Commerzbank and Hawk, a provider of anti-fraud and anti-money laundering (AML) technologies, are collaborating to optimize internal banking processes using AI. The bank has deployed Hawk’s “AML AI Extended Risk Model” to complement its existing rule-based compliance systems, aiming to improve the detection of financial crime while meeting regulatory requirements. The initiative forms part of Commerzbank’s broader strategy to apply AI across customer and market processes. Viktor Kraus “Given the complexity of the landscape, we can only successfully combat financial crime with the help of AI. It is a high strategic priority for us to proactively and continuously expand our compliance system architecture,” said Viktor Kraus, Cluster Lead Global Financial Crime Prevention Platform at Commerzbank. Hawk’s extended risk model enables banks to use advanced AI models without requiring major upgrades to existing technology. The software integrates with legacy systems through an integration layer, improving alert accuracy, reducing false positives, and detecting new patterns of money laundering or fraud. The implementation also expands software validation to include stronger AI model governance. Tobias Schweiger “Banks must adapt to new threat scenarios in money laundering. Our AI-driven solution helps achieve this,” said Tobias Schweiger, CEO of Hawk. He added that the platform enables compliance teams to improve the quality and transparency of money laundering detection and investigations, noting that the explainability of the AI models is particularly important for regulatory approval.       Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by Tanu via Freepik The post Commerzbank Teams Up With Hawk to Deploy AI in Anti-Money Laundering Efforts appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

At Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2026, Tencent Cloud announced a collaboration with Turkish fintech company iyzico to support its European expansion and launch its first cloud-based production platform in the region. Tencent Cloud built the platform on its IaaS infrastructure to meet regulatory requirements for financial services. Founded in Türkiye, iyzico provides virtual, in-store and supplier network payment solutions for e-commerce, retail and B2B businesses. Its platform supports transactions for over 185,000 merchants, including major e-commerce players and SMEs, and aims to simplify payment processes while maintaining security and reliability. To facilitate its European operations, iyzico required a secure and compliant cloud environment with end-to-end support, including infrastructure setup and code delivery via Terraform. Tencent Cloud developed the platform across its Frankfurt availability zones, providing a dual zone architecture with rapid database failover and elastic resource scaling to ensure uninterrupted transaction processing. Fred Sun, General Manager of Europe at Tencent Cloud International, said: Fred Sun “We are focused on delivering secure, compliant and high-performance infrastructure that enables fintech innovators like iyzico to scale with confidence and provide seamless payment experiences to millions of customers.” Şamil Nevruz, CTO of iyzico, added: Şamil Nevruz “The partnership has strengthened our ability to meet stringent regulatory requirements, scale efficiently and deliver reliable services to our merchants and customers. As we start to grow in Europe, this relationship also provides a platform for further innovation in digital payments.” The collaboration covered architecture design, automated deployment and operational handover, enabling rapid rollout and establishing a foundation for growth while maintaining regulatory compliance.       Featured image credit: Tencent Cloud The post Tencent Cloud Powers iyzico’s First European Payment Platform appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

Revolut Bank UK has received approval from the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) to exit the mobilisation phase and operate as a fully licensed bank in the UK. The bank enters this stage with an existing base of 13 million UK customers and follows Revolut’s recent pledge to invest £3bn and create 1,000 high-skilled jobs in the country. The approval allows Revolut Bank UK to offer accounts to retail and business customers, with deposits protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) on eligible accounts. It also opens the possibility of introducing additional services in the future, including lending. The rollout of current accounts will begin in the coming days with a small group of new customers, gradually expanding over the following weeks to ensure a smooth transition. Existing customers will not experience any immediate changes; their Revolut app and cards will continue to function as usual. Notifications regarding the migration to the new bank will be sent over the next few months. Nik Storonsky, Co-Founder and CEO of Revolut, said: Nikolay Storonsky “The UK is our home market and central to our growth. We look forward to introducing a full suite of banking services to our millions of UK customers, bringing the same innovative experience we already provide across the rest of Europe.” Francesca Carlesi, UK CEO at Revolut, added: Francesca Carlesi “Securing this license lays the foundation for our next chapter: expanding into a broader suite of products, including credit, to sit alongside the services our customers already rely on every day.”       Featured image credit: Revolut The post Revolut Bank UK Granted Full Banking License by PRA appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

