Phixius by Nacha and Kinexys Liink established information exchanges between their payment information networks. The collaboration will enhance account validation coverage for financial institutions, FinTechs and corporations. Phixius, which is a peer-to-peer payment information network, will serve as Kinexys Liink’s key U.S. payment information network responder, enabling near real-time validation of domestic bank account data. Kinexys Liink, which is a bank-led peer-to-peer data-sharing network and part of Kinexys by J.P. Morgan, will allow Phixius participants access to its Confirm application’s global account validation capabilities, expanding the reach of the Phixius network. “Kinexys Liink and Phixius customers can benefit by validation services using data provided by either network, helping to mitigate payment fraud and reduce potential ACH returns,” Rob Unger, managing director of ACH Network development at Nacha, said. Gloria Wan, general manager of Kinexys Liink at Kinexys by J.P. Morgan, said: “Through the collaboration with Phixius by Nacha, we look forward to expanding the reach of Kinexys Liink to further strengthen account validation and cross-border payment infrastructure globally.”
FurGPT’s Web3 virtual pet platform each pet’s behavior securely on-chain creating a unique personality and memory profile, while providing verifiable continuity for users
FurGPT, a leading player in Web3 virtual pet innovation, has introduced emotion-driven mechanics to its AI-powered pets. The new features allow users to engage with their pets in more lifelike and emotionally responsive ways, enhancing user experience and deepening bonds. The AI pets can interpret and respond to user behavior in a nuanced and adaptive manner, allowing them to develop emotional states like curiosity, joy, or loyalty. The platform also integrates blockchain technology to securely record each pet’s behavioral data, ensuring a unique personality and memory profile that evolves over time. The emotional AI system also introduces mood-based quests and emotion-driven animations, making user interactions more intuitive and emotionally rich. This fusion of tech and sentiment in decentralized play represents a shift in the Web3 gaming space towards experiences that prioritize personalization, emotional depth, and interactive narrative.
Deloitte study shows tokenized ownership of loans and securitizations to grow to US$2.39 trillion by 2035 while tokenized private real estate funds expected to grow to US$1 trillion by 2035
Deloitte Center for Financial Services predicts that real estate tokenization could become a core pillar of property financing, ownership, and trading. The market of tokenized real estate could reach $4 trillion by 2035, growing at a 27% compound annual rate from under $300 billion. This sector combines crypto tech and traditional finance, creating digital versions of assets like bonds, funds, and real estate on blockchain rails. It offers operational efficiencies, cheaper settlements, and broader investor access. The report outlines three-pronged evolution of tokenized property: private real estate funds, securitized loan ownership, and under-construction or undeveloped land projects. Tokenized debt securities are expected to dominate, reaching $2.39 trillion in value by 2035. Challenges remain, including regulation, asset custody, cybersecurity, and default scenarios.
Mastercard is partnering crypto exchanges and fintechs to unveil end-to-end acceptance and payments capabilities of stablecoins such as wallet enablement, card issuance and digital commerce
Mastercard is doubling down on stablecoins, unveiling new global end-to-end acceptance and payments capabilities with an integrated 360-degree approach to allow consumers and businesses to use stablecoins as easily as the money in their bank accounts. The company has partnered with a host of crypto natives such as MetaMask, Kraken, Gemini, Bybit, Crypto.com and Binance on wallet enablement and card issuance and acceptance. Now it is working with OKX to launch the OKX Card, providing millions with easy access to their funds. Mastercard is also teaming up with Nuvei and Circle to give merchants the option to receive their payments in stablecoins such as USDC, regardless of how a consumer chooses to pay. It already offers this functionality across Paxos-issued stablecoins. “When it comes to blockchain and digital assets, the benefits for mainstream use cases are clear,” says Jorn Lambert, chief product officer, Mastercard. “To realise its potential, we need to make it as easy for merchants to receive stablecoin payments and for consumers to use them. We believe in the potential of stablecoins to streamline payments and commerce across the value chain.
