, and security.

This advancement enables fast, seamless, fully protected bill payments – complete with instant settlement and real-time confirmation – providing businesses and consumers with immediate financial clarity. Ward noted that this initiative fits within Truist’s broader strategy of investing in best-in-class technology to offer differentiated value to both commercial and consumer clients.

Following the successful internal pilot, Truist plans to extend the alias-based solution to select corporate clients in Q3 2025, with broader commercial and retail rollouts slated for early 2026. Initial focus will be on mid- to large-sized billers in utilities, insurance, and telecommunications sectors where high-volume, recurring payments stand to benefit most from instant settlement. Concurrently, Truist intends to partner with fintech vendors and ERP providers to integrate RfP-enabled bill pay directly into existing billing platforms, further streamlining adoption.

Benefits of Alias-Based Bill Pay for Corporate Billers

Immediate Payment Validation: By receiving real-time confirmation through the RTP network, billers can reconcile accounts instantly, cutting days off traditional settlement timelines. This capability reduces financial uncertainty and frees up resources for strategic initiatives.
Accelerated Cash Flow: Funds transferred via RTP are guaranteed and available immediately, minimizing payment delays and enhancing working capital efficiency for large enterprises.
Streamlined Data Management: The alias-based model couples each payment with enriched remittance data, simplifying reporting and reconciliation. Consolidated digital records reduce manual processing errors and compliance burdens.
Enhanced Data Security: Using tokens instead of raw bank account details drastically reduces the risk of breaches. This approach conforms to the highest ACH and instant payment security standards.
Reduced Operational Costs: Eliminating paper checks and manual invoicing processes results in significant cost savings. Electronic bill presentment translates to lower printing, postage, and administrative expenses.

Benefits for Small Businesses and Consumers

Faster Processing: Consumers can pay bills with a few taps by selecting their email or mobile alias, bypassing manual entry of bank accounts and routing numbers. The RTP backbone ensures sub-second payment execution.
Easy Account Monitoring: Through Truist’s online and mobile banking platforms, consumers receive immediate notifications once payment requests are sent, received, and applied, offering full transparency over account activity.
Tokenized Fraud Protection: The alias-based mechanism, combined with multi-factor authentication, diminishes exposure to phishing and account takeovers. Consumers no longer share sensitive account data with billers.
Greater Control and Transparency: Real-time updates on payment status mean fewer late fees and improved budget management. Consumers can track every stage from bill presentment to final settlement without ambiguity.

As instant payments gain traction, regulatory oversight around fraud prevention and data protection has intensified. Truist’s solution adheres to NACHA and The Clearing House guidelines for tokenization and data encryption, ensuring compliance with end-to-end security standards.

Plus, by eliminating the exchange of raw account information, the alias-based model substantially reduces PCI DSS and GLBA compliance risks. Truist has also undergone rigorous third-party security audits and obtained SOC 2 Type II certification to validate its infrastructure’s resilience.

Conclusion

Truist’s successful pilot of its alias-based bill payment solution marks a key development in real-time payments and data security. By replacing traditional account details with verified email and mobile aliases, the system reduces fraud risk and simplifies the payment process for both businesses and consumers.

The integration with The Clearing House’s RTP® network and RfP platform enables instant settlement, immediate confirmation, and improved operational efficiency. With plans to roll out the solution to corporate clients in late 2025 and a wider launch in 2026, Truist is positioning itself to meet rising demand for faster, safer, and more transparent payment options across key industries.

FIS Harmonizes Payments with Launch of Unified Money Movement Hub

FIS Launches Unified Money Movement Hub to Streamline Payment Processing for Financial Institutions

FIS has introduced the Money Movement Hub, a next-generation platform designed to simplify and centralize payment processing across multiple networks. This unified solution enables financial institutions to connect to a broad range of payment rails through a single, integrated system.

Tailored for institutions of all sizes – from super-regional banks to community lenders – the platform is cloud-native and core-agnostic, offering maximum flexibility. Its modular, pay-as-you-grow model allows organizations to adopt only the capabilities they need today, with the option to scale and expand as their needs evolve.

The Money Movement Hub delivers a secure, consistent, and modernized money movement experience across all customer channels, positioning institutions to meet growing expectations in an increasingly complex payments ecosystem.

