payments

The six major banks in Canada announced a joint exploration of a tokenized Canadian dollar deposit system, aimed at accelerating the transfer of funds between financial institutions and ultimately connecting with other digital asset programs. TD Bank announced on Tuesday that the Bank of Montreal, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, National Bank of Canada, Royal Bank of Canada, Scotiabank, and Toronto-Dominion Bank Group have jointly formed this joint venture project, with the possibility of more banks joining in the future.The first phase of the project will focus on promoting the transfer of tokenized deposits among participating banks. The parties stated in a joint statement that the first phase aims to enable efficient circulation of tokenized deposits among Canadian financial institutions, with the long-term goal of connecting with other emerging digital asset programs. Tokenized deposits are digital representations of funds and assets already held by banks, differing from independent stablecoins issued by crypto companies; this system allows for 24/7 programmable payments within a regulated banking system.Canada's move comes as global banks compete to put deposits on the blockchain. In the United States, regional banks are building a shared tokenized deposit network, while JPMorgan, Citigroup, and Wells Fargo have also launched their own institutional products. Recently, Swift has begun testing cross-border payments for tokenized deposits. Additionally, the Bank of Canada, Royal Bank of Canada, and Toronto-Dominion Bank completed the Project Samara test in March this year, issuing, trading, and settling CAD 100 million (approximately USD 71 million) bonds on a distributed ledger; in May, Shopify and National Bank of Canada also supported the launch of a regulated digital Canadian dollar.

Cardano has joined the official x402 software development kit, allowing developers to enable applications or AI agents to use ADA or Cardano network tokens to pay for online services. x402 transforms the basic idle "402 Payment Required" response in web pages into a checkout process built into internet requests: the service provider returns the price and payment instructions, the agent signs the payment, and after transaction verification, the required data or computing power can be obtained.This means that AI agents can purchase individual datasets on demand when preparing reports, without the need for manual account registration, entering credit card information, or subscribing to monthly fees. x402 was created by Coinbase in 2025 and subsequently contributed to an organization under the Linux Foundation, with members including Visa, Mastercard, Stripe, Google, and Amazon Web Services. Solana, XRP Ledger, and several Ethereum-compatible networks have previously supported this standard.Engineers from the Cardano Foundation have built client and server software for payment requests based on the specifications passed in June, as well as a facilitator responsible for verifying and submitting transactions. The first version supports TypeScript, with Python support planned for later release. Facilitator documentation shows that it has completed a real transaction on the Cardano pre-production network, but it has not yet run on the mainnet, nor has it demonstrated scenarios where agents use ADA to pay for commercial services on a large scale.

Circle's public chain Arc has officially announced that it has launched proxy payments.Its Facilitator Service provides a hosted access path for x402 developers, allowing the acceptance of USDC and supporting on-chain settlements on Arc, Base, and Polygon; this path does not require a Relayer key or a separate Gas fee wallet.

Payments industry publication PaymentsJournal has published a deep-dive article, Navigating Latin America’s Complex Payment Ecosystem, examining the region’s evolving payments landscape, including domestic payment rails, cross-border settlement, stablecoins and payment orchestration. The article draws on PhotonPay’s research report, The Next Payment Infrastructure in LATAM, as a reference for its analysis. The article highlights the highly fragmented nature of Latin America’s payments market, where countries such as Brazil, Argentina and Mexico have developed distinct payment systems, currencies, providers and regulatory frameworks. At the same time, stablecoins are gaining traction in cross-border payments, offering an additional layer for liquidity and settlement, while local payment rails remain essential for reaching businesses and consumers in individual markets. PaymentsJournal argues that the next phase of payment infrastructure in Latin America may not be about creating a single regional rail, but about connecting diverse local payment systems, currencies and global liquidity through a more unified infrastructure layer. In this model, stablecoins can facilitate cross-border movement and settlement of value, while payment orchestration connects and manages the local rails, providers and fund flows businesses need to navigate. PhotonPay’s research explores these infrastructure trends and the changing dynamics of payments across the region.