In 2026, artificial intelligence (AI) and wealth aggregation will continue to gain traction in the wealth management sector as firms respond to the growing demand for comprehensive, tailored advice. Simultaneously, cryptocurrencies and digital assets will continue to gain legitimacy, requiring firms to develop their own offerings. Asset tokenization, meanwhile, will enhance the accessibility of previously illiquid assets, including real estate and commodities. Finally, direct indexing will emerge as a highly profitable tool driven by the rising demand for flexibility. These are among the key wealthtech trends in Europe for 2026 highlighted by industry stakeholders. These experts, which represent banks, wealthtech companies, and consulting firms such as Morningstar, Allianz, and Upvest, shared their predictions in a new report produced by German wealthtech software provider Fincite. Overall, these insights underscore an industry undergoing a profound digital transformation. This transformation is calling for infrastructure modernization efforts, and new products that align with evolving customer preferences and which unlock new revenue streams. Top Wealthtech Trends in Europe 2026 Asset tokenization In 2026, the industrialization of money, bond, and fund tokenization will witness significant productive scaling, and through 2030, real world assets (RWAs) tokenization is expected to evolve from a niche innovation into a fundamental capital markets infrastructure. Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and digital exchange ADDX forecast that asset tokenization will expand into a US$16.1 trillion business opportunity by 2030, while global management consultancy Roland Berger estimates that the market could mushroom to at least US$10 trillion in the same timeframe. Tokenization refers to the transfer of ownership rights in assets, including bonds, funds, and real-estate, into programmable digital assets on distributed ledger technology (DLT). For banks, tokenization will create a new settlement and collateral layer with potential for T+0 settlement, fractional ownership, and automated compliance. For high-net-worth private clients and the upper affluent segment, the primary value lies in bankable RWAs that were previously illiquid or inaccessible. Direct indexing In 2026, personalized indexing will become a highly profitable premium tool if positioned correctly. The technology is mature, and the market is experiencing growth, with direct indexing assets in the US closing year-end 2024 at US$864.3 billion, according to Cerulli Associates. Direct indexing is an investment strategy where instead of purchasing a fund that tracks an index, investors buy the individual stocks that make up that index directly. This granular ownership gives investors direct control over each individual stock position, enabling strategies like tax-loss harvesting. Furthermore, in contrast to standard indices, client-specific criteria can be translated into automated investment rules, creating a customized portfolio of directly held securities that aligns precisely with an investor’s goals and values. While direct indexing has technically reached the mainstream, driven by sophisticated platforms, falling minimum investment amounts, and clear use cases, significant adoption runway remains as only a small segment of financial advisors has adopted the solution. As of 2024, 18% of advisors report using direct indexing strategies, according to Cerulli Associates, highlighting substantial growth opportunity. Real estate Following a period of significant price corrections, rising interest rates and global uncertainty, real estate is regaining prominence, reemerging as a more contemporary, highly digitized, and data-driven asset class. Demand remains robust, as private investors in Europe now allocate approximately 8 to 10% of their portfolios to real estate, a level approaching institutional strategies. Furthermore, the momentum is being accelerated by the revised European Long-Term Investment Funds (ELTIF 2.0), which entered into force in early 2024. ELTIF 2.0 is designed to make it easier for both institutional and retail investors to invest in long-term assets such as infrastructure, private equity, and real estate across the European Union (EU). For real estate, it allows funds to more easily pool capital from investors to finance property projects while offering more flexible diversification and liquidity rules than the original ELTIF regime. Tokenization is also poised to further transform the real estate by providing additional flexibility in the medium term, lowering entry barriers, removing friction, and enabling near-instant transfer of ownership. Digital wealth backend The wealth backend, which encompasses the entire infrastructure for the execution, settlement, and custody of end-customer portfolios and associated securities for banks and asset managers, is undergoing a profound digital transformation. The digital wealth backend utilizes cloud technology for greater flexibility and scalability. Almost all systems offer real-time and event-based data availability, and the best ones are developed API-first, enabling faster time-to-market for transformation projects and ongoing product innovation. This shift is being driven by ever-increasing regulatory requirements and reforms demanding a significantly more flexible backend infrastructure. Furthermore, artificial intelligence (AI) and big data demand cost-effective processing and new backend functionalities which legacy systems can’t support. Wealth aggregation Wealth aggregation represents a significant development in wealth management. By integrating and aggregating financial data across various sources, banks and wealth managers can offer their customers comprehensive, personalized financial advice. In 2026, the market for wealth aggregation will continue to grow due to the increasing spread of open finance and regulatory developments. In particular, the Financial Data Access (FiDA) regulation in the EU aims to improve access to data and boost competition in financial services. The regulation, which is still in the legislative process, will force financial data holders to share customer data with licensed third parties under standardized technical schemes. Technological advances will further fuel the growth of the sector. In particular, more and more providers are relying on cloud-based systems, making it easier to deploy wealth aggregation. Furthermore, increased integration of AI and data analytics is allowing providers to create personalized recommendations for customers and automate financial advice. Wealth aggregation refers to the process by which all relevant financial data of a customer is digitally consolidated. It leverages modern technologies and open banking to offer a 360-degree overview of a customer’s entire wealth, allowing wealth managers to develop personalized investment strategies and offer comprehensive, data-based advice. AI in wealth management In wealth management, experts predict that AI will not replace managers but rather augment their capabilities. The “AI-powered advisor” will understand clients’ emotional nuances and complex life situations, while AI will provide precise, unbiased, data-driven decisions and compliances. Leveraging machine learning (ML) and generative AI (genAI), firms will be able to deliver more individualized, faster, and more consistent advisory services. These will be embedded in solid governance and robust data processes. Organizations have widely recognized the necessity of adopting AI. A 2025 study conducted by global wealth management platform FNZ polled more than 500 financial institutions and found that 72% of financial executives consider AI to be critical to the future of their business. 63% agree that AI will revolutionize the wealth and asset management sector. Crypto assets Crypto assets are increasingly becoming an established component of financial markets. For banks and asset managers, it will be essential in 2026 to closely monitor this asset class and build their own offerings. This development comes as regulatory frameworks for digital assets in many major jurisdictions have been clearly defined, providing institutional players with a reliable path to participation. Simultaneously, the asset class has grown significantly, and client demand is evident. Crypto assets are digital representations of values or rights that are issued and managed as tokens on a blockchain. This asset class can be divided into three main categories, namely tokenized assets, tokenized money, and cryptocurrencies. Tokenized assets, which include treasuries, private credit, equities, and collateral markets, has scaled from US$5.5 billion at the end of 2024 to about US$20 billion a year later, according to tokenization platform Securitize. Tokenized money, primarily comprises tokenized deposits, stablecoins and central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), claims a market capitalization of US$305 billion for stablecoins alone, according to Coindesk. Finally, cryptocurrencies, which include assets like Bitcoin and Ethereum, is now worth approximately US$2.3 trillion.   Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on images by Sodiq99art and rawintanpin via Freepik The post Top Wealthtech Trends in Europe for 2026 appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

