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Archive · September 29, 2026

September 29, 2026.
Five payments stories that matter.

The 5-minute briefing for payments professionals who need to know what happened, what it means, and what to do about it — before their 9am.

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Story 01

Coinbase Secures DCO Approval, Unlocking Full In-House Crypto Derivatives Stack

Coinbase has received Derivatives Clearing Organization (DCO) approval from the CFTC, enabling it to list, broker, and clear fully collateralized crypto derivatives products internally. This vertical integration allows Coinbase to offer a one-stop shop for institutional crypto derivatives trading, reducing reliance on third-party clearinghouses. Competing exchanges like CME and FTX US Derivatives may see institutional clients migrate to Coinbase for streamlined access and potentially lower costs.

Source: The Block
Also Worth Knowing
№02

BNY Mellon Debuts Pay-to-Wallet, Targeting Cross-Border Digital Wallet Payouts

BNY Mellon has launched a Pay-to-Wallet feature, allowing banks to send cross-border payments directly to digital wallets instead of using SWIFT or other correspondent banking networks. This enables faster, lower-cost international transfers for remittances and gig economy payouts. Banks relying on traditional correspondent rails may lose transaction volume to wallet-enabled flows, prompting a strategic reassessment of cross-border offerings.

Source: Finextra
№03

Swift Connects PayID and Pix Users to Global Payments With New Gateway

Swift has launched a cross-border gateway enabling users of domestic payment systems like PayID and Pix to send money internationally using mobile numbers or email addresses. This move brings global interoperability to mobile-first payment schemes and challenges traditional wire transfer providers such as Western Union and MoneyGram, who now face competition on speed and user experience. National payment networks gain new reach, while privacy standards for personal identifiers may draw regulatory scrutiny.

Source: Finextra
№04

Valley National Bank Acquires Bluevine for $340M to Bolster SME Banking

Valley National Bank will acquire fintech Bluevine for $340 million, adding $2.1 billion in deposits and expanding its small business banking footprint. The deal brings Bluevine’s digital lending and payments capabilities under Valley’s regulated umbrella, signaling further convergence between banks and fintechs. SME-focused fintechs like Kabbage and Fundbox may see increased acquisition interest or pressure to partner with established banks.

Source: Banking Dive
№05

FedNow Volume Surges as Businesses Embrace Instant Payments

FedNow, the Federal Reserve’s instant payments service, has reported a sharp increase in transaction volume as more U.S. businesses adopt real-time payments for payroll and supplier disbursements. This growth signals rising demand for instant settlement and puts pressure on banks and payment processors to upgrade legacy ACH and wire systems. Merchants and payroll providers are accelerating integration to meet customer expectations for speed.

Source: American Banker
The Long Memory
“In Japan, over 60% of people aged 65 and older now use contactless payments, defying assumptions about digital adoption among older demographics.

Filed under: Payments History · The Long Memory

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