According to Cointelegraph, Juan Marchetti, the Director of the Trade in Services and Investment Division of the World Trade Organization (WTO), stated at the event in Geneva for the release of the WTO stablecoin trade research report that the key obstacle to the widespread adoption of stablecoins in international trade is not technology, but rather the lack of a regulatory framework and its fragmentation.He cited a report from the Financial Stability Board (FSB) in October 2025, which indicated that among the 28 jurisdictions surveyed, only 11 (about 39%) have completed the establishment of a regulatory framework for stablecoins.The WTO report shows that stablecoins currently account for only 3% of the total global international payments, but from 2020 to mid-2024, the scale of stablecoin cross-border payments has grown by 35 times. The report also points out that stablecoins are expected to improve five major pain points in international trade financing: high costs, low speed, limited access, lack of transparency, and foreign exchange conversion.

According to the Nikkei, SWIFT has launched a pilot project in collaboration with 17 banks including Citigroup, Mitsubishi UFJ, Wells Fargo, Bank of New York Mellon, UBS, and BNP Paribas to test tokenized deposit cross-border payments.The goal of this pilot is to achieve 24/7 instant transfers between different banks and reduce the cost of cross-border payments.

B.AI platform announces that its multi-chain ecosystem has completed an important expansion, and now officially supports login and payment functions via OKX Wallet on EVM chains (web plugin and app).Starting today, when users utilize the AI model services on the B.AI platform, they can directly switch to EVM chains for login and on-chain payments through OKX Wallet, in addition to the existing TRON network, seamlessly achieving intelligent dialogue, deep creation, and Web3 payment interactions.This integration further broadens the Web3 user entry points for B.AI, providing developers and AI enthusiasts with a more flexible and low-threshold on-chain experience path, facilitating the deep integration of AI and the Web3 ecosystem.

The report from the Cornell Brooks School Tech Policy Institute (BTPI) shows that if the United States implements a minimum exemption for Bitcoin and cryptocurrency payments under $300, the federal net revenue is expected to increase by $859 million over 10 years, with a range of $172 million to $2.58 billion, assuming the number of digital asset payment users remains at 5.4 million.The bill S. 2207 proposed by U.S. Senator Cynthia Lummis aims to exempt capital gains tax on related payments, with an annual tax-free capital gains limit of $5,000. Some other legislative initiatives propose to limit the scope of the exemption to regulated stablecoins, and discussions are still ongoing. BTPI states that the current capital gains tax and small transaction reporting requirements suppress daily Bitcoin payments. If the transaction-level tax and reporting burdens are removed, it could increase Bitcoin payments and demand; under the current adoption level, the recent impact on Bitcoin prices and taxes may be small, while the long-term impact depends on factors such as the scale of payments.

DBS and Citibank's New York office completed a cross-border payment in US dollars between Singapore and the United States on September 5 using tokenized deposits through the Swift Digital Ledger. The transaction was executed over the weekend and took only a few minutes, while traditional cross-border payments typically take up to two business days, allowing businesses to avoid losing time due to time zone differences and weekend gaps. This is the second confirmed real-time application of the ledger, following HSBC and Standard Chartered's completion of the first real-time tokenized deposit cross-border transaction in August. Swift announced the ledger's preliminary availability on July 9, with 17 banks ready to pilot it, and DBS is the only bank headquartered in Asia among the 12 core design group members. DBS Group Chief Operating Officer Rachel Chew stated that the Swift Digital Ledger is connecting traditional banking infrastructure with emerging digital networks to drive the practical application of tokenized currency from experimentation. Citibank's Head of South Asia Services Mridula Iyer noted that weekend real-time transactions prove that around-the-clock cross-border payments have become a reality. DBS will launch DBS Token Services in 2024, offering 24/7 programmable instant value transfer services.

