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Story 01
The SEC is developing a regulatory framework to permit trading of tokenized stocks, enabling digital versions of securities on U.S. markets. This move threatens the core business of traditional brokerages and stock exchanges by allowing fintechs and new platforms to offer fractionalized, programmable equities directly to investors, potentially reducing reliance on legacy intermediaries.
Monzo reported a 44% jump in profits to £87.3 million, driven by rising customer numbers and revenue, and announced plans for further European expansion. This performance puts direct pressure on digital banking rivals like N26 and incumbent banks to accelerate product innovation and customer acquisition strategies as Monzo leverages its profitability to enter new EU markets.
Source: FinextraNMI has acquired Dwolla, bringing real-time account-to-account (A2A) payments and open banking connectivity into its platform. Payment service providers and merchants gain access to faster, lower-cost payment rails, while legacy processors such as FIS and Fiserv face new competition on speed and flexibility as platforms consolidate to offer end-to-end A2A and open banking solutions.
Source: PYMNTSZerohash Europe has become the first company to obtain an EMI license under the EU’s MiCA regime, enabling it to offer regulated stablecoin and brokerage services. This milestone positions Zerohash ahead of digital asset competitors, and now crypto firms and fintechs seeking to serve European clients must pursue similar licenses to remain compliant and competitive as stablecoin adoption accelerates.
Source: The BlockStandard Chartered will eliminate 7,800 roles, replacing lower-value positions with AI-driven solutions to boost efficiency and long-term growth. This move intensifies pressure on global banks such as HSBC and Barclays to accelerate their own automation initiatives or risk falling behind on cost efficiency, as regulatory scrutiny over mass layoffs and AI deployment increases.
Source: Financial Times“In 2019, Sweden’s Riksbank piloted an e-krona, making it one of the first central banks to test a digital currency for retail payments.
Filed under: Payments History · The Long Memory
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