Аsia
Wise becomes first non-bank to be granted five licences in Thailand, accelerating its global expansion and growth
Wise Posted March 17, 2026
Wise, the global technology company building the best way to move and manage the world’s money, has secured regulatory approval from the Bank of Thailand and the Ministry of Commerce to operate locally in Thailand.
This means that Thai citizens, businesses and foreign residents will have the country’s first fully digital, foreign currency wallet for sending, receiving and spending money in multiple currencies all within one app. Customers can join the Thailand waitlist from today to be among the first to access the Wise account as the product is rolled out in stages.
Mastercard and CLIK Credit Bureau Indonesia join forces to empower lenders
Mastercard, Posted March 16, 2026
Mastercard today announced a strategic collaboration with CLIK Indonesia, a leading private credit bureau, to deliver advanced consulting services that empower card issuers and financial institutions across Indonesia. The collaboration addresses pressing market needs for optimal, data-driven intelligence that allows lenders to grow responsibly, improve decisioning, and protect portfolio health.
Indonesia’s financial sector is undergoing rapid transformation, driven by digital adoption, rising credit demand, and the expansion of small businesses. Indonesia has approximately 65.5 million micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) that employ a workforce of 119 million people[1]. These enterprises form the backbone of the Indonesian economy, accounting for more than 61 percent of the country’s gross domestic product, according to the Indonesian Central Bureau of Statistics. Despite their scale, access to finance remains the biggest obstacle to their growth. According to the 2026 IMF Article IV report, Indonesian MSMEs face significantly higher borrowing costs and more complex loan application procedures compared to peer economies.
NCR Voyix to Sell Bank Technology Solutions Business in Japan
FinanceX Magazine, Posted March 19, 2026
NCR Voyix today announced it has reached an agreement to sell its bank technology solutions business in Japan, operated by NCR Commerce Japan Ltd., to NTT DATA, a trusted global business and technology services leader headquartered in Tokyo. The transaction is expected to close by the end of 2026.
The business has supported financial institution clients in Japan for many years, delivering specialized technology and mission‑critical services including foreign exchange, loan, call center, video teller and network solutions.
Europe
Visa launches Agentic Ready program to accelerate AI-powered commerce in Europe
Business Review, Posted March 19, 2026
Visa, a global leader in digital payments, is launching Visa Agentic Ready, a program designed to help financial institutions and partners in the payments ecosystem prepare for commercial transactions initiated by AI-powered agents. Initially launched in Europe, the program will provide issuing partners with a structured framework to test and validate these types of transactions. Agentic Ready involves close collaboration with Visa and selected merchants to explore how these processes can operate securely at scale in controlled production environments.
Unzer expands its platform capabilities with integrated financial services
Financial IT, Posted March 18, 2026
Unzer Group, a leading European provider of payment and software solutions, today announced the launch of Unzer Financial Services. The new offering brings together a business account and commercial card that are fully connected to Unzer’s in-store and online payment solutions. Merchants gain real-time visibility into their financial activity and can track payments and spending through one connected ecosystem.
With Unzer Financial Services, Unzer strengthens its role as a single partner for commerce. The services are available through the UnzerOne dashboard and are integrated into Unzer’s broader software ecosystem. For small and medium-sized businesses, this creates a more streamlined financial setup that supports better cash flow planning and reduces operational friction.
USA
Mastercard deepens stablecoin push with up to $1.8 billion BVNK acquisition
Reuters, Posted March 17, 2026
New York’s Department of Financial Services has proposed rules that would fu
Mastercard (MA.N), opens new tab said on Tuesday it would buy stablecoin payments infrastructure firm BVNK for up to $1.8 billion, as the card giant deepens its push into blockchain-based transfers.
Increasing regulatory clarity and broader usage of stablecoins have created opportunities for card networks to expand beyond traditional cards into faster, lower-cost digital payment systems. Mastercard and rival Visa (V.N), opens new tab are competing to establish an early lead in the fast-evolving segment.
