The hottest Payments Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Top Finance Topics

Why stablecoins matter to democracy and domestic debt

Alex's Personal Blog • 32 implied HN points • 22 Oct 24
🔮 Crypto Payments
  1. Stablecoins provide a safe way for people in countries with unstable currencies to access reliable money. This can help them protect their savings from inflation and financial mishaps.
  2. Using stablecoins can promote the use of the U.S. dollar globally, which is good for the American economy and its status as a superpower. More transactions in dollars mean more strength for the U.S. currency.
  3. The growth in stablecoin use is expected to continue as tech advances, making it easier for people to access these digital dollars and benefit from better financial opportunities.

In-App Payments (IAP) FAQ

Substack • 6 implied HN points • 18 Aug 25
🕹 Technology Payments
  1. In-app purchases (IAP) on Apple devices allow users to subscribe directly within the app, making it easier for subscribers to sign up.
  2. Users in the U.S. get the option of both IAP and web-based checkout, while international users only see IAP due to Apple’s rules.
  3. Prices for IAP subscriptions may be higher to cover Apple's fees, but Substack ensures you still earn similar payouts as web subscriptions.

Chinese banks scrutinize trade payments from Russia: report

Pekingnology • 37 implied HN points • 21 Feb 24
🌍 World Politics Payments
  1. Chinese banks are closely reviewing trade payments from Russia, causing disruptions for Chinese companies involved in business transactions.
  2. Major Chinese banks, including state-owned ones, are halting payments from sanctioned Russian financial institutions, leading to challenges for traders in various regions of China.
  3. The heightened scrutiny on remittances related to Russia by Chinese banks reflects the changing regulatory environment post third quarter of last year, impacting cross-border transactions and requiring stricter due diligence.

The card payments you use every day are stunting economic growth - it's time for an upgrade

Building The Future of Payments by Mike Kelly • 1 HN point • 21 Jun 24
💰 Finance Payments
  1. Card payments are outdated and inefficient, hindering economic growth by increasing costs, slowing transactions, and exposing to fraud.
  2. Card transaction fees act as a hidden sales tax, increasing prices for everyone and placing burdens on local businesses.
  3. Moving beyond traditional card systems to modern payment methods can lead to improved user experiences, reduced fees, and increased economic growth.
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Check, Please

Net Interest • 10 implied HN points • 20 Dec 24
💼 Business Payments
  1. A restaurant payment system started when Frank McNamara created the Diners Club after running out of cash in a restaurant. This invention allowed people to pay by card instead of cash.
  2. Today, companies like Toast and Edenred are leading the market by providing technology and meal voucher services to restaurants. They are crucial in shaping how payments are made in dining establishments.
  3. Despite the rise of technology, many diners still prefer using cash for their meals, showing that tradition still plays a role in the way we pay.

Issue #141: X Partners with Visa, Wise’s LatAm Push, And Australia Tightens BNPL Rules

Fintech Radar • 6 implied HN points • 06 Feb 25
💰 Finance Payments
  1. X has teamed up with Visa to introduce a digital payment feature in their app. This move aims to make X a more comprehensive service, but it raises concerns about user trust and market competition.
  2. Wise has expanded its services to Mexico, focusing on providing low-cost international payment options. This expansion comes as the demand for remittances in Mexico grows, presenting both challenges and opportunities.
  3. Australia is tightening regulations for Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) services by requiring providers to apply for credit licenses. This change could favor established companies while making it harder for new entrants to join the market.

Issue #95: X Is Getting Into P2P Payments, Circle Files For An IPO, And Revolut Gains Interest In Its HR Tech Offering

Fintech Radar • 18 implied HN points • 17 Jan 24
💰 Finance Payments
  1. Twitter (X) plans to introduce peer-to-peer payments, a logical starting point given its large user base and commerce opportunities
  2. Revolut's HR platform, Revolut People, attracts over 300 companies to its waitlist, surprising with strong interest in the offering
  3. Mastercard is developing an AI tool for small businesses, showing a cautious approach amid a potential trend towards more AI-focused innovations in the market

Going cashless in Nigeria: How startups are digitizing payments in the country's trickiest verticals

Afridigest • 15 implied HN points • 02 Mar 24
💼 Business Payments
  1. Nigeria is a leading fintech hub in Africa, receiving a significant amount of funding in the sector since 2022.
  2. Despite fintech activity, cash remains prevalent in Nigeria, especially in everyday transactions like public transportation, informal economy vendors, and fuel purchases.
  3. Startups in Nigeria are innovating to overcome challenges in digitizing payments in tricky sectors, offering solutions like digital payment systems for transportation, mobile money for informal vendors, and e-wallets for fuel payments.