Switzerland’s payments landscape will look very different by 2027. The changes coming are not marginal regulatory tweaks but structural overhauls: the end of euroSIC, the retirement of LSV/BDD, the arrival of PSD3/PSR in the EU, and a far more demanding regime for operational resilience driven by FINMA and Europe’s DORA. The combined effect is that Swiss banks and NBFIs must prepare not only for compliance, but for a world where payments infrastructure becomes a source of competitive differentiation. The euroSIC Discontinuation: A Quiet Milestone with Loud Consequences For nearly 30 years, euroSIC has quietly underpinned EUR transactions inside Switzerland. That era closes on 31 December 2027, when SIX will switch the system off entirely. After that date, not a single euroSIC transaction, whether domestic or routed through dependent third-party services, will be processed. The change forces institutions to rethink the very plumbing of their euro payments business. Banks must now decide whether to pursue direct SEPA participation, rely on correspondent banks, or integrate specialist access providers. Each path comes with new operational, liquidity, and compliance implications. Complicating matters further, the euroSIC shutdown overlaps with the 2027 SEPA Instant deadlines, which oblige non-Eurozone PSPs, including Swiss institutions, to be able to receive instant payments by January, and be able to send by July. For many institutions, this will be the first time their euro flows encounter truly competitive rails. As one Swiss market analysis observed, the sunset of euroSIC has “far reaching implications for numerous actors” especially for institutions that have relied on a single domestic EUR pipeline for decades. A Second Tectonic Shift: The Retirement of LSV/BDD Running parallel to the euroSIC deadline is the dismantling of Switzerland’s longstanding direct debit schemes. LSV⁺ and BDD will cease on 30 September 2028, ending a system that still underpins millions of recurring collections. SIX has been transparent about why: LSV/BDD cannot be configured for the ISO 20022-based, digitally authenticated standards that define modern payments. For banks and billers, this is not simply a migration exercise: it is a cultural shift in how Swiss consumers and companies authorise payments. In place of LSV/BDD will be eBill and eBill Direct Debit, launched formally in mid-2025, along with QRbill options and standing orders. However, euro-denominated LSV/BDD collections face an even earlier cutoff. Because euroSIC disappears in 2027, EUR mandates must stop being submitted by 31 August 2027, with a final processing date of 31 August because of the discontinuation of euroSIC. As of January 1, 2026, no new invoice issuers or FIs can be activated. It is worth mentioning that PostFinance’s proprietary “CH-DD” (Debit Direct) is not affected by this shutdown and will continue to be available. Nonetheless, financial institutions with large corporate biller portfolios cannot afford to wait. The volume of mandate conversions could overwhelm operational teams if left to a final year scramble. PSD3 and PSR: Europe Raises the Regulatory Bar While Switzerland is not an EU member, the emerging PSD3 and Payment Services Regulation (PSR) framework will still shape the country’s payments operations. Two elements stand out: first, a tougher fraud liability regime with more accountability under which PSPs shoulder more responsibility for reimbursing victims (akin to mandatory reimbursement in the UK); and second, the requirement for Verification of Payee (VoP), a real-time name/IBAN match for all credit transfers. VoP phase two covers non-euro SEPA countries, but not all of them start from the same legal position. EU countries operating with non-euro currencies are generally on track for the July 2027 obligation. But for non-EU markets such as Switzerland VoP intersects more directly with privacy law and banking secrecy. However, VoP in particular will have Swiss repercussions. As cross-border and SEPA flows increase post–euroSIC, institutions connected to European rails must avoid mismatches that could trigger costly disputes or abandoned transactions. Bottomline’s research into the state of real-time and cross–border payments has found that pre–validation mechanisms like VoP- are becoming central to lowering friction, aligning perfectly with PSD3’s intent. The Resilience Mandate: From Paper Theory to Provable Capability Perhaps the most profound change coming is not in payment rails, but in operational resilience. FINMA’s Circular 2023/1, in force since January 2024, embeds a new philosophy: Swiss boards are now explicitly accountable for defining an institution’s critical functions, its tolerances for disruption, and the organisation’s ability to continue operating under cyberattacks, infrastructure failures, or prolonged outages. It compels banks to maintain real-time inventories of ICT assets, rigorously protect critical data, and conduct scenario tests that simulate not just short interruptions but severe, multi-month failures. This is not simply Swiss regulatory tightening. It mirrors Europe’s Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA), which came into effect for EU firms in 2025. While DORA does not formally apply in Switzerland, it applies to any Swiss bank with EU subsidiaries or those providing ICT services to EU entities. Many Swiss groups will therefore adopt DORA-level controls globally to avoid fragmentation. The logic behind this policy convergence is clear: disruptions are now structural, not episodic. Bottomline’s global report The Future of Competitive Advantage in Banking and Payments paints a stark picture. Banks are now contending with a “growing array of multilateral rails” including domestic instant payment schemes, cross-border fast payment corridors, and one-leg-out transactions, each with its own rules and vulnerabilities. Complexity, the study argues, is now itself driving risk. Transformation that Must Finally Prove its Value If the early 2020s were about building new rails and meeting new standards, 2026 marks a turning point. Payments transformation is now expected to show ROI. Bottomline’s Global B2B Outlook for 2026 captures a sentiment heard repeatedly in Swiss and European boardrooms: years of investment in ISO 20022, new connectivity, and new digital channels must now translate into higher straight-through processing, cleaner reconciliations, fewer exceptions, and clearer cash positions. Strikingly, the research notes that many banks technically “met” the ISO 20022 deadline using workarounds. However, they did not complete the migration in a way that eliminates breakpoints. An example is structured address data. According to Swift statistics cited in the report, around 80% of messages still contain unstructured address fields, despite another mandatory ISO upgrade looming in November 2026. This matters because poorly structured data is one of the chief causes of cross-border delays and STP failures — problems that will become acute as Swiss institutions shift more EUR flows to SEPA. And behind all of this sits a familiar antagonist: legacy architecture. Whether looking at real-time routing, VoP, multi-rail orchestration, or resilience testing, institutions repeatedly identify outdated core systems as the breakpoint that turns regulatory requirements into operational headaches. Real-time and cross-border payments now demand “speed, scale, and pre-validation,” and financial institutions that lack modern infrastructure risk higher costs and lower resilience. The Strategic Pivot Switzerland Must Make Now Switzerland’s financial sector has always excelled at precision, security, and reliability. But this next phase requires a useful skill: adaptability. The financial institutions that will thrive through euroSIC discontinuation, LSV/BDD sunset, and PSD3 implementation will not be those that merely “migrate” systems. They will be the ones that rethink their payments architecture to embrace automation, multi-rail intelligence, structured data, and resilience that can be demonstrated, not just declared. FINMA’s direction is unambiguous. Operational resilience is no longer just a defensive discipline; it is a measure of institutional competence. European trends in real-time cross-border interoperability, VoP, anti-fraud mandates, ISO compliance, and DORA-class ICT governance are not burdens but indicators of competitive advantage. By the time the calendar flips to 2028, Switzerland’s payments system will be running on new rails, new rules and new expectations. Banks and NBFIs that prepare early by modernising architecture, completing ISO migrations properly, embedding VoP and pre-validation, redesigning EUR clearing pathways, and rigorously testing resilience will emerge not only compliant but strategically stronger. Those that do not may find end up fighting for relevance in a region that’s moving faster than ever. Set your immaculately efficient Swiss time pieces to ‘go’.     Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by kavalenkava via Freepik The post Swiss Payments System Getting Its Most Consequential Overhaul in Decades appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

International payment acquiring company PAYSTRAX plans to expand its workforce in Lithuania, with up to 75 new hires expected in 2026 and as many as 150 additional employees over the next three years. Founded in Lithuania in 2018 by Icelandic entrepreneurs Johannes Ingi Kolbeinsson and Gunnar Mar Gunnarsson, the company has grown to more than 150 employees across six offices in Europe. The planned hiring will take place across PAYSTRAX’s Lithuanian offices in Vilnius and Klaipėda and will focus on roles in IT, finance, marketing, account management, operations, and onboarding. The company has already moved to larger premises in Klaipėda and expanded its Vilnius office by adding a second floor to accommodate the growing team. Johannes Ingi Kolbeinsson “Lithuania has been the heart of PAYSTRAX since day one. The talent, the ecosystem, and the work culture here have been instrumental to our growth, from our very first hires to becoming an award-winning international payments company. This expansion reflects our confidence in Lithuania as the right place to build the next generation of payment solutions,” said Johannes Ingi Kolbeinsson, Group CEO and co-founder of PAYSTRAX. According to the company, Lithuania’s educated workforce, strong English proficiency, and work culture have been key factors supporting its continued expansion. PAYSTRAX also noted that the attention to detail and adaptability of Lithuanian professionals are important in the highly regulated payments industry. PAYSTRAX operates as a principal-level payment card acquirer with licenses from Visa and Mastercard, serving online and point-of-sale merchants across 24 countries in the European Economic Area and the UK. The company is also developing additional services, including new e-commerce platform integrations, a merchant portal with live business intelligence reporting, card payout capabilities, stablecoin settlements, and a Payment Facilitator (PayFac) service for platforms and marketplaces. Lithuania currently accounts for around 115 of the company’s 150 global employees. PAYSTRAX is an authorised Payment Institution in both the EU and the UK, with offices in Vilnius, Klaipėda, London, Leeds, Malta, and Reykjavík.     Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by Johannes Kolbeinsson via LinkedIn The post PAYSTRAX to Hire Up to 150 Staff in Lithuania as It Expands Operations appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

