Stripe’s Stablecoin Unit Bridge Wins Conditional U.S. National Trust Bank Charter Approval
Stripe’s stablecoin platform Bridge has been granted conditional approval from the U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) for a national trust bank charter. This represents one of the most significant regulatory milestones for digital asset infrastructure in the U.S., signaling that regulators are willing to bring stablecoin issuers under supervised banking frameworks. If finalised, Bridge could custody reserves and operate with traditional banking safeguards, materially lowering regulatory risk for customers and partners. It positions stablecoins as potentially mainstream settlement rails for commerce and payments, not just crypto markets. The decision also aligns Stripe more closely with regulated financial markets, potentially expanding its role beyond payments into core financial infrastructure. For the broader fintech ecosystem, it underscores an evolving regulatory willingness to integrate digital currencies into existing financial architecture.
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Insight of the Day
How Zelle Scaled to $1.2 Trillion by Embedding Into Banking
The Zelle network owned by Early Warning Services handled over $1.2 trillion in 2025 (20% growth) on roughly 4.2 billion transactions, far outpacing the 3–4% pace of U.S. consumer spending. Roughly 30% of that volume is payments to or from small businesses, underscoring Zelle’s role in everyday commerce. Banks are now expanding Zelle globally: in late 2025 Early Warning announced a stablecoin-based cross-border initiative “to bring speed and reliability” to international payments, to be offered on equal terms to all Zelle banks. Integration of Zelle typically means partnering with a sponsor bank or vendor (e.g. Alacriti’s Orbipay) and using ISO20022-based APIs. Key trade-offs include security and fraud: regulators note hundreds of millions lost to scams (CFPB cited ~$870M since 2017), while Early Warning touts that 99.95% of transactions have no reported fraud. Consumer protection laws (EFTA/Reg E) do not easily reverse Zelle’s instant transfers, so banks emphasize fraud mitigation and user education. For fintechs, the decision to integrate with or compete against Zelle hinges on infrastructure and strategy: partnering with a bank or fintech provider offers real-time P2P liquidity and access to Zelle’s 2,300+ FI network, but imposes network fees and compliance duties. Alternatives like FedNow (free real-time ACH), card-rail push payments, or crypto rails each carry different cost, speed, and risk profiles. In this article, I unpack integration options, technical flows, security/regulatory issues, and strategic product and go-to-market considerations. In short, Zelle integration can deepen customer relationships and expedite B2C/B2B payouts, but requires balancing irreversible payment risk against speed and reach.
Curated News
💳 Payments
Visa to Acquire Prisma and Newpay to Expand in Argentina
Visa is acquiring Prisma and Newpay to strengthen its payment processing and acquiring footprint in Argentina’s dynamic digital payments market. The deal reinforces Visa’s regional strategy and competitive positioning against local and global players.
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eBay Invests in Pay-by-Bank Network TrueLayer
eBay has invested in TrueLayer to accelerate adoption of pay-by-bank payments across Europe. The move reflects growing demand for lower-cost alternatives to card networks and enhances eBay’s checkout flexibility.
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Wirex Rolls Out Stablecoin Push-to-Card with Visa Direct
Wirex launched a stablecoin push-to-card capability powered by Visa Direct, enabling transfers to over three billion cards worldwide — expanding tangible use cases for stablecoins.
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Mastercard Cardholders Get Google Pay Support in Saudi Arabia
Mastercard cardholders in Saudi Arabia can now use Google Pay, pushing mobile wallet adoption forward in the Middle East.
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Klarna Q4 Results Highlight Growth and Profit Priorities
Klarna posted Q4 figures showing revenue growth alongside stronger cost management, reflecting BNPL’s shift toward sustainable financial models.
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🏦 Banking
Creditstar Secures FCA Licence for UK Lending Expansion
Creditstar obtained a UK FCA licence, positioning it to scale consumer lending under tighter regulatory supervision and signalling confidence in its governance and risk management.
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Metro CU Launches Automated Small-Dollar Lending
Metro Credit Union partnered with Salus to automate small-dollar lending, expanding affordable credit options while streamlining underwriting.
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Neobank Rizon Raises $2M to Scale Dollar Banking Services
Rizon secured $2 million in pre-seed funding to expand US dollar banking solutions globally, highlighting rising demand for stable currency accounts outside traditional banking networks.
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LSEG and Standard Chartered Forge Multi-Year Collaboration
LSEG and Standard Chartered announced a partnership to enhance trading platforms and data services, strengthening capital markets infrastructure.
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🧩 Fintech
InScope Raises $14.5M to Transform Financial Reporting
InScope has raised $14.5 million to automate and streamline enterprise financial reporting processes, tackling one of finance teams’ most persistent operational burdens.
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Synechron and Cognition Launch Autonomous AI Engineering for Financial Institutions
Synechron partnered with Cognition to integrate autonomous AI into core development pipelines for financial institutions, accelerating both efficiency and innovation.
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Deutsche Bank Tests AI on Workforce Disruption Risks
Deutsche Bank used AI to model potential job displacement within the financial sector, highlighting how institutions are grappling with workforce transformation.
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Nvidia Nears $30B Investment in AI Infrastructure with OpenAI Deal
Nvidia is nearing a ~$30 billion investment into OpenAI’s funding round, underscoring investor confidence in AI’s foundational role in fintech and enterprise computing.
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🪙 Crypto
White House-Bank-Crypto Stablecoin Talks Resume
The White House has restarted stablecoin negotiations with banks and crypto industry groups, focusing on regulatory frameworks, yields, and reserve models. The discussions reflect how stablecoin policy remains a frontier of financial regulation.
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Bitcoin Whale Activity and Exchange Dynamics
Analysts report easing bitcoin sell pressure even as large holders shift assets toward exchanges, illustrating nuanced market dynamics amid volatility.
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South Korean Lawmakers Slam Regulators Over Bithumb $43B Error
South Korean politicians criticised regulators after a reported $43 billion bitcoin accounting mistake at Bithumb, sparking renewed debate on crypto oversight.
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Fake Uniswap Ad Phishing Drains Funds
A fraudulent Google ad impersonating Uniswap drained cryptocurrency from a trader’s wallet, underscoring persistent DeFi security weaknesses.
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milo Tops $100M in Crypto Mortgages
milo surpassed $100 million in crypto mortgage originations with a record $12 million transaction, highlighting growth in niche crypto-backed lending products.
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💼 WealthTech
Jump Raises $80M to Scale AI OS for Financial Advisors
Jump closed an $80 million Series B to grow its AI operating system for financial advisors, automating workflows and client experiences.
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LSE and Crowdcube Launch Retail Investor Access Programme
The London Stock Exchange and Crowdcube launched a retail investor participation initiative, expanding access to public listings for individual investors.
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Wayflyer Secures $250M Credit Facility for SME Financing
Wayflyer secured a $250 million credit facility to expand funding for e-commerce and SME clients, reinforcing revenue-based financing growth.
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DailyPay Expands Credit Facility to $960M
DailyPay increased its debt financing to $960 million, pushing total credit capacity above $1 billion to scale earned wage access.
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⚖️ Regulation
UK Finfluencers Fined in Regulatory Enforcement Sweep
UK financial influencers were fined for breaching promotional rules, signalling that regulators are tightening scrutiny of online marketing and fintech-adjacent channels.
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