Category: FinTech & Digital Payments

<p>At the Cloudflare Connect event, Mastercard demonstrated a new technical capability aimed at integrating financial transactions into the operation of artificial intelligence agents. The initiative, referred to as Agent Pay for Machines, is designed to enable AI agents to autonomously manage payments for various digital services.</p><p>According to the company, this development seeks to balance the autonomy required for AI systems to function effectively with the need for security and oversight. The technology is intended to allow businesses and individuals to maintain control over the transactions initiated by these autonomous agents as they interact with digital service providers.</p><p>While the demonstration highlights a shift toward machine-to-machine economic interactions, Mastercard emphasized that the architecture is structured to ensure that human or business-level oversight remains a central component of the payment process. Further technical specifications regarding the integration, security protocols, or deployment timelines were not detailed in the initial announcement.</p>

Source: Finextra
Original article: https://www.finextra.com/pressarticle/111374/mastercard-demonstrates-tech-that-helps-agents-pay-for-digital-services?utm_medium=rssfinextra&utm_source=finextrafeed

<p>Boerse Stuttgart Group has announced that it is the first exchange group in Europe to be granted a license for a Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) trading and settlement system. The approval was issued under the European Union’s DLT Pilot Regime, a regulatory framework designed to support the development of blockchain-based market infrastructures.</p><p>This license enables the exchange to operate trading and settlement systems for financial instruments using DLT, representing a notable shift in how digital assets can be handled within European markets. By integrating these technologies, the group aims to streamline the lifecycle of financial transactions through the use of shared ledger systems.</p><p>The DLT Pilot Regime provides a controlled environment for market operators to test the efficiency and security of blockchain solutions in financial services. Boerse Stuttgart's receipt of this license marks a significant development for European market participants seeking to leverage DLT for trading and settlement activities.</p>

Source: Finextra
Original article: https://www.finextra.com/pressarticle/111362/boerse-stuttgart-obtains-dlt-trading-and-settlement-system-license?utm_medium=rssfinextra&utm_source=finextrafeed

<p>LHV Bank has officially transitioned to an agentic AI system to manage customer email support within its UK operations. The move marks the full deployment of a solution developed in collaboration with Gradient Labs, following a successful proof-of-concept phase conducted earlier this year.</p><p>By utilizing this AI-driven approach, the bank aims to provide its retail customers with immediate, round-the-clock responses to common banking inquiries. The system is designed to handle everyday support questions via email, allowing for continuous service availability without the need for manual intervention for standard requests.</p><p>The implementation follows a strategic testing period aimed at ensuring the technology could effectively navigate the specific requirements of the banking environment. With this launch, LHV Bank joins a growing number of financial institutions adopting autonomous AI agents to enhance customer service responsiveness and operational efficiency.</p>

Source: Finextra
Original article: https://www.finextra.com/pressarticle/111361/lhv-bank-uses-ai-agents-for-customer-email-support?utm_medium=rssfinextra&utm_source=finextrafeed

<p>PlannerPal has announced a new partnership with technology provider Twenty7tec to bring its artificial intelligence-driven workflow capabilities to mortgage advisers. The integration allows advisers to access PlannerPal’s tools directly within the Twenty7tec ADVICE CRM platform.</p><p>By incorporating AI into the existing CRM infrastructure, the partnership aims to support financial advisers in streamlining their operational processes. The integration marks a direct expansion of PlannerPal's availability to users already utilizing the Twenty7tec suite for their mortgage advisory services.</p>

Source: Finextra
Original article: https://www.finextra.com/pressarticle/111363/plannerpal-brings-ai-to-mortgage-advisers-through-twenty7tec-advice?utm_medium=rssfinextra&utm_source=finextrafeed

<p>TreasurUp and Apideck have entered into a partnership aimed at addressing the connectivity gap between business banks and the financial software used by their clients. The collaboration focuses on accelerating the implementation of ERP-embedded banking services.</p><p>Many business clients currently manage their corporate finances using specialized accounting and ERP software, such as QuickBooks, Xero, NetSuite, Sage Intacct, and Microsoft Dynamics. According to the announcement, a significant number of financial institutions currently lack a comprehensive and consistent method for connecting their banking services directly to these platforms. By combining their capabilities, TreasurUp and Apideck intend to enable banks to offer more integrated financial solutions directly within the software environments where businesses perform their daily accounting and financial management tasks.</p>

Source: Finextra
Original article: https://www.finextra.com/pressarticle/111364/treasurup-and-apideck-partner-to-accelerate-erp-embedded-banking-for-business-banks?utm_medium=rssfinextra&utm_source=finextrafeed

