Sen. Blumenthal asks Visa for records of its payments deal with Elon Musk's X

Core Viewpoint - Senator Richard Blumenthal is scrutinizing Visa's partnership with Elon Musk's social media platform, X, particularly regarding its plans to launch a digital wallet and the potential conflicts of interest arising from Musk's influence over regulatory bodies [1][2][3]. Group 1: Regulatory Scrutiny - Blumenthal's inquiry is driven by concerns over Musk's previous actions that undermined the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), which would regulate the X Money service [2][4]. - The Senate's request marks one of the first instances of oversight on Visa following its announcement to facilitate peer-to-peer payments on X [4]. Group 2: Concerns About Fraud and Compliance - There are significant doubts about X's ability to prevent scams and fraud, given its reputation for "bots, scams and hate speech," raising questions about consumer protection as it enters the financial sector [5][6]. - Blumenthal emphasized Visa's legal responsibility to ensure its network is free from financial crimes, including scams, fraud, and money laundering [6]. Group 3: Information Requests - The letter to Visa's CEO requests detailed plans regarding the payment service on X, including the business model and compliance with regulatory requirements [6][7]. - Blumenthal also demanded all records related to the deal and communications between X, Visa, and relevant regulatory personnel [7].