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

Explore the Trendline➔

Top 5 stories from Payments Dive

Dominant card networks, legacy payments processors and young fintechs are all jockeying to keep up with industry innovations and increased competition.

By Payments Dive staff

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

FedNow extension wins support

Stripe, Visa, Wise and industry trade groups back the Federal Reserve’s plan to expand its instant payment system for cross-border use.

By Shefali Kapadia • Aug. 10, 2026

Visa debit case turns on market definition, lawyers say

The card network will argue that the DOJ’s view of the debit card market is too narrow, legal experts predicted as the case heads toward trial.

By Justin Bachman • Aug. 10, 2026

Opening the Fed’s payment rails

“Supervision will need to answer practical questions: what operational resilience should be required before a participant touches core payment infrastructure?” wonders an SRM industry consultant.

By Larry Pruss • Aug. 7, 2026

Trump backs card bill, again

The president called card interchange fees a “ripoff” in a social media post backing the Republican co-sponsor of a bill aimed at reducing them.

By Justin Bachman • Aug. 4, 2026

Western Union faces profit drop

The cross-border payments company’s business has been hurt by U.S. immigration policies, forcing it to embark on a cost-cutting plan.

By Lynne Marek • Aug. 3, 2026

Visa loses bid to dismiss porn lawsuit

The card network must defend itself against a 2021 lawsuit related to sexual videos of underage minors that were posted on pornography sites.

By Justin Bachman • Aug. 3, 2026

Stablecoins complement dollar: Fed

The greenback will retain its dominance as stablecoins increasingly shape cross-border payments, speakers at a Fed conference predicted.

By Justin Bachman • July 30, 2026

OCC denies Wise a trust charter

After the federal agency rejected its U.S. trust charter application, the British fintech plans to submit a new one under the Genius Act framework.

By Caitlin Mullen • July 24, 2026

Maryland joins states issuing chip-enabled EBT cards

The upgraded payment method will help to reduce fraud and replace legacy magnetic stripe cards, the state’s governor said.

By Catherine Douglas Moran • July 24, 2026

Oregon proposes BNPL rules

The state’s proposed rules would require buy now, pay later firms to obtain a payday or consumer finance license. A trade group countered the proposal.

By Lynne Marek • July 21, 2026

Backing the president’s fintech order

“Regulation should preserve confidence in the system, but it should not inhibit responsible innovation,” writes one financial services lawyer.

By Joseph J. Schuster • July 17, 2026

EWA backers push for CFPB move

Supporters of earned wage access aim to update national oversight this year, backing a new law and seeking to confirm a Trump policy change.

By Lynne Marek • July 16, 2026