Nasdaq has entered a strategic partnership with Seturion, the pan-European settlement platform for tokenised assets launched by Boerse Stuttgart Group, to support the modernisation of Europe’s post-trade infrastructure. Boerse Stuttgart Group recently introduced Seturion as a settlement platform open to market participants across Europe and plans to connect its own trading venues to the platform. Seturion supports multiple asset classes on both public and private distributed ledger technologies (DLTs), and enables cash settlement against central bank money as well as on-chain cash. Under the partnership, Nasdaq’s European trading venues will connect to Seturion to support the trading of tokenised securities settled through the platform. The initial focus will be on structured products, with both parties aiming to expand participation among issuers, brokers, and other financial institutions across Europe. The collaboration seeks to address inefficiencies in Europe’s fragmented post-trade environment by using DLT to streamline settlement processes while maintaining existing regulatory and operational frameworks. The partners said the initiative aims to enable faster and more cost-efficient settlement of tokenised assets while maintaining established market structures and client workflows. Europe’s capital markets remain fragmented, with multiple post-trade infrastructure providers and differing legal frameworks across the European Union. This has contributed to higher costs, longer settlement cycles, and operational complexity. The companies said the platform is designed to support a unified settlement environment while aligning with existing regulations, including MiFID II and the DLT Pilot Regime. Roland Chai, President of European Market Services and Head of Digital Assets at Nasdaq, said: Roland Chai “European capital markets face fragmentation and efficiency challenges that limit the region’s competitive potential. Tokenisation presents a transformative opportunity to address inefficiencies in settlement and securities processing workflows, while preserving the trust, stability, and regulatory rigor that underpin well-functioning markets.” Matthias Voelkel, Chief Executive Officer of Boerse Stuttgart Group, said: Matthias Voelkel “As an open industry solution, Seturion contributes to overcome current national settlement infrastructure silos and to turn a unified European capital market into reality. We are delighted to welcome Nasdaq, an absolute leader in its field, as Seturion’s first partner and look forward to scaling Seturion across Europe.”       Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by escapejaja via Freepik The post Nasdaq Partners Boerse Stuttgart’s Seturion to Enable Tokenised Securities Settlement in Europe appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

Zepz, the company behind WorldRemit and Sendwave, has announced that Chief Executive Officer and Board Director Mark Lenhard will step down over the coming weeks. The Board has appointed Barrie Morris, currently Chief Financial Officer, as Interim CEO while it searches for a permanent successor. Morris has more than 25 years of experience in financial services and has served as Zepz’s CFO since 2023, overseeing the company’s financial strategy and operational foundations. Barrie Morris “Zepz enters this next phase from a position of financial strength and operational discipline,” he said. “As Interim CEO, my focus will be to execute our strategy at pace, expand our global reach and invest in the products and infrastructure that drive long-term growth for our customers.” In 2025, Zepz transferred over US$17 billion for customers, processed more than 120 million transactions across 130 countries, and achieved cash flow profitability. Q4 revenue grew 25%, and the company expects around 20% revenue growth in 2026.     Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by mangpor2004 via Freepik The post Zepz CEO Mark Lenhard to Step Down, CFO Barrie Morris Named Interim appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

Zippay, a new person-to-person mobile payment service, is being launched this week by AIB, Bank of Ireland and PTSB. The service, accessible through the banks’ existing mobile banking apps, will roll out in phases from tomorrow and could reach more than 5 million eligible customer accounts. Customers will be able to send, request, and split payments instantly using the mobile numbers of contacts who also use Zippay. The service is delivered by European paytech company Nexi and will be made available to all financial institutions in Ireland offering IBAN account services with a mobile app. Brian Hayes, Chief Executive of BPFI, said: Brian Hayes “Eligible customers will begin to see Zippay appear automatically in their personal banking apps on a phased basis from tomorrow. Zippay will provide a quick and easy way to send and receive money or split payments or bills with friends, family and contacts who are also Zippay users. Customers will be able to send up to €1,000 per day and request up to €500 per transaction.” Hayes added that the service benefits from the security and protections of existing banking apps, avoiding the need for separate wallets or apps. Renato Martini, Digital Banking Solutions Director of Nexi Group, highlighted the service’s scalability: Renato Martini “Built on an API-based architecture, Zippay is designed for scalability and future growth. Following this initial launch, Zippay is being offered on a non-discriminatory basis to all financial institutions that provide IBAN account services and a mobile app to Irish consumers.”       Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by thanyakij-12 via Freepik The post AIB, Bank of Ireland and PTSB Roll Out Zippay for Instant Mobile Payments Across Ireland appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