Key Takeaways

The Money Movement Hub connects financial institutions to real-time and traditional payment networks – including FedNow®, RTP®, ACH, wire, and P2P – through one standardized API. This eliminates the need for multiple point-to-point integrations, cutting down on complexity, development time, and cost.
Built on a cloud-native platform hosted in AWS, the Hub supports both legacy and modern core banking systems. Institutions can adopt only the payment capabilities they need and scale as demand increases, benefiting from a consumption-based pricing model that avoids large upfront costs.
The platform includes real-time transaction monitoring, sanctions screening, and risk scoring directly within the payment flow. FIS handles ongoing updates to compliance rules, reducing the regulatory burden on internal teams and lowering fraud-related exposure.
By consolidating settlement, exception handling, and reporting into a single interface, the Hub reduces the total cost of ownership and simplifies vendor management. Financial institutions can deploy new payment capabilities in weeks rather than months, positioning them to meet evolving customer expectations and regulatory demands.

FIS Launches Money Movement Hub to Simplify and Modernize U.S. Payments Infrastructure

On May 1, 2025, FIS officially announced the launch of its Money Movement Hub, a cloud-native, unified payments platform designed to simplify the back-end infrastructure of financial institutions by consolidating multiple payment channels into a single integration point. By providing a turnkey solution that connects banks and credit unions to major U.S. payment networks through one API, the Money Movement Hub reduces operational complexity, accelerates time-to-market for new payment capabilities, and positions institutions to meet growing consumer demands for faster, more seamless digital experiences.

Instead of maintaining separate point-to-point connections with individual networks – which can drive up costs and elongate implementation timelines – FIS’s solution allows a financial institution to connect its core banking system to real-time rails like FedNow and RTP®, as well as traditional channels such as ACH, wire transfers, and person-to-person payments, all via a single, standardized interface.

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Today’s economy, both consumers and businesses, demand instantaneous and frictionless payment experiences. Traditional payment infrastructures, however, often rely on siloed legacy systems that introduce operational inefficiencies, settlement delays, and fragmented customer journeys. According to the FIS Harmony Gap survey, 57 percent of organizations report experiencing friction in payments processing or ‘money in motion’ at least once per week, highlighting a critical gap between customer expectations and current back-end capabilities.

As faster payment schemes like FedNow® and the Clearing House’s Real-Time Payments (RTP®) network gain traction, financial institutions face mounting pressure to modernize their infrastructures or risk losing customers to fintech competitors and larger banks that already offer real-time capabilities.

Many banks and credit unions continue to operate on legacy platforms that were not designed to support multiple, simultaneous payment schemes. Each new payment rail demands a unique integration approach, along with its own compliance requirements and technical specifications. This patchwork architecture leads to duplicated development efforts, siloed exception-handling processes, and increased security risks.

Institutions often need separate vendor relationships for each payment network, incurring higher total cost of ownership (TCO) and prolonging project timelines. Additionally, as regulatory requirements evolve, such as real-time transaction monitoring mandates and sanctions screening, maintaining disparate internal solutions places undue strain on already limited IT resources.

The Money Movement Hub addresses these pain points by serving as a centralized gateway that connects any core banking system, whether on-premises or cloud-based, to a comprehensive suite of U.S. payment networks via a single API. Unveiled in early May 2025, this platform was purpose-built to harmonize the payments ecosystem within financial institutions. By consolidating integration, exception-handling, settlement, and reporting into one cohesive framework, FIS enables clients to offload the bulk of technical and operational complexities, allowing them to focus on delivering superior customer experiences rather than building and maintaining multiple payment engines.

Underpinning the Money Movement Hub is a cloud-native architecture hosted in FIS’s dedicated Amazon Web Services (AWS) environment. This design choice delivers elastic scalability, enabling institutions to handle varying transaction volumes without over-provisioning hardware or incurring unnecessary infrastructure costs. Because the Hub is core-agnostic, it can interface seamlessly with both legacy on-premises cores and modern, cloud-native core banking systems. Furthermore, FIS offers a pay-as-you-grow pricing model, allowing clients to initially adopt only the payment schemes they need and then expand their capabilities over time in alignment with transaction volume growth and business requirements.

At the heart of the Money Movement Hub lies its ability to interface with multiple payment networks through one unified API. Supported connections include:

Instant payment rails such as FedNow® and RTP®, which enable funds to be transferred and made available in real time.
Automated Clearing House (ACH) for batch-based electronic funds transfers, including same-day ACH.
Wire transfers, both domestic and international, for high-value, time-sensitive transactions.
Person-to-Person (P2P) capabilities, enabling end-users to send and receive funds directly within digital banking channels.

