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Curated industry news and original merchant playbooks.
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general
regulation
Fed’s Barr warns about deregulation in a ‘risk-on environment’
Fed Governor Michael Barr warns that loosening bank regulations now could invite hidden financial risks as the economy shifts.
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regulation
DOJ AI Task Force Puts Business Users in Enforcement Spotlight
The DOJ is holding businesses accountable for their AI tools, placing new pressure on retailers using automated credit and collection systems.
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industry-news
Fiserv Readies One of Its Two Debit Networks For Sale
Payment giant Fiserv moves to consolidate its debit networks, potentially selling off Accel or Star to streamline operations.
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technology
Agentic AI in 2027: From Pilot to Production
The next evolution of AI will move beyond chatbots to autonomous agents that can manage, apply for, and troubleshoot consumer financing independently.
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industry-news
Paysafe Flags Payments Slowdown as Digital Wallets Volume Rises 1% in Q3
Paysafe reports a Q3 volume slowdown as digital wallet growth hits a plateau, signaling a more cautious environment for consumer spending.
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industry-news
Hancock Whitney to buy Trustmark in $3.2B deal
A major Southeast bank merger could impact merchant lending and consumer credit availability for retailers across six states.
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California Turns Legal AI Guidance Into Binding Rules
California’s SB 574 mandates human oversight for AI in legal work, protecting businesses from automated errors in contracts and dispute resolutions.
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FTC aims to better fight scams
The FTC is targeting payment and tech providers to curb consumer fraud, a move that will tighten security and vetting for retail financing platforms.
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technology
Wolters Kluwer streamlines lending for community banks and credit unions
Wolters Kluwer launches a new cloud platform to help local lenders automate consumer loan compliance and speed up approvals.
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technology
Feedzai helps banks detect AI agents accessing customer accounts
New security tools target AI-driven fraud attempts, protecting consumer credit accounts from sophisticated automated attacks.
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technology
Griffin Eyes Stablecoin Expansion After Raising $20 Million
Griffin's $20M funding round aims to simplify how platforms launch branded cards and adopt stablecoin payments.
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regulation
Merchants sue feds over Illinois card fee law
Merchant groups sue federal regulators to defend a landmark Illinois law that bans credit card swipe fees on taxes and tips.
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BofA to settle fake-accounts lawsuit
Bank of America's fake-account settlement signals a tougher regulatory environment for consumer credit and point-of-sale financing.
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technology
Starling unveils AI-powered 'talk to transact' feature
Starling’s new AI voice feature moves banking toward a hands-free future, signaling a major shift in how consumers will authorize payments and financing.
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Axway launches platform to put banks in control of AI costs, data, and decision
Axway’s new AI management platform helps lenders streamline data and decision-making, promising more reliable and auditable consumer financing.
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BaaS bank Griffin raises £20m to add cards and stablecoin capabilities
UK bank Griffin secures £20m to expand embedded finance tools, signaling a shift toward more integrated and tech-driven consumer payment options.
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Uber adds Revolut Pay option
Uber partners with Revolut to streamline global payments, signaling a shift toward friction-free digital banking integrations at checkout.
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industry-news
Metro Bank puts itself up for sale
Metro Bank explores a sale, signaling potential shifts in credit availability and service for retail financing partners.
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Square Expands Agentic AI Tools to Give Sellers More Control Over Business Operations
Square launches 'Squaremates' AI to help merchants automate back-office tasks and analyze sales data through a proactive virtual assistant.
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Payment Options picks Tribe to power acquiring across Apac and Cema
Payment Options partners with Tribe Payments to enhance global acquiring and streamline cross-border transactions for international retailers.
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How Gen Z’s expectations are pushing treasury toward real-time finance feat. Citizens
Gen Z’s demand for instant everything is forcing banks to upgrade back-end systems, promising faster payouts and easier reconciliation for retailers.
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Blocking AI agents is the right near-term move for banks
Big banks are locking out third-party AI agents, signaling a slower-than-expected rollout for fully automated consumer financing and bot-driven shopping.
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Banks pour $270 million into Project Faro stablecoin
Major banks invest $270M into stablecoin tech, signaling a future of instant merchant settlements and faster consumer financing payouts.
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What Early Industrial Revolutions Can Teach Us About Inclusive AI Adoption
AI could either expand your customer base or automate rejections; retailers must choose financing partners focused on inclusive technology.
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How banks can prepare for Democrats’ oversight era
Retailers should prepare for heightened scrutiny of consumer lending as regulators shift focus toward affordability and aggressive oversight.
