Mastercard and Coinbase are reportedly in a bidding war to acquire BVNK, a leading stablecoin payments infrastructure firm. The move underscores the growing convergence between traditional finance and crypto payments, as both companies aim to strengthen their foothold in digital assets. Mastercard’s interest signals deeper integration of blockchain technology into mainstream finance, while Coinbase seeks to expand its institutional payment capabilities. The deal could redefine how stablecoins are used for cross-border payments and settlements. BVNK’s platform has been a major driver of stablecoin adoption across global markets, making it a strategic acquisition target for both giants.
Insight of the Day
Agentic Commerce: Mobile or the Metaverse
Key Insights:
1. ARK Invest forecasted that AI agents could facilitate nearly $9 trillion in payments by the end of the decade (25% of ecommerce), growing from basically zero today.
2. However, for agentic commerce to achieve that level of success, it must be trusted by customers and supported by merchants, which will require robust and accessible technology, fair and sustainable economics, and updates to the fundamental rules that govern digital payments today.
3. If agentic commerce scales, it will fundamentally alter behavior across the customer journey: how people search for products, make purchasing decisions, pay for goods, and interact with loyalty programs. It is far more than an evolution of the checkout experience.
It’s still a fair question to ask, at this early stage, will agentic commerce turn out like Mobile (transformative) or the Metaverse (mostly hype)?
4. Agentic Commerce Market Cap
A. Visa Intelligent Commerce
🔹 Two net-new capabilities (payment instructions and signals) supported by three pre-existing capabilities (authentication, tokenization, and personalization (data tokens))
🔹 Authenticated users can create agent-specific tokens, which are locked until users describe payment instructions
🔹 At point of purchase, agent shares purchase characteristics with Visa, which validates those signals against the instructions and unlocks the token
🔹 With user opt-in, buyer insights can be shared with agents’ context window for personalization
Curated News
💳 Payments
Payroc Acquires BlueSnap to Expand Global Reach
Payroc has completed its acquisition of BlueSnap, enhancing its global payment capabilities and merchant service offerings. The merger strengthens Payroc’s cross-border payment infrastructure and positions it to better serve international businesses.
Source
Visa’s Scam Disruption Unit Hits $1B Milestone
Visa’s fraud prevention division has successfully prevented $1 billion in scams, including $260 million in Europe alone. This milestone reflects Visa’s ongoing commitment to fighting financial fraud through AI-driven monitoring and global partnerships.
Source
False Declines Costing Merchants More Than Fraud, Says Chargebacks911
A new study warns that false declines — legitimate transactions wrongly rejected — are now costing merchants more revenue than fraud itself. The findings call for smarter fraud detection systems that balance security and customer experience.
Source
ACI Survey: Payment Flexibility Drives Retail Growth
According to ACI Worldwide, nearly two-thirds of global retailers say offering multiple payment methods boosts revenue. The report highlights the growing consumer demand for diverse payment options including digital wallets and BNPL services.
Source
Routefusion Raises $26.5M to Expand Global Payments
Routefusion secured $26.5 million in new funding to enhance its international payments infrastructure. The capital will be used to expand into new markets and streamline cross-border money movement for fintech clients.
Source
Nuvei to Power In-Vehicle Payments for Volkswagen Brazil
Nuvei has partnered with Volkswagen Brazil to enable in-car payments, letting drivers make purchases directly from their vehicles. The partnership highlights growing innovation in connected commerce and mobility payments.
Source
🏦 Banking
Major Banks Explore Blockchain-Based Digital Money
A consortium of leading global banks is piloting blockchain-based digital money systems aimed at improving settlement efficiency. The initiative reflects the financial sector’s growing interest in distributed ledger technology for institutional use.
Source
Bank of Singapore Deploys AI for Wealth Source Checks
The Bank of Singapore is leveraging AI to automate its source-of-wealth verification process, reducing manual reviews and enhancing compliance. The initiative demonstrates how AI can streamline regulatory operations in private banking.
Source
Lumin Digital Partners with Ent Credit Union
Lumin Digital has been selected by Ent Credit Union to modernize its digital banking experience. The partnership aims to improve member engagement and provide more personalized online banking services.
Source
FIS Brings AI to Personalized Digital Banking
FIS has introduced new AI-powered tools to enhance digital banking, offering seamless and personalized experiences for users. The innovations aim to help banks meet rising expectations for tailored digital financial services.
Source
💰 Fintech
Klarna and Google Cloud Partner on AI-Powered Shopping
Klarna and Google Cloud have formed a strategic AI partnership to deliver more engaging and creative shopping experiences. The collaboration will use generative AI to enhance product discovery and personalization for millions of users.
Source
PicPay Targets $500M US IPO
Brazilian fintech PicPay is reportedly preparing for a U.S. IPO that could raise up to $500 million. The move underscores growing investor appetite for emerging-market fintechs with large user bases and payments ecosystems.
Source
Happy Money Expands Hive Lending Platform
Happy Money has expanded its proprietary Hive platform to speed up credit decisions and strengthen partner integrations. The upgrade aims to enhance lending efficiency and drive customer acquisition.
Source
Yodlee Launches Credit Reporting Subsidiary
Yodlee has launched a Consumer Reporting Agency division to expand credit access and enable fairer lending decisions. The new unit integrates financial data analytics with credit reporting infrastructure.
Source
🪙 Crypto
Ripple Partners with Bahrain Fintech Bay
Ripple has teamed up with Bahrain Fintech Bay to promote digital asset innovation and support local startups. The collaboration aims to advance blockchain adoption in the MENA region.
Source
BCP Launches Criptococos, Peru’s First Crypto Bank
Banco de Crédito del Perú (BCP) has launched Criptococos, the country’s first crypto banking platform, in partnership with BitGo. The platform will allow customers to manage both fiat and digital assets securely.
Source
Cake Wallet Unveils xStocks for Tokenized Investing
Cake Wallet has launched xStocks, a feature enabling users to invest in tokenized stocks and ETFs directly from their crypto wallets. The update bridges the gap between traditional investing and decentralized finance.
Source
📉 WealthTech
SoftBank Seeks $5B Loan Backed by Arm Stock
SoftBank is in talks for a $5 billion margin loan backed by its Arm shares, as it looks to raise capital amid tech market volatility. The move highlights the company’s ongoing efforts to unlock liquidity from its investment portfolio.
Source
⚖️ Regulation / Other
JP Morgan Mandates Biometric Access for Staff
JP Morgan Chase is requiring employees to submit biometric data, such as facial recognition, to enter its Manhattan headquarters. The policy, which raises privacy questions, aims to enhance workplace security.
Source
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