Abstracting the unique technical requirements of each scheme behind a standardized interface, FIS enables institutions to route transactions based on customized business rules, such as cost optimization, risk profiles, and regulatory considerations, without building or maintaining separate adapters for each network.

Security and fraud mitigation are foundational elements of the Money Movement Hub. The platform incorporates real-time, in-line fraud detection mechanisms – such as OFAC sanctions screening, risk scoring, and anomaly detection – directly into the transaction flow. These embedded controls continuously monitor all payment activities, flag suspicious behavior, and enforce compliance checks before funds are released. By offloading these functions to FIS, institutions can reduce exposure to fraud-related losses and ensure adherence to evolving regulatory mandates without dedicating scarce internal resources to build and maintain separate fraud engines.

Operational efficiency and cost reduction are central to the Hub’s value proposition. In traditional multi-rail environments, an institution must maintain separate teams to manage onboarding, configuration, and exception workflows for each payment network. By centralizing these processes into a single dashboard – complete with unified exception management, real-time status tracking, and consolidated reporting – FIS eliminates the need for multiple vendor relationships and reduces the operational overhead associated with maintaining disparate systems. Consequently, clients experience lower TCO, faster deployment cycles, and the ability to reallocate IT budgets toward strategic, customer-facing initiatives.

For institutions with tighter balance-sheet constraints – particularly community banks and credit unions – real-time visibility into funds in motion is crucial for effective liquidity management. The Money Movement Hub provides instant feedback on payment statuses, funding positions, and settlement timelines. This transparency enables treasury teams to forecast cash requirements accurately, reduce intraday borrowing costs, and minimize overdraft fees. By facilitating seamless transfers across multiple networks, institutions can also reduce float times and maximize interest income on available balances.

While the largest national banks may have the resources to develop proprietary payment solutions, many super-regional and community banks lack the scale and technical bandwidth to support multiple integrations. The Money Movement Hub levels the playing field by offering a turnkey solution that can be embedded within existing digital channels, such as mobile and online banking platforms, without requiring significant upfront investment. Smaller institutions can now offer instant payments, P2P transfers, and same-day ACH, thereby meeting customer expectations for modern payment capabilities and competing effectively against both larger banks and agile fintech entrants.

Jim Johnson, Co-President of Banking Solutions at FIS, highlighted the strategic value of this new launch, calling it a clear reflection of FIS’s commitment to advancing financial technology that seamlessly facilitates the movement of money across banks, consumers, and businesses worldwide. The newly introduced Money Movement Hub is designed to streamline payment operations by simplifying the management of multiple payment channels – ultimately lowering costs and enhancing the speed, precision, and security of financial transactions throughout their entire journey.

Gareth Lodge, Principal Analyst at Celent, shared an industry analyst’s view by pointing out that payments are a fundamental part of every customer’s banking experience. As customer expectations grow more sophisticated, so does the pressure on banks to deliver more advanced capabilities. According to Celent’s research, 45 percent of U.S. banks are planning significant payments modernization initiatives within the next 18 months. Lodge emphasized that it’s essential for these institutions to adopt solutions that not only solve today’s challenges but are also built to adapt to the evolving needs of tomorrow.

The Hub’s competitive positioning derives from several differentiators: institutions can deploy multiple payment schemes within weeks – rather than months – thanks to a standardized API; they benefit from future-proofing, since new rails (for example, as cross-border instant payments emerge) can be activated without redeveloping core integrations; and they enjoy cost predictability through consumption-based pricing, avoiding large capital expenditures and scaling costs in line with transaction volume.

Against competitors offering single-rail gateways, FIS’s unified framework delivers a more holistic solution that meets both current requirements and evolving market demands.

Regulatory compliance is seamlessly integrated into the platform. Every transaction undergoes automated AML screening, OFAC sanctions checks, and real-time fraud monitoring before settlement. Because FIS maintains and regularly updates the Hub’s compliance rule set, institutions can adapt rapidly to new regulatory mandates, such as changes in KYC/AML legislation or sanctions lists, without diverting internal resources to rewrite or audit code. This continuous compliance posture reduces the risk of non-compliance penalties and bolsters operational resilience.

