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Archive · September 5, 2026

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Story 01

OpenReserve Wins OCC Bank Charter Nod, Pushing Blockchain Deeper Into US Banking

OpenReserve Holdings, reported as backed by Andreessen Horowitz, secured preliminary OCC approval for a national bank charter focused on onchain settlement. This rare regulatory green light for blockchain-native banking in the US forces fintechs and traditional banks to enhance their digital asset offerings and consider new blockchain-based products. Large US banks such as JPMorgan Chase and Bank of America risk losing institutional clients seeking faster, programmable settlement if they delay blockchain adoption.

Source: The Block
Also Worth Knowing
№02

ECB and Brazil’s Pix Explore Instant Payment Link for Cross-Border Efficiency

The European Central Bank is in talks to interlink its TIPS instant payment platform with Brazil’s Pix, aiming to streamline cross-border payments. Connecting these two major real-time payment systems could allow banks and PSPs serving EU-LatAm corridors to offer faster settlement and lower costs, reducing reliance on legacy correspondent banking for euro-real flows. This initiative could prompt other central banks to pursue similar interoperability projects.

Source: PYMNTS
№03

BNP Paribas and HSBC Run Siemens Treasury Payments on Swift’s Blockchain Ledger

BNP Paribas and HSBC completed the first corporate treasury payments for Siemens using Swift’s blockchain-based ledger, moving blockchain from pilot to production in corporate finance. This milestone enables multinational treasurers to access greater transparency and efficiency. Banks that delay blockchain integration—such as Deutsche Bank and Citi—now risk losing large corporate clients seeking real-time, auditable settlement.

Source: Finextra
№04

Ant International Secures Brazil Payment License, Escalating Fintech Competition

Ant International received a Payment Institution license from Brazil’s central bank, unlocking expanded payment services in Latin America’s largest market. With Alipay’s global scale entering Brazil, local fintechs like Nubank and Mercado Pago, as well as banks such as Itaú Unibanco, face new competition on pricing and technology. Ant is expected to focus on cross-border e-commerce and merchant acquiring, intensifying the race for market share.

Source: PYMNTS
№05

Yuno and Revolut Partner to Deliver One-Click Checkout and Gateway Access for Merchants

Yuno partnered with Revolut Business to let merchants access Revolut’s biometric one-click checkout, acquiring, and gateway services via a single integration. This partnership streamlines onboarding for merchants and strengthens Revolut’s competitive position against legacy PSPs and wallet providers. Payment processors unable to match this seamless experience may lose digital-first retailers to Revolut’s expanding merchant stack.

Source: PYMNTS
The Long Memory
“Australia’s 1983 launch of electronic funds transfer (EFT) marked a turning point, foreshadowing today’s global push for real-time, digital-first payment systems.

Filed under: Payments History · The Long Memory

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