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Archive · April 26, 2026

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Story 01

Western Union Shifts Focus to Stablecoins and M&A After Flat Americas Revenue

Western Union reported flat GAAP revenue and a 1% decline in adjusted revenue for Q1 2026 in the Americas, prompting a strategic shift toward stablecoins and acquisitions. The company aims to strengthen its digital payments and cross-border remittance offerings, putting pressure on remittance competitors to accelerate their own digital and crypto strategies as Western Union leverages stablecoin rails and inorganic growth.

Source: PYMNTS
Also Worth Knowing
№02

HSBC Targets Corporate Market Share With Real-Time Payments and Digital Asset Focus

An HSBC payments executive detailed how real-time payments adoption is accelerating, driven by digital asset integration and shifting corporate priorities. HSBC plans to expand instant settlement solutions for corporates seeking faster, more transparent payment flows, directly challenging traditional payment providers for high-value treasury and B2B relationships.

Source: Banking Dive
№03

Simply Business Launches AI-Driven Insurance Quoting With ChatGPT Integration

Simply Business introduced an AI-powered insurance quoting tool using ChatGPT, reducing the process to just three data points. This innovation streamlines customer onboarding and sets a new standard for speed and simplicity, prompting traditional insurers and digital brokers to accelerate their own AI adoption to remain competitive in distribution and quoting workflows.

Source: PYMNTS
№04

JPMorgan Sees Tokenization Reshaping Funds Industry, Eyes ETF Integration

JPMorgan forecasts that tokenization will become integral to the funds industry and ETF ecosystem, citing operational efficiencies and new distribution models as key benefits. Asset managers and ETF providers are now piloting tokenized products and infrastructure, with regulatory clarity and scalable use cases shaping the pace of adoption.

Source: The Block
№05

Tennessee Bans Crypto ATMs Statewide, Expanding Liability to Host Businesses

Tennessee enacted a statewide ban on crypto ATMs and extended liability to businesses hosting the machines, joining Indiana in a broader fraud crackdown. Crypto ATM operators and convenience retailers must halt expansion in the state, reducing local access to physical crypto onramps and signaling a tightening regulatory stance on crypto cash-out infrastructure in the US.

Source: The Block
The Long Memory
“A 2022 study found that PSD2's open banking rules led to a 20% increase in fintech-driven payment initiations in some European markets within two years of implementation.

Filed under: Payments History · The Long Memory

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