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medical
industry-news
Hims & Hers expands benefits program for GLP-1 support with brands like Grüns and Tonal
Hims & Hers partners with brands like Tonal to offer exclusive perks, signaling a new lifestyle-driven approach to medical weight loss subscriptions.
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regulation
OCC Charter Backlog Could Leave Late FinTech Applicants Behind
A backlog at the OCC may slow down new fintech lenders and stifle competition in the consumer financing market through 2025.
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Bank of America agrees to settle fake-accounts suit
Bank of America settles claims over unauthorized account openings, highlighting the danger of aggressive sales tactics in consumer finance.
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Wells Fargo whistleblower argues SEC played 'fast and loose'
A legal fight over a Wells Fargo whistleblower award could signal shifts in how federal agencies police big bank misconduct and consumer lending practices.
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New York Proposes $3 Million Daily Fines for AI Safety Violations
New York’s proposed RAISE Act 2.0 could hit AI developers with $3 million daily fines, impacting the tools merchants use for credit and operations.
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technology
Digital Money Pushes Banks to Rethink Their Investment Priorities
Banks are overhauling their digital infrastructure to speed up payment settlements, promising faster liquidity for merchants and smoother consumer transactions.
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industry-news
FICO Withholds 2027 Guidance as Mortgage Pricing Model Shifts
FICO transitions to tiered pricing for credit scores amid housing market slumps and rising competition in the credit data space.
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New York Launches AI Safety Center Ahead of RAISE Act Deadline
New York’s new AI safety initiative signals a crackdown on automated bias, impacting how retailers use AI for credit approvals.
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SEC's enforcement actions fall nearly 24% in 2026
The SEC is filing fewer enforcement actions, but shifting focus toward high-impact cases that demand merchant diligence in financial disclosures.
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Square Makes Bitcoin Payments Free. Will Merchants Pay When the Promotion Ends?
Square waives Bitcoin transaction fees for U.S. merchants, offering a zero-cost way to test digital currency demand at the point of sale.
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industry-news
Amazon’s Black Friday, Cyber Monday deals boast record exclusives
Amazon integrates flexible financing and AI-driven personalization to capture value-conscious shoppers during a record-breaking holiday season.
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regulation
OCC Gives Bank Examiners a New Playbook for Reviewing AI
New federal guidelines for AI in banking mean more scrutiny for the automated systems that approve your customers for credit.
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Democrats' affordability mandate could revive swipe-fee fight
New state-level political shifts could lower merchant swipe fees while increasing compliance requirements for consumer financing.
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technology
Duffel and Katanox bring hotel bookings, payments and financing into single flow for travel sellers
Duffel and Katanox partner to streamline travel payments and financing, helping operators reduce friction and recapture lost revenue.
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Crédit Agricole Deutschland selects Enfuce as partner for Visa debit cards
Crédit Agricole taps Enfuce to power its digital-first banking expansion in Germany, signaling faster innovation in consumer payment tools.
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Atomic targets capital raise to fuel agentic AI work
Fintech firm Atomic eyes $50M raise to build AI agents that could automate income verification and streamline consumer credit applications.
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Swipesum launches payments command centre
Swipesum’s new centralized dashboard helps merchants monitor payment fees and consolidate transaction data in one place.
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Indonesia ranks social engineering scams as single biggest concern
Social engineering scams are skyrocketing, putting digital retailers and financing providers on high alert for 'coached' customer fraud.
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lender-updates
Salad secures £1.5m investment to expand affordable credit across London
Salad secures £1.5M investment to unlock £20M in affordable credit, offering a lifeline for consumers rejected by mainstream banks.
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industry-news
Ransomware crew claims 5 banks and a CU; 2 confirm breaches
Recent ransomware attacks on regional lenders highlight the urgent need for retailers to vet the cybersecurity resilience of their financing partners.
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lender-updates
Zilch expands debt facilities to £395m in round led by Deutsche Bank
Zilch secures £165 million in new funding to triple its sales capacity and expand its BNPL footprint for retailers.
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AI could cut banking industry's cost base by 20% - McKinsey's
McKinsey predicts AI will slash lender costs by 20%, promising faster customer approvals and better margins for retail partners.
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AI could cut banking industry's cost base by 20% - McKinsey
McKinsey report highlights how AI-driven cost cuts in banking could lead to faster, more efficient consumer financing at the point of sale.
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FTC emerges as main consumer-protection watchdog in D.C.
The FTC is taking the lead on consumer protection, signaling increased scrutiny for digital payments and point-of-sale financing transparency.
