Goldman Sachs has reportedly prohibited traders and bankers from using AI coding tools, highlighting the cautious approach major financial institutions are taking toward generative AI. While banks are increasingly exploring AI to improve productivity and automate workflows, allowing employees to use coding assistants also introduces concerns around data security, regulatory compliance, and potentially unreliable outputs. The restriction illustrates the tension between accelerating AI adoption and maintaining strict control over sensitive financial systems. For an institution like Goldman Sachs, even seemingly minor coding errors or unauthorized data exposure could carry significant operational and reputational consequences. The decision raises a broader question for the industry: how can banks benefit from AI-driven productivity without compromising security and governance?
Video of the Day
Insight of the Day
FurlPay Global Stablecoin Report 2026
On-chain transaction volumes for stablecoins frequently reach multi-trillion dollar marks, but looking closely at where that money actually goes tells a very different story.
Only about 1% of total stablecoin volume represents actual real-economy payments. The remaining 99% stays tied up in trading, arbitrage, and liquidity rebalancing between protocols. Across the entire global payments landscape, stablecoin payments account for roughly 0.02% of the market.
When looking specifically at genuine payment use cases, cross-border business flows drive almost all the progress.
-> B2B dominance: Commercial transactions represent 58% ($226B) of total real-economy stablecoin payments.
-> Growth trajectory: Monthly cross-border payment volume grew from $11B in January 2025 to $24B by June 2026.
-> Cost savings: Surveys show 41% of corporate users report savings of 10% or more on transfer costs when switching to stablecoins.
-> Speed advantages: Traditional correspondent banking takes one to three business days to settle, while stablecoin rails settle in seconds to minutes.
Stablecoins are finding clear, practical utility, but they function primarily as B2B cross-border settlement rails rather than everyday consumer cash.
Curated News
💳 Payments
EU and Canada plan to link real-time payment systems
The EU and Canada are planning to connect their real-time payment systems, potentially making cross-border transfers faster and more efficient. The initiative could reduce friction in international payments and strengthen financial connectivity between the two markets.
Source
Stripe launches instant fee-free B2B transfers to streamline business payments
Stripe has introduced instant, fee-free business-to-business transfers supporting USD, GBP, and USDC. The development expands its business payment capabilities and highlights growing demand for faster money movement across traditional and digital-currency rails.
Source
TD launches ‘TD Talk Money’ to help Gen Z Canadians build financial confidence through conversation
TD has launched TD Talk Money, an initiative designed to help younger Canadians develop financial confidence through conversations about money. The initiative highlights how banks are exploring more accessible and engaging approaches to financial education.
Source
🏦 Banking
Revolut Secures New Zealand Banking License, Expanding Its Global Footprint
Revolut has secured a banking licence in New Zealand, extending its international expansion. The development could allow the fintech to broaden its banking services in another market and strengthen its position against established financial institutions.
Source
Eurex Clearing to Become the World’s First Hybrid CCP
Eurex Clearing is set to become the world’s first hybrid central counterparty (CCP). The development represents an important step in the evolution of financial-market infrastructure, potentially bringing together traditional clearing processes and newer digital technologies.
Source
MEMBERS1st Community Credit Union Partners with Mahalo Banking to Deliver an Enhanced Digital Banking Experience
MEMBERS1st Community Credit Union has partnered with Mahalo Banking to improve its digital banking experience. The collaboration reflects continued investment by credit unions in modern digital platforms and more accessible customer services.
Source
Thai virtual bank Clicx taps Thought Machine for banking system
Thai virtual bank Clicx has selected Thought Machine to provide its banking technology infrastructure. The partnership highlights the role of modern core banking platforms in supporting the launch and operations of digital-first financial institutions.
Source
OppFi Abandons BNC Bank Purchase
OppFi has abandoned its planned acquisition of BNC Bank. The development marks a setback for the proposed transaction and highlights the challenges fintech companies can face when pursuing expansion through traditional banking acquisitions.
Source
💼 Fintech
HSBC to open Hong Kong AI Institute following Singapore launch
HSBC plans to open an AI institute in Hong Kong following its launch in Singapore. The expansion demonstrates the bank’s growing investment in artificial intelligence research and its ambition to develop AI capabilities across its Asian operations.
Source
LO’s $12m raise targets always-on onchain trading
LO has raised $12 million to develop infrastructure for continuous on-chain trading. The funding highlights investor interest in financial platforms designed to support around-the-clock trading and blockchain-based markets.
