Checkout.com Partners with Coinbase to Expand Crypto Payments
Checkout.com has partnered with Coinbase to strengthen the connection between traditional payments and digital assets. The collaboration is expected to make it easier for merchants to accept and process cryptocurrency transactions while leveraging Checkout.com’s global payments infrastructure and Coinbase’s crypto ecosystem. As businesses increasingly seek flexible payment options, the partnership aims to simplify crypto-enabled commerce without requiring merchants to build blockchain capabilities from scratch. The move also reflects growing demand for payment providers that can support both fiat and digital asset transactions within a unified platform. By combining their respective strengths, Checkout.com and Coinbase are helping accelerate the mainstream adoption of crypto payments in global commerce. The partnership underscores how collaborations between established fintech companies and crypto firms are becoming a key driver of the next generation of payment infrastructure.
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Public Blockchains and Regulated Financial Institutions
Public blockchains present a compelling opportunity for financial institutions (FIs) to access open, interoperable infrastructure that can support innovation across payments, tokenization, and capital markets. However, their adoption in regulated financial services remains constrained by a set of structural risks and concerns that are inherent in their design. These risks are not easily mitigated by individual institutions and instead require coordinated action across the technology stack and regulatory environment.
This report identifies key challenges FIs face in the use of public blockchains, and focuses on four that appear straightforward, but remain unresolved: transaction front-running, transaction omission or censorship, the receipt of unsolicited tokens, and the risk of gas fees being paid to sanctioned entities. These challenges persist due to differences in perspective, risk tolerance, and design philosophies between FIs and the broader public blockchain ecosystem.
The report also identified other challenges, many of which are also experienced by non-institutional public blockchain participants. These tend to be better understood, with solutions under active development. However, even in these cases, FIs often have more stringent and nuanced requirements. For such challenges, we focus on highlighting the considerations of FIs to help ensure solutions can better address institutional needs.
To evaluate potential responses, this report introduces a layered framework spanning application, smart contract, token standard, blockchain network, network governance, and regulatory layers. A key insight is that solutions that are most accessible to FIs, such as those at the application and smart contract layers, primarily mitigate symptoms rather than solve the root causes. By contrast, more effective and durable solutions reside at the protocol and governance layers, where FIs have limited direct control. Therefore, meaningful progress depends on collaboration between FIs, protocol developers, and policymakers.
In the near term, FIs can adopt a range of practical mitigations, including engaging with private transaction pools, designing smart contracts with enhanced controls, and implementing operational processes to manage token flows and compliance risks. While these measures can reduce exposure, they cannot fully eliminate the underlying challenges.
Over the medium to long term, more fundamental improvements are required at the blockchain network and governance layers. These include innovations such as encrypted mempools to reduce information leakage, mechanisms to improve transaction inclusion and prioritization, and adjustments to incentive structures to better align network behavior with desired outcomes. However, implementing such changes in decentralized systems is complex and requires broad ecosystem support.
Curated News
💳 Payments
Visa and Airwallex Build Financial Infrastructure for Freight Platforms
Visa and Airwallex have partnered to develop next-generation financial infrastructure for freight platforms. The collaboration aims to streamline global payments and embedded financial services for logistics businesses.
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MoonPay Adds Discover Network Support
MoonPay now accepts Discover cards, expanding payment options for users purchasing digital assets. The addition broadens access to crypto services through traditional payment rails.
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Verifone Patents Self-Detecting Payment Terminal Security
Verifone has patented security technology that enables payment terminals to detect physical tampering automatically. The innovation strengthens payment security and fraud prevention at the point of sale.
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Fiuu Secures JCB Payment Licences in Southeast Asia
Fiuu has obtained JCB payment licences in three Southeast Asian markets, expanding card acceptance across the region. The move strengthens its merchant payments network.
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TerraPay Brings Real-Time Payments to Vietnam
TerraPay has partnered with MBV to provide real-time outbound payments for banking customers in Vietnam. The collaboration enhances cross-border payment capabilities and customer experience.
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Mastercard Enhances Virtual Card Platform
Mastercard has expanded its virtual card platform with stronger security controls, embedded payment capabilities and single API access. The updates simplify commercial payments while improving security.
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🏦 Banking
Nubank Acquires Banco Porto Real de Investimentos
Nubank has agreed to acquire Banco Porto Real de Investimentos to strengthen its operations in Brazil. The acquisition supports the digital bank’s continued expansion in Latin America’s largest financial market.
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Bank of America Upgrades EricaAssist with Generative AI
Bank of America has enhanced its EricaAssist platform with generative AI to help employees resolve customer requests more efficiently. The upgrade supports faster service and improved operational productivity.
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Santander Maintains Branch Network Through 2028
Santander has committed not to close additional branches before 2028. The decision reflects continued demand for in-person banking despite rapid digital transformation.
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Hang Seng Becomes Alipay+’s First Hong Kong Banking Partner
Hang Seng Bank has become the first Hong Kong banking partner for Alipay+, expanding cross-border payment connectivity within the region.
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MariBank Becomes the Philippines’ Seventh Digital Bank
MariBank has officially become the Philippines’ seventh licensed digital bank, further expanding competition in the country’s digital banking sector.
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💼 Fintech
Augustus Raises $180M for Stablecoin Clearing Bank
Augustus has secured $180 million to build a clearing bank focused on stablecoins. The funding reflects growing institutional demand for regulated digital asset infrastructure.
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TS Imagine Deepens Integration with Trumid
TS Imagine has expanded its integration with Trumid’s fixed-income trading platform. The enhancement improves workflow efficiency for institutional trading firms.
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Neon Raises $13M for Gaming Commerce
Neon has raised $13 million to help game publishers strengthen direct customer relationships and monetization. The funding will support expansion of its commerce platform.
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Monzo and Nest Centre Target the Self-Employed Pension Gap
Monzo and Nest have partnered to improve retirement savings for self-employed workers. The initiative aims to increase pension participation through digital financial tools.
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Deutsche Bank Marks 10 Years of Global Hackathon
Deutsche Bank celebrated the tenth anniversary of its global hackathon, highlighting a decade of innovation and collaboration across technology and financial services.
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🪙 Crypto
BitMEX to Shut Down
Cryptocurrency exchange BitMEX is set to shut down, marking the end of one of the crypto industry’s early derivatives platforms. The closure reflects the sector’s continued consolidation and evolving competitive landscape.
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KakaoPay and Circle Explore Won Stablecoin
KakaoPay has partnered with Circle to explore a Korean won-backed stablecoin. The initiative demonstrates growing interest in localized digital currencies across Asia.
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HashKey Expands Asia Connect Ecosystem
HashKey has signed a strategic agreement with KBank and BPMG to strengthen its Asia Connect ecosystem. The partnership supports regional digital asset infrastructure and cross-border collaboration.
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Telegram Pushes Crypto Wallets to a Billion Users
Telegram founder Pavel Durov plans to bring crypto wallets to the platform’s billion-plus users. The initiative could significantly expand mainstream access to digital assets.
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SecondFi Shuts Down After $2.4M Wallet Theft
SecondFi is shutting down following a $2.4 million ADA wallet theft. The incident highlights the ongoing security challenges facing the Web3 ecosystem.
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⚖️ Regulation
Zelle Must Face New York Fraud Lawsuit
A U.S. judge has ruled that Zelle must face a lawsuit brought by the New York Attorney General over alleged widespread fraud on the platform. The case could have significant implications for liability and consumer protection in digital payments.
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