FIS has structured a comprehensive onboarding process for Money Movement Hub clients to ensure minimal disruption and rapid time-to-value. Key steps include:

Gap analysis: Reviewing the institution’s current payment architecture to identify missing capabilities and integration points.
API integration: Establishing secure, authenticated connections between the core banking system and the Money Movement Hub.
Network certification: Coordinating with payment networks (FedNow, RTP, ACH operators, and wire processors) to complete compliance testing and certification requirements.
User training: Equipping operational teams with the knowledge to manage exception workflows, monitor transaction statuses, and leverage reporting tools effectively.
Go-live support: Providing dedicated project management and post-launch assistance to ensure a seamless cutover and immediate resolution of any operational issues.

With this, banks and credit unions can minimize implementation risk and accelerate their journey to real-time, unified payments.

Early market reception has been positive, with institutions recognizing the Hub’s ability to deliver immediate operational benefits. While specific case studies have yet to be publicly disclosed at scale, analysts anticipate that adopters will see measurable improvements in exception reduction, faster deployment of real-time payments, and enhanced customer satisfaction. As institutions move from pilot phases into full production, the Hub is expected to become a cornerstone of their digital transformation strategies.

About FIS

Fidelity National Information Services, Inc. (commonly known as FIS) is an American multinational corporation founded in 1968 (as Systematics) and headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida. Over more than five decades, FIS has grown into a leading provider of financial technology (FinTech) solutions, serving over 20,000 clients in more than 130 countries. The company employs approximately 50,000 people worldwide and is ranked on the Fortune 500 (No. 392) as well as being a member of the S&P 500 index. Annually, FIS processes roughly $9 trillion and facilitates about 75 billion transactions, underpinning its reputation as one of the largest payment and processing firms in the world.

FIS operates through two primary segments – Banking Solutions and Capital Markets Solutions – offering a broad portfolio that includes digital banking, payment processing, risk and compliance, wealth and asset management, treasury, and insurance technology. In 2019, FIS acquired Worldpay for $43 billion, positioning itself as the world’s largest payments processor; in early 2024, it completed the sale of a majority stake in Worldpay Merchant Solutions to GTCR, creating a joint go-to-market partnership while retaining strategic commercial agreements.

Key services include the “Profile” core banking application, card and retail payments platforms, and fraud and risk management tools. Under the leadership of CEO Stephanie Ferris and Chairman Jeffrey A. Goldstein, FIS continues to invest in cloud-native architectures, open APIs, and artificial intelligence to drive innovation for banks, merchants, and capital markets participants.

Conclusion

The FIS Money Movement Hub represents a paradigm shift in how financial institutions approach money movement. By unifying multiple payment rails – instant, ACH, wire, and P2P – under a single, cloud-native gateway, FIS empowers banks and credit unions to accelerate digital transformation, reduce operational complexity, and enhance security. Built on a scalable, core-agnostic architecture and backed by consumption-based pricing, the Hub democratizes access to real-time payments for institutions of all sizes.

As consumer expectations for seamless, efficient payment experiences continue to rise, the Money Movement Hub sets a new standard for payment modernization, enabling clients to deliver the speed, reliability, and security necessary to compete in today’s fast-paced digital economy.

Toast Launches Menu Price Monitor, Offering Insights into Restaurant Pricing Trends

Toast Launches New Tool to Track Real-Time Menu Price Monitor and Trends Across U.S. Restaurants

Toast, the leading all-in-one digital platform for restaurants, has introduced the Menu Price Monitor – a powerful new tool delivering monthly insights into menu pricing trends across the United States.

Drawing from data across more than 140,000 restaurant locations on the Toast platform (as of March 31, 2025), the Menu Price Monitor provides a clear, data-backed view of how menu prices are shifting over time. It focuses on key food and beverage items – including burgers, fries, soft drinks, coffee, and popular combo meals – and presents pricing data at the median, 25th percentile, and 75th percentile, along with year-over-year percentage changes.

Built on Toast Benchmarking and powered by AI-driven menu categorization, this tool uses AI-driven classification to accurately categorize menu items and deliver reliable, actionable insights. With this launch, Toast equips industry stakeholders with a no-nonsense view of real-time intelligence for pricing dynamics, helping them stay informed and make smarter decisions.

Key Takeaways

With data aggregated from over 140,000 restaurant locations, the tool helps operators track month-over-month and year-over-year price movements for common menu items like coffee, beer, burgers, and chicken wings. This allows businesses to spot pricing shifts and adjust accordingly.
At the core of the tool is Toast Benchmarking, an AI system that standardizes menu items into consistent categories, ensuring comparability across regions.
The Menu Price Monitor supports smarter pricing decisions by providing percentile-based benchmarks. Operators can assess how their prices compare to peers, react to inflation pressures, evaluate promotions, or explore alternative sourcing to protect profit margins.
The insights are valuable not just for restaurants, but also for suppliers, lenders, landlords, and policymakers. The tool can indicate demand shifts, cost pressures, and regional affordability, making it a useful resource across the food and hospitality ecosystem.