Advisory firm Gartner has released a market research on decision intelligence platforms (DIPs), ranking vendors based on their positioning as leaders, challengers, visionaries, and niche players. IBM, FICO, and SAS were recognized among the industry leaders in this list. DIPs are software designed to create decision-centric solutions that support, augment and automate decision making of humans or machines. These platforms combine data, analytics, knowledge and artificial intelligence (AI) to enable enterprises to collaboratively create and model decisions, orchestrate decision flow during execution at scale, and monitor and govern decision quality, while continuously learn from actions and outcomes. Typical use cases include loan approvals, fraud detection, supply chain management, pricing optimization, and resource allocation. Gartner’s ranking of DIP vendors uses its Magic Quadrant framework, which assesses providers on their ability to deliver decision-centric architectures that combine explicit decision modeling, AI-driven augmentation and automation, and governance at scale. It recognizes six industry leaders that combine strong execution with a clear, forward-looking vision for decision-centric architectures. These companies deliver comprehensive capabilities across the decision lifecycle, modeling, orchestration, monitoring, and governance, while integrating advanced AI techniques such as generative AI (genAI) and agentic AI. Crucially, they invest heavily in innovation, embedding optimization, simulation, and explainability to support trusted automation at scale. DIP leaders FICO A notable leader is FICO, a public American company serving large and midsize organizations in banking and investment services primarily in North America and Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA). The FICO DIP demonstrates key strengths. These include strong financial health through consistent profitability, enabling sustained investment in research and development (R&D) investment. The company operates a well-defined, forward-looking business model that emphasizes ecosystem growth through a platform-led strategy and strategic partnerships. Additionally, it offers advanced real-time decisioning and simulation capabilities supported by a foundation model that enables domain-specific genAI and AI automation for regulated environments. Looking ahead in 2026, FICO plans to introduce dynamic profiling to maintain a real-time digital twin of decision data, decision agents that can self-test and monitor performance against business goals, and a marketplace that makes it easier for customers and partners to create and share decision-centric solutions. However, the FICO DIP also faces certain challenges, including a consumption-based pricing model that can become complex as usage scales across dimensions such as transactions, storage, and add-on features. Furthermore, FICO heavily concentrates in banking and credit risk, with other industries addressed mainly through contract frameworks and partner-led solutions rather than differentiated platform capabilities. SAS Another industry leader is SAS, an American software firm serving large and midsize organizations in banking and investment services, insurance, healthcare, and government. Like the FICO platform, the SAS DIP benefits from strong financial health, ensuring continued investment in R&D. It also maintains an extensive global footprint, and a strong commitment to industry alignment. In 2026, SAS plans to expand its focus on trust and transparency to make AI-powered decisions more explainable, auditable, and reliable. This includes implementing a model governance framework, industry-specific AI agents, and enhanced simulation, monitoring, analytics, and compliance features, for responsible and regulated AI deployment. However, the SAS DIP also faces challenges including non flexible pricing and contract negotiations, moderate prioritization of decision intelligence, and still maturing DI capabilities including genAI-driven decision modeling, agentic AI frameworks, and enhanced governance. Aera Technology Another DIP leader is Aera Technology, an American firm with operations primarily in North America and EMEA that serves large organizations in manufacturing and natural resources, and oil and gas. Strengths of this platform include flexible pricing and contract terms, combined with proofs of concept (PoCs) and trials, a deep awareness of enterprise needs and competitive dynamics, and significant marketing investment, focus on large enterprises, and the ability to quantify business benefits. In 2026, Aera Technology is planning innovations including autonomous agent teams that self-assemble for decisions, learning and governance agents to optimize policies and enforce compliance, and multidimensional simulation integrated with agentic AI. Despite these strengths, Aera faces challenges including a lack of profitability that’s raising concerns about long-term financial stability. Furthermore, it has a strong concentration of customers in manufacturing and natural resources, and oil and gas, limited regional focus, and limited differentiation, underscoring significant strategic vulnerabilities that could limit long-term growth. Other leaders Beyond FICO, SAS and Aera Technology, other leaders spotlighted by Gartner include IBM from the US, ACTICO from Germany, and Quantexa from the UK. ACTICO and Quantexa are particularly strong in regulated industries like financial services. Their strengths lie in strong execution of product roadmaps and explainable AI governance capabilities. However, challenges include inconsistent customer experience, lower market visibility and weaker marketing execution. IBM, on the other hand, offers a broad enterprise decision intelligence platform integrated with its data, AI, and automation ecosystem, enabling complex decision workflows at scale. However, challenges include complex pricing and sales processes, and the lack of a primary strategic focus within IBM’s broader portfolio, creating uncertainty about long-term investment and innovation for its DIP capabilities. Magic Quadrant for Decision Intelligence Platforms, Source: Gartner, Jan 2026 Rising market demand Demand for DIPs is growing alongside the increasing complexity of decision making. According the 2024 Gartner CDAO Agenda Survey, 33% of the organizations surveyed had already decision intelligence. An additional 17% had committed to have deployed within six months, 19% were considering deployment in six to 12 months, 25% were investigating doing so in 12 to 24 months. Only 7% reported having no interest in deploying it. One industry research estimates that the global decision intelligence market was valued at US$16.34 billion in 2025. Through 2035, the market is projected to expand at an annual growth rate of 15.36% to reach US$68.2 billion.   Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by Beautiful_white via Freepik The post Top Decision Intelligence Platforms of 2026, According to Gartner appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

ClearToken, an FCA-authorised digital financial market infrastructure provider, has partnered with Canton Network to deploy three Daml-based Digital Asset Platforms (DAPs) on Canton’s blockchain: CT Register, CT Pay, and CT Settle. The partnership introduces settlement infrastructure for stablecoin FX and tokenised cash flows on a privacy-enabled institutional blockchain, integrating ClearToken’s regulated framework with Canton’s atomic composability architecture. CT Register enables tokenisation and de-tokenisation of fiat, stablecoins and, in future, securities. Positions are reflected on Canton as data tokens, allowing programmable and auditable settlement workflows within ClearToken’s FMI perimeter. CT Pay supports single-sided payments and Payment versus Payment (PvP) settlement, discharging cross-currency payment obligations atomically and eliminating Herstatt risk. CT Settle provides Delivery versus Payment (DvP) net settlement across fiat. It also supports DvP and net settlement for cryptoassets and stablecoins. Canton’s atomic composability ensures all settlement legs complete simultaneously or not at all. The global FX market trades US$9.6 trillion daily. CLS settles US$22.9 trillion in gross FX payments in a single day. By contrast, the stablecoin market, with a capitalisation exceeding US$315 billion, lacks comparable post-trade infrastructure. ClearToken is deploying on Canton. Canton’s institutional network includes DTCC, Goldman Sachs, Euroclear, LSEG, and Tradeweb. This positions ClearToken at the intersection of regulated FMI and institutional blockchain standards. Benjamin Santos-Stephens, CEO of ClearToken, said: Benjamin Santos-Stephens “CT Register, CT Pay and CT Settle deployed on Canton give institutions the regulated end-to-end settlement stack they need to unlock tokenisation, by providing PvP payment certainty and DvP finality of settlement across every form of digital money.” ClearToken is developing an integrated post-trade stack spanning tokenisation, payments, settlement, and clearing, with all services operated by FCA-authorised or Bank of England-supervised entities.     Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by LensMastersCollection via Freepik The post ClearToken Launches Regulated Settlement Platforms on Canton Blockchain appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

zerohash has applied for a National Trust Bank Charter with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency in the US. If approved, the charter would allow the company to operate as a federally regulated national trust bank, expanding its regulatory framework and product offering. zerohash submitted the application to complement its existing licences in multiple jurisdictions. Founded in 2017, zerohash provides infrastructure for companies to offer digital asset and stablecoin services to their customers. Its partners include Morgan Stanley, Interactive Brokers, Stripe and Franklin Templeton. The proposed charter comes as regulatory frameworks for stablecoins and digital assets in the United States continue to evolve. According to the company, obtaining a National Trust Bank Charter would enable zerohash to expand certain services under a federal regulatory structure, including activities that may fall under the GENIUS Act. Stephen Gardner “Stablecoins and digital assets are increasingly becoming part of the core financial system,” said Stephen Gardner, Chief Legal and Compliance Officer at zerohash. “Applying for a National Trust Bank Charter is a natural next step in offering robust global licensing coverage and continuing to expand our product offering.”     Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by freepik The post zerohash Applies for US National Trust Bank Charter appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