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technology
KeyBank Upgrades Products as Consumers Struggle to Save
KeyBank’s new digital tools aim to help cash-strapped consumers manage savings, signaling a need for flexible payment options at the point of sale.
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Bilt Seeks Slice of $6 Trillion Neighborhood Commerce Space
Bilt’s new neighborhood platform connects local merchants to a rewards ecosystem where daily spending helps consumers pay their rent.
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Block’s Cash App weaves payment tech into bandanas
Cash App’s new payment-enabled bandanas signal a shift toward 'invisible' payments and wearable tech for everyday consumer transactions.
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industry-news
As bank BNPL grows, consumers could face added risk
Banks are rapidly adopting BNPL tools ahead of the holidays, offering retailers new ways to convert customers through trusted financial institutions.
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industry-news
Affirm and Nuvei Seek Bigger Roles in Merchants’ Payment Operations
Affirm and Nuvei are expanding their reach, aiming to handle both customer financing and backend payment processing for retailers.
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CFPB submits servicing final rule for review
The CFPB moves to finalize new loan servicing rules, potentially changing how your customers interact with lenders after a purchase.
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industry-news
California Celebrates Its Own Business Loan Marketplace and Partnership With State-Backed Revenue Based Financing Providers
California's state-backed loan marketplace hits $5M milestone, offering retailers a safer way to access growth capital and revenue-based financing.
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Brazilian Regulators Hope to Shed Light on Shadow Banks
Brazil's crackdown on non-bank lenders signals a global shift toward tighter oversight for alternative consumer credit and fintech providers.
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Lame Duck Congress Faces Deadline on Cybersecurity and AI Safety Bills
Congress fast-tracks AI and cybersecurity bills that could change how merchants secure customer data and use automated financing tools.
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Banking giants commit $270m to stablecoin venture - Bloomberg
Wall Street giants invest $270M in a stablecoin project that could revolutionize how retailers receive payments and settle financed transactions.
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HSBC Turns to Stripe for Small Business Tap-to-Pay Offering
HSBC and Stripe launch a hardware-free 'Tap to Pay' solution, allowing merchants to accept contactless payments using only a smartphone.
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Fiserv’s Clover Adds AI Tools to Help Small Businesses Reach eCommerce Shoppers
Fiserv’s Clover platform launches AI tools to help small businesses build professional online stores and compete with retail giants.
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OCC Staffing Crunch Tests Bank Charter Push
Staffing shortages at the OCC could delay new banking charters and shift the focus of federal oversight for consumer lenders.
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EU Draft Law Links AI Shopping Agents’ Autonomy to Commercial Incentives
New EU draft law targets AI shopping agents, potentially limiting automated checkouts and biased financing recommendations.
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furniture
industry-news
Ethan Allen CEO out after four decades
Ethan Allen's CEO departs after 40 years, signaling a strategic crossroads for the luxury furniture retailer amid a challenging credit and housing market.
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technology
BioCatch launches agentic AI detection tech
New AI detection tools launch to protect consumer financing platforms from autonomous bots that mimic human behavior during credit applications.
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States keep targeting card fee relief
Lawmakers in 30+ states are pushing to ban swipe fees on sales tax and tips, promising relief for merchants despite ongoing legal battles.
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lender-updates
Nexi to sell Ratepay to Affirm
Affirm acquires German fintech Ratepay to expand its Buy Now, Pay Later footprint across Europe.
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FI Works launches Signals to turn predictive insights into action
New machine learning tools help local banks predict which customers are ready for their next big purchase and financing offer.
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Block to provide data to FTC
The FTC is investigating Square’s handling of consumer complaints, signaling a broader regulatory crackdown on the fintech and BNPL industry.
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Global Payments expands Adaptive Authentication platform with Visa
Global Payments and Visa partner to boost transaction approval rates and reduce checkout friction for North American merchants.
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Oracle brings conversational AI to financial services data
Oracle's new AI analytics tools empower lenders to make faster, more accurate credit decisions by turning complex data into conversational insights.
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Ecommpay partners with Getnet for Spanish acquiring rails
Ecommpay integrates Bizum through Getnet, offering merchants a direct path to Spain's most popular mobile payment method.
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Bud lands venture backing for US push
UK fintech Bud brings AI-powered credit intelligence to the US, potentially boosting approval rates for thin-file consumers.
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Bottomline brings USDC stablecoin payments into platform
Bottomline integrates USDC stablecoin for cross-border payments, signaling faster settlement times and improved liquidity for global business operations.