Stripe is testing cross border API infrastructure for stablecoin payments to support countries with volatile currencies and/or very high cross border payments costs
Stripe’s crypto product team member, Jennifer Lee, announced on X that the company is starting to test its Bridge-based product and invited companies outside the US, UK and EU who want to access dollars. She didn’t mention which stablecoins solutions would be offered initially. Bridge’s APIs support several corporate use cases including cross border transfers, enabling large corporates such as SpaceX’s Starlink to move money around the world, and dollar payouts to staff or others. An important one is enabling clients in countries with volatile currencies to save using dollar stablecoins. Stepping back, Stripe’s appeal for participant companies outside the US, UK and EU is notable. While it’s easy to think that Stripe has a presence worldwide because it sends payments globally, it only offers services to companies in 51 jurisdictions, of which 31 are in Europe, plus the five mainly English-speaking regions of the US, UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Anecdotal evidence has shown that stablecoins appeal most to people in countries with volatile currencies and/or very high cross border payments costs. Quite a few of these countries are not currently served by Stripe. Hence, Stripe’s Bridge integration represents a strategic addition in emerging markets, where stablecoins offer both expanded payment options and access to previously underserved territories with volatile currencies.
SoFi to re-enter crypto business amid positive guidance from the Comptroller of the Currency on banks engaged in the sector; plans to offer crypto investing, payments and lending
SoFi has plans to bring back crypto services for its clients after suspending those operations in 2023 so as not to impede its effort to become a regulated bank. “We’re going to re-enter the crypto business, which we had to exit,” SoFi CEO Anthony Noto said. “We’ll re-enter the business of allowing our members to invest in cryptocurrency. We want to actually make a bigger, more comprehensive push into cryptocurrency, to include really providing crypto or blockchain capabilities in each product area that we have.” Noto said that thanks to new guidance from the Comptroller of the Currency, which was published in March and promised a reduced burden on banks engaged in the sector, the tech company could start offering crypto investing by the end of this year. SoFi will also look to use blockchain technology in all of its major products over the next 24 months, he said, and the company could also offer crypto payments as well as lending against crypto assets.
Wirex’s self-custodial banking platform for Web3 companies offers a full suite of corporate banking services including expense management, card issuance, treasury, and seamless fiat-stablecoin integration
Wirex has launched Wirex Business, a comprehensive corporate banking platform designed to serve the unique needs of Web3 companies and crypto businesses. Wirex Business offers robust tools and seamless integration of stablecoins and fiat currencies, empowering businesses to manage their treasury functions, issue corporate cards, and handle expenses efficiently in the ever-evolving Web3 landscape. The platform enables enterprises to streamline their financial operations with advanced features such as corporate bank accounts, corporate expense and payroll Visa cards, real-time payments, instant settlement, and built-in yield on stablecoin holdings. Designed with the self-custodial model in mind, Wirex Business ensures that businesses retain full control of their funds, giving them the confidence to manage their finances securely in a decentralized world. Key Features of Wirex Business: Corporate Bank Accounts, Corporate Expense & Payroll Cards, Instant Fiat<>Stablecoin Conversion, Built-in Yield, Self-Custodial Model, and Reporting. Wirex Business is designed to help Web3 companies, fintechs, and crypto businesses efficiently manage their financial operations and expand globally with ease. Daniel Rowlands, Managing Director of Wirex Pay said “By offering a full suite of corporate banking services, including expense management, card issuance, and seamless fiat-stablecoin integration, we are empowering Web3 companies to manage their treasury and operations with the same ease as traditional businesses. The future of finance is non-custodial and Wirex is pioneering business banking for the Web3 digital age.”
