Fintech

Mastercard bought BVNK for $1.8 billion, Visa is hunting for a new partner, and Swift just tested its blockchain ledger with HSBC and Standard Chartered. The stablecoin payments race has begun in earnest.

Mastercard ha comprato BVNK per 1,8 miliardi, Visa cerca un nuovo partner e Swift ha testato il suo ledger blockchain con HSBC e Standard Chartered. La corsa agli stablecoin nei pagamenti è iniziata sul serio.

Revolut, a pioneer of remote work, is shifting its strategy. From 2027, graduates and interns must be in the office three days a week. The move sparks a debate on training, career growth, and the value of learning through "social contagion."

ABN Amro is betting on Mistral instead of American AI labs. It's not just a technology choice, it's a wager on digital sovereignty for European banking

Visa is acquiring BioCatch, the Israeli behavioral-intelligence fraud specialist, for $2.4 billion. The technology screens 19 billion digital banking sessions a month across 760 million users.

Visa is paying $2.4 billion in cash for BioCatch, the Israeli behavioral-biometrics firm that protects 760 million users across roughly 350 banks from AI-powered fraud.

Revolut received its full French banking licence on August 10, after a year-long review by the ACPR and the ECB. It's the fintech's second full EU banking licence after Lithuania, with expansion already planned into five more countries.

Mastercard completed its $1.8 billion acquisition of BVNK on August 3, a London-based stablecoin payments infrastructure firm moving $30 billion a year across 200-plus markets.

Global fintech funding hit $28.6bn in H1 2026, up 22.7% year over year, even as deal count fell 25.7%. From Stripe's $159bn valuation to Ramp's $44bn, mega-rounds are redefining the sector.

Brazil built a free payment system for its citizens that has already won over 170 million people and is now unsettling Washington. A story that reveals where digital money is heading across the world.

OpenAI has rolled out ChatGPT's personal finance feature to all Plus users in the US. Connect your bank and cards, and the AI analyzes your money with real answers, not generic advice.

Among the first regulated financial platforms in Europe to bring an AI‑driven treasury agent for SMEs to market, iBanFirst will make the new solution available to all customers starting 1 July 2026.

Elon Musk launches X Money in the United States, aiming to turn X into the digital bank of the future. Instant payments, Visa card, cashback, and yields up to 6%: the social network that wants to replace your bank account.

PaySwiss‑X, Switzerland’s first token‑enabled payment platform, delivers instant settlements, 30 % lower fees and built‑in smart‑contracts for B2B transactions while guaranteeing full blockchain traceability and regulatory compliance.

Swiss fintech iSwiss Pay, led by CEO Christopher Aleo, opens a U.S. operation offering American‑based accounts and instant euro‑dollar transfers. The move positions the group as the “natural bridge” linking European and American markets for cross‑border payments.

Mollie unveils Tap App, a free mobile solution that converts any NFC‑compatible smartphone or tablet into a point‑of‑sale terminal. Integrated with Mollie’s Dashboard, it eliminates hardware costs and offers flexible pricing for merchants, pop‑ups, hospitality venues and mobile professionals across Europe.

Smartwage Closes Pre‑Seed Round with Step Fund, the Venture‑Capital Arm of ACP SGR, to Transform Corporate Welfare into Real‑World Spending by Harnessing the Full Potential of AI and Digital Payments. The transaction involves a total investment of €2 million

Revolut receives full UK banking approval as the Bank of England removes restrictions, putting the fintech in direct competition with major banks.

ClearScore launches the Agentic Credit Broking Protocol, a framework for AI agents to operate as compliant credit intermediaries.