Toast Launches Menu Price Monitor to Help Restaurants Track Pricing Trends and Make Smarter Decisions

The restaurant sector has faced considerable pricing pressures in recent years, driven by rising costs of ingredients, labor, and overhead. Operators often struggle to determine when and how to adjust menu prices without losing customer loyalty or competitive positioning. Recognizing this challenge, Toast has developed the Menu Price Monitor to provide data-driven guidance on pricing strategies.

Using the aggregated anonymized information from thousands of locations, the new tool will give restaurateurs a clearer understanding of industry-wide trends, enabling more informed decision-making.

Toast is a cloud-based platform that supports restaurant operations across point of sale, payments, digital ordering, and team management. As of March 31, 2025, Toast’s network includes over 140,000 restaurant locations in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Leveraging this extensive customer base, Toast’s Menu Price Monitor tracks pricing changes for key food and beverage categories.

The tracker focuses on staple food items like regular coffee, cold brew coffee, beer, burgers, burritos, and chicken wings. For each item, it reports median prices as well as the 25th and 75th percentile values, along with year-over-year percentage changes.

At the core of the Menu Price Monitor is Toast Benchmarking, an AI-based classification system that standardizes menu items into consistent categories. This process ensures that a “burger” sold in Boston can be compared to a “burger” sold in Los Angeles, even if the exact name or toppings vary between operators.

Each month, data from all applicable Toast platform locations is aggregated to produce a snapshot of current pricing. Historical data extend back two years, allowing users to observe both seasonality and longer-term trends. It presents pricing data at the median and percentile levels, which highlights the distribution of prices, showing where most restaurants price items and where outliers may exist.

Steve Fredette, Co-founder and President of Toast, stated that Toast’s large network of restaurants gives them a strong advantage in delivering meaningful insights and building data-driven tools like Toast Benchmarking. He noted that with features such as the new Menu Price Monitor and Restaurant Trends Reports, they aim to highlight changes in menu pricing and evolving consumer habits. According to him, these resources offer a valuable look into current industry conditions, and they plan to continue sharing this data each month to support decision-making across the restaurant sector.

Toast is in the process of further enhancing the capabilities of the Menu Price Monitor through the planned addition of several new menu categories and more granular levels of segmentation. In the upcoming phases, there is potential inclusion of price tracking for various segments such as appetizers, dessert items, non-alcoholic specialty beverages, as well as shareable dishes. There is also consideration being given to a more detailed classification based on restaurant format—whether it be quick-service, fast casual, or full-service establishments—thereby offering operators a more contextual benchmarking framework for performance evaluation relative to similar peers.

In addition to this, geographic filtering is being looked into, whereby users may soon be able to observe and compare pricing trends across different states or metro regions. Such a highly detailed and localized perspective could assist operators who are entering unfamiliar territories in aligning their launch pricing with region-specific expectations and consumer behaviour patterns.

Toast is simultaneously exploring possibilities for tighter integration between insights generated from the Menu Price Monitor and real-time POS system data. Looking ahead, it is conceivable that restaurant operators could receive automatic notifications in instances where their menu pricing diverges noticeably from the median benchmarks.

Using both historical trend analysis and present-day sales performance, the system may eventually facilitate more responsive pricing strategies, such as time-bound offers or dynamic rate adjustments, based on observed shifts in consumer demand. For instance, in the event of a nationwide upward movement in beer pricing, a bar could be prompted to schedule a craft beer offer during low-footfall hours in order to sustain throughput while also maintaining control over inventory-related costs.

Snapshot of April 2025 Data

The initial public release of Menu Price Monitor data reflects pricing levels for April 2025. Key figures include:

Regular Coffee: Median price of $3.50, marking a 6.4% increase compared to April 2024 and flat relative to March 2025.
Cold Brew Coffee: Median price of $5.40, up 4.2% year-over-year and unchanged from March 2025.
Beer: Median price of $6.41, reflecting a 2.6% rise compared to April 2024 and a 0.2% uptick from March 2025.
Burgers: Median price of $14.31, up 3.1% from April 2024 and 0.3% higher than March 2025.
Burritos: Median price of $13.32, showing a 3.3% year-over-year increase and a 0.5% rise month-over-month.
Chicken Wings: Median price of $13.67, up 3.2% year-over-year and roughly unchanged (+0.01%) from March 2025.

