Santander and Visa Launch AI Agent-Powered Payments in Latin America
Santander and Visa have introduced Latin America’s first end-to-end payment system powered by AI agents, marking a significant step toward autonomous commerce. The solution enables AI-driven agents to initiate and complete transactions on behalf of users, reducing friction in digital payments. This development signals a shift from user-initiated payments to machine-executed financial actions, where intelligent systems can manage transactions seamlessly. Backed by two global financial leaders, the initiative demonstrates how AI is being embedded directly into payment infrastructure at scale. It also opens the door to new use cases such as automated subscriptions, smart procurement, and real-time financial decision-making. For the fintech industry, this represents the early stages of a broader transformation toward “agentic finance,” where AI becomes an active participant in financial ecosystems. As adoption grows, this model could redefine how consumers and businesses interact with money.
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A clearer view of stablecoin payment activity
The true volume of stablecoin payments identified in McKinsey’s analysis, about $390 billion in 2025, has more than doubled from 2024 levels. While stablecoins’ share of total on-chain activity and total payment volume remains relatively small, it reflects real and growing usage in specific contexts.
Three observations that stand out:
- Value propositions. Stablecoins are gaining traction where they offer advantages in specific use cases, including settlement, improved liquidity management, and reduced friction. For example, international peer-to-peer transfers can be executed nearly instantly and at lower cost compared with some traditional remittance corridors. At the same time, stablecoin-linked cards are expanding practical usability by enabling holders to spend stablecoins directly with merchants globally, without first converting funds through exchanges or banks. We estimate that stablecoin-linked card spending has grown to $4.5 billion in 2025, up 673 percent from 2024.
- B2B leads growth. B2B payments dominate, accounting for about $226 billion, or roughly 60 percent of global stablecoin payment volume. B2B payments have increased 733 percent year over year, indicating rapid uptake in 2025.
Asia-originated activity. Activity is uneven across regions and cross-border payment corridors, suggesting that scale will depend on local market structure and constraints. Stablecoin payments sent from Asia represent the largest source of volume, accounting for about $245 billion in payments, or 60 percent of the total. North America is next, accounting for $95 billion, followed by Europe at $50 billion. Latin America and Africa each accounts for less than $1 billion. Activity today is driven almost entirely by payments sent from Singapore, Hong Kong, and Japan.
- Taken together, these patterns suggest that adoption of stablecoins is taking hold in a limited number of proven use cases, with broader scale dependent on how successfully these can be expanded and replicated elsewhere.
Curated News
💳 Payments
Ramp Acquires Billhop to Expand Across Europe
Ramp has acquired Billhop to strengthen its presence in the UK and European markets. The deal enhances Ramp’s accounts payable capabilities and supports its expansion into cross-border payments infrastructure.
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DTCPay Raises $10M to Scale Stablecoin Payments
Singapore-based Dtcpay secured $10 million to expand its stablecoin payment infrastructure. The funding reflects growing demand for blockchain-based cross-border payment solutions.
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Akurateco Expands Into Asia and LATAM via Smilepayz Integration
Akurateco is expanding into Asia and Latin America through its integration with Smilepayz. The move strengthens its global payment orchestration capabilities and merchant reach.
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🏦 Banking
IuteBank Becomes Fully Licensed Bank in Ukraine
IuteBank has officially transitioned into a fully licensed bank in Ukraine, enabling it to broaden its financial services offering. The move strengthens its position in the regional banking market.
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Swedish Central Bank Pressures Banks on Instant Payments
Sweden’s central bank warned banks it may take action if they fail to improve instant payment capabilities. The move highlights growing regulatory pressure to modernize payment systems.
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Garanti BBVA Launches Smart Wallet with Rewards
Garanti BBVA introduced a personalized smart wallet offering tailored rewards and financial insights. The product aims to enhance customer engagement through digital banking innovation.
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🪙 Crypto
Circle Surges 100% as Stablecoins Gain Momentum
Circle’s stock has surged 100% in a month, driven by rising demand for stablecoin infrastructure. The rally reflects growing investor confidence in stablecoins as a key component of digital finance.
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Bitcoin Climbs Amid Macro Uncertainty
Bitcoin continues to rise as global economic uncertainty intensifies. Investors are increasingly viewing it as a hedge against traditional market volatility.
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SEC Drops Case Against BitClout Founder
The SEC has dropped its case against BitClout founder Nader Al-Naji, marking a notable moment in crypto enforcement. The decision could influence future regulatory actions in the space.
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Chainlink vs XRP Dispute Sparks Industry Debate
A dispute between Chainlink and XRP communities has triggered widespread debate across the crypto ecosystem. The incident reflects ongoing competition and fragmentation within the industry.
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South Korea Fines Bithumb and Orders Partial Suspension
South Korean regulators fined crypto exchange Bithumb $24.7 million and ordered a partial suspension. The move highlights increasing regulatory scrutiny in major crypto markets.
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CV5 Capital Builds Digital Asset Fund Infrastructure
CV5 Capital is developing next-generation fund infrastructure for digital assets in the Cayman Islands. The initiative aims to support institutional crypto investment.
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💰 WealthTech
MetaComp Raises $35M to Expand Digital Asset Services
MetaComp secured $35 million in funding to scale its digital asset infrastructure. The investment highlights growing institutional demand for regulated crypto financial services.
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⚖️ Regulation
UK Lawmakers Call for Major Financial Regulation Review
UK MPs and peers are pushing for a Royal Commission to review financial regulation. The move reflects concerns about whether current frameworks can keep up with fintech innovation.
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ASIC Warns on Rise of Finfluencer Advice
Australia’s regulator ASIC warned about the risks of financial advice from social media “finfluencers.” The trend raises concerns around unregulated and potentially misleading investment guidance.
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RedotPay Expands Global Compliance Infrastructure
RedotPay is strengthening compliance capabilities across multiple jurisdictions. The move supports safer global expansion of digital asset services.
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📊 Fintech
Chaseit.ai Scales AI Loan Servicing to 30,000 Calls Daily
Chaseit.ai is scaling its AI-powered loan servicing platform to handle up to 30,000 calls per day. The growth highlights how AI agents are transforming lending operations.
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Clearstream and Euroclear Digitize Eurobond Issuance
Clearstream and Euroclear are digitizing Eurobond issuance to improve efficiency and transparency. The initiative modernizes capital markets infrastructure.
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Cleafy Raises €12M to Strengthen Financial Cybersecurity
Cleafy secured €12 million to enhance fraud prevention and cybersecurity for financial institutions. The funding supports efforts to protect critical financial infrastructure.
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