All articles tagged with #payments
PayPal faces its biggest challenge yet as a crowded online checkout market intensifies competition from tech wallets and fintech rivals, pressuring the company to innovate beyond its core wallet and BNPL offerings to maintain merchant and shopper share.
Kickstarter has scrapped its newly introduced mature-content guidelines and restored an earlier version after backlash, noting that the rule changes were influenced by Stripe’s compliance requirements and that it has advocated for creators with Stripe; the company says it will continue pushing for flexibility and clarity while creators still face Stripe’s rules.
Tariff refunds have begun to be issued to eligible importers, with a heavy-truck manufacturer and a toy company among the first recipients as payments start flowing out.
Venmo is rolling out a major app redesign that sets new users’ posts to be visible only to friends by default during onboarding, with options to make posts public or private later. The update, part of a broader redesign including new surfaces like Send, Money, and Rewards, aims to boost user trust and privacy; rollout will occur in stages on iOS/Android in the coming weeks.
Unconfirmed reports and multiple sources have floated the possibility of LIV Golf shutting down, with talk of a New York meeting and payroll- or payment-related chatter; however, some players and media say operations are continuing and LIV Mexico City is proceeding as planned, leaving the situation as a developing story with no official confirmation.
The Social Security Administration will issue April 2026 benefits on Wednesday, April 15 to recipients born on the 11th–20th of any month; those born 1st–10th are paid on April 8 and those born 21st–31st on April 22. Average monthly benefits are about $2,079.49 for retired workers, $1,634.51 for disabled workers, and $1,624.37 for survivors. Some long-term beneficiaries are paid on the 3rd, and people who receive both Social Security and SSI are paid the Social Security amount on the 3rd and SSI on the 1st. Benefits can be received via direct deposit, Direct Express debit card, or the SSA’s online tool; changes to bank details can be made online or at SSA offices.
Social Security benefits are paid on a schedule tied to the benefit type and birth date. For April 2026, SSA retirement/disability/survivor payments go out on April 3, 8, 15, and 22 (second/third/fourth Wednesdays depending on birth date), while SSI payments are issued on April 1 (with the date moving to the prior weekday if the 1st falls on a weekend or holiday). If a payment is missing, check with your bank first, and contact the SSA at 1-800-772-1213 if needed to report or replace a due payment.
FTC Chairman Andrew N. Ferguson sent warning letters to the CEOs of PayPal, Stripe, Visa, and Mastercard, reiterating their obligations under the FTC Act and warning that denying access to financial services based on political or religious views could violate the law and trigger enforcement, referencing a 2025 executive order on debanking.
Mastercard is acquiring BVNK, a London-based stablecoin infrastructure firm, for up to $1.8 billion (including $300 million in performance-contingent payments), in its largest crypto investment to date. The deal would let Mastercard connect traditional payment rails with blockchain-based stablecoins and tokenized deposits, leveraging BVNK's platform across 130+ countries and major networks as digital currencies gain traction.
A global survey of 4,658 adults across 15 countries finds stablecoins, pegged to the dollar and totaling about $300 billion in market cap, are shifting from a trading tool to everyday money used for payments, payroll, and savings. Among crypto users, 54% held stablecoins in the past year and 56% plan to acquire more; freelancers earn roughly 35% of their income in stablecoins, and about three-quarters say it improves cross-border work. Holders allocate about one-third of their savings to crypto/stablecoins, with higher uptake in lower-income regions like Africa. About 52% have bought something specifically because a merchant accepts stablecoins, highlighting growing merchant acceptance. Regulators are moving to clarify rules, potentially accelerating adoption."
A banking chief warns that Europe urgently needs credible alternatives to Visa and Mastercard to reduce dependence on US-dominated payment networks, calling on policymakers and banks to act quickly to develop independent payment rails.
DOJ-released bank statements show three $25,000 transfers totaling $75,000 from Jeffrey Epstein to accounts linked to Lord Mandelson in 2003–04; Mandelson says he has no record or recollection of receiving the funds and has apologized for continuing his association with Epstein, while the documents include other Epstein files and images but there is no proven wrongdoing. Epstein’s 2008 conviction and 2019 death are noted in the context of the broader release.
Capital One announced a definitive agreement to acquire Brex in a $5.15 billion stock-and-cash deal, combining Brex’s AI-native spend-management and corporate-card platform with Capital One’s scale and underwriting; the transaction is expected to close mid-2026, with Brex leadership remaining to drive growth and expand business payments solutions.
Stablecoin usage for real-world payments in the US has surged by 70% since new legislation was enacted, with over $10 billion moved in August, primarily for business-to-business transfers, as companies leverage stablecoins to bypass banking delays and earn yields, indicating rapid growth and increasing adoption in the financial sector.
Google has introduced the Agent Payments Protocol (AP2), an open standard for AI-driven purchases that is supported by over 60 merchants and financial institutions, aiming to facilitate interoperable, traceable transactions for automated shopping and booking, with plans to integrate cryptocurrency payments and support from major financial players.