Issue #136: Affirm Arrives In The UK, Block Ramps Up Afterpay, And Coinbase Partners With Visa

Fintech Radar • 6 implied HN points • 13 Nov 24
💰 Finance Payments
  1. Affirm is now in the UK, partnering with Amazon to offer buy now, pay later options. This move puts them up against established competitors like Klarna and Afterpay.
  2. Block is enhancing its Cash App by integrating Afterpay, making it easier for users to manage payments. This could help Block maximize the value of its Afterpay acquisition.
  3. Coinbase teamed up with Visa for real-time deposits, allowing quick transfers into user accounts. This partnership is a significant step for improving the user experience in crypto trading.

Issue #142: Kraken’s Crypto Payments Bet, Bud’s AI Move And PIX's Continued Expansion

Fintech Radar • 4 implied HN points • 13 Feb 25
🔮 Crypto Payments
  1. Kraken has started a new crypto payments service, helping businesses accept digital currencies. This could revive interest in crypto payments, especially as the regulatory environment improves.
  2. Brazil's Pix payment system is expanding its features with recurring payments, potentially opening up a $30 billion opportunity. This makes Pix a stronger competitor against traditional payment networks.
  3. Bud launched an AI-powered search tool for financial transactions, helping banks better understand customer data. This could change how banks manage data and improve services like lending and fraud detection.

Issue #140: Amazon Snaps Up Axio, Robinhood’s Crypto Push Into Spain, and Another Bank Fintech Flop

Fintech Radar • 4 implied HN points • 29 Jan 25
💰 Finance Payments
  1. Amazon is buying a fintech called Axio in India to strengthen its credit services. This shows Amazon's intent to dive deeper into lending rather than just partnering with others.
  2. Ramp has launched a new treasury management product, making it easier for businesses to manage their cash. This is part of a trend where companies want financial tools that integrate into their daily operations.
  3. HSBC shut down its Zing app just a year after launching it, which highlights how challenging it is for banks to successfully enter the fintech space. Just having money and a name isn't enough to succeed in this fast-paced market.

Issue #139: Revolut Eyes New Zealand Banking Licence, eToro Targets US IPO, And Pocket Money Goes Digital

Fintech Radar • 4 implied HN points • 11 Dec 24
💰 Finance Payments
  1. Revolut is applying for a banking license in New Zealand to expand its services. This could help them offer more products and gain a larger market share there.
  2. eToro is planning a U.S. IPO after a previous attempt fell through. They are looking to enter the public market at a time when investor interest in fintech is growing.
  3. John Lewis launched a fun app called 'Pocket Money Pet' to help kids learn about money. It's a creative way to teach kids saving and budgeting skills early on.

Issue #135: Robinhood Launches Election Contracts, NVIDIA Tackles Fraud, And Moniepoint Joins the Unicorn Club

Fintech Radar • 4 implied HN points • 06 Nov 24
💰 Finance Payments
  1. Robinhood has launched contracts for betting on the U.S. presidential election, allowing users to trade on candidates like Kamala Harris and Donald Trump. This move taps into the growing interest in prediction markets during election cycles.
  2. Hong Kong has introduced a framework for AI in finance to ensure responsible use, data privacy, and collaboration with universities. This trend might inspire other markets to set similar guidelines for AI in financial services.
  3. NVIDIA is now using AI to detect fraudulent credit card transactions in real-time. This development shows how AI is making it easier for companies outside of traditional finance to tackle fraud prevention.

Issue #134: Western Union Acquires Dash, Morgan Stanley’s AI Push, And Finix’s New Funding Round

Fintech Radar • 4 implied HN points • 30 Oct 24
💰 Finance Payments
  1. Western Union is buying Dash, a mobile wallet in Singapore, to expand its digital services. This shows how much the remittance business has changed with more competition from apps.
  2. Goldman Sachs and Apple are being fined nearly $90 million over issues with the Apple Card, which could hurt their future plans. It highlights the challenges Goldman faces in consumer banking.
  3. Morgan Stanley launched an AI assistant to help its staff analyze research reports faster. This shows how traditional finance is integrating AI to improve efficiency.

Issue #90: The ASX Turns To Tata For Help With CHESS Replacement, The FCA Gives Go Head To Klarna For Payment And Credit Services, And The Definitive Podcast On Visa

Fintech Radar • 8 implied HN points • 29 Nov 23
💰 Finance Payments
  1. Governments are tightening regulations on BNPL services, impacting fintech firms.
  2. Consumer-facing fintech startups face challenges in a crowded market, leading to pivots.
  3. Nubank's innovative offering of transferring credit card limits for personal and business use showcases opportunities in fintech.

