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Archive · September 14, 2026

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Story 01

PayPal’s New CEO Charts Independent Course After $50B Buyout Deal Collapses

PayPal’s new CEO, Enrique Lores, is steering the company to operate independently after the collapse of a $50 billion buyout offer. This collapse forces PayPal to intensify its innovation efforts and defend its digital wallet position as Apple Pay and Google Pay ramp up competition. Investors are watching for strategic partnerships or acquisitions that could strengthen PayPal’s standing and restore confidence, while the company focuses on launching new products and merchant integrations to maintain market share.

Also Worth Knowing
02

Ripple Targets $13 Trillion Corporate Treasury Market to Scale Stablecoin Adoption

Ripple is targeting the $13 trillion corporate treasury sector to drive growth for its stablecoin business, positioning itself against both crypto-native and traditional treasury providers. Large corporates may gain new settlement options, while banks and legacy treasury platforms face direct competition from programmable stablecoin rails. Ripple’s next step is to secure enterprise partnerships and navigate regulatory scrutiny as stablecoins move deeper into mainstream finance.

Source: PYMNTS
03

Circle Acquires Tazapay for $400M to Expand Cross-Border Payment Reach

Circle is acquiring Tazapay for $400 million to strengthen its cross-border payment infrastructure and broaden its global footprint. The deal brings Tazapay’s technology and network into Circle’s stablecoin and payments ecosystem, intensifying competition with Stripe, PayPal, and traditional remittance providers. Circle plans to launch new B2B and merchant payout products using Tazapay’s rails to capture more institutional flows.

Source: Banking Dive
04

Chime Acquires Stride Bank, Moves Beyond Partner Model for Direct Banking Control

Chime is acquiring Stride Bank, shifting from a partner-bank model to direct ownership to streamline operations and accelerate product development. Chime gains greater control over compliance, deposits, and lending, but also takes on increased regulatory and operational responsibilities. The move positions Chime to compete more directly with both neobanks and traditional banks on product breadth and pricing, with new account types and lending products expected as Stride is integrated.

Source: Banking Dive
05

Singapore Banks Complete Blockchain-Enabled SGD Transactions on Swift Ledger

DBS, OCBC, and UOB have executed Singapore dollar transactions using Swift’s blockchain-enabled ledger, marking a milestone for blockchain in domestic banking. The pilot demonstrates improved transaction speed and security, challenging legacy payment rails for high-value transfers. Singapore’s banks are now positioned to expand blockchain use to cross-border corridors, while global banks evaluate similar integrations.

Source: Finextra
The Long Memory
The U.S. Federal Reserve first proposed a real-time gross settlement system in 1996, but it took 27 years before FedNow launched in 2023.

Filed under: Payments History · The Long Memory

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