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Archive · April 28, 2026

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Story 01

Stablecoins Move Into Checkout, Challenging Card Networks and Payment Processors

Crypto payment providers and merchants now integrate stablecoins directly into checkout flows, aiming to cut transaction friction and settlement delays. This shift enables merchants to access faster, potentially cheaper transactions, while card networks and payment processors face direct competition from blockchain-based rails. Merchants piloting stablecoin checkout must track regulatory changes and consumer adoption closely.

Source: PYMNTS
Also Worth Knowing
№02

LendingClub’s Home Improvement Push Signals Broader Bank Rebranding and Lending Expansion

LendingClub reported a 31% jump in Q1 loan originations and is expanding into home improvement financing as it prepares to rebrand as Happen Bank. By moving beyond personal loans, LendingClub targets a wider consumer banking market and intensifies competition for both home improvement lenders and unsecured loan providers, who may need to adjust pricing or product features to retain share.

Source: PYMNTS
№03

Sezzle Targets Super App Status With Checking Account Ambitions

Sezzle plans to launch checking accounts, aiming to transform from a BNPL provider into a financial super app that bundles payments, lending, and deposits. This expansion puts pressure on both BNPL rivals like Affirm and Klarna, as well as traditional banks, to defend their customer relationships and product offerings. Sezzle’s growth depends on navigating regulatory hurdles around banking licenses and charters.

Source: Banking Dive
№04

Customers Bank Partners With OpenAI to Automate Commercial Banking Services

Customers Bank teams up with OpenAI to automate commercial banking workflows, aiming to boost efficiency and enhance client experience. This partnership gives Customers Bank a technological edge over regional banks, accelerating AI adoption in commercial lending and payments. Regional banks that delay AI integration risk higher costs and slower product cycles as automation becomes standard.

Source: Banking Dive
№05

Chainalysis Deploys AI to Boost Crypto Crime Detection and Compliance

Chainalysis deploys AI to strengthen its blockchain intelligence tools, helping crypto exchanges and financial institutions detect and prevent financial crime more quickly. Firms using Chainalysis gain faster investigations and more robust compliance, while regulators may soon expect real-time monitoring and reporting across the crypto sector.

Source: PYMNTS
The Long Memory
“Despite the hype, only about 2% of global e-commerce transactions in 2023 used cryptocurrencies or stablecoins at checkout, according to Worldpay’s Global Payments Report.

Filed under: Payments History · The Long Memory

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