Broadridge has appointed Allen Weinberg as Chief Growth and Strategy Officer, effective immediately. In this newly created role, Weinberg will work with the leadership team to implement Broadridge’s strategic priorities, including growth acceleration, profitability enhancement, and competitive positioning. He will also identify and assess new market and product opportunities. Weinberg will join Broadridge’s Executive Leadership Team and report to Chief Executive Officer Tim Gokey. Weinberg joins Broadridge from McKinsey & Company, where he was a Senior Partner leading the North American Banking Tech and Operations Practice and the Outsourcing and Offshoring practice. Allen Weinberg “Broadridge has built an exceptional reputation for its trusted expertise and delivering transformative technology solutions to clients globally,” said Weinberg. “I look forward to working closely with the leadership team to execute on our strategic priorities, identify new avenues for growth, and help position the company for continued long-term success.” With Weinberg’s appointment, Germán Soto Sanchez, previously Chief Strategy Officer, will focus exclusively on his role as Chief Product and Digital Assets Officer, overseeing Broadridge’s product and enterprise platforms and tokenisation initiatives. Weinberg has actively supported the Robin Hood Foundation, the New York Museum of Natural History, and Girls Who Code, and has served on the board of NYC FIRST.     Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by leungchopan via Freepik The post Broadridge Names Allen Weinberg as Chief Growth and Strategy Officer appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

Revolut has applied to the US Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation for a national bank charter, which would operate as Revolut Bank US. Revolut is expanding into North America. The company has appointed Cetin Duransoy as US CEO, replacing Sid Jajodia, who will continue as Global Chief Banking Officer. Duransoy brings over 20 years of experience in technology, payments, and finance, having led Raisin as US CEO and held senior roles at Capital One and Visa. Revolut co-founder and CEO, Nik Storonsky, said: Nikolay Storonsky “The US is a key pillar of our global growth strategy. Filing for a national bank charter is a major milestone toward our vision of building the world’s first truly global banking platform. This charter will give us the direct control needed to innovate faster and deliver the Revolut experience to millions more Americans as we move toward our goal of 100 million customers.” A US national bank charter would allow Revolut to fully control the customer experience. It would let the company operate across all 50 states under a single federal framework. The charter would also give Revolut direct access to payment systems such as Fedwire and ACH. The charter would enable Revolut to offer insured deposits. It would also allow the company to provide personal loans and credit cards, creating new revenue opportunities through net interest margin. As of March 2026, Revolut operates in 40 markets, offering services including money transfers and currency exchange. Recent developments include launching banking operations in Mexico, obtaining a payments license in India, securing an in-principle license in the UAE, and opening a new global headquarters in London. In November 2025, a secondary share offering raised Revolut’s valuation to US$75 billion, making it one of the most valuable privately held tech companies.     Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by mrsiraphol via Freepik The post Revolut Files for US Bank Charter, Appoints Cetin Duransoy as CEO appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

Avaloq, the Zurich-based wealth management technology and services provider, highlighted India’s growing strategic importance to its global expansion at the Avaloq India Community Connect 2026 conference in Pune. The event brought together decision-makers from financial institutions, technology firms and advisory companies, including partners Accenture, HCLTech, Oracle, Synpulse, TecFinics, Vine InfoTech and Yashicaa Technology. Discussions focused on India’s evolving wealth management landscape, driven by economic growth, rising affluence and increasing digital adoption. India is increasingly seen as a significant next-generation market for wealth management. Growing competition and expanding affluent segments are driving demand for more sophisticated financial products and advisory services. According to the World Bank, India remains the world’s largest recipient of remittances. More than 35.4 million Indians live overseas, generating substantial cross-border wealth flows. Many of these investors are seeking compliant, digitally enabled financial services in India. This creates an opportunity for domestic banks and wealth managers to capture assets previously managed offshore. The country’s mass-affluent segment is also expanding rapidly. This group is typically defined as individuals with investable assets between ₹50 lakh and ₹5 crore. Higher incomes and improved financial literacy are contributing to this growth. At the same time, many investors are moving away from traditional savings products towards more diversified investments. These trends are increasing demand for personalised advisory services and advanced portfolio management tools. Cloud adoption across India’s financial sector is accelerating as institutions seek scalability, efficiency and improved system agility. Financial institutions are also exploring the use of artificial intelligence to improve operational processes. One example discussed at the event was the automation of corporate actions processing, developed jointly with NEC Corporation, which aims to reduce manual workloads and operational risks. Akash Anand, Regional Head for Middle East, Africa and Subcontinent India at Avaloq, said: Akash Anand “India’s financial landscape is changing at extraordinary speed, with the rise of affluent investors driving demand for more advanced wealth services and personalised advice. These clients expect sophisticated advisory and discretionary models, tailored portfolios and seamless digital journeys, which require specialised wealth platforms rather than relying on legacy retail systems.” Many of these investors are seeking compliant, digitally enabled financial services in India, creating opportunities for domestic banks and wealth managers to capture assets previously managed offshore. The trend also reflects broader industry activity, as institutions such as UBS have recently outsourced certain roles to India to expand operational capacity and strengthen technology capabilities.     Featured image credit: Avaloq The post Avaloq Highlights India’s Rising Role in Global Wealth Management Expansion appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