Square’s savings account feature to offer sellers personalized recommendations, informed by cash flow data and industry insights to help them easily allocate funds into folders dedicated to their top expenses and investment goals
Square announced new Square Banking tools that give sellers instant access to their cash flow and free, easier ways to manage their earnings. Business owners can conveniently sign up for a Square payments account and a free Square Checking¹ account in just minutes through one streamlined application—right on Square’s website and point of sale app. In addition, Square Savings accounts now feature new personalized savings recommendations, informed by cash flow data and industry insights, to make it easy for sellers to organize their funds into folders for key expenses like taxes and supplies. Business owners can now open a square checking account when they sign up for square payments to get instant, 24/7 access to sales revenue. Sellers using Square’s free business savings account will also get personalized savings recommendations to help them easily allocate funds into folders dedicated to their top expenses and investment goals. This new feature uses a seller’s own cash flow data and industry-specific insights derived from the savings patterns of similar sellers within Square’s ecosystem to make these recommendations. And with Square Savings, there are no monthly fees, service or transfer fees, or minimum balance requirements to worry about. In, addition, sellers enjoy: Competitive 1.00% APY to maximize their money, earning more than 2x the national average on funds set aside; Round-the-clock access to their account, with free instant transfers to the Square Checking for immediate use; and FDIC insurance up to $2.5M. With solutions for banking, payroll, invoicing, and inventory management all working seamlessly together within the Square ecosystem and integrated directly into the flow of payments, sellers can stay on top of their finances and get a clear, real-time view of their business activity through a unified dashboard. With Square Banking, sellers save an average of 44 hours a month by not waiting for traditional bank transfers to settle. And the average customer satisfaction (CSAT) score for Square Banking is 86 percent, more than 20 percent higher than the average CSAT scores of the most popular primary banking institutions in the U.S.
Visa partners Bridge — an orchestration platform owned by Stripe to enable issuance of stablecoin-linked Visa cards
Visa and Bridge have partnered to launch a card-issuing product that enables cardholders to use their stablecoin balance to make purchases at any merchant location that accepts Visa. With this collaboration, FinTech developers using Bridge — a stablecoin orchestration platform owned by Stripe — can offer stablecoin-linked Visa cards to their end customers. This offering now enables the issuing of these card programs in six countries in Latin America: Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru and Chile. It will be expanded to countries in Europe, Africa and Asia in the coming months. “We’re focused on integrating stablecoins into Visa’s existing network and products in a frictionless and secure way,” Visa Chief Product and Strategy Officer Jack Forestell said. “Partnering with Bridge represents a significant move in helping to make stablecoins useable in everyday life, giving consumers more choice in how they manage and spend their money.” Bridge CEO and Co-Founder Zach Abrams said that this collaboration will enable anyone to use stablecoins with just a tap of the card with which they are already familiar. “This is a massive unlock for developers who can now build truly scalable issuing products for their users,” Abrams said.
Baanx has partnered with Visa to launch stablecoin payment cards tied to self-custodial wallets, enabling holders to spend USDC directly from their crypto wallet
Cryptocurrency debit card firm Baanx has partnered with Visa to launch stablecoin payment cards tied to self-custodial wallets, starting in the U.S. with Circle’s USDC dollar pegged token. The Visa cards enable holders to spend USDC directly from their crypto wallets, using smart contracts to move a stablecoin balance upon card authorization from the consumer to Baanx in real time, with Baanx converting the balance into fiat for payment. Allowing people to manage their money on-chain with the help of major card networks like Visa and Mastercard is a fast growing segment within crypto. Baanx is also working with Mastercard on a card linked to MetaMask wallets. The stablecoin payment space is also heating up thanks to Circle recently announcing its own payment network focused initially on cross-border payments and remittances. Baanx’s stablecoin-linked Visa cards promise a global reach with low-cost cross border payments in the mix. “In many regions, access to stable currency is a luxury. We’re giving people the ability to hold and spend USD-backed stablecoins seamlessly — in a self-custodial, real-time way — anywhere Visa is accepted. This is what the future of finance looks like,” said Simon Jones, chief commercial officer at Baanx.