The Debit Divide: Courts, Cards, and Change
by Patti Murphy on September 26, 2025 at 5:42 PM
In this week's edition of Today in Payments, Patti Murphy and James Shepherd unpack the growing legal battle over debit card caps, as conflicting rulings from Kentucky and North Dakota courts set the stage for a potential Supreme Court case. They also cover Discover’s proposed settlem …
Fees, Friction, and the Future of Spend
by Patti Murphy on September 11, 2025 at 3:35 PM
This week’s Today in Payments covers merchants ramping up their use of digital wallets, growing backlash over surcharging, new momentum behind the Credit Card Competition Act, and cautious but steady consumer spending trends revealed in Fiserv’s latest Small Business Index.
Debit Rails Go Green
by Patti Murphy on September 4, 2025 at 5:42 PM
This week’s Today in Payments covers Fiserv opening its debit network to cannabis shops, state AGs pressing payments firms on deepfake porn, slowing credit card growth as debit and BNPL rise, and small businesses embracing embedded payments.
From Wallets to Wires: Tracking the Next Wave of Payment Innovation
by Patti Murphy on August 28, 2025 at 5:07 PM
This edition of Today in Payments explores the explosive growth of digital wallets and virtual cards, the rising consumer demand for one-click checkout, and the gradual adoption of cryptocurrency at the point of sale. It also highlights the continued relevance of ACH payments, which a …
From Browsers to Bank Battles
by Patti Murphy on August 21, 2025 at 4:29 PM
Google is doubling down on payments with new remittance and BNPL features, while gift card sales continue to climb. Meanwhile, the White House takes aim at debanking and J.D. Power finds more small merchants adding surcharges.
The Race to Real-Time
by Patti Murphy on July 31, 2025 at 3:21 PM
RTP and FedNow both saw major gains in Q2. Payment volumes, values, and participation are up as the real-time rails race to modernize U.S. payments.
Big Moves in Payments
by Patti Murphy on July 24, 2025 at 4:25 PM
Lawmakers passed the GENIUS Act during “Crypto Week,” marking the first-ever U.S. regulatory framework for stablecoins. Meanwhile, Brazil’s popular Pix payment system is under scrutiny after the U.S. launched an investigation into potential bias against legacy card networks. PayPal de …
The Great Payments Shake-Up
by Patti Murphy on July 17, 2025 at 3:52 PM
Australia is proposing major reforms to card payments, including banning debit surcharges, lowering credit card interchange fees, and increasing fee transparency—all aimed at reducing costs for merchants. In the U.S., the Merchant Payments Coalition is pushing back against large bank …
Digital Dollars and Legal Drama
by Patti Murphy on July 11, 2025 at 2:02 PM
Next week is Crypto Week in Congress, with votes expected on stablecoin legislation and a bill to block CBDCs. Meanwhile, Apple, Visa, and Mastercard win in court, and the Treasury gets flooded with advice on how to finally ditch paper checks.