Checkout.com Acquires Euro Stablecoin Issuer and Expands in Lithuania
Checkout.com has acquired Blue EMI, a licensed issuer of euro-backed stablecoins, marking a major step into regulated digital currency infrastructure. The deal allows Checkout.com to directly issue and manage stablecoin-based payment flows across Europe. Alongside the acquisition, the company is launching a new technology centre in Lithuania to accelerate product development and compliance capabilities. This positions Checkout.com to support real-time, blockchain-based payments for merchants and fintech partners. The move reflects growing demand for programmable money in cross-border commerce and settlement. It also strengthens Checkout.comโs role as a bridge between traditional payments and digital assets. Overall, the acquisition signals how major payment players are embedding stablecoins into mainstream financial services.
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๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ข๐ ๐ง ๐๐ง๐ญ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ข๐ ๐ข๐ญ๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐๐ง๐๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐ฎ๐๐ญ๐ฎ๐ซ๐
Iโve been studying how institutional stablecoin infrastructure is actually being built, not marketed.
GFTโs work on the Universal Digital Payments Network (UDPN) is a clear signal of where the real problem sits: interoperability, not token issuance.
The stablecoin market is fragmented by design. Different chains. Different regulatory regimes. Different compliance requirements. UDPN does not try to force convergence at the asset layer. It tries to standardize coordination instead.
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Key observations.
UDPN treats interoperability as a messaging problem, not a bridging problem. Assets stay on their native rails. A standardized messaging backbone coordinates settlement, compliance signals, and transaction intent across stablecoins, CBDCs, and tokenized deposits. This removes cross-chain security risk and operational complexity.
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Compliance is embedded, not bolted on. On-chain AML, jurisdiction-specific rules engines, and lifecycle management are part of the stablecoin management stack. A single stablecoin adapts to multiple regulatory regimes without being reissued or re-engineered.
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Institutional adoption assumes legacy persistence. UDPN integrates into existing bank cores and enterprise systems. No greenfield fantasy. No core replacement rhetoric. This is how regulated institutions actually move.
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Longer term, the direction is unavoidable: token-based core banking. A unified ledger where fiat deposits, stablecoins, and tokenized assets are native objects. Reconciliation collapses. End-of-day closing disappears. Programmability becomes a first-order property.
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The hard problems are not ignored. Fiat representation. Regulatory accounting. Capital treatment. Operational resilience. These are unresolved at scale, and pretending otherwise is irresponsible. Token-based systems force a rewrite of accounting logic, not just infrastructure diagrams.
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The takeaway is structural. The future of digital payments is heterogeneous by default. Multiple currencies, multiple networks, multiple jurisdictions. The winning layer is the one that lets them interoperate without pretending they are the same system.
Infrastructure over issuance. Coordination over dominance.
Curated News
๐ณ Payments
Mastercard Enables Australiaโs First Authenticated Agentic Transactions
Mastercard has completed what it claims are Australiaโs first authenticated โagenticโ transactions, allowing AI-driven agents to securely make payments on behalf of users. The development points to a future where automated systems can handle purchasing with built-in trust and verification.
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UAE Trials Palm Payments as Amazon Steps Away From Biometrics
The UAE central bank is piloting palm-based biometric payments to explore frictionless in-store transactions. Meanwhile, Amazon has scaled back similar technology, highlighting mixed global momentum around biometric commerce.
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ThriveCart Launches Card-Linked Installments as BNPL Alternative
ThriveCart has introduced ThrivePay Installments, allowing shoppers to split payments without traditional BNPL credit checks. The model links directly to cards, aiming to reduce risk while keeping checkout simple for merchants.
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Archax and OpenPayd Simplify Multi-Currency Settlement for Digital Assets
Archax and OpenPayd are partnering to streamline multi-currency payments for digital asset trading platforms. The collaboration aims to reduce friction between traditional banking rails and crypto markets.
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๐ฆ Banking
Thai Central Bank Questions the Need for Large Cash Holdings
Thailandโs central bank governor publicly questioned why individuals would need to hold as much as $6 million in physical cash. The comments support the countryโs broader push toward digital payments and tighter oversight of cash flows.
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ING UK Appoints New Global Head of Electronic Fixed Income Trading
ING has named Alex Yang as global head of electronic fixed income trading to drive digital transformation in bond markets. The hire reflects banksโ growing focus on automation and data-driven trading platforms.
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๐ Fintech
Ex-Revolut Team Raises $6M for Self-Custodial Money App
Former Revolut employees have secured $6 million to build a self-custodial finance app focused on user control over funds. The startup taps into rising demand for privacy and decentralized financial tools.
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OnePay Launches Free In-App Tax Filing
OnePay is rolling out a free tax filing feature directly within its financial app. The move aims to attract users by simplifying a traditionally expensive and painful process.
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Pine Labs Returns to Profit With Strong Revenue Growth
Pine Labs posted a Q3 profit as revenue jumped 24%, signaling improved efficiency in the payments infrastructure firm. The results highlight strong merchant demand across Asia.
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SOKIN Secures $100M in Growth Financing
Global payments fintech SOKIN has raised $100 million from Oxford Finance to fuel international expansion. The funding strengthens its position in cross-border financial services.
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๐ช Crypto
OKX Launches Mastercard Card for Stablecoin Spending in Europe
OKX has introduced a Mastercard-powered card allowing European users to spend stablecoins directly. The product bridges crypto wallets with everyday commerce.
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Gemini Introduces Zcash Rewards Credit Card
Gemini has launched a credit card that pays cashback rewards in Zcash. It expands crypto-based loyalty programs beyond Bitcoin and Ethereum.
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Tether Plans to Invest Up to 15% of Reserves in Gold
Tether is considering allocating a significant portion of its portfolio into gold to diversify backing assets. The move aims to boost stability and investor confidence in USDT.
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๐ WealthTech
WealthAi Raises $800K to Expand AI-Driven Investment Tools
WealthAi has secured $800,000 in pre-seed funding to develop AI solutions for portfolio analysis and wealth management. The startup targets smarter, data-driven investing experiences.
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โ๏ธ Regulation
Wall Street Meets SEC Crypto Task Force on DeFi Risks
Major financial firms held talks with the SECโs crypto task force to discuss decentralized finance oversight. The meetings highlight increasing regulatory focus on DeFi market stability.
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Russia Prepares July Rollout of New Crypto Regulations
Russian lawmakers confirmed a comprehensive crypto regulatory framework will launch in July. The rules aim to formalize trading, custody, and taxation of digital assets.
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๐งฉ Other
European Payments Council Explores Fraud Information Sharing Platform
The EPC has issued a request for information to develop a cross-industry fraud data-sharing system. The initiative could significantly improve real-time fraud prevention across Europe.
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Nova Credit and Seen Finance Partner to Expand Credit Access
Nova Credit and Seen Finance are combining alternative data and cash-flow analytics to help underserved consumers access credit. The partnership aims to modernize credit scoring beyond traditional bureaus.
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