# Payments Related Articles

HTX News Center provides the latest articles and in-depth analysis on "Payments", covering market trends, project updates, tech developments, and regulatory policies in the crypto industry.

Airwallex's Pivot: From Dismissing Stablecoins a Year Ago to Making High-Profile Investments Today

Airwallex, a major cross-border payments fintech, has made a notable strategic shift by leading a seed round investment in Metal, a tokenized financial settlement network. This move is significant given that Airwallex founder Jack Zhang was a prominent critic of stablecoins just a year prior, arguing they failed to reduce costs for mainstream currency corridors and lacked clear utility. The investment targets Metal, a Layer-1 blockchain designed for the tokenization and settlement of assets like stocks, bonds, and stablecoins, aiming for the institutional market. Metal's team includes veterans from Ren Protocol and Meta's Diem project. For Airwallex, this partnership integrates tokenized finance into its global payments network, providing a new settlement layer. Despite his company's investment, Zhang maintains a distinction, stating his skepticism toward "cryptocurrencies" remains, while classifying regulated, asset-backed stablecoins as a separate category. This stance reflects a broader trend of traditional finance (TradFi) cautiously engaging with crypto infrastructure. Companies like Stripe, Mastercard, and major banks are similarly exploring stablecoin payments and tokenization networks, recognizing their potential in emerging markets and 24/7 settlement. The article concludes that Airwallex's investment is less a change of belief and more a strategic necessity to secure a position in the evolving landscape of digital asset settlement, where stablecoins are becoming a key interface for global finance.

marsbitYesterday 11:12

South Korean Institutions' Crypto Race: Dual Explosion of Stablecoins and RWA

**Summary: South Korea's Institutional Crypto Race: Stablecoins and RWA Take Off** South Korea is undergoing a structural shift in its crypto ecosystem, moving beyond its historical role as a major retail trading hub. Major financial institutions and internet platforms are now building institutional-grade blockchain infrastructure, with stablecoins and Real-World Asset (RWA) tokenization as the primary drivers. The push for a regulated Korean won stablecoin market is a major policy and corporate focus. This is driven partly by an estimated $115 billion outflow into dollar stablecoins like USDC, threatening the domestic financial system. Banks (e.g., KB Financial, Hana), payment giants (e.g., Shinhan Card, BC Card), and internet super-apps (KakaoPay, NAVER Pay) are all conducting pilots. The goal is to anchor future digital finance to the Korean won and local regulations. In RWA, South Korea is advancing rapidly within regulatory sandboxes, focusing on unique domestic assets beyond typical global templates like US Treasuries. Projects involve tokenizing ships (with Hyundai Heavy Industries), defense supply chain assets, and K-pop intellectual property, alongside more conventional assets. A legal framework is set for 2027, and platforms like NXT are preparing for regulated trading. Key opportunities for crypto-native projects lie in providing the underlying technology these traditional institutions lack: global distribution channels for tokenized assets, cross-chain liquidity solutions, and enabling infrastructure tools (e.g., for asset packaging and management). Partnerships, such as Solana with Shinhan Card or LayerZero with the Korea Gold Exchange, exemplify this proactive approach. Crucially, user access is being shaped by consumer platforms. NAVER's planned acquisition of Upbit's operator Dunamu and Kakao's development of a unified wallet aim to seamlessly integrate crypto with everyday payments for tens of millions of users. The race is now about which protocols and projects will become the foundational standards as regulation solidifies and institutional adoption accelerates.

Foresight NewsYesterday 08:03

South Korean Institutions' Crypto Race: Dual Explosion of Stablecoins and RWA

Foresight NewsYesterday 08:03

Ripple Launches RLUSD in Japan as Regulated Stablecoin Expansion Gains Momentum

Ripple has officially launched its regulated U.S. dollar stablecoin, RLUSD, in Japan through the SBI VC Trade platform (VCTRADE). This follows approval from Japan's Financial Services Agency under the country's Type 4 Electronic Payment Instrument framework. The launch marks a significant expansion for RLUSD into a major, technologically advanced market and deepens Ripple's long-standing partnership with the SBI Group, which began in 2016. In Japan, RLUSD will be used for cross-border payments, tokenization, and collateral management. The stablecoin is backed by U.S. dollar deposits, Treasury holdings, and cash equivalents, with regular third-party attestations. SBI VC Trade will offer free deposits and withdrawals for the asset. Since its late-2024 debut, RLUSD's market capitalization has grown to approximately $1.7 billion, making it the second USD stablecoin on the VCTRADE platform after USD Coin. Ripple highlights Japan's clear regulatory environment as key to this strategic growth.