Source
Aviva Investors goes live with Room Zero enterprise analytics platform
Aviva Investors has launched its Room Zero enterprise analytics platform. The deployment highlights the growing importance of data and analytics technology in investment management and institutional decision-making.
Source
Cross River and Offchain Bring Native Tokenization to Lending Infrastructure
Cross River and Offchain are collaborating to introduce native tokenization into lending infrastructure. The initiative aims to connect blockchain technology with established lending systems, reflecting growing interest in integrating digital assets into traditional financial operations.
Source
DPC Data and FTLabs team on MuniREF municipal bond reference data product
DPC Data and FTLabs are collaborating on MuniREF, a municipal bond reference-data product. The partnership focuses on financial information infrastructure, an important component of research, pricing, and investment decisions in fixed-income markets.
Source
🪙 Crypto
Tokenization firm tZERO plans to go public in $350 million SPAC deal
Digital-asset tokenization company tZERO plans to go public through a $350 million SPAC transaction. The proposed listing could bring greater visibility to the tokenization sector and provide another route for digital-asset infrastructure companies to access public markets.
Source
NYSE tokenized stock plans take shape as four more transfer agents join
The NYSE’s tokenized-stock initiative is progressing, with four additional transfer agents joining the effort. The development highlights growing interest in applying blockchain technology to securities infrastructure, including shareholder services and corporate actions.
Source
Ant International, banks complete HKD token transfers
Ant International and banking partners have completed Hong Kong dollar token transfers. The development demonstrates progress in applying tokenized money to financial transactions and institutional payment infrastructure.
Source
Amazon, Tesla among 49 firms opposing OKX-ICE stock venue
Amazon, Tesla, and dozens of other companies are reportedly opposing the proposed OKX-ICE tokenized stock venue. The opposition highlights continuing concerns around how tokenized securities relate to underlying shares, shareholder rights, and corporate governance.
Source
Binance says fake job interviews used as part of $6.3bn crypto hack
Binance has said fake job interviews were used as part of a $6.3 billion crypto hack. The reported attack highlights the growing sophistication of social-engineering techniques and the importance of cybersecurity awareness across digital-asset businesses.
Source
📈 WealthTech
WealthSimple hits C$13.8bn valuation
Wealthsimple has reached a valuation of C$13.8 billion, reflecting investor confidence in the Canadian digital wealth-management platform. The milestone highlights the growing scale of fintech companies competing in investment and personal-finance services.
Source
Lovey announces £250m senior secured credit facility with Pollen Street Capital
Lovey has announced a £250 million senior secured credit facility with Pollen Street Capital. The financing provides additional funding capacity and highlights the role of private credit in supporting financial businesses.
Source
New FCA rules bring ESG rating providers into UK regulation for the first time
The UK’s Financial Conduct Authority has introduced rules bringing ESG rating providers under formal regulation for the first time. The change aims to strengthen oversight and transparency in a market where environmental, social, and governance assessments increasingly influence investment decisions.
Source
⚖️ Regulation
Regulator warns Australians about ‘highly speculative’ prediction markets
An Australian regulator has warned consumers about the highly speculative nature of prediction markets. The warning highlights growing regulatory attention toward platforms that allow users to trade on the outcomes of real-world events.
Source
MoneySmart reports customer data breach in Singapore, HK
MoneySmart has reported a customer data breach affecting Singapore and Hong Kong. The incident highlights the importance of cybersecurity, third-party risk management, and data protection for digital financial-services platforms.
Source
SoftBank-backed OPay scraps $304M IPO hours before trading, citing regulatory inquiry
SoftBank-backed OPay has reportedly scrapped its $304 million IPO just hours before trading, citing a regulatory inquiry. The sudden withdrawal highlights how regulatory uncertainty can disrupt even advanced public-listing plans and affect investor confidence.
Source
Disclaimer: Payments Wrap Up aggregates publicly available information for informational purposes only. Portions of the content may be reproduced verbatim from the original source, and full credit is provided with a “Source: [Name]” attribution. All copyrights and trademarks remain the property of their respective owners. Fintech Wrap Up does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the aggregated content; these are the responsibility of the original source providers. Links to the original sources may not always be included. We use AI tools to brainstorm, draft, edit, and summarize, but the ideas, analysis, and connections Sam draws are his. Every piece is verified and written in Sam’s voice. For questions or concerns, please contact us at sam.boboev@fintechwrapup.com.