The Latest

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  CFPB budget becomes court fight

  The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which has sought to police payments plays, has made its funding a key issue in battling two lawsuits that aim to keep the agency open.

  Banking

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  Sponsored by NOWPayments

  Crypto payments no longer belong to one region

  The global distribution of crypto payment activity has undergone a quiet but decisive shift. The United States continues to be the single largest market by volume.

  Technology

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  Why Block created a credit score

  The digital payments company has services like Cash App and Afterpay that are largely used by young customers who lack credit histories.

  Retail

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  Vanco, ACS Technologies merge to court churches

  The two companies aim to provide payment processing and church management software through a single digital hub. 

  Banking

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  Visa’s new program vexes merchants

  The card giant’s revamped system for assessing interchange fees on credit card transactions has socked some merchants with higher costs.

  Retail

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  Airwallex raises $330M in new funding

  The payment player’s latest capital injection will help fund further U.S. expansion and a second headquarters in San Francisco.

  Banking

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  Payments players cozy up to crypto

  Banks, card networks and fintechs are issuing stablecoins, and embracing the digital currency infrastructure to usher clients into a new financial era.

  Retail

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  Fed proposes reduced check services

  The Federal Reserve voted Thursday to consider reducing the availability of check processing services for banks and credit unions.

  Banking

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  Fiserv faces security issue lawsuit

  A civil complaint alleges the payment processor misled its customers about the use of two-factor authentication to access systems containing sensitive information.

  Banking

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  Google preps $700M settlement payouts

  Two years after the tech giant agreed to settle Play store antitrust complaints with states and consumers, the claims process is gearing up.

  Retail

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  FinCen targets illegal remittances

  The federal government’s financial security enforcement arm urged money transfer businesses to be on the lookout for illegal cross-border transfers.

  Retail

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  Flexbase takes on Amex

  The personal and business finance software firm is betting that private banking services and a new, ultra-premium credit card will lure wealthy entrepreneurs.

  Banking

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  Pressure on Bill Holdings rises

  Another shareholder, Barington Capital Management, urged the finance and payments software provider to cut costs and consider a sale.

  Technology

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  Stripe to buy Metronome

  The digital payments player has agreed to purchase U.S. billing platform Metronome, bringing together software firms that operate in the same realm.

  Banking

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  Billtrust, Pavilion tap new CEOs

  The payments players, both of which are owned by private equity firms, switched leaders this month as they charge ahead with growth plans.

  B2B

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  Former PayPal execs invest in Sokin

  The former C-suite executives pitched in to help the cross-border payments startup raise $50 million as it seeks to expand internationally.

  Retail

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  Deep Dive

  Digital wallet use outpaces regulators

  Consumers are increasingly turning to these mobile tools for convenience and new features, and regulators are trying to catch up.

  Regulations & Policy

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  BNPL spending storms on

  The buy now, pay later industry has posted record spending levels so far during the holiday shopping season, even as it faces heightened regulatory scrutiny.

  Retail

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  Cash App spam settlement approved

  A federal judge issued final approval Tuesday of a $12.5 million class action agreement resolving consumer complaints over Cash App marketing messages in Washington state.

  Retail

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  BNPL drives over $1B in online spend on Cyber Monday

  Overall spending on the digital shopping day topped $14 billion in the U.S., per Adobe Analytics. Shopify also touted record sales despite technical difficulties.

  Retail

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  AGs demand BNPL loan info

  State attorneys general asked for information from buy now, pay later firms, including Klarna and Affirm, regarding loans and user disputes.

  Regulations & Policy

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  PayRange buys rival KioSoft

  The two payments companies in the unattended retail arena ended a four-year legal battle last year, and now one is falling into the other’s arms.

  Technology

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  United, Southwest turn to debit

  The airlines’ loyalty programs are responding to the millions of Americans who prefer to use a debit card for purchases in lieu of credit.

  Retail

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  Amazon, Visa team on agentic tools

  The retail juggernaut is locking arms with the largest U.S. card network to provide software developers with tools and contacts for creating agentic commerce experiences.

  Retail

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  Holiday data sends mixed signals

  Data from Mastercard, Morgan Stanley and others show consumers wary of holiday spending, but also gunning ahead with outlays.

  Retail

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  Opinion

  Will Trump be good for payments innovation?

  The positives and negatives of the administration’s policies for the industry have stacked up in the months since he took office.

  Banking

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