TheNewsCrypto2 days ago 09:56

Ripple Launches RLUSD in Japan as Regulated Stablecoin Expansion Gains Momentum

TheNewsCrypto2 days ago 09:56

Request Network Introduces One-Click Cross-Chain Mass Payouts and Expands Wallet Screening With Merkle Science

The Request Network Foundation has announced a major expansion of its stablecoin payment platform, introducing one-click cross-chain mass payouts and enhanced compliance features. Users can now execute bulk payments from a single wallet and in a single currency (USDC/USDT) to recipients across the top six EVM chains (Ethereum, Base, Arbitrum, Optimism, Polygon, BNB Chain) and Tron. The platform automatically handles necessary bridging and token swaps within a single transaction approval. Additionally, the update integrates Merkle Science as a new wallet screening provider, offering users more choice for compliance. This built-in feature helps businesses mitigate risk by screening payer and recipient wallets against preset policies, aiming to prevent exposure to high-risk addresses. These developments aim to simplify global stablecoin operations for businesses, addressing the complexity of multi-chain, multi-currency disbursements for salaries, rewards, and other payments. The foundation states this brings payers and recipients "closer than ever before, regardless of the blockchain or currency they trust."

TheNewsCrypto2 days ago 07:22

Request Network Introduces One-Click Cross-Chain Mass Payouts and Expands Wallet Screening With Merkle Science

TheNewsCrypto2 days ago 07:22

Toss Bank, Solana Launch Blockchain-Based Cross-Border Payments Trial

South Korea's Toss Bank and the Solana Foundation have launched a proof-of-concept trial to explore blockchain technology for cross-border payments. The initiative aims to test whether using the Solana network can make remittances faster and more efficient than traditional systems. This project is focused on technical validation and assessing transaction performance, not on launching a commercial product. It reflects the financial sector's broader effort to find practical blockchain applications beyond cryptocurrencies. The partnership exemplifies how traditional institutions are collaborating with blockchain platforms to innovate payment infrastructure and improve cross-border transaction efficiency.

TheNewsCrypto06/22 07:03

Toss Bank, Solana Launch Blockchain-Based Cross-Border Payments Trial

TheNewsCrypto06/22 07:03

Financing Weekly Report | 11 Public Financing Events, Stablecoin Payment Infrastructure Company Trace Finance Completes $32 Million Series A Round Led by CoinFund

Financing Weekly Report | 11 public funding events recorded, with a total scale exceeding $264 million. The stablecoin payment infrastructure sector remains a hot spot. Key Deals: - Trace Finance, a stablecoin payment infrastructure firm, raised $32 million in a Series A round led by CoinFund to expand in Latin America and Asia-Pacific. - Galaxy Ventures co-led a $140 million Series A round for Karta, a US credit card provider for global travelers without requiring an SSN. - Instant payment platform Interchecks completed a $50 million Series C round. - Paradigm led a $9 million Series A for Latin American cross-border payment app El Dorado. - Range, a stablecoin compliance startup, raised $8.3 million in an oversubscribed Series A. - RWA infrastructure project Renaiss raised $1.5 million to expand its on-chain collectibles platform. Sector Breakdown: - Infrastructure & Tools: 6 deals, including the above-mentioned Trace Finance, Range, and Renaiss. - Centralized Finance (CeFi): 3 deals, led by Karta's $140 million round. - DeFi: 1 deal – reinsurance protocol Re secured strategic investment from Coinbase Ventures. - Prediction Markets: 1 deal – K25.ai completed a $10 million Pre-A round from NewGen. Other notable transactions include digital asset depository RDC raising $7 million, ad-tech startup EarnOS securing $6 million, and a $1 million strategic investment in LitVM, a ZK Layer 2 for Litecoin. The report highlights sustained investor interest in stablecoin payment infrastructure, compliant on-chain finance, and real-world asset (RWA) tokenization.

marsbit06/22 03:03

Financing Weekly Report | 11 Public Financing Events, Stablecoin Payment Infrastructure Company Trace Finance Completes $32 Million Series A Round Led by CoinFund

marsbit06/22 03:03

When Transfers Become Truly Frictionless: How Sui Uses 'Zero Gas' to Become the Underlying Infrastructure for Stablecoin Payments

