Walmart's OnePay boosts crypto; Lloyds' tech saves cash

Group 1: Global Payments and Technology - Global Payments has launched its Genius payments technology in higher education, targeting on-campus merchants and facilities in the U.S. and Canada [1] - The Genius system includes features like inventory management and support for various payment methods, marking a shift towards a more payment-focused strategy [7] - The rollout follows a significant acquisition and divestiture strategy, including the sale of its issuer business to FIS for $13.5 billion and the acquisition of Worldpay for $22.7 billion, expected to close in early 2026 [8] Group 2: Lloyds Banking Group and PayPoint - Lloyds Banking Group is closing 136 branches as part of its digital transformation, while PayPoint has seen over £3 million (approximately $4 million) deposited using its barcode cash deposit feature since August [2][4] - The barcode cash deposit feature allows customers to deposit cash into their debit accounts without visiting a traditional branch, with a limit of £300 per transaction [3] Group 3: Walmart's OnePay - Walmart's OnePay fintech aims to provide banking services to underbanked populations and has recently expanded its offerings to include phone plans and credit card services [5] - OnePay is planning to introduce cryptocurrency trading and custody services, indicating a broader trend among banks and firms to tap into cryptocurrency demand [6] Group 4: BBVA and AI Integration - BBVA is utilizing Apple Intelligence's Image Playground to allow customers to design Visa-branded payment cards, starting with virtual cards and planning to introduce physical cards [9][10] - The bank has also partnered with Google to enhance its internal AI capabilities, including the deployment of generative AI tools [11] Group 5: Mastercard and Open Banking - Mastercard is expanding its open banking technology through partnerships, enabling account-to-account payments without requiring card details, which enhances user experience [12][13] Group 6: Coinbase and Stablecoins - Coinbase has introduced P2P transfers for USDC stablecoins, providing a fee-free alternative to traditional P2P payment apps [14] - The platform has also enabled users to lend USDC stablecoins with yields up to 10.7%, enhancing its competitive position in the payments landscape [16] Group 7: India's UPI and Biometric Authentication - India's Unified Payments Interface (UPI) is set to implement biometric authentication, allowing users to approve payments using facial recognition or fingerprints [17][18] Group 8: Ramp and AI in Finance - Ramp has launched an AI agent designed for accounts payable, automating tasks such as coding invoices and streamlining approvals, aiming for near 100% automation in certain workflows [19][20]