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Paytech Orchestr rebrands as Upprove
Payment technology provider Orchestr rebrands as Upprove, doubling down on AI-driven tools to optimize transaction approvals and merchant workflows.
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technology
Mojaloop powers the launch of Guinea's NimbaPay
Guinea launches NimbaPay, an interoperable instant payment system that could lower transaction costs and streamline digital financing.
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lender-updates
Ohio based Buckeye State Bank launches new credit card issuing program with CorServ
Ohio's Buckeye State Bank modernizes its credit card program, offering local retailers and consumers a more competitive alternative to national lenders.
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lender-updates
How Pathward helps partners grow with confidence
Pathward strengthens its role as the banking engine behind consumer financing platforms, focusing on stability and regulatory compliance for fintech partners.
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technology
How Block is turning Square and Cash App into one local growth network
Block is integrating Square and Cash App to turn payment processing into a customer acquisition tool for local merchants.
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regulation
Credit Unions' income tax exemption is directly tied to their mission
The ongoing battle over credit union tax exemptions could determine the future of low-interest consumer lending rates at the point of sale.
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Stripe and HSBC drive contactless payments for UK small businesses
HSBC and Stripe expand Tap to Pay tools as data shows 33% of small businesses lose sales due to limited payment options.
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Finovox detects more than €100,000 in AI-related fraud every month
AI-generated document fraud is surging, forcing a shift from manual verification to automated detection to protect merchant approval rates.
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Building the Foundations for AI-Ready, Future-Proof Payments
Discover how AI-driven payment modernization is streamlining customer approvals and securing the future of retail financing.
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Backbase appoints dual CTOs
Backbase doubles down on AI and digital banking infrastructure with new leadership roles to drive automated financial experiences.
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Global Payments Expands Authentication Platform With Visa Data-Sharing Tool
Global Payments integrates Visa’s data tool to reduce false card declines and boost checkout completion for North American merchants.
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PNC launches stablecoin payments for corporate clients
PNC Bank partners with Coinbase to allow corporate clients to accept stablecoin payments, signaling faster settlement times for large-scale merchants.
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Banks Draw Lines Around Customers’ AI Agents
Banks are setting rules for how AI agents access customer accounts, a move that will change how shoppers apply for financing at the point of sale.
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geniosAI Raises $19.1 Million to Bring Traceable AI Analysis to Financial Institutions
A new $19M funding round for geniosAI signals a shift toward more transparent, data-driven credit analysis within financial institutions.
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How Canada's real-time payment rail challenges bank innovation
Canada’s new instant payment system paves the way for faster merchant settlements and lower-cost financing alternatives to traditional credit cards.
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home-improvement
regulation
Title waivers going national soon Pulte says; UWM, Rate already in
Federal regulators move to take mortgage title insurance waivers national, lowering closing costs for new homeowners and boosting potential renovation budgets.
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lender-updates
Nexi Sells Payment Provider Ratepay to Affirm
Affirm acquires Ratepay from Nexi, signaling a major expansion of its BNPL footprint across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
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FCA explores use of quantum computing to tackle financial crime
The UK regulator is testing quantum machine learning to spot fraud, promising faster and more accurate credit security for the future.
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TransUnion adds Snappt income verification to its SmartMove screening platform
TransUnion integrates AI document verification to combat application fraud and automate income checks for independent operators.
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New Jersey community banker on the virtue of fast following
First Bank’s 'fast follower' strategy suggests community lenders are prioritizing personal relationships over the immediate rollout of AI and instant payments.
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lender-updates
AmEx Takes Page From Trading Cards With Fanatics Deal
American Express and Fanatics launch a co-branded card featuring customizable athlete designs and high-yield rewards for sports fans.
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PNC Opens USDC Stablecoin Payments to Corporate Clients
PNC Bank now supports USDC stablecoin payments for corporate clients, signaling a shift toward digital currency in mainstream retail and business transactions.
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industry-news
Experian Aims to Help BNPL Users Boost Their Financial Health
Experian updates its Boost tool to include BNPL payments, allowing shoppers to build credit through point-of-sale financing.
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technology
Canada Launches Real-Time Rail for 24/7 Payments
Canada’s new instant payment system promises 24/7 fund settlements and better data tracking for merchants and finance providers.
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industry-news
Global Payments faces industry pricing pressure
Global Payments is pushing for higher merchant fees despite a hyper-competitive market, signaling potential cost increases for retail operators.
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Financial intelligence platform geniosAI raises $19.1m
A $19.1M investment in geniosAI points to a future of faster, more accurate automated loan approvals for retail and service operators.