payments

TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 introduces the Smart Money Stage, focusing on fintech, payments, AI, and related topics. The event highlights the evolution of money beyond traditional forms like cash and bank accounts.

Natural, a one-year-old startup, raised $30M to reinvent financial architecture for autonomous AI transactions and position itself as a competitor to Stripe.

Bolivia is considering a framework to recognize USDT, the world's largest stablecoin, for payments, savings, and trade amid pressure on foreign currency reserves. The move aims to address a dollar shortage by leveraging the stablecoin's utility.

OKX is developing a marketplace where AI agents can hire and pay each other, integrating payments, identity, and reputation systems. The initiative aims to combine these elements into a unified platform for AI-driven transactions.

Toss Bank and Solana will collaborate on a proof-of-concept for overseas remittances and payments using stablecoins. The initiative focuses on blockchain-based financial infrastructure.

Ariel Szarfsztejn became MercadoLibre's new CEO in 2026, succeeding founder Marcos Galperín, who now serves as executive chairman. The company reported a 49% year-on-year increase in first-quarter 2026 net revenues and financial income to US$8,845 million, with total payment volume reaching US$87.2 billion.

Visa Group's president Oliver Jenkyn announced a new payments partnership with OpenAI. The collaboration focuses on integrating OpenAI's technology into Visa's payment systems.

Coinbase has launched a new product that enables AI agents to perform cryptocurrency trades, payments, and portfolio management tasks within limits set by users. The tool operates under user-defined parameters for these activities.

Coinbase has launched a tool enabling AI agents to manage trading and payments. The company is investing in AI agents as the primary interface for users' financial activities.

Mastercard is preparing for a future in which AI agents will handle payment transactions. The company aims to adapt its services to accommodate automated payment systems driven by artificial intelligence.

A second round of payments is starting for the $725 million class action settlement related to Facebook users' privacy issues. The payments are part of a surprise second round in the settlement.

An aerospace company responsible for a toxic tanker leak in Orange County has announced millions in payments for residents who evacuated their homes. Southern California evacuees may be eligible to collect aid from these payments.

Influencers are becoming more prominent in politics, prompting concerns from campaign finance advocates about the influence of undisclosed sponsored social media posts on voters. Calls for stricter regulations on payments to influencers are emerging as a response to these concerns.

The article questions whether cryptocurrency is evolving into a true alternative financial system or merely becoming a high-beta asset tied to macroeconomic factors like ETF flows, leverage, and geopolitical tensions. It argues that long-term success may depend on real-world utility in areas like payments and tokenized assets rather than speculative price narratives.

The article explores whether XRP can decouple from broader crypto market cycles despite its unique narrative around payments and institutional use cases. It questions if macro factors like BTC dominance and liquidity will always bind large-cap crypto assets, or if adoption could enable XRP to move independently.

The article examines XRP's market dynamics, questioning whether its price is driven by real-world adoption or broader crypto cycles. It highlights XRP's brand recognition, liquidity, and narratives around payments and institutional use, while querying if it can decouple from macro trends.