TCS Blockchain, a transportation trade finance provider, and PayPal USD are working together to improve payment processes for trucking and transportation companies. The collaboration aims to allow carriers to settle freight invoices faster and more cost-effectively using digital assets on blockchain. For decades, carriers have often sold invoices to factoring companies to avoid 30-180 day payment terms, sometimes losing 30% or more of net revenues. TCS Blockchain and PayPal USD aim to address these cash flow challenges in North American supply chains. TCS Blockchain settled the world’s first freight invoice on-chain in 2022 and has since processed nearly 30,000,000 TCS Tokens in B2B settlements. TCS offers same-day funding with non-exclusive agreements, no reserve fees, and costs up to 90% lower than traditional invoice factoring. May Zabaneh “If we were designing B2B payments from scratch, we wouldn’t accept months‑long settlement and layers of fees. We’d expect speed, transparency, and 24/7 availability,” said May Zabaneh, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Crypto at PayPal. “The engagement with TCS Blockchain demonstrates how on‑chain settlement can upgrade legacy payment flows in cash‑critical industries, proving that digital assets can drive real economic activity.” “TCS is on pace for over one-billion in annual freight invoice flows in 2026. Those flows will first move through TCS Token, on the INX-Republic exchange, and then through the PYUSD stablecoin,” said Todd Ziegler, TCS Blockchain CEO. “With PayPal USD, TCS can offer greater savings on invoice settlement and access to the best fuel card on the market. The engagement is a significant development for truckers, freight brokerages, and large carriers.” Carriers onboarded with TCS can set up an INX-Republic account to settle invoices, converting TCS Tokens to US dollars. PYUSD will serve as the back-end settlement currency. Blockchain and digital assets are increasingly influencing the US$3 trillion transport industry. They offer lower costs, faster settlement, and transparent, immutable transaction records.     Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by mohammadhridoy_11 via Freepik The post TCS Blockchain and PayPal USD Partner to Streamline Freight Invoice Payments appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

Forbes has released its annual Fintech 50 2026 list, highlighting the most promising private companies reinventing finance through technology in the US. This year’s selected firms have continued to innovate and grow rapidly despite a tough market, subdued valuations, and a constrained funding environment. They have demonstrated strong revenue growth, impactful product innovation, and high‑quality leadership. In 2026 again, business-to-business (B2B) banking dominates the Fintech 50 list with eleven entries. Almost every B2B banking firm that appeared in the previous edition returned for 2026, indicating sustained growth and continued innovation. Notable examples include Mercury, a neobanking platform serving more than 200,000 companies and entrepreneurs; and Ramp, a corporate credit card startup with annualized revenue of US$1 billion. Following B2B banking, software providers serving Wall Street firms and large enterprises are the second largest category in the Fintech 50 list with nine companies. These include Antithesis, a Virginia-based autonomous software‑testing company serving trading firms like Jane Street; and Maybern, a New York-based fund management infrastructure for private equity, private credit, and real estate firms. Collectively, the 2026 Fintech 50 have secured US$19.6 billion in funding, according to Forbes, with individual totals ranging from US$2.3 billion for Ramp and Polymarket, to companies that have yet to raise external capital, such as Increase and Hyperliquid. This illustrates a wide spectrum of growth stages. Among these ventures, the following 10 are the most heavily funded US fintech startups on the list. These companies, which have secured a combined US$12.7 billion, are all unicorns valued at US$1 billion or more, and are transforming verticals including digital banking, payments, real estate and insurance.   Top 10 Fintech Startups in the US Ramp Ramp platform and offerings, Source: Ramp Founded in 2019 and headquartered in New York City, Ramp operates a finance operations platform that integrates corporate cards, expense management, bill payments, accounting automation, procurement, travel, treasury, and more. The company serves more than 50,000 companies across over 200 countries including Webflow, Applied Intuition, and Stanley Steemer, and has raised US$2.3 billion in funding to date, making it the most well-funded US fintech company in the Fintech 50 2026 list. Its valued at US$32 billion. Polymarket Polymarket illustration, Source: Polymarket Based in New York, Polymarket is a prediction market platform that allows people to speculate on the outcomes of various events such as political elections, sports games, and cryptocurrency prices. Its recent milestones include a strategic investment of up to US$2 billion from Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) and the acquisitions of QCEX, an exchange and clearinghouse, and Dome, a Y Combinator-backed startup building unified infrastructure for prediction markets. Polymarket is valued at US$9 billion, and has secured about US$2.3 billion in funding to date. Stripe Stripe checkout, Source: Stripe Stripe builds economic infrastructure for the Internet, providing businesses with software to accept payments and manage their businesses online. The firm serves more than 5 million businesses directly or via platforms, with companies running on Stripe generating US$1.9 trillion in total volume in 2025, equivalent to roughly 1.6% of global GDP. With dual headquarters in San Francisco and Dublin and additional offices worldwide, Stripe was valued at staggering US$159 billion in its tender offer for employees and shareholders in February 2026, making it one of the valuable fintech startup in the world. It has raised US$2.2 billion in funding to date. Kalshi Kalshi banner, Source: Kalshi Founded in 2019 and based in New York, Kalshi is a prediction market platform that allows investors to trade  on almost anything with economic relevance from inflation, to fed rates, to unemployment, to will the government shut down across over 3,500 markets. The platform records weekly trading volumes surpassing US$1 billion, underscoring soaring activity. Kalshi has raised about US$1.6 billion in funding, including a US$1 billion Series E secured in December 2025. The startup is valued at US$11 billion. Bilt Bilt platform, Source: Bilt Launched in 2021 and based in New York, Bilt is a membership and loyalty program for renters that allows members to earn rewards on rent and homeowner association (HOA) payments while building a path to homeownership. The Bilt Alliance, developed in partnership with some of the nation’s largest residential owners and operators, now encompasses over 5.5 million homes and 45,000 merchants. In 2025, Bilt processed more than US$100 million in housing spend, and is expected to cross US$1 billion in revenue by Q1 2026. The startup is valued at US$10.75 billion, and has secured about US$850 million in funding, including a US$250 million round in July 2025. Coalition Coalition mockup, Source: Coalition Founded in 2017 and based in California, Coalition is an insurance provider designed to help prevent digital risk. The company combines comprehensive insurance coverage and cybersecurity tools, helping businesses manage and mitigate potential cyber attacks. It offers its insurance products to policyholders in the US, the UK, Canada, and Australia. Coalition also provides automated cyber alerts, expert guidance and advice, and third-party risk management to businesses worldwide through its cyber risk management platform, Coalition Control. Coalition has raised US$800 million in funding to date, including a US$30 million equity investment in March 2025. It is valued at US$5 billion. Plaid Plaid Link, Source: Plaid Founded in 2013 and headquartered in San Francisco, Plaid operates a data network that allows consumers to connect their financial accounts to the apps and services they want to use. Plaid works with thousands of fintech companies like Venmo and SoFi, several of the Fortune 500, and many of the largest banks, allowing these businesses’ customers to interact with their bank accounts, check balances, and make payments through different financial technology applications. Plaid has raised US$735 million in funding to date, including a US$575 million round in April 2025. The startup was valued at US$8 billion in its last employee share sale in February 2026. Human Interest Human Interest mockup, Source: Human Interest Founded in 2015 and based in San Francisco, Human Interest offers an embedded retirement technology platform that allows payroll providers, financial institutions, accountants, and other financial services providers to embed retirement plans into their products. The company is transforming the way these plans should work, eliminating transaction fees, offering a cash-back incentive program for plan participants, and offering the first-of-its-kind money-back customer experience guarantee. Human Interest claims it serves nearly 50,000 companies, covering roughly 2 million employees. The startup has secured US$725 million in funding, including a US$50 million investment in August 2025. It is valued at US$1.33 billion. Socure Socure RiskOS, Source: Socure Founded in 2012 and based in Nevada, Socure is a platform for digital identity verification, compliance, and fraud prevention solutions powered by artificial intelligence and machine learning. Serving more than 3,000 customers in 190 countries across financial services, government, gaming, healthcare, telecom, and e-commerce, Socure’s customer base includes 18 of the top 20 banks, the largest HR payroll and workforce providers, the largest sportsbook and prediction market operators, over 130 public sector organizations, and more than 600 fintech companies. In 2025, Socure generated US$315 million in annual recurring revenue and completed over 5 billion identity verifications. The company also launched RiskOS following the successful acquisition of Effectiv, extending its platform into real-time risk monitoring, and expanded its view into real-time buy now, pay later (BNPL) monitoring through the acquisition of Qlarifi. Socure has raised US$650 million in funding to date, and is valued at US$4.5 billion. Mercury Mercury for accountants, Source: Mercury Founded in 2017 and headquartered in San Francisco, Mercury provides a banking platform for startups, entrepreneurs and individuals, offering tools for cash management, payments and financing. It serves more than 200,000 customers with US$650 million in annualized revenue. Mercury has raised US$500 million in funding to date, including a US$300 million Series C in March 2025. It’s valued at US$3.5 billion. In December 2025, Mercury applied for a national bank charter, aiming to become a fully regulated bank.   Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by freepik via Freepik The post Top 10 Fintech Startups in the US in 2026 appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

