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Cross-Border Payments Face Pressure as Trillions Move Globally

Global commerce has never been more interconnected — or more complex. In just the past month, European regulators revealed that more than €200 billion in capital remains trapped within fragmented regulatory frameworks, slowing the efficiency of cross-border transactions. At the same time, global trade flows are surging, with retail cross-border payments projected to exceed $220 billion this year.

Cross-Border Payments Are Surging—But Infrastructure Is Lagging Behind

Global commerce is moving faster than ever. Businesses and consumers alike now expect money to move as seamlessly across borders as it does domestically. Yet the reality is far more complicated.

ISO 20022: Unlocking the Next Era of Cross-Border Payments — And Why ModernRails Is Ready

The U.S. Faster Payments Council (FPC) has just released a landmark report confirming what many in the industry already know: ISO 20022 is not just a technical upgrade — it’s the backbone of the future of payments.

payment as a service

Instant Payments Overtake ACH as the Standard for Global Transactions

Real-time payments are emerging as the new norm, offering fast, secure, and convenient transactions that eliminate the delays of traditional Automated Clearing House (ACH) systems. The shift is being driven by advances in payment infrastructure that enable instant, seamless fund transfers both domestically and across borders.

E-Commerce Payment Gateway Market Set to Surge Past $44 Billion by 2034, Driven by Mobile Payments, AI Security, and Cross-Border Demand

The global E-Commerce Payment Gateway Market is poised for explosive growth, projected to skyrocket from $6.21 billion in 2024 to $44.62 billion by 2034, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 21.8% over the next decade. The surge is fueled by a confluence of trends: the rapid expansion of digital commerce, demand for seamless and secure online transactions, and widespread adoption of mobile and contactless payment methods.

How Mobile Messaging Is Quietly Transforming the Way Consumers Pay

Texting is no longer just for chatting with friends — it’s rapidly becoming one of the most powerful tools in the financial ecosystem. As conversational interfaces like SMS, RCS, and AI-powered chat become embedded in daily life, they’re reshaping how consumers interact with banks and make payments. According to Nick Babinsky, Chief Product Officer at Solutions by Text, this shift isn’t limited to one demographic — it spans every age group and income bracket.

Outdated Systems Threaten to Derail Pay by Bank’s Potential

As real-time payments and account-to-account (A2A) transfers reshape the global payments landscape, Pay by Bank is being hailed as the next big leap. Promising faster settlements, lower fees, and clearer cash flow, it’s poised to become a core payments method for both consumers and businesses. But its promise is being held back—not by a lack of interest, but by legacy infrastructure that can’t keep pace.

payment as a service

Gen Z Redefines the Battle for Top-of-Wallet in the Digital Age

As leather wallets give way to digital ones, banks and credit unions face a new, high-stakes fight for top-of-wallet status — and Gen Z holds the power to decide who wins. In a changing payments landscape, traditional card perks aren’t enough. Younger cardholders are demanding instant control, flexible features, and seamless self-service.

Federal Agencies Face Tight Deadline to Modernize $175 Billion in Payments

Federal agencies are racing to meet a September 30 executive order deadline that aims to modernize nearly $175 billion in government disbursements by moving away from paper checks and traditional ACH rails toward faster, more flexible digital payments. The initiative is designed to enhance efficiency, reduce fraud, and improve financial inclusion by expanding payment options beyond standard ACH direct deposits.

payment as a service

Millennials Fuel Push for Flexible, Personalized Credit Card Features

The credit card market, long dominated by standard rewards programs and uniform interest structures, is undergoing a shift driven by younger, tech-savvy consumers. While traditional offerings like points, cashback, and fraud protection remain important, they are no longer enough to stand out in a saturated landscape.

AI Boosts Payment Risk Intelligence — But Human Insight Still Leads the Way

In today’s fast-moving, data-rich payment environment, artificial intelligence is transforming how businesses monitor risk, enhance security, and streamline operations. But while AI brings powerful data processing capabilities, it’s human judgment, creativity, and strategic vision that still anchor success.

U.S. Small Businesses See Payment Innovation as Critical to Future Growth

New research reveals that small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) across the U.S. are betting big on payment technology upgrades to drive growth, improve cash flow, and better protect against fraud. According to a recent survey of 1,000 SMBs across industries ranging from retail and food service to healthcare and construction, 96% of those accepting in-person transactions plan to upgrade their payments technology within the next 12 months.

How Payment Providers Can Win Over Gen Z — Without Chasing Every Trend

As digital trends come and go faster than ever, payment providers are under pressure to keep up — especially with Gen Z. But experts say the key to building lasting loyalty with this younger generation isn’t about hopping on every viral bandwagon. It’s about designing flexible, human-centered systems that evolve as users do.

New Tool Aims to Reduce Debit Card Declines and Preserve Customer Experience

A new industry partnership has launched a tool to address one of the most persistent problems in the payments ecosystem: debit card declines due to insufficient funds. The solution is designed to help card issuers approve transactions even when account balances fall short — without charging consumers overdraft fees.

Consumers Willing to Pay for Speed, Creating New Revenue Opportunities in Instant Payments

Instant payments are no longer a luxury — for many consumers, they’ve become an expectation. As real-time financial access becomes more common across wages, refunds, and insurance disbursements, consumers are increasingly demonstrating a willingness to pay for the speed, certainty, and convenience that instant payouts provide.

Why AI-Powered Verification Is Becoming a Cornerstone of Modern Banking

In today’s fast-moving digital economy, delivering seamless and secure payment experiences is more than just a competitive edge — it’s an expectation. As banks, lenders, and FinTechs race to meet rising customer demands, artificial intelligence (AI) is playing an increasingly critical role in transforming how transactions are verified and risk is assessed.

Tap-to-Pay Metal Cards Emerge as Sleek Answer to Digital Fraud and Authentication Fatigue

In the world of digital banking, two goals often find themselves at odds: enhancing security and delivering a seamless user experience. Nowhere is this tension more apparent than in the current reliance on multifactor authentication — a standard that, while more secure than passwords alone, is increasingly seen as clunky and outdated.

Consumer Payments Are the ‘New Battleground’ for Banks, Says Dimon

Consumer payments are fast becoming the financial sector's newest front line, according to JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon, who highlighted the intensifying competition in his annual letter to shareholders released Monday.

payment as a service

What Deposit Sweep Means for FinTechs and Their Customers

Deposit sweep is becoming an increasingly important tool for FinTech platforms aiming to deliver more value to their customers—particularly those with high balances. At its core, deposit sweep is a mechanism that automatically transfers customer funds exceeding a specified threshold into one or more high-yield, FDIC-insured accounts held across a network of partner banks.

BNPL Market Begins to Consolidate as Fragmentation Reaches Its Limit

The buy now, pay later (BNPL) market is entering a new phase. What began as a fast-growing but fragmented space filled with varying credit options is now showing signs of consolidation, as key players look to streamline the consumer experience and deepen partnerships with merchants.

The Impact of Account Validation on Transaction Security and Speed

As instant payments continue to grow in the U.S., the integration of ACH, open banking, and account validation is helping to make transactions not only faster but more secure.

payment as a service

NFC Mobile Payments: What Businesses Need to Know in 2025

As consumers increasingly gravitate toward faster, more convenient ways to pay, NFC (near-field