As you can see, menu prices for core items have continued to rise over the past year, though growth has slowed or plateaued for certain categories when compared to the prior month. For example, burger and burrito prices have increased marginally since March 2025, indicating that operators may be holding pricing steady to maintain customer traffic levels

Tracking menu prices on a monthly basis provides restaurateurs with a more granular perspective than annual benchmarking alone. Seasonal factors – such as tourism fluctuations in summer or holiday-driven demand in winter – often affect menu pricing. Historical data show that coffee prices tend to spike during fall and winter months, while cold brew may experience faster growth during warmer periods. When we compare both year-over-year and month-over-month trends, we can identify abnormal price movements that may signal supply chain disruptions, shifts in consumer preferences, or competitive pressures.

Not only this, but inflationary pressures on food costs have remained elevated in 2024 and early 2025. The Federal Reserve’s measures to control inflation have indirectly influenced restaurant expenses, as ingredient suppliers pass on higher costs. Monthly visibility into pricing adjustments allows restaurants to respond more promptly – either by adjusting menu prices, modifying portion sizes, or exploring alternative suppliers. Historical percentile data also highlight how price ranges have widened; for instance, the gap between the 25th and 75th percentiles for a burger may signal increased variation in quality offerings or location-based cost differences.

Benefits to the Restaurant Operators

Having access to a standardized dataset covering 140,000 locations offers multiple advantages to restaurant operators:

Competitive Benchmarking: Operators can compare their pricing to the market median and identify whether they are underpricing or overpricing specific items. This comparison helps establish optimal price points that balance profitability with customer perception.
Supply Chain Strategy: If menu prices for a category rise faster than general inflation, it may indicate cost pressures on key ingredients. Restaurants can use this insight to renegotiate supplier contracts, consider seasonal menus, or adjust portion sizes to maintain margins.
Promotional Planning: When median prices of coffee or cold brew begin to stagnate, operators might promote alternative beverages or bundle deals to boost average ticket size. Conversely, if beer prices spike, restaurants could introduce promotions like happy hour discounts to attract foot traffic.
Menu Engineering: Menu engineers can fine-tune item placement, portion sizes, and price points by observing percentile trends. If a restaurant’s burger price sits at the 75th percentile without generating corresponding sales volume, management may need to revisit burger recipes or reposition them as premium offerings.
Investor and Franchise Insights: For multi-unit operators or investors evaluating franchise opportunities, having a snapshot of pricing norms in each region aids in financial modeling and return projections. Historical data can also highlight emerging markets where price increases outpace the national average.

Role of AI and Data Analytics

Toast Benchmarking uses an AI-based classification system to maintain uniformity in category definitions across many different menus. This method helps to clear the confusion caused by item names or regional menu differences; for example, both “dry-aged burger” and “smash burger” are grouped under one common burger category. The AI model carefully analyzes transaction-level data like item descriptions, order codes, and modifiers to place each sale into the correct category. This classification step is very important because it allows the correct aggregation of millions of data points every month.

The AI model also changes and improves over time. When new menu items come into the market, such as plant-based protein burgers or nitro coffee drinks, the classification algorithm is retrained to properly categorize these new items. Continuous learning keeps the Menu Price Monitor updated, capturing new trends even when menus change. This ongoing categorization reduces the need for manual work and lowers the chance of errors in classification, giving restaurateurs confidence in the accuracy of the percentile calculations.

How Aggregated Pricing Data Supports Broader Industry and Policy Decisions

Beyond helping individual operators, aggregated pricing data can inform supply chain stakeholders, financial analysts, and policymakers. For instance:

Ingredient Suppliers: A sustained rise in median chicken wing prices may signal that poultry supplies are tightening or feed costs are increasing. Suppliers can use this information to forecast demand, adjust production schedules, or explore alternative protein sources.
Financial Institutions: Banks and lenders assessing restaurant credit risk can reference industry-wide pricing trends to gauge margin pressures. If pricing for high-margin items like coffee and cold brew remains stable while lower-margin categories (e.g., burgers) see steeper increases, lenders may infer that operators are prioritizing demand-driven offerings over cost-recovery strategies.
Commercial Real Estate Owners: Landlords leasing to QSR (quick-service restaurant) tenants can track pricing trends to understand average check sizes. Higher check sizes for burritos and burgers may correlate with increased foot traffic and ancillary retail spending, informing lease negotiations or expansion plans.
Policy Makers and Researchers: Economists studying the impact of inflation on consumer spending can incorporate the Menu Price Monitor data as a proxy for dining-out costs. Since the dataset covers diverse geographies, it enables regional comparisons and can highlight food affordability issues in high-cost markets like New York or San Francisco.

