Аsia
India’s Axis Bank, J.P. Morgan roll out anytime dollar payments for clients
Reuters, Posted March 27, 2025
India’s Axis Bank has partnered with J.P. Morgan to offer real-time U.S. dollar payment capabilities to commercial clients in the country, facilitated by Kinexys, the U.S-based lender’s blockchain and digital assets unit.
This is the first instance where an Indian company will have the flexibility to make or receive dollar payments at any time, J.P. Morgan said in a statement on Thursday.
#
Viamericas launches its open payment network in the Philippines
IBS Intelligence, Posted April 2, 2025
Viamericas, a remittance and international money transfer provider, has launched its open payment network in the Philippines. This initiative offers an API that enables payers in the country to provide faster, more affordable, and secure cross-border transfers.
Financial institutions, payment service providers, and FinTechs can integrate with Viamericas’ API, allowing businesses of all sizes to expand their services while maintaining complete control over their customer experience.
#
Nexus Global Payments Officially Launches, Marking Move to Operational Phase
Fintech News Singapore, Posted April 3, 2025
A consortium of central banks has formally established Nexus Global Payments (NGP) in Singapore to manage a new multilateral cross-border payment system.
The founding members are the Reserve Bank of India, Bank Negara Malaysia, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), and the Bank of Thailand.
NGP, incorporated as a non-profit company limited by guarantee, will oversee the operationalisation of the Nexus scheme.
#
Wise Opens New, Larger Office in Singapore to Support APAC Growth
Fintech News Singapore, Posted April 2, 2025
Wise, a global online money transfer service, announced that it has relocated its Asia Pacific hub to a larger office in Singapore’s Paya Lebar Quarter to accommodate regional growth.
The new office space covers 31,800 square feet, a 25% increase from its previous location.
The new Singapore workspace incorporates enhanced facilities, including additional meeting rooms, phone booths, and wellness areas like nap rooms and multi-faith rooms.
#
Aspire secures license to launch investment service
Tech in Asia, Posted April 3, 2025
Singapore-based financial platform Aspire has received a Capital Markets Services (CMS) Licence from the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), announced on Apr. 3.
This allows Aspire to offer regulated investment solutions for businesses in Singapore. With this licence, Aspire plans to launch Aspire Yield, an investment solution integrated into its business account platform.
#
India’s credit card spend slumps to 7-month low as tax season squeezes
IBS Intelligence, Posted April 3, 2025
Credit card spending in India declined in February 2025, in line with historical trends. The latest industry data reveals a 9% month-on-month (MoM) drop in total card spending to Rs 1,672 billion ($19.52 billion), marking the lowest spending levels in seven months. However, on a year-on-year (YoY) basis, spending showed a 12% increase, albeit at a slower pace compared to previous months.
Total transaction volumes also followed a similar trend, declining 8% MoM to 396 million, reflecting a moderation in consumer expenditure. This marks the slowest YoY growth in 13 months, with volumes increasing by 27% compared to February 2024. The average spending per transaction softened from Rs 4,282 in January to Rs 4,219 in February, indicating a cautious approach by consumers.
#
Payment Options, Posted March 28, 2025
Small businesses and SMEs can soon accept credit and debit card payments with just their mobile devices – anytime, anywhere. Payment Options is proud to announce a strategic collaboration with MineSec, a leader in SoftPOS technology, to introduce a seamless and hardware-free payment solution to businesses.
With SoftPOS, merchants no longer require additional hardware to collect payments. They can transform their smartphones into a secure, tap-to-pay terminal. This innovation provides an alternative way to accept card payments, ensuring that businesses don’t miss out.
“Card payments remain as one of the most used payment methods around the world. By integrating SoftPOS into our payment solutions, we are offering SMEs a simple yet powerful way to collect payments—whether in-store, on the go, or at pop-up events,” said Aaron Yip, CEO of Payment Options.
This partnership expands Payment Options’ growing suite of solutions, which includes QR code payments, online payment gateways, payment links, subscription-based payments, and an appointment scheduling platform. Using MineSec’s SoftPOS technology, businesses can now provide customers with higher payment flexibility, effortless checkout experiences, and boost sales.
#
Europe
Wise, Posted March 31, 2025
Zempler Bank, a digital bank serving start-ups and microbusinesses, has today announced the launch of its new Outbound International Payments service in partnership with Wise Platform to meet growing customer appetite for overseas expansion. This new offering allows more than 500,000 Zempler customers to send international payments in multiple currencies with ease and security.
The initial rollout of the service will enable Zempler’s business customers to send payments to both US Dollar (USD) denominated accounts in the US and to Euro (EUR) accounts in the SEPA region.
#
Klarna Brings BNPL to High-Speed Rail With Eurostar Partnership
PYMNTS, Posted April 2, 2025
Pay-later platform Klarna has launched a partnership with rail service Eurostar.
