ARQ — formerly DolarApp — has closed a $70 million funding round led by Sequoia and Founders Fund to scale stablecoin-based wealth management and credit services across Latin America.
Ripple announced a major revamp of its Ripple Payments platform to become a unified business service that bridges traditional finance and digital assets, building on capabilities from its Palisade and Rail acquisitions. The move signals a push to win more bank adoption for XRP-linked payments.
Bridge has partnered with Lead Bank in Visa’s stablecoin settlement pilot to let businesses and fintechs issue Visa cards funded by stablecoins, expanding coverage to more than 100 countries. The rollout aims to broaden stablecoin on-ramps and real-world payments.
BitGo Europe has launched its Crypto-as-a-Service platform across 30 EEA countries, offering MiCAR-regulated digital asset infrastructure to banks and fintechs. The rollout mirrors BitGo’s U.S. offering while adapting to European regulatory requirements and enabling product launches via API integration.
SoftBank-backed PayPay is preparing a Nasdaq listing and aims to raise about $1.1 billion while pursuing a valuation above $10 billion. The payments firm’s roughly 40% stake in Binance Japan underscores its crypto-linked footprint.
Revolut will test a pound-backed stablecoin in the UK’s regulated stablecoin sandbox this quarter. The firm says the key innovation is not the token itself but the consumer protection and infrastructure built around it.
Stripe is reportedly in early talks to acquire PayPal, a move tied to its expanding stablecoin strategy and broader push into crypto-linked payments.
The Federal Reserve is advancing a plan to grant cryptocurrency exchanges and fintechs direct access to its payment infrastructure via tailored "payment accounts," a proposal pushed by Governor Christopher Waller in late 2025. The move proceeds despite strong resistance from traditional banks.
Ripple formally filed comments in the Federal Reserve’s public consultation on the Reserve Bank Payment Account pilot (Docket OP-1877), advocating for potential direct access for non-bank firms. The move could reshape settlement pathways for fintechs and crypto firms such as XRP.
Beast Industries has acquired teen-focused banking app Step and filed a trademark related to crypto, prompting speculation that the platform could add digital-asset features for younger users. The deal brings a high-profile creator into youth fintech at a pivotal time for crypto adoption.