About Toast

Toast, Inc. is an American cloud-based restaurant management software company headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. Founded in 2012 by Steve Fredette, Aman Narang, and Jonathan Grimm, Toast offers an all-in-one point of sale (POS) and management platform built on the Android operating system, designed to streamline restaurant operations from order management and payment processing to kitchen display systems and staff management. The company’s integrated suite includes hardware such as terminals, handheld devices, and self-ordering kiosks, alongside software solutions for online ordering, loyalty programs, and inventory management, enabling restaurants to improve efficiency, increase revenue, and enhance the guest experience.

Since its inception, Toast has grown rapidly, serving approximately 120,000 U.S. restaurant locations and employing around 5,700 people as of 2024. In September 2021, the company went public on the NYSE under the ticker TOST, raising $870 million and achieving a market capitalization of nearly $20 billion at IPO. Toast’s platform now supports restaurants across the United States as well as in Ireland, India, and other international markets, processing billions in annual payment volume. Through strategic acquisitions, such as Delphi Display Systems in early 2023, and product expansions like the launch of reservation support in April 2023, Toast continues to broaden its offerings and solidify its position as a leading technology provider for the global restaurant industry.

Conclusion

The launch of Toast’s Menu Price Monitor marks a timely step forward for the restaurant industry, offering reliable data and monthly insights that help businesses better understand and respond to changing price dynamics. Backed by a wide network of over 140,000 restaurant locations and powered by AI-driven categorization, the tool provides practical benchmarks for pricing decisions, cost management, and menu planning.

With the ability to compare across markets and food categories, it equips operators, suppliers, and other stakeholders with actionable intelligence to navigate inflationary pressures, shifting consumer preferences, and regional cost differences. As restaurants continue to face economic uncertainty, tools like the Menu Price Monitor can play a meaningful role in supporting smarter, faster, and more confident decision-making across the board.

Related reading on restaurant payments: Restaurant Payment Resources.

Zoho Enters U.S. Payments Market with Launch of Zoho Payments

Zoho Corporation made several announcements at its annual user conference, Zoholics US, in Houston, with the launch of Zoho Payments in the United States being the highlight.

After its successful debut in India last August, Zoho Payments is now buckled up to transform how businesses in the U.S. process payments. This unified platform delivers a secure, seamless, and scalable solution, enabling businesses to accept payments online via ACH, cards, and more, all from one trusted ecosystem.

Key Takeaways

Zoho Payments offers businesses a single gateway to accept ACH, card, and digital payments directly within Zoho’s finance and operational tools, reducing the need for third-party integrations and improving accounting efficiency.
Domestic card transactions are charged at a standard 2.9% + $0.30, aligning with major U.S. payment providers. However, international transactions carry a higher cost due to an added 1.5% fee and a 1% currency conversion charge.
With built-in fraud protection, compliance with global security standards, and automated reconciliation, Zoho Payments aims to reduce manual work, minimize errors, and improve cash flow visibility for finance teams.
Businesses can collect payments via invoices, hosted pages, checkout buttons, or direct links, with support for over 135 currencies. An open API also allows integration with external platforms, making it suitable for diverse use cases.

Zoho Payments to Streamline Digital Transactions and Simplify Accounting for Businesses

Zoho Corporation has rolled out Zoho Payments, a single hub for collecting money through cards, ACH transfers, and other digital methods. Because the system sits inside Zoho’s finance apps, accounting teams can handle billing, tracking, and reporting in one place.

Raju Vegesna, Chief Evangelist at Zoho, noted that online payments have become the norm for shopping and subscriptions. He said companies now need a payment system that links directly to day-to-day accounting tasks. According to Vegesna, Zoho Payments boosts authorization rates, strengthens fraud protection, automates reconciliation, and helps cut chargeback losses as payment volume rises.

The shift to cash-free spending is clear, as nearly 87% of transactions no longer involve paper money, and 81% of U.S. shoppers prefer paying by card. When businesses juggle separate payment providers, they often deal with delays and bookkeeping mistakes. Zoho Payments solves this by putting every payment channel under one secure roof.