<p>Bitget, a global digital asset exchange, has announced a planned acquisition of GMO-Z.com Cryptonomics (Thailand) Co., Ltd. The Bangkok-based firm operates as a digital asset exchange and brokerage service within Thailand.</p><p>The acquisition is being facilitated through BTGT Management (Thailand) Ltd., an entity in which Bitget maintains an interest. The move is part of the exchange's strategy to broaden its operational reach and service offerings within the Thai market.</p><p>No further financial details or expected completion dates for the acquisition were disclosed in the announcement.</p>

Source: Finextra
Original article: https://www.finextra.com/pressarticle/111365/bitget-to-buy-licensed-exchange-to-expand-in-thailand?utm_medium=rssfinextra&utm_source=finextrafeed

<p>Finsei, a London-based payments company, has announced a new partnership with Thredd to serve as the processing provider for its upcoming Mastercard debit card offering.</p><p>Thredd provides an issuer processing platform that characterizes itself as AI-first, designed to handle the complex infrastructure requirements associated with modern payment card issuance. By selecting Thredd, Finsei intends to leverage this platform to power the underlying processing for its new debit product.</p><p>The partnership marks a strategic development for Finsei as it expands its footprint in the payments sector by integrating with Thredd’s established technical architecture.</p>

Source: Finextra
Original article: https://www.finextra.com/pressarticle/111366/finsei-selects-thredd-to-power-new-debit-offering?utm_medium=rssfinextra&utm_source=finextrafeed

<p>The United Kingdom's competition regulator has launched a formal consultation regarding proposals to grant third-party providers access to iPhone contactless payment technology. The initiative is intended to foster greater competition within the digital payments sector by enabling alternative services to operate more effectively on Apple devices.</p><p>By opening up access to this near-field communication (NFC) hardware, the regulator aims to remove existing technical barriers that currently favor Apple's proprietary payment system. The proposal is also designed to lower costs for businesses and consumers by encouraging a more competitive landscape for payment processors and digital wallets.</p><p>The move represents a significant regulatory step in addressing the dominance of integrated mobile payment ecosystems. The outcome of this consultation process will determine the next steps in potentially mandating broader accessibility for rival payment technologies on iPhones within the UK market.</p>

Source: Finextra
Original article: https://www.finextra.com/newsarticle/48618/uk-sets-out-proposal-to-open-up-access-to-iphone-contactless-payments?utm_medium=rssfinextra&utm_source=finextrafeed

<p>At the Sibos 2026 conference, the Euro Banking Association (EBA) addressed the dual challenges of managing agentic AI disintermediation and reducing fragmentation within the European payments landscape. As AI agents capable of autonomous decision-making become more integrated into financial workflows, the organization is focusing on how banks can adapt to these technological shifts.</p><p>The discussion highlighted concerns regarding the potential impact of agentic AI on traditional bank-customer relationships. There is an industry focus on how the deployment of these AI systems could reshape bank branding and the maintenance of long-term customer loyalty as automated agents increasingly mediate financial interactions.</p><p>Beyond the impact on customer engagement, the EBA explored strategies to combat payment fragmentation across Europe. The organization is examining how banks can leverage emerging technologies to streamline cross-border payment processes, aiming to create a more cohesive financial ecosystem despite the disruptive potential of autonomous AI tools.</p>

Source: Finextra
Original article: https://www.finextra.com/videoarticle/3621/agentic-ai-and-instant-payments-how-can-banks-reduce-fragmentation?utm_medium=rssfinextra&utm_source=finextrafeed

<p>Mangopay, a provider of global wallet infrastructure, has announced an expansion of its payment capabilities to support five additional currencies. This development aims to broaden the company's local payout services, catering to demand in the APAC, Latin America, and EMEA regions.</p><p>The newly supported currencies include the Australian dollar (AUD), Hong Kong dollar (HKD), Singapore dollar (SGD), Mexican peso (MXN), and the Turkish lira (TRY). By integrating these currencies, Mangopay enables businesses utilizing its infrastructure to facilitate local payouts in these specific markets, which can simplify international payment operations and reduce cross-border complexities for digital platforms.</p><p>This update is part of the company's ongoing efforts to scale its wallet infrastructure for international commerce. The addition of these currencies provides users with more localized options for managing funds and executing payouts, reflecting the company's focus on enhancing its operational footprint in diverse global markets.</p>

Source: Finextra
Original article: https://www.finextra.com/pressarticle/111360/mangopay-extends-pay-out-coverage?utm_medium=rssfinextra&utm_source=finextrafeed