Title: Sui Launches Zero-Gas Stablecoin Transfers to Become the Foundation for Stablecoin Payments Sui has introduced a zero-gas fee feature for peer-to-peer stablecoin transfers, eliminating the need for users or businesses to hold separate SUI tokens to pay transaction costs. This innovation, built on a new underlying account architecture called Address Balances, significantly reduces validator processing costs for eligible transactions. Currently, the feature applies to a whitelist of stablecoins for transfers meeting a minimum amount, effectively preventing spam. This development aims to unlock mainstream payment use cases for stablecoins—such as everyday purchases, remittances, and subscriptions—by removing cost and complexity barriers. It is also positioned to benefit high-frequency micro-payments for AI agents and institutional B2B payments, reducing operational friction. Major custody provider Fireblocks has already announced support. The move follows Sui processing over $1 trillion in stablecoin transfer volume since August 2025. Looking ahead, Sui plans to enhance this infrastructure with protocol-level confidential transactions later in 2026, aiming to provide scalable, free, and privacy-preserving payments. Together, these advancements strengthen Sui's goal of becoming the default settlement layer for stablecoin payments.

marsbit06/22 03:01

When Transfers Become Truly Frictionless: How Sui Uses 'Zero Gas' to Become the Underlying Infrastructure for Stablecoin Payments

marsbit06/22 03:01

The Reality of Payments in Latin America Is Not What You Think

The payment landscape in Latin America is undergoing a fundamental shift, driven by on-the-ground realities that challenge common perceptions. Based on over 500 hours of field research across the region, key insights emerge. Firstly, QR code payments, like Brazil's Pix, are becoming the dominant payment method in most emerging markets, overtaking cards. However, these domestic instant payment systems lack international interoperability, creating a significant gap for cross-border users. Secondly, the narrative around crypto cards is often misunderstood; their primary volume comes from high-net-worth professionals using them for salary conversions (e.g., USDT to local currency via Pix), not retail micro-payments. Competition in payments is shifting from customer acquisition to controlling the settlement layer, leading fintechs to acquire banking licenses for efficiency. Thirdly, treating "Latin America" as a single market is a mistake. Countries like Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico have distinct economic realities, user segments, and regulatory approaches. Brazil alone has at least five distinct user segments with different financial flows. Overlooked markets like Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador (the "forgotten five") offer high remittance volumes with lower competitive density. Finally, regulation in Latin America is often ahead of the US, with clearer frameworks for digital assets and a pragmatic approach from regulators focused on safety rather than obstruction. The margin on stablecoin forex is rapidly compressing toward zero, meaning future winners will be those building value-added services on top of the infrastructure, not just the cheapest exchange.

marsbit06/21 09:07

The Reality of Payments in Latin America Is Not What You Think

marsbit06/21 09:07

Latin America's Payments Landscape Is Not What You Think It Is

This report challenges common misconceptions about Latin America's payment landscape, based on over 500 hours of firsthand research. Key findings include: 1) Crypto card transaction volume primarily comes from high-net-worth individuals receiving USDT salaries, not retail spending. 2) QR code payments (e.g., Brazil's Pix, Argentina's Mercado Pago) are the dominant payment method across most emerging markets, not cards. 3) A major untapped opportunity lies in enabling cross-border interoperability between domestic instant payment systems. 4) Payment competition is shifting from customer acquisition to owning the settlement layer (e.g., acquiring banks). 5) Latin America is not a single market; Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, and smaller "forgotten five" countries (e.g., Guatemala, Honduras) have vastly different dynamics. 6) Stablecoin-to-fiat conversion margins are collapsing toward zero, pushing companies to build value-added services on top. 7) Future payment winners will be multi-country brands, not single-corridor specialists. 8) Marketing must target specific user segments (e.g., digital nomads, unbanked immigrants) with tailored messaging, not a generic "Brazilian" audience. 9) Contrary to perception, Latin American regulators are often ahead of the US in creating frameworks for digital assets and instant payments, with clear licensing deadlines. The core takeaway is that the region's payment rules are being rewritten, moving beyond cards and stablecoin arbitrage towards integrated, cross-border QR-based solutions.

链捕手06/21 08:50

Latin America's Payments Landscape Is Not What You Think It Is

链捕手06/21 08:50

Weekly Token Unlock: XPL to Release Millions in Token Value

Weekly Token Unlocks: XPL and SoSoValue Tokens Worth Over $10 Million Set for Release This week sees significant token unlocks for two projects. SoSoValue, an AI-powered crypto investment research platform, will unlock 13.03 million tokens, valued at approximately $3.87 million. The project aims to merge CeFi efficiency with DeFi transparency. Separately, Plasma, a Layer 1 blockchain designed for global stablecoin payments, will unlock 110 million tokens worth about $10.42 million. The network focuses on high throughput, stablecoin-native features, and full EVM compatibility. Both projects have provided their detailed token release schedules.

marsbit06/21 01:03