The collaboration, announced Wednesday (April 2), lets travelers in the U.K. and France split the cost of their tickets into three interest-free payments, and marks Klarna’s first time working with a train provider.
“Eurostar has changed the way we travel between the UK and Europe … now Klarna is changing the way we pay for it,” Raji Behal, head of Klarna’s western and southern Europe operations, said in a news release.
“Whether you’re heading to Paris for a weekend getaway or Brussels for business, you can now check out with Klarna and choose to pay in full or split the cost over time.”
#
UniCredit nears launch of Banco BPM bid as Credit Agricole ups stake
Reuters, Posted April 2, 2025
Credit Agricole (CAGR.PA), opens new tab got the all clear to take a bigger stake in Italy’s Banco BPM (BAMI.MI), opens new tab, posing a hurdle to UniCredit (CRDI.MI), opens new tab which said on Wednesday it would launch its 14 billion euro ($15 billion) tender offer for BPM on April 28.
UniCredit’s takeover offer is one of a series of hostile bids shaking up Italy’s banking sector, which has rebuilt capital reserves from record profits fuelled by high interest rates, after a bad loan clean-up.
#
UK Regulator Intends to Start Authorizing Crypto Firms in 2026
CoinDesk, Posted March 28, 2025
The U.K.’s crypto industry has just over 12 months to prepare for an even stricter regulatory regime, a senior official with the country’s finance regulator said.
Matthew Long, director of payments and digital assets at the U.K.’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), told CoinDesk in an interview that the “impending gateway regime” that is earmarked for 2026 will in fact be a new authorization regime for crypto companies.
“We will have a gateway which will allow authorization. But obviously we’ve got to go through those consultations, create those rules and get the legislation for that to take place,” Long said.
#
USA
MoneyGram Implements Mastercard Move to Facilitate Digital Money Movement
PYMNTS, Posted April 2, 2025
MoneyGram has implemented Mastercard Move, a portfolio of money transfer solutions, to facilitate digital money movement domestically and across borders.
With this integration, MoneyGram customers can use any U.S.-issued Mastercard card to send funds to 38 eligible receiving markets and receive money through nearly 10 billion additional endpoints around the world, the companies said in a Wednesday (April 2) press release emailed to PYMNTS.
MoneyGram and Mastercard plan to increase the number of receiving markets and add more cross-border payment capabilities for MoneyGram customers throughout the year, according to the release.
“Our expanding global network, present in nearly every country, is one of our most valuable assets,” MoneyGram CEO Anthony Soohoo said in the release. “Through strategic alliances like this, we continue to grow our network, advancing MoneyGram’s mission to make cross-border payments seamless, affordable and secure for everyone.”
#
Visa bids $100 million to replace Mastercard as Apple’s new credit card partner, WSJ reports
Reuters, Posted April 1, 2025
Visa (V.N), opens new tab has offered Apple (AAPL.O), opens new tab roughly $100 million to take over the tech giant’s credit card partnership from Mastercard (MA.N), opens new tab, the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday, citing sources familiar with the matter.
Visa has made a bold push to secure the Apple Card, offering an upfront payment typically reserved for the largest card programs, WSJ reported.
#
Aria integrates Mangopay’s wallet infra to augment B2B payments
IBS Intelligence, Posted April 4, 2025
Aria, a provider of deferred payment infrastructure for B2B marketplaces, has partnered with Mangopay to enhance its embedded finance solutions. The collaboration integrates Mangopay’s wallet infrastructure and virtual IBANs to improve the management of GBP and USD payment flows.
The partnership aims to increase reconciliation efficiency, streamline payouts and refund management, and reduce transaction processing times. Aria’s platform enables embedded invoice financing, allowing sellers to receive payments immediately while buyers defer payments, minimising credit risk and simplifying transactions for B2B marketplaces.
#
LatAm
PedidosYa launches financial services offerings
Latam List, Posted March 24, 2025
Uruguayan foodtech PedidosYa expanded its services to offer financial products to restaurants, including loans and digital wallets. PedidosYa plans to extend similar offerings to gig workers on its platform. “Without being a bank, we provide loans to restaurants to finance working capital or expand their business. We are also developing a wallet-like account that allows partners to make transfers, pay suppliers, get personal credit cards, advance payments, and invest their money,” said PedidosYa CEO Esteban Gutierrez.
#
Betterfly ceases operations in five Latin American countries
Latam List, Posted March 24, 2025
Chilean unicorn Betterfly ceased operations in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru as part of a strategic reorganization. Betterfly now operates in Chile, Mexico, and Spain, with plans to expand to the US.
“We want to focus our resources on the opportunities with the greatest impact. The United States represents a healthcare market 30 times larger than those five countries combined, while Chile, Mexico, and Spain generate 94% of our revenue,” Betterfly stated, according to Forbes.
#
