Regulations & Policy

  • The Federal Trade Commission emblem on the Constitution Center in Washington, D.C.
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    Laurel Deppen/Payments Dive
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    FTC blasts payments processor Cliq

    The Federal Trade Commission lashed out at the firm formerly known as CardFlex, saying this week it should pay $52.9 million to consumers.

    By • Jan. 16, 2026
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    PayPal alums build fraud startup

    Veterans from the digital payments pioneer founded Pinch AI and have raised capital for a business that detects fraudulent returns.

    By Tatiana Walk-Morris • Jan. 15, 2026
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    Trendline

    Payments industry seeks to keep pace with fraudsters

    As losses from fraud in payments have climbed, companies are seeking new tools to combat illicit schemes.

    By Payments Dive staff
  • Ritchie Torres earned wage access fintechs regulation Congress
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    Michael M. Santiago via Getty Images
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    House Democrat joins EWA effort

    Earned wage access providers support a forthcoming bipartisan House bill that would provide federal regulation, overriding state laws.

    By • Jan. 15, 2026
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    Joe Raedle via Getty Images
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    Trump interest cap might spur lawsuit

    The CFO of the largest U.S. lender, JPMorgan, doesn’t rule out potential litigation by the banking industry to block any credit card interest rate cap.

    By Caitlin Mullen • Jan. 14, 2026
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    Credit Card Competition bill wins Trump support

    Sens. Dick Durbin and Roger Marshall reintroduced their proposal calling for more competition in the card network industry after the president endorsed it.

    By , • Updated Jan. 13, 2026
  • A close-up of Russell Vought, Director of the Office of Management and Budget, shows him looking up.
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    Anna Moneymaker / Staff via Getty Images
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    Vought concedes on CFPB funding

    The CFPB’s acting director requested $145 million from the Federal Reserve to carry out agency duties for the fiscal second quarter, but noted he disagreed with a judge’s decision ordering the agency to do so.

    By Caitlin Mullen • Jan. 13, 2026
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    Anna Moneymaker / Staff via Getty Images
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    Trump proposes card rate cap; banks eschew idea

    The president said he’d like a 10% cap on credit card interest rates for a year, starting this month, but banks said it would be “devastating” for consumers.

    By • Jan. 12, 2026
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    Checkout.com grabs special banking charter

    The payments processor received conditional approval for Georgia’s merchant acquirer limited purpose bank charter.

    By • Jan. 12, 2026
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    Win McNamee via Getty Images
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    Stripe to enable crypto payments

    A collaboration with Crypto.com announced Tuesday will allow consumers to make payments to merchants with digital currencies.

    By • Jan. 9, 2026
  • President Donald Trump waves to a crowd at the White House on April 2, 2025.
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    Andrew Harnik via Getty Images
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    Opinion

    How the US can drive payments modernization

    "The moment has arrived for the U.S. to meet the G20 targets and pursue the rewards of a faster, cheaper, and more competitive financial ecosystem," writes one payments executive.

    By Brigit Carroll • Jan. 9, 2026
  • CFPB earned wage access income employees regulations Russell Vought
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    Win McNamee via Getty Images
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    CFPB must request funds from Fed, court rules

    A federal judge rejected an argument that the bureau would run out of money in early 2026 because the central bank hadn’t turned a profit since 2022.

    By Dan Ennis • Jan. 7, 2026
  • A hand holds a phone on a kitchen table. The screen reads, "It's nice to see you, Diego! PayPal balance: $151.68, Crypto: $263.63. Send again."
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    Courtesy of PayPal
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    Deep Dive

    How payments will evolve: 6 industry trends to watch in 2026

    Stablecoins and agentic commerce are two trends that will shape payments this year, but there are several others highlighted in this list.

    By , , • Jan. 6, 2026
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    Bo Shen via Getty Images
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    DOJ presses Visa antitrust case

    The Justice Department is pressing ahead with the debit card market case brought against the network during the Biden administration.

    By • Jan. 6, 2026
  • Klarna BNPL IPO NYSE buy now pay later Walmart
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    Courtesy of Klarna Group
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    Klarna faces investor lawsuit

    The buy now, pay later company understated the risks of its consumer loans, the legal action alleges.

    By • Jan. 5, 2026
  • FedNow Federal Reserve instant payments banks
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    Michael M. Santiago via Getty Images
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    Fed report stirs debit fee debate

    The Federal Reserve issued a biennial report last week detailing interchange fees related to debit card transactions, reviving a battle over the central bank’s plans to reset a cap on the fees.

    By • Dec. 23, 2025
  • CFPB earned wage access income employees regulations Russell Vought
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    Win McNamee via Getty Images
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    CFPB shifts on EWA policy, again

    Certain employer-partnered earned wage access products aren’t subject to U.S. lending laws, the bureau said, formally discarding a 2024 Biden-era rule.

    By • Dec. 23, 2025
  • A Klarna sign at a Charlotte Premium Outlets mall in Charlotte, N.C. on March 26, 2022.
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    Caitlin Mullen/Payments Dive, data courtesy of Industry Dive employee Caitlin Mullen
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    Klarna, Shift4 embrace stablecoins

    Both companies announced stablecoin ventures in the past week.

    By • Dec. 23, 2025
  • The Federal Reserve building is seen January 22, 2008 in Washington, DC. People walk by.
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    Chip Somodevilla via Getty Images
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    Fed seeks ‘skinny’ account comment

    The Federal Reserve Board voted 6-1 Friday to gather public comment on creating a new special payments account for use by financial institutions.

    By • Dec. 22, 2025
  • Several Visa credit cards displayed on flat surface
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    Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
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    Opinion

    Visa’s new program rejects fake data

    “The industry has pulled together to try and meet the new requirements,” writes one industry CEO. “Unfortunately, some processors and gateways are already trying to game it.”

    By Jeremy Layton • Dec. 19, 2025
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    Mobile phone IDs may help fight fraud

    Biometric features in Apple iPhones and Google’s Android-based devices can pair with digital identifications to combat fraud, two U.S. House members said.

    By • Dec. 18, 2025
  • A hand holds a smartphone displaying the Affirm app.
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    Courtesy of Affirm
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    BNPL connected to poor mental health: study

    Johns Hopkins University researchers have spotted a link between people with mental health conditions and those that have used buy now, pay later loans.

    By • Dec. 18, 2025
  • Exterior view of a PNC Bank branch with a revolving glass door. The building facade has large vertical columns. The PNC Bank sign features a blue and orange color scheme above the entrance.
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    Alamy
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    Why PNC joined FedNow

    The bank finally joined the Federal Reserve’s instant payments system this year after a significant Treasury Department announcement.

    By • Dec. 17, 2025
  • open banking CFPB regulations fintechs apps banks
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    Open banking fees fuel debate

     Bank, fintech and consumer advocacy panelists disagreed this week during a panel discussion about the basis for imposing fees for data use.

    By • Dec. 17, 2025
  • A close up picture of an American Express credit card.
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    Getty Images
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    Amex CEO slams surcharges

    Steve Squeri said higher surcharges would be a negative experience for the card network’s customers.

    By • Dec. 16, 2025
  • A Klarna promotional sign is seen in a mall
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    Caitlin Mullen/Payments Dive
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    BNPL loan values rise, CFPB says

    The average size of buy now, pay later loans grew and use of the payment method inched up, a Consumer Financial Protection Bureau study said.

    By • Dec. 15, 2025