News

March, 2026

• 23 March

  13 Years on, Surcharging Remains Complex for Acquirers

  

  It’s been 13 years since merchants were allowed to add surcharges to cover much of their credit card processing costs, yet confusion and complexity remain. Speakers at the Transact 2026 conference last week, sponsored by the Electronic Transactions Association, did their part to dispel much of this confusion. “Surcharging is a …
• 23 March

  A New Connection Lets PayPal Open Venmo to International Transfers

  

  For years, PayPal has maintained two separate peer-to-peer payment services, though the brand it promotes most often for this capability is Venmo. But Venmo users have not been able to send money outside of the United States, limiting its utility. Now, that’s changed. Early Monday, PayPal announced a new link …
• 23 March

  AI’s $500 Billion Retail Bump and other Digital Transactions News briefs from 3/23/26

  

  AI in retail applications is expected to generate $500 billion in incremental volume by 2030, according to the “2026 Global Unified Commerce Benchmark for Specialty Retail” report from Manhattan Associates. The report relies on research among more than 400 specialty retailers in global markets, including North America. Arguing that AI agents …
• 20 March

  Businesses Are Struggling to Combat AI-based Fraud, a Study Finds

  

  As online traffic powered by artificial intelligence explodes, businesses are struggling to differentiate between legitimate and fraudulent agentic commerce agents, says a study by AI-based fraud-prevention platform provider Darwinium. Some 97% of businesses report an increase in AI-based fraud attacks in the past year, the report says. Among these businesses, …
• 20 March

  Domino’s and PayRange Add the Paze Wallet Option

  

  Paze, the digital-checkout option from Early Warning Services LLC, lined up Domino’s Pizza Inc. and PayRange LLC as the latest merchants to offer the online-only service. Domino’s says more than 85% of its sales come through digital-ordering channels. PayRange specializes in self-service transactions, such as for laundry machines. Paze will …
• 20 March

  KuCoin’s Visa-branded KuCard and other Digital Transactions News briefs from 3/20/26

  

  The cryptocurrency platform KuCoin introduced its Tomorrowland Limited Edition KuCard, a Visa card issued in partnership with the Tomorrowland music festival taking place March 21-28. Glia, an AI platform for banks, has integrated a loan-payment technology from MessagePay in an effort to integrate payments into digital interactions between community banks and their …
• 19 March

  Square’s Latest Deals Show Its POS Directions As It Seeks More Merchants

  

  Square Inc., the point-of-sale technology platform from Block Inc., announced two new deals late Wednesday and early Thursday that underscore its POS ambitions both domestically and abroad. In Chicago, Square said a seafood seller called The Fish Guy has installed an e-commerce service supported by Square and eGrowcery, a Birmingham, …
• 19 March

  Thunes And Pay to Wallet and other Digital Transactions News briefs from 3/19/26

  

  Money-movement platform Thunes Financial Services Inc. announced Banco Cathay of Costa Rica has adopted its Pay-to-Wallet service for cross-border payments. Loyalzoo Ltd., a developer of customer-engagement software for merchants, announced an agreement under which it will integrate its customer-relationship technology with a new point-of-sale platform from Priority Technology Holdings Inc., the MX …
• 18 March

  The EPC Launches an Ad Campaign to Overturn Illinois’s Interchange Law

  

  The Electronic Payments Coalition has opened another front in the battle over the Illinois Interchange Fee Prohibition Act with the launch of an ad campaign aimed at having the law overturned by the Illinois legislature. The campaign comes hard on the heels of efforts by organizations representing financial institutions in …
• 18 March

  Choosing the Right Payment Processing Partner: A Checklist for Software Platforms

  

  After everything you’ve invested in building your platform, the last thing you need is a payment processing partner that slows you down. For integrated software vendors (ISVs), payments aren’t just another feature or add-on. Your payment processor becomes a direct extension of your product, your brand, and the experience you …