Will Europe unseat Visa, Mastercard?

The Wero project launched by European banks is making progress in challenging the card networks’ dominance on the continent, but the U.S. companies still have an edge, one firm’s analysts contend.

By Lynne Marek • Sept. 30, 2026

Senate passes Common Cents bill

The measure to provide merchants a cash rounding framework, and to formally phase out the penny, now heads to the White House.

By Justin Bachman • Sept. 29, 2026

Explore the Trendline➔

Stablecoins enter the payments universe

Stablecoins are gaining ground thanks to passage of the Genius Act, forcing companies to consider competitive strategies in the digital realm.

By Payments Dive staff

FedNow tiptoes into cross-border

The Federal Reserve is inching toward adding some sort of cross-border capability to FedNow, but it’s not clear when or how.

By Lynne Marek • Sept. 29, 2026

Fed proposes stablecoin rules

The regulations aim to make these digital assets “foster payments improvements that benefit households and businesses,” Federal Reserve Gov. Michael Barr said.

By Gabrielle Saulsbery • Sept. 28, 2026

How digital IDs may battle fraud

Americans are vulnerable to identification and payment frauds because the U.S. has been slow to adopt digital identification, two Congress members said.

By Justin Bachman • Sept. 23, 2026

FleetCor enters $100M settlement

The fuel card company, now known as Corpay, and its CEO agreed to pay the Federal Trade Commission $100 million to settle an action over fees.

By Lynne Marek • Sept. 17, 2026

Scammers fake student identities to siphon aid payments

The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network is warning payment processors and financial institutions “to be vigilant” of the fraud schemes.

By Shefali Kapadia • Sept. 17, 2026

Clarity Act bill stumbles

A measure to regulate crypto assets and stablecoin payments failed in the Senate. Regulators now may have to forge a blueprint for the sector.

By Dan Ennis • Sept. 17, 2026

House passes Common Cents bill

The bill officially ends minting of pennies and allows merchants to round to the nearest nickel, though the coins are already out of production. It’s the second time the chamber has taken up such legislation.

By Lynne Marek • Sept. 16, 2026

Block seeks OCC bank charter

Cash App’s parent is joining a parade of fintechs seeking to become national banks as the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency allows more leeway for such licenses.

By Justin Bachman • Sept. 9, 2026

Processor pays $12M to settle ‘sham’ merchant case

ISO Humboldt Merchant Services agreed to settle a Federal Trade Commission lawsuit that alleged it processed fraudulent payments.

By Justin Bachman • Sept. 9, 2026

Nuvei pays $4.9M to settle FTC case

The company has agreed to settle a Federal Trade Commission lawsuit that alleged it handled processing for merchants that were engaged in scams.

By Justin Bachman • Sept. 8, 2026

EWA grows despite legal limbo

Instant Financial and Clair are among the earned wage access companies expanding even as state and federal oversight evolves.

By Lynne Marek • Aug. 31, 2026

Visa delivers 6M documents to DOJ

The government and the card network will need to complete their pre-trial evidence work by the end of January, a magistrate ruled Friday.

By Justin Bachman • Aug. 31, 2026

Illinois seeks to support cash use

A new state law will require retailers to accept cash for most transactions below $500, and fine repeat violators up to $5,000.

By Tatiana Walk-Morris • Aug. 28, 2026

Is the nickel nearing a revamp?

It costs 13 cents to produce the five-cent coin. Congress wants the U.S. to explore more cost-effective methods.

By Justin Bachman • Aug. 27, 2026

Regulators pursue stablecoin rules

Separate proposals advanced by the SEC and the FASB last week could provide the cryptocurrency sector with regulatory relief as legislation founders.

By Maura Webber Sadovi • Aug. 21, 2026

Visa, DOJ lawyers clash ahead of trial

The government and card network are trading accusations of overly broad discovery requests and ‘gamesmanship’ in the DOJ’s debit card lawsuit.

By Justin Bachman • Aug. 20, 2026

Doxo to pay $2.1M settlement

The online bill-pay company agreed to settle a case brought by the Federal Trade Commission over deceptive ads and undisclosed fees.

By Tatiana Walk-Morris • Aug. 18, 2026

Western Union navigates challenges

The company is dealing with turmoil from the shift to digital money transfers as it seeks regulatory approvals for a $500 million deal for rival Intermex.

By Justin Bachman • Aug. 17, 2026

How state payments oversight skids

“In the absence of a federal consumer privacy framework, both consumers and businesses are paying the price,” one company founder writes.

By Ruston Miles • Aug. 14, 2026

Sezzle pivots to national bank charter

With states imposing tighter rules on buy now, pay later companies, Sezzle CEO Charlie Youakim views a federal charter as “the most robust solution.”

By Justin Bachman • Aug. 13, 2026

Cash lags credit, debit payments

Though most consumers prefer debit and credit card payments, 90% say they’ll still use cash for the foreseeable future, a Fed survey finds.

By Tatiana Walk-Morris • Aug. 13, 2026

States lean in on payments plays

States are taking a larger role to regulate emerging payments offerings, like earned wage access and buy now, pay later. How will that unfold? Here is the perspective of one lawyer who worked for California state government.

By Lynne Marek • Aug. 12, 2026

Senate passes cash-rounding bill

If enacted, the new law would provide a federal framework for how to round cash retail transactions as pennies grow scarce.

By Justin Bachman • Aug. 11, 2026