Issue #86: Musk Wants X To Replace Your Bank, JPM Coin Is Now Handling $1b In Daily Transactions Volume And Catch Relaunches

Fintech Radar • 8 implied HN points • 31 Oct 23
💰 Finance Payments
  1. Elon Musk plans to turn Twitter into a financial app called X by 2024.
  2. Monzo is in talks to sell a stake in the company worth over £300m to prepare for an IPO.
  3. JPMorgan's JPM Coin handles $1 billion in daily transactions, showing slow but significant growth in blockchain-based financial infrastructure.

Issue #100 🎉 🥳 : Revolut Expands Into Offering eSIMs, FIS Partners To Offer A2A Payments, And Temenos Gets Hindenburged

Fintech Radar • 6 implied HN points • 22 Feb 24
💰 Finance Payments
  1. Revolut ventures into telecom by introducing phone plans in the UK with eSIMs, aligning with its all-encompassing super app vision.
  2. FIS partners with Banked to offer pay-by-bank solutions, a move towards A2A payments that could challenge traditional card schemes.
  3. Temenos faces allegations from Hindenburg Research, highlighting the challenges in large corporate tech transformations and the need to address accusations.

Issue #97: PayPal Fails To Excite The Market With Its New Features, TikTok Wants Every Post To Be Shoppable, And Klarna Drops A Subscription Product

Fintech Radar • 6 implied HN points • 31 Jan 24
💰 Finance Payments
  1. PayPal failed to impress the market with its new features, losing momentum after an initial spike in stock value.
  2. TikTok is testing a feature to make every post shoppable, aiming to boost its e-commerce business with enhanced shopping experiences.
  3. Klarna introduced a $7.99 subscription plan 'Klarna Plus' to generate recurring revenue as it gears up for its IPO, reflecting mixed opinions on the BNPL industry.

Issue #138: Robinhood Acquires TradePMR, Revolut’s ATM Play, And UPI Continues To Go Global

Fintech Radar • 2 implied HN points • 28 Nov 24
💰 Finance Payments
  1. Robinhood has bought TradePMR to expand its services for financial advisers, showing it's serious about growing in the wealth management area. This move is part of a wider trend where fintech companies are trying to offer more services to their users.
  2. Revolut is planning to introduce an AI assistant, branded ATMs, and mortgage options by 2025. These additions reflect their aggressive approach to compete in the traditional finance space beyond just banking.
  3. Google Pay is now incorporating buy now, pay later options from Afterpay and Klarna. This shows that big tech companies want to partner with existing services instead of directly competing in the financial sector.

Issue #82: Apple Explores Open Banking In The UK, Ant Group Launches A Pan-Asian Mobile Wallet, And Nova Credit & HSBC Collaborate on Cross-Border Credit Sharing

Fintech Radar • 6 implied HN points • 02 Oct 23
💰 Finance Payments
  1. Apple introduces feature allowing UK users to view bank account balance via Apple Wallet using Open Banking APIs.
  2. Ant Group expands payment ecosystem for Asian e-wallets through Alipay+ Program, enabling seamless mobile payments.
  3. Nova Credit partners with HSBC UK to offer credit card for immigrants, leveraging international credit history for new customers.

Issue #78: X Gets Licenses in Multiple U.S. States, Open Banking Payments Are On The Up And A Partnership Between Hallmark And Venmo Brings New Meaning to 'Embedded Finance'

Fintech Radar • 6 implied HN points • 04 Sep 23
💼 Business Payments
  1. Elon Musk's X obtaining licenses in multiple U.S. states to process payments, entering into the fintech space.
  2. UK experiencing a surge in open banking payments, with significant growth in single domestic payments.
  3. Hallmark and Venmo partnering to allow sending money in physical greeting cards, showcasing embedded finance innovation.

Issue #79: Visa Gets In On Stablecoin Summer, Monzo Takes On Scam Callers, And ThetaRay Secures $57M To Fight Money Laundering

Fintech Radar • 4 implied HN points • 11 Sep 23
💰 Finance Payments
  1. Visa expands stablecoin settlement capabilities by partnering with merchant acquirers, facilitating instant payment authorizations.
  2. Temenos introduces a generative AI tool to automatically classify customer banking transactions, potentially revolutionizing banking processes.
  3. ThetaRay raises $57M for AI tools to fight money laundering, showcasing the increasing importance of compliance-focused startups in fintech.

Retrospective on a Kenyan Payments Workflow

Vivid Leaves • 2 HN points • 14 Mar 24
🕹 Technology Payments
  1. Ecommerce players in emerging markets often face challenges with cash management due to low card adoption and customer trust issues, leading to a need for innovative solutions like payment upon delivery.
  2. M-Pesa in Kenya revolutionized cashless payments with its mobile money network, which played a crucial role in enabling online commerce and providing a solution for payment workflows in the region.
  3. Creating unique solutions, like using M-Pesa for cash remittance and optimizing delivery routes, can help businesses navigate operational challenges and improve efficiency in regions with specific infrastructural characteristics.