Uzbekistan has launched a pilot project to test government securities-backed som-pegged stablecoin payments. The National Project Agency (NAPP) announced on Monday that it has registered Humo Digital as a special mechanism participant under joint regulation with the central bank. This pilot will test the issuance, circulation, and redemption of HUMO tokens, with each token pegged to 1 Uzbek som. According to NAPP, over 20 merchants are already prepared to accept HUMO payments, and the project will also integrate payment processing and blockchain infrastructure from participating banks, with licensed cryptocurrency exchange Asterium as a project partner. The Central Bank of Uzbekistan stated that the initial trial will last for 12 months, with a total project duration capped at 3 years. Regulators will assess the adequacy and security of the token collateral, cybersecurity, consumer protection, anti-money laundering controls, and financial and price stability risks. This pilot follows the framework approved in November 2025, when Uzbekistan indicated plans to allow stablecoin payment experiments under a sandbox mechanism while providing relevant terms for tokenized stocks and bonds.

According to Cointelegraph, DBS Bank has partnered with Citibank to utilize a blockchain-based ledger from Swift to achieve instant, round-the-clock cross-border dollar payments through tokenized deposits.

SWIFT service provider Bottomline announced a collaboration with the blockchain infrastructure project Chainlink to enable over 600 bank clients in its network to access blockchain-based cross-border settlements. Bottomline processes over $16 trillion in payments annually and serves 1,200 financial institutions and 10,000 enterprises.Through this integration, banks can continue to use the ISO 20022 standard to send payment instructions, with Chainlink's infrastructure connecting the instructions to blockchain settlements. Chainlink's Cross-Chain Interoperability Protocol (CCIP) supports the transfer of tokenized value across different blockchain networks, while Chainlink's Runtime Environment (CRE) is responsible for payment processes, transaction routing, and operational change coordination.CCIP has been recording mainnet activity since July 2023 and is currently connected to over 60 blockchain networks. Chainlink's Project Pangea has covered more than 50 banking institutions in Europe and South Korea, with participants managing assets totaling over $10 trillion, and the project's goals include achieving T+0 settlement for foreign exchange transactions.

The Payment and Settlement Department of the People's Bank of China released the overall situation of the payment system operation for the second quarter of 2025. By the end of the second quarter, a total of 15.238 billion bank accounts had been opened nationwide, including 116 million corporate bank accounts and 15.122 billion personal bank accounts; a total of 10.068 billion bank cards had been issued nationwide, including 9.354 billion debit cards and 715 million credit cards and loan cards, with 775,700 ATMs.In the second quarter, banks nationwide processed 149.789 billion non-cash payment transactions, amounting to 136.536 trillion yuan. Bank card transactions totaled 146.662 billion, amounting to 22.670 trillion yuan, of which consumer transactions accounted for 93.371 billion, amounting to 3.157 trillion yuan. Banks processed 80.053 billion electronic payment transactions, amounting to 85.816 trillion yuan, including 18.217 billion online payments, amounting to 70.785 trillion yuan, and 58.386 billion mobile payments, amounting to 13.606 trillion yuan. Non-bank payment institutions processed 333.845 billion online payment transactions, amounting to 8.211 trillion yuan.In the second quarter, the payment system processed a total of 392.751 billion payment transactions, amounting to 308.483 trillion yuan. The People's Bank of China Clearing Center system processed 5.543 billion transactions, amounting to 22.957 trillion yuan; the UnionPay interbank payment system processed 97.641 billion transactions, amounting to 6.671 trillion yuan; the NetUnion clearing platform processed 283.180 billion transactions, amounting to 14.558 trillion yuan; and the RMB cross-border payment system processed 2.121 million transactions, amounting to 4.594 trillion yuan.

Pablo Hernández de Cos, General Manager of the Bank for International Settlements (BIS), stated that stablecoins lack credibility in large-scale payment scenarios, making it difficult to use them as everyday currency. He believes that tokenized bank deposits are a better alternative, capable of achieving the advantages of tokenization while retaining the foundation of the monetary system. This statement comes against the backdrop of regulatory agencies in various countries establishing a regulatory framework for stablecoins.Hernández de Cos also acknowledged that stablecoins could lower government borrowing costs but might also increase bank financing costs, which would then be passed on to household and business loan rates. He pointed out that the interoperability between stablecoin platforms is limited, anti-money laundering controls are inconsistently enforced, and the widespread use of dollar-pegged stablecoins overseas could undermine the monetary sovereignty of other countries and the effectiveness of domestic monetary policy.On the same day, the Financial Stability Institute (FSI) under BIS released a research report comparing the stablecoin regulatory rules of the United States, European Union, United Kingdom, Hong Kong, and Singapore, finding significant differences in the qualifications of issuing entities and the scope of business they can conduct across jurisdictions. The United States and Singapore impose stricter restrictions on non-bank issuing entities, while Hong Kong, the United Kingdom, and the European Union allow certain additional businesses under separate authorization or licensing.

