Cross-border Payments

Mastercard has launched a Crypto Partner Program that brings together more than 85 companies across the digital asset, payments and financial sectors to develop blockchain-based payment solutions. The initiative aims to integrate digital assets with existing payment networks for uses such as cross-border transfers, settlements and business payments.

Ripple is closing in on a key regulatory milestone in Australia as it moves to secure an Australian Financial Services License (AFSL) through the acquisition of local payments firm BC Payments Australia, an entity linked to the European Banking Circle Group.

Stripe is exploring the purchase of PayPal or parts of the company, with talks at an early stage and both firms declining to comment. PayPal’s shares rose after the news, while the company faces slower growth, rising competition, and a recent leadership change.

DSRV and SBI Ripple Asia have launched joint research to use the XRP Ledger to make cross-border payments between South Korea and Japan faster, cheaper and clearer. The project will test how blockchain can work with today’s banking systems and rules in both countries, rather than replace them.

Trump-affiliated venture World Liberty Financial is preparing to launch a blockchain-powered remittance and foreign exchange platform called World Swap, aiming squarely at the $9 trillion-a-day global Forex market.

The UAE Central Bank has approved the dirham-backed stablecoin DDSC, which is now live on ADI Chain for institutional and government use. It will be used for payments, settlements, trade, and programmable financial services, and will be available to FAB customers through approved platforms.

Malaysia is positioning itself at the forefront of Islamic-compliant digital finance with the launch of a regulatory sandbox dedicated to developing ringgit-pegged stablecoins that incorporate Shariah principles.

The EU plans to sanction two Kyrgyz banks and several other foreign lenders for helping Russia move money through crypto and bypass existing sanctions. It also wants to block all crypto transactions linked to Russia, including stablecoins and the digital rouble, to close this route for payments and trade.

The TON Foundation has launched TON Pay, a new payments tool that lets people pay with Toncoin and USDT directly inside Telegram Mini Apps, without leaving the app or using separate wallets. The system aims to make in-app crypto payments faster and cheaper, with near-instant transactions and fees below one cent.

KBank has filed new trademarks for stablecoin wallets and related digital finance services as it prepares for its third IPO attempt, targeting a KOSPI listing on 5 March 2026. The internet-only bank is expanding into stablecoin payments and cross-border transfers as part of a wider push to grow its digital asset business.