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James Martin, founder and CEO of Keystone Transport Services, explained that using other payment portals created bottlenecks because of extra logins and poor integrations. Since the company already relied on Zoho Books, adopting Zoho Payments was the obvious choice. Its automation features have trimmed manual work to almost nothing, so one employee can now cover tasks that once required a full team.

If we look at the pricing of domestic card payments, Zoho charges 2.9% of the transaction amount plus $0.30, which is standard and in line with what most U.S. payment processors charge (e.g., Stripe, PayPal), making it a familiar and expected rate structure. This rate covers Visa, American Express, Mastercard, JCB, Discover, Diners Club, and UnionPay. Charges made on cards issued outside the United States add another 1.5% on top of the standard domestic fee.

The payment processing charges on international cards are on the higher side (at 4.4% + $0.30 + 1% FX fee), especially when compared to Stripe or PayPal, which typically charge around 3.9%–4.4% for international cards (including FX fees). While ACH Direct Debit charges at 0.80%, capped at $5, is reasonable and competitive, particularly for high-ticket transactions, due to the capped fee. However, the $1 instant bank validation charge may be viewed as a small friction point.

A Look at the Core Capabilities

Zoho Payments now lets companies process card transactions in more than 135 currencies and handle ACH transfers inside the United States. Because the gateway sits inside every major Zoho suite—finance, operations, sales, marketing, low-code, and collaboration—teams can turn it on without extra plug-ins. An open API also routes payments from non-Zoho systems to the same back end.

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Companies can collect money in several ways: they can add a pay button to an invoice, drop a quick link in email or chat, publish a hosted page for one-off or subscription charges, or connect a shopping cart. These options shorten settlement times and support custom payout calendars.

Security is baked in. The platform runs full KYC checks, verifies identity, screens for money-laundering risks, and scans global sanction lists. It aligns with card-network rules and central-bank mandates and holds PCI-DSS tier one status. The broader Zoho stack adds SSL encryption, multifactor login, PSD2, GDPR, 3-D Secure, and SCA as well.

Higher approval rates lift revenue while real-time fraud filters cut chargebacks. Automated reconciliation removes repetitive work, slashing mistakes and freeing accountants for tasks that need judgment. Dashboards surface transactions, payouts, refunds, declines, and account summaries, giving clear insight into cash flow and bottlenecks. The infrastructure scales easily as volume climbs.

Zoho has long linked products such as Commerce, Invoice, and Books to outside processors; those links remain, yet the new in-house gateway arrives at a price aimed at cost-conscious users and delivers tighter control of financial workflows.

Out-of-the-box support already covers Inventory, Commerce, Books, Invoice, Checkout, Billing, Sign, Backstage, People, SalesIQ, Creator, and Bookings. Whether the need is invoice links, hosted pages, or checkout buttons, online payments now reach accounts sooner and strengthen cash positions.

About Zoho

Zoho Corporation, originally founded as AdventNet in 1996 by Sridhar Vembu and Tony Thomas, is an Indian multinational tech firm with its main office in Chennai and global base in Austin, Texas. Renamed as Zoho in 2009, the company serves over 100 million users globally as of late 2024. Known for its wide range of cloud-based tools like Zoho CRM, Zoho Books, and Zoho One, the company mainly caters to small and medium-sized businesses.

Privately owned and fully bootstrapped, Zoho follows a customer-first philosophy with zero reliance on external funding. It reported revenues of ₹8,703 crore (USD$1.05 billion) and net profits of over ₹2,800 crore (USD$338 million) in FY23. Led by Sridhar Vembu and CEO Shailesh Kumar Davey, Zoho promotes rural development, employee wellbeing, and strict data privacy. It is widely recognised as a strong alternative to global players like Salesforce and Microsoft.

Conclusion

With the launch of Zoho Payments in the U.S., Zoho has taken a decisive step toward becoming a full-stack financial platform. By bringing payments, accounting, and business operations under one roof, the company offers a streamlined, integrated solution tailored to small and medium-sized businesses. The platform’s tight security, API access, and broad currency support make it suitable for both domestic and international operations. While pricing for global cards leans toward the premium side, the benefits of automation, faster settlements, and seamless reporting help justify the cost. As Zoho continues to deepen its presence in the U.S. market, its long-standing focus on product integration and customer value could prove to be a serious differentiator against more fragmented legacy systems