AI Agent Economic Settlement Agreement AEON announced the integration with Kenya's mobile payment platform M-Pesa, allowing users to complete payments using cryptocurrency, while merchants receive payments in Kenyan Shillings.AEON claims its settlement network covers over 50 million merchants globally and will extend the AI Agent settlement capabilities to more local payment systems, enabling transactions to be completed through users' daily payment networks, allowing merchants to receive local fiat currency settlements.

According to Bits.media, Russia's three major telecom operators MTS, Rostelecom, and Megafon announced that they will start accepting digital ruble payments from September 1. MTS will support the use of digital rubles for all services within its payment module MTS Pay, with no category restrictions. Rostelecom will initially only support one-time payments on its official website, and will later expand to personal accounts; regular payments and automatic top-ups will depend on the readiness of the central bank's platform. Megafon will also offer it as an additional payment method.The two major e-commerce platforms, Wildberries and Ozon, also announced the activation of digital rubles on the same day. According to the law, starting from September 1, all large enterprises in Russia must be able to process digital ruble transactions, and the apps of 12 systemically important banks must have an entry point for digital ruble wallets. The central bank plans to impose limits on the recharge of digital wallets, with a maximum of 300,000 rubles per month through a single bank.

According to a report by the Korea Herald, South Korea's Shinhan Financial Group announced that it has signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Visa. The two parties will collaborate on digital assets and future financial services.Shinhan Financial plans to utilize Visa's stablecoin platform to verify core functions such as stablecoin issuance, transfer, and redemption, and to jointly design business models in conjunction with South Korea's local financial regulations and market environment. The two sides will also explore the application of stablecoins in financial services such as credit card bill settlements, promote AI-driven new payment models, and expand B2B and B2C payment businesses.

The U.S. Treasury Department has expanded its sanctions framework against Iran to include the digital asset sector, stating that the relevant cryptocurrency payments exceed $100 million, which were used to assist in the sale of Iranian oil. The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), a division of the U.S. Treasury, has also imposed sanctions on nearly 60 entities, individuals, and vessels involved in nuclear energy, missiles, cyber activities, and the oil network.The sanctions in the digital asset sector allow OFAC to sanction foreign individuals and companies operating in Iran's digital asset sector or providing support services to the relevant field. The U.S. Treasury stated that Iran is increasingly using cryptocurrencies to evade sanctions, including transactions related to the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and insiders within the government. The U.S. Treasury noted that Ukrainian broker Ivan Obukhov, a UAE national, has processed over $100 million in cryptocurrency payments since 2023 to assist the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' Quds Force in oil sales. OFAC has added Ivan Obukhov and his UAE company Foscom FZE to the sanctions list.

Jeonbuk Bank has partnered with blockchain payment company Ripple to deploy its cross-border payment system, providing faster and cheaper remittance services for business clients such as import and export companies, tech startups, and online content creators, replacing the traditional transfer method that takes several days via the SWIFT network.Meanwhile, the Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (PVARA) has opened the application portal for crypto licenses. Companies providing virtual asset services on or before March 5 must submit a No Objection Certificate (NOC) application by September 5, or they will cease operations. PVARA stated that the licensing window is officially open, providing a clear path for businesses to enter Pakistan's regulated virtual asset market.In addition, Laser Digital, a digital asset subsidiary of Nomura Group in Japan, has received approval from the Financial Services Agency (FSA) to become the first platform to obtain a crypto exchange license in four years, the last being Binance Japan in October 2022.