Аsia
UnionPay Launches Agentic Payment Open Protocol Framework: Building an Open, Trusted Smart Payment Ecosystem
PR Newswire, Posted April 3, 2026
On April 2, a special taxi booking transaction was successfully completed in Hong Kong, China. After entering the booking information into the AI assistant developed by the technology company Evonet, the tester quickly received a list of available taxi types and prices from the ride-hailing platform Hoppa, along with a recommended booking option.
As an international card scheme with a global footprint, UnionPay has officially released the Agentic Payment Open Protocol (APOP) framework – UnionPay’s solution for agent-based payments – leveraging its platform capabilities and neutrality.
Marketnode’s AI Joins Finastra’s Loan IQ to Automate Credit Agreement Processing for Global Lenders
Finance Magazine, Posted April 5, 2026
Finastra and Singapore-based Marketnode have announced a technical integration that automates the credit agreement onboarding process for corporate lenders, reducing deal setup time from approximately two hours to 10 minutes by combining AI document extraction with Finastra’s Loan IQ platform.
The partnership is live and hosted on Microsoft Azure, connecting Marketnode’s Smartflow document intelligence layer to Loan IQ via the platform’s Nexus Build API module. For syndicated and bilateral loan desks still running manual data entry workflows, the operational implication is direct: faster time-to-revenue on new deals, lower headcount per transaction, and a measurable reduction in keystroke-driven data errors.
Singapore Gulf Bank Joins BNY’s Correspondent Banking Network and Fixed Income Brokerage Platform
Investing News Network, Posted April 6, 2026
Singapore Gulf Bank (SGB), a fully licensed bank backed by Whampoa Group and Mumtalakat, today announced a partnership with BNY, joining its correspondent banking network and onboarding to its Fixed Income Brokerage platform.
By joining BNY’s correspondent banking network, SGB adds a leading U.S. dollar clearing provider to its expanding network of correspondent banking and payment infrastructure. This relationship strengthens SGB’s ability to support real-time, 24/7 settlement for global corporates.
8B and PayU Partner to Bring UPI and Other Indian Payment Methods to Central Asia
PYMNTS, Posted April 8, 2026
8B, a Central Asian fintech infrastructure company, and PayU, India’s leading diversified fintech platform, have signed a strategic partnership to bring UPI, one of the world’s fastest-growing digital payment systems, and other Indian payment offerings to Central Asia. The integration of PayU’s APIs into 8B’s merchant network across Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and the broader region enables users in India to make payments to merchants in Central Asia via UPI, net banking, and local cards. This collaboration marks a significant milestone in strengthening the digital payment infrastructures between the two economies.
Europe
A Breath of Fresh AIR: Revolut’s Financial Literacy Chatbot
Fintech Magazine, Posted April 9, 2026
Global neobank Revolut introduce a new in-app AI assistant designed to assist users in what it terms as a new era of money intelligence AIR, or AI by Revolut, is the latest innovation that the banking titan has introduced as it elevates its customer experience strategy.
With over 70 million global customers, the bank’s innovation results in more than 1 billion transactions monthly.
Revolut’s in-app assistant will provide users with more insight to spending habits, which the bank says empowers users to gain a “holistic view” of their money.
Snappi scales up after Greek launch with Paymentology
Retail Banker International, Posted April 9, 2026
Paymentology is working with Snappi as the Athens-based digital bank moves from initial rollout to a stage focused on expanding features, handling higher volumes and strengthening systems to meet regulatory expectations.
Snappi is a newly authorised digital bank in Europe.
It received a universal banking licence from the European Central Bank in 2024, which allows it to provide services such as deposits and lending.
Private banking for a new generation: How millennials approach wealth in the UK
Fintech Futures, Posted April 9, 2026
Wealth management is on the cusp of a major demographic shift. Over the next two decades, an estimated $80 trillion will be transferred from baby boomers to younger generations in North America alone, a trend mirrored in the UK, research from Cerulli Associates indicates.
For these digital-native inheritors and self-made entrepreneurs, wealth management is being redefined. This article examines how modern private banking aligns with five key millennial priorities, values-based investing, digital integration, collaborative planning, entrepreneurial support, and accessible models, while offering a crucial antidote to the risks of unregulated financial advice proliferating online.
USA
Experian Express Gives Small Lenders a Self-Service Onboarding Platform
Finovate, Posted April 9, 2026
International data and technology company Experian introduced its Experian Express solution this week. The new offering is a self-service platform that enables credit unions, community banks, and smaller lenders to digitally credential, onboard, and pull credit reports quickly and efficiently via a 100% online process. Experian Express provides data on more than 245 million credit-active consumers, ensures 99.9% data freshness in North America, and offers understandable, human-readable reports.
Writing about the new offering on the Experian blog, Nathalie Stecko, Marketing Program Manager for the company’s commercial solutions, highlighted the challenges faced by smaller lenders when it comes to securing reliable credit-reporting solutions. “Many available options frequently require technical integration, such as full Application Programming Interface (API) implementation or enterprise-level approvals, creating barriers that small lenders cannot easily overcome,” Stecko explained. “Minimum volume requirements further intensify the challenge, forcing smaller creditors to pay disproportionately high costs for the limited number of reports they need.”
Citigroup says AI helps speed account openings and systems upgrades
Reuters, Posted April 8, 2026
Citigroup is using artificial intelligence to speed up account openings and the retirement of old software, the U.S. bank’s head of technology, Tim Ryan, said, as the firm pushes to improve productivity.
U.S. banks are embracing AI, the biggest technological upheaval to the world economy since the internet, to boost productivity and, in some cases, cut jobs.
LatAm
Nubank evolves contactless payments and integrates Pix, debit, and credit in a single tap on the phone
Nubank, Posted April 7, 2026
Nubank, one of the largest digital financial services platforms in the world, announces an evolution in its contactless payment experience with the “Pay by Tap” feature, integrating Pix (either one-time or in installments of up to 12 times), debit, and credit into a single payment flow on the phone. The new feature allows customers to make payments simply by bringing their device close to terminals compatible with contactless technology, with no need for a physical card.
Slow Growth in Latin America and the Caribbean amid Global Uncertainty and Weak Investment
World Bank, Posted April 8, 2026
Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) is projected to grow 2.1% in 2026, below the 2.4% recorded in 2025, according to the latest Latin America and the Caribbean Economic Update. Growth for 2027 is projected at 2.4%. The subdued outlook reflects a challenging macroeconomic environment, with high borrowing costs, weak external demand, and inflationary pressures from geopolitical uncertainty damping private investment and job creation.