Apple’s fintech strategy; FedNow is under the "radar" of Stripe; 2023 Business payments barometer;

Fintech Wrap Up • 0 implied HN points • 21 Jun 23
💼 Business Payments
  1. Apple has experienced significant growth in its fintech offerings through partnerships and products like Apple Pay and Apple Card.
  2. FIS acquired the BaaS startup Bond, showcasing continued consolidation in the fintech industry.
  3. Venmo and Cash App are facing pressure from Senate Democrats to improve security measures due to concerns about fraud and consumer protection policies.

Pizza Place Payments

Money in Transit • 0 implied HN points • 23 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Payments
  1. Understanding the separation of orders and payments is crucial for developing useful payment applications.
  2. When building payment applications, ensure past orders and payments are unaffected by future changes in products and variants.
  3. Invoices notify about payments, receipts prove payments; keep both immutable and associated with an order.

Building Money In Transit

Money in Transit • 0 implied HN points • 19 Dec 23
💼 Business Payments
  1. Decisions in software development need context to be effective.
  2. Architecting software helps mitigate issues caused by siloed engineering teams.
  3. Writing online serves as both product building and customer building.

Must There Be A Payment Platform?

Money in Transit • 0 implied HN points • 20 Nov 23
🕹 Technology Payments
  1. Social media platforms optimize for addictiveness and profit from auctioning user data.
  2. Startups integrating with payment platforms can end up paying high fees and facing information asymmetries.
  3. Payment providers accumulate power by creating technical debt and making it hard for startups to switch to other platforms.

Alert: Central Bank of Nigeria Circular PSM/DIR/PUB/CIR/001/039

RegAlert • 0 implied HN points • 27 Jun 23
💰 Finance Payments
  1. The Central Bank of Nigeria issued guidelines for contactless payments in the country, aiming to standardize operations and promote innovation while ensuring financial system stability.
  2. Banks, financial institutions, and payment service providers are required to adhere to these guidelines, implement risk management processes, and maintain relevant standards for contactless payments.
  3. Participants in contactless payments in Nigeria must download and adhere to Circular PSM/DIR/PUB/CIR/001/039 available on the Central Bank of Nigeria's website.

Alert: Central Bank of Nigeria Circular PSM/DIR/PUB/CIR/001/048

RegAlert • 0 implied HN points • 27 Jun 23
💰 Finance Payments
  1. The Central Bank of Nigeria has issued a circular regarding transaction limits on contactless payments, requiring adherence from financial institutions and payment service providers.
  2. Transactions exceeding the specified limits on contactless payments will need verification and authorization.
  3. Higher-value contactless payments must meet existing KYC requirements and limits on electronic payment channels, while transactions above the daily cumulative limit should use contact-based technology.

Alert: Central Bank of Nigeria Circular PSM/DIR/CON/INM/016/118

RegAlert • 0 implied HN points • 04 Jul 22
💰 Finance Payments
  1. The Central Bank of Nigeria is requesting financial institutions to review and implement specific QR code presentment options in payments.
  2. Financial institutions can choose between merchant-presented or consumer-presented QR code options for payments.
  3. The Central Bank of Nigeria will continue to monitor industry developments and provide additional guidance as needed.

Alert: Central Bank of Nigeria Circular PSM/DIR/PUB/CIR/01/006

RegAlert • 0 implied HN points • 26 May 22
💰 Finance Payments
  1. Financial institutions in Nigeria must accept indemnity from customers for secure online funds transfers, with varying limits for individuals and corporations.
  2. Customers should be given the option of electronic or paper indemnity, with stricter controls like biometric verification for electronic indemnity.
  3. Multiple factor authentication is required for secure online funds transfers, and customers must be informed about indemnity's role in increasing transaction limits.

Alert: Central Bank of Nigeria Circular PSM/DIR/PUB/CIR/01/026

RegAlert • 0 implied HN points • 08 Sep 21
💰 Finance Payments
  1. Financial institutions in Nigeria must process bulk payments with detailed breakdowns of recipient accounts.
  2. Credits in bulk transfers must be retained by sender's banks, as per the recent regulations.
  3. Compliance with the new payment system regulations, like the one stated in Circular PSM/DIR/PUB/CIR/01/026, is compulsory.

Alert: Central Bank of Nigeria Circular PSM/DIR/CON/INM/011/142

RegAlert • 0 implied HN points • 02 Aug 21
💰 Finance Payments
  1. The Central Bank of Nigeria has issued guidelines for the licensing and regulation of Payments Service Holding Companies in Nigeria.
  2. The circular PSM/DIR/CON/INM/011/142 outlines the specific requirements and directives for these companies.
  3. Those interested can download the detailed guidelines from the official website of the Central Bank of Nigeria.