Consumers and small businesses in multiple countries, including five of the world’s largest remittance markets, will be among the first to benefit from a new Swift framework aimed at improving cross-border retail payments. Payments to Australia, Bangladesh, Canada, China, Germany, India, Pakistan, Spain, Thailand, the UK and the US will offer cost certainty, full-value delivery, end-to-end traceability, and faster settlement, including instant transfers where possible. An initial group of more than 25 banks is expected to go live by the end of June, with additional routes becoming available later in the year. Bangladesh, China, Germany, Pakistan and India are among the top ten countries for remittance inflows. Swift announced in September 2025 that it would develop the new network rules with a voluntary group of early-adopter banks to advance the G20’s objectives for consumer payments. While Swift already delivers 75% of payments to destination banks within 10 minutes or less, the industry must improve the front-end and domestic processes to enhance the end-to-end experience. Nasir Ahmed, Head of Payments Scheme at Swift, said: Nasir Ahmed “The financial community has made strong collective progress to improve the speed and transparency of cross-border payments, but there is room to go further. Everyone should be able to transact internationally at pace, safe in the knowledge that the full value will arrive with the recipient and that the fees will be affordable and fixed from the start.” The framework forms one part of Swift’s strategy to facilitate fast and seamless cross-border transactions. In parallel, Swift is introducing a blockchain-based shared ledger to enable 24/7 real-time cross-border payments, supporting the movement of regulated tokenised value across its network of 11,500 banks and financial institutions in more than 200 countries and territories. More than 50 banks from around the world are supporting the framework, including: The global financial community has continued to show support for Swift’s framework.     Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by motionfox via Freepik The post Swift Launches Framework to Speed Up Global Retail Payments appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

Payward, the platform behind Kraken, said the Federal Reserve has granted Kraken Financial, its Wyoming-chartered bank, a master account, making it the first digital asset bank in US history to gain direct access to the Federal Reserve’s payment infrastructure. The approval follows more than five years of regulatory engagement, operational review, and coordination with US and Wyoming authorities. It allows Kraken Financial to connect directly to core US payment rails, including Fedwire, without relying on intermediary banks, enabling faster fiat transfers for institutional clients and reducing operational complexity. Arjun Sethi “This milestone marks the convergence of crypto infrastructure and sovereign financial rails. With a Federal Reserve master account, we can operate not as a peripheral participant in the US banking system, but as a directly connected financial institution,” said Arjun Sethi, co-CEO of Payward and Kraken. “For a Wyoming SPDI structured on a full-reserve model, this creates a uniquely resilient foundation. It gives us the ability to settle directly on Fedwire, reduce dependency on correspondent banks, and integrate regulated fiat liquidity directly into digital asset markets.” Sethi added that over time, the architecture could enable atomic settlement between fiat and crypto, institutional-grade cash management integrated with digital asset custody, and programmable financial products within a regulated framework. Kraken Financial will begin a phased rollout, initially supporting institutional client activity at Kraken, with broader integration into Payward’s platform over time. As a Wyoming Special Purpose Depository Institution (SPDI), it operates on a full-reserve basis, holding liquid assets equal to or exceeding client deposits. The bank will continue to work with the Federal Reserve and Wyoming regulators as it expands payment capabilities, aiming to provide a regulated bridge between digital assets and traditional finance.     Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by wahyu_t via Freepik The post Kraken Financial Becomes First US Crypto Bank with Federal Reserve Master Account appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

NatWest has appointed Adeel Hyder as Managing Director of Business Banking, where he will lead the bank’s strategy to strengthen support for small and micro-businesses across the UK. Hyder will join the bank on 1 June 2026 from Starling Bank. He previously held roles at McKinsey & Company and TSB Bank, and most recently worked at Starling, where he contributed to the development and expansion of its digital business banking services. In the new role, Hyder will report to Robert Begbie, CEO of Commercial & Institutional at NatWest, and will join the division’s Executive Committee. Hyder said: Adeel Hyder “I’m delighted to join NatWest and excited to lead its Business Banking business at such a pivotal moment. Small business entrepreneurs are the fundamental drivers and barometer of the health of the UK economy, and I look forward to working with colleagues across the bank to ensure entrepreneurs can focus on doing what they love while we save them time and help them stay in control of their finances through our solutions.” Supporting SMEs remains a core part of NatWest’s strategy. The bank’s Business Banking arm serves more than one million SMEs, including start-ups, small firms, high-growth businesses and community organisations. The division also plays a role in the group’s funding base and is part of a wider digital transformation and growth programme planned for 2026. NatWest has also announced plans to expand its NatWest Accelerator programme for entrepreneurs to a community of 50,000 participants in 2026. The initiative forms part of the bank’s “Growing Together” plan, which focuses on regional growth, support for mid-market firms, infrastructure and housing, financial confidence, and innovation across the UK economy.     Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by Trend2023 via Freepik The post NatWest Appoints Adeel Hyder as Managing Director of Business Banking appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.