US fintech MoCaFi files for bankruptcy, begins formal liquidation process
Fintech Futures, Posted March 18, 2026
US-based fintech Mobility Capital Finance (MoCaFi) has filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy and is “beginning the formal liquidation process”, according to the company’s CEO and founder Wole Coaxum, who announced the news on LinkedIn.
In his post on LinkedIn, Coaxum shares: “This outcome is not the one we worked toward. The company faced a dramatic shift in its operating environment following the loss of a major programme that had been central to our revenue model. Despite exploring a range of options, we ultimately determined there was no credible path for the company to continue as a going concern.”
Candex extends Series C to $40m with HSBC investment
Fintech Global, Posted March 18, 2026
Candex, a vendor management and tail-spend solutions provider for global enterprises, has extended its Series C funding round to over $40m following a strategic investment from HSBC.
The raise brings Candex’s total funding to over $120m, with HSBC joining an existing investor base that includes Goldman Sachs, Altos Ventures, 9Yards Capital, Hedosophia, NFX, Craft Ventures, World Innovation Labs, JPMorgan, and American Express.
The investment is intended to support Candex’s long-term vision to transform high-volume, small-value supplier transactions into a fast, automated, and fully controlled component of enterprise finance.
LatAm
Ripple seeks Brazilian VASP licence amid expansion push
Fintech Futures, Posted March 18, 2026
Ripple is expanding its footprint in Brazil and has expressed its intent to apply for a Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) licence with the country’s central bank.
Ripple says the planned VASP application with the Central Bank of Brazil (BCB) reinforces “the compliance-first approach that has guided Ripple’s global operations for over a decade and its commitment to long-term growth in the region”.
As part of its expansion in the country, Ripple says businesses can now access its full institutional suite, spanning prime brokerage, clearing, financing, and treasury management.
Joint announcement – Nubank joins Febraban as an associate member
Nubank, Posted March 16, 2026
Following a favorable recommendation from board member Milton Maluhy Filho, the Febraban Board of Directors, at its first regular meeting in 2026, unanimously approved Nubank’s membership request, making the company part of the Federation’s group of associates.
Febraban CEO Isaac Sidney said, “Nubank’s initiative is very welcome, as it shows the institution’s interest in actively taking part in the industry’s forums for dialogue and institutional coordination. At the same time, it highlights Febraban’s own commitment to plurality, high-quality debate, and the joint development of sector-wide solutions in a representative and diverse environment.”
Latino-focused neobank DNERO gears up for launch
Fintech Futures, Posted March 19, 2026
US-based neobank DNERO is set to launch on 24 March to bridge the payments gap for Latinos managing finances across the US and Latin America.
“Today, many people pay between $8 and $20 or more per transfer once all fees and exchange rate spreads are included,” says DNERO, claiming to offer a digital wallet which “consolidates remittances, payments, and financial management into one unified ecosystem”.
It adds that its platform replaces “percentage-based fees, hidden foreign exchange margins, and multiple processing charges with transparent, predictable pricing”.
Santander and Visa Deliver Latin America’s First End-to-End Payments Powered by AI Agents
Santander, Posted March 12, 2026
Banco Santander and Visa today announced a strategic collaboration that marks the successful completion of Banco Santander’s first controlled pilot agentic commerce transactions in multiple Latin America markets. This milestone, conducted across five markets in the region (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico and Uruguay) was powered by Visa Intelligent Commerce (VIC), demonstrating a breakthrough in how consumers can securely delegate shopping tasks to trusted AI agents.
Visa Intelligent Commerce provides a suite of integrated technology capabilities that leverage Visa’s secure infrastructure to enable safe, transparent and consent-driven transactions initiated by AI agents on behalf of consumers, all while adhering to strict compliance and security standards. Through this collaboration, Banco Santander and Visa are advancing practical agentic commerce use cases and helping establish a framework to support responsible and scalable adoption across the region.
