Real-time Payments

March, 2026

• 17 March

  Mastercard Moves Deeper into Stablecoins Via Its BVNK Deal

  

  Mastercard Inc. announced early Tuesday it has agreed to pay $1.8 billion to acquire BVNK, a London-based stablecoin platform. The deal comes amid growing interest in stablecoins among fintechs, banks, and payments providers and as payments networks increasingly view the cryptocurrency as a practical vehicle for overall growth. The transaction, …
• 13 March

  BHMI’s Canada Debit Improvements and other Digital Transactions News briefs from 3/13/26

  

  Payment-software developer BHMI announced enhancements aimed at supporting debit processing in Canada on its Concourse Financial Software Suite, touching on settlement, reconciliation, dispute management, and reporting capabilities. Indiana has become the first state to impose a ban on cryptocurrency kiosks, alleging the machines have been used to steal millions of dollars from scam …
• 11 March

  Mastercard’s Crypto Move and other Digital Transactions News briefs from 3/11/26

  

  Mastercard Inc. has launched its Crypto Partner Program, an effort to bring together more than 85 companies and financial institutions involved in cryptocurrency payments around the world. The aim is to encourage dialogue and collaboration on crypto-based ventures. Bilt Technologies Inc., a payments and rewards platform related to homeownership, announced it …
• 4 March

  Crypto Bank Kraken Financial Is the First Digital Bank to Receive a Federal Reserve Master Account

  

  Kraken Financial, a Wyoming-based special-purpose depository institution operated by Payward Inc., has become the first digital bank to get a Federal Reserve master account. With the account, Kraken will be able to settle transactions directly on core payment rails in the United States, such as Fedwire, the Federal Reserve’s real-time …
• 2 March

  Eye on Crypto: N3XT Partners With YouHodler; Barclays Eyes a Blockchain

  

  N3XT Inc., a blockchain-powered bank, has partnered with YouHodler, a Web3 platform that supports crypto-backed loans, crypto-reward accounts, cryptocurrency trading, and universal currency exchange. Launched in 2025 by former Signature Bank executives, N3XT provides instant, programmable USD Coin business-to-business payments. A so-called narrow bank, N3XT Inc., uses smart contracts for automated, …
• 2 March

  Fiserv’s Real-Time Canada Move and other Digital Transactions News briefs from 3/2/26

  

  Fiserv Inc. said it will work with Peoples Group, a banking company, in a major initiative to develop advanced payments infrastructure in Canada in support of real-time payments. Indra Group announced the launch of an open-road tolling system on the I-485 express lanes in North Carolina. The project is expected to streamline …

February, 2026

• 27 February

  Block Slashes Its Workforce as It Goes All in on AI

  

  Block is cutting its headcount by more than 40%, the company announced late Thursday during its fourth-quarter 2025 earnings call. The move—which will leave Block with less than 6,000 employees, down from more than 10,000—comes as the fintech posted one of its best financial performances for 2025, according to company …
• 19 February

  Clip’s Tap to Pay and other Digital Transactions News briefs from 2/19/26

  

  Mexico-based payments-technology provider Clip launched a tap-to-pay capability for Android devices. The move follows Clip’s launch earlier this month of a new point-of-sale device, the Clip Total 3. Justt, a provider of chargeback management based on AI, said it will work with franchise-business advisor Ron Feldman to help franchise systems reduce chargebacks and disputes …
• 17 February

  A Global Survey Uncovers a Strong Following for Stablecoins

  

  Research released early Tuesday argues stablecoins have made their move out of niche applications and into the mainstream of international payments, propelled by fast transactions and perceived security. That’s according to the “Stablecoin Utility Report” from stablecoin-technology provider BVNK, with research conducted by YouGov among more than 4,600 digital-currency users …
• 17 February

  Can/Am’s Teller Payments and other Digital Transactions News briefs from 2/17/26

  

  Can/Am Technologies Inc. has introduced Teller Payments, aimed at helping state, local, and education agencies process payments within Can/Am’s Teller Government Cashiering system. The processor Fiserv Inc. is supporting the service through its independent software vendor partner program. Metropolitan Commercial Bank, based in New York City, is one of the first …