PAYMENTS NEWS
Stripe-Backed Protocol Lets AI Agents Transact Autonomously
Mar 19, 2026
Tempo, a payment-focused blockchain incubated by Stripe and cryptocurrency venture firm Paradigm, launched its mainnet and introduced an open standard for machine payments Wednesday (March 18).
New card rule from today, March 19, 2026 as Nationwide, NatWest, Lloyds update customers
Mar 19, 2026
From Thursday, March 19, 2026, new regulations mean that banks and payment providers with robust fraud controls can now establish their own higher limits for contactless card payments in the future. While the UK's leading banks have confirmed they will maintain the £100 card limit for the time being, many also permit customers to set their own lower limits, providing them with the flexibility to make adjustments in the future if desired.
Why OpenAI's checkout 'pivot' isn't a retreat from AI payments
Mar 17, 2026
OpenAI is migrating from embedding transactions in ChatGPT to funneling purchases through third parties. Banks and payment companies are considering how to compete in the emerging agentic and generative commerce markets. OpenAI can demonstrate its payment model to potential third parties before the Amazon Prime and holiday shopping periods.
Clarity Act stokes debate on crypto
Mar 10, 2026
As policymakers define how digital assets are regulated in the U.S., the outcome could shape how cryptocurrencies and stablecoins are used in commerce, potentially influencing merchant acceptance of new payment methods and the compliance obligations tied to them.
Stripe advances security for agentic commerce
Mar 9, 2026
Stripe has expanded its Shared Payment Token, a foundational security tool for agentic commerce, to support Visa and Mastercard tokens. It also added Affirm and Klarna. For agentic payments to graduate to the mainstream, payment credentials must be protected and customer intent captured. The use of network-driven tokens for AI-driven payments represents one of the fastest paths to agentic commercialization, according to KeyBanc analysts.
Banks Target June for New Swift Cross-Border Retail Payment Launch
Mar 6, 2026
A new Swift payments framework for retail transactions will begin its rollout by the end of June.
Agentic Commerce Pushes ‘Know Your Human’ Into Verification Processes
Mar 6, 2026
Artificial intelligence (AI) in the service of agentic commerce searches for products, compares prices, negotiates terms and, in some cases with agents, executes transactions on behalf of individuals and businesses. Payment approvals, merchant onboarding and recurring bill pay are increasingly embedded in automated decision loops.
Mastercard Unveils Open Standard to Verify AI Agent Transactions
Mar 5, 2026
Every time an AI agent makes a purchase, three questions hang over the transaction. Did the consumer actually authorize this? Did the agent follow instructions exactly? And if something goes wrong, can anyone prove it? The payments, AI and merchant sectors are all looking for universal answers to those questions. Mastercard is pitching a new standard as the solution.
New York's BNPL regs take shape amid a CFPB vacuum
Feb 24, 2026
New York State is working on tougher regulations for buy now/pay later lending as the CFPB retreats from regulating the credit option.
Senator spars with JPM’s Dimon
Feb 19, 2026
Sen. Elizabeth Warren says a bill she’s backing emulates a proposal by JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon to let states determine their own card interest rate caps.
Fed Governor Miran quits White House job
Feb 4, 2026
Federal Reserve Governor Stephen Miran resigned on Tuesday from his position as chair of the White House's Council of Economic Advisers, fulfilling a pledge he made to the Senate as his assignment at the central bank becomes longer-lasting.
It’s CCCA Times Two As Congress Drops an Attachment Effort
Jan 30, 2026
Plans to attach an amended version of the Credit Card Competition Act to a cryptocurrency-infrastructure bill were shelved, effectively leaving two versions of the bill floating around Congress.
Supreme Court arguments on Trump effort to fire Lisa Cook
Jan 22, 2026
The Supreme Court signaled deep skepticism Wednesday that President Donald Trump had the authority to remove Lisa Cook from the Federal Reserve, with several conservative justices joining their liberal colleagues in posing pointed questions of the lawyer defending the president.
Shopify Merchants to Pay 4% Fee on ChatGPT Checkout Sales
Jan 22, 2026
When Shopify enables sales through artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots later this month, the merchants using its platform will pay OpenAI a 4% fee on sales made through the ChatGPT checkout, on top of the fees charged by Shopify, The Information reported Wednesday, citing a Shopify spokesperson.