# 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.

Tiger Research: What AI Services Do Crypto Companies Offer?

This Tiger Research report examines the growing trend of cryptocurrency companies integrating AI services, driven by a fear of missing out (FOMO). Unlike previous cycles, established and profitable firms like Coinbase and Binance are leading this charge, moving AI from theory to practical necessity. Key areas of AI adoption include: - **Research:** Projects like Surf are building crypto-native AI tools that aggregate fragmented on-chain and social data, providing more accurate answers than general AI models. - **Trading:** Exchanges are deploying AI to let users execute trades via natural language commands, lowering the barrier for non-developers and automating strategies. The goal is user retention in an increasingly competitive landscape. - **Security/Audit:** Firms like CertiK use AI to enhance smart contract audits by automating initial code scans and enabling post-audit, real-time monitoring, thus addressing previous security blind spots. - **Payment Infrastructure:** Protocols are emerging to enable AI agents to make autonomous payments (e.g., for APIs or services) using on-chain wallets and stablecoins. Circle’s proposed Gateway-x402 integration is a notable example, though this field is still nascent. The push is fueled by rapid AI advancements (e.g., MCP, OpenClaw) and competitive anxiety. However, the report cautions that while adoption is accelerating, the gap between offering a feature and its actual, trusted use remains significant. The motivation is strategic positioning for an AI-driven future, not just marketing.

marsbit03/30 06:41

Tiger Research: What AI Services Do Crypto Companies Offer?

marsbit03/30 06:41

From Utopian Narratives to Financial Infrastructure: The 'Disenchantment' and Pivot of Crypto VC

From Utopian Narratives to Financial Infrastructure: The Disenchantment and Pivot of Crypto VC The crypto industry, once championing "blockchain, not Bitcoin" and a broad Web3 vision, is now seeing venture capital flow overwhelmingly into pragmatic financial applications, particularly stablecoin payments. Following the decline of the Web3 and NFT boom in the early 2020s, investment has cooled for many sectors but surged for payment infrastructure. Key signals include Stripe's $1.1 billion acquisition of Bridge and Mastercard's $1.8 billion purchase of BVNK. Data from Architect Partners shows funding for crypto payment companies skyrocketed to $2.6 billion in 2025, exceeding the total of the previous three years combined. In contrast, funding for decentralized applications (DApps) and blockchain gaming has collapsed. The total private crypto funding reached $20.4 billion in 2025, still below the 2022 peak of $27.6 billion. Stablecoins, like USDT and USDC, are now seen as a breakthrough application, with their annual transaction volume soaring 72% to $33 trillion in 2025. Their core appeal is enabling efficient, real-time global value transfer, solving long-standing issues of cost and speed in cross-border payments. However, the industry faces significant challenges from established "gatekeepers" like Visa and Mastercard, which control terminal access. The piece also notes the declining market share of Binance and the emergence of new products like Franklin Templeton's tokenized ETF with Ondo Finance, which allows for 24/7 trading. A commentator starkly observes that the line between investing and gambling has been completely erased, with a significant portion of new ETFs being leveraged or crypto-related funds. The narrative has shifted from utopian rebuilding to building financial infrastructure.

marsbit03/30 01:45

From Cash to Crypto: Towards a Consistent Regulatory Approach to Illicit Payments

"From Cash to Crypto: Towards a Consistent Regulatory Approach to Illicit Payments" by Andrea Minto et al. (BIS) examines the challenges for Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) regulation posed by the diversification of payment instruments, from cash and bank deposits to cryptoassets and CBDCs. The paper introduces a conceptual framework centered on the degree of intermediary involvement in a payment tool. It identifies a "waterbed effect": as regulators tighten AML/CFT rules on one type of instrument (e.g., bank transfers), illicit activity may shift to less-regulated alternatives with lower detection probabilities (e.g., self-hosted crypto wallets). This regulatory arbitrage undermines overall effectiveness. The framework categorizes payment tools as either intermediary-dependent (e.g., bank deposits, e-money, custodial wallets) where regulated entities perform checks, or non-intermediated (e.g., cash, self-hosted wallets, offline CBDCs) which offer higher anonymity and pose greater detection challenges. Malicious actors are assumed to choose tools that minimize their risk of detection. A case study of the EU's evolving AML/CFT regime illustrates this dynamic, showing how regulation has expanded over time to cover new entities like Crypto-Asset Service Providers (CASPs). However, inconsistencies remain, such as transaction limits for cash but not yet for self-hosted wallets or offline digital euro transactions. The paper concludes by proposing a dual regulatory approach: a *lex generalis* establishing a unified baseline of core obligations for all intermediated tools, and a *lex specialis* with tailored rules for non-intermediated instruments (e.g., transaction limits for cash and offline CBDCs, enhanced "touch point" monitoring for self-hosted wallets). This aims to create a more effective, consistent, and forward-looking framework that balances financial integrity with considerations for user privacy and innovation.

marsbit03/29 12:18

XRP Ledger Gets AI Security Upgrade As Ripple Prepares For Bigger Growth

Ripple is implementing a major structural shift in how security is handled on the XRP Ledger (XRPL), tying its next phase of security work directly to its ambitions in global payments and tokenized assets. The overhaul integrates AI-assisted testing, a dedicated red team, stricter amendment reviews, and a broader modernization of the codebase. AI is being used to proactively discover vulnerabilities, shift from reactive debugging, and simulate complex edge cases at scale. The red team has already uncovered over 10 bugs. RippleX team emphasized that resilience must be a process of continuous hardening. Governance around network amendments will also be formalized with multiple audits and clearer readiness criteria. The next XRPL release will focus solely on bug fixes and improvements, prioritizing security and reliability over new features as the ledger aims for institutional-grade growth.

bitcoinist03/28 06:01

XRP Ledger Gets AI Security Upgrade As Ripple Prepares For Bigger Growth

bitcoinist03/28 06:01

ECB flags stablecoin competition as digital euro push intensifies

The European Central Bank (ECB) has expressed growing concern over competition from stablecoins and is positioning the digital euro as a strategic tool to preserve the role of banks in Europe's payment system. In a recent blog post, ECB officials emphasized that the digital euro should be seen as an opportunity rather than a threat to commercial banks, which will remain central to its distribution and customer relationships. The digital euro is designed to complement existing banking models, strengthen Europe's payment infrastructure, and reduce reliance on external providers. It will feature capabilities like conditional payments and pan-European usability to help banks compete with non-bank payment providers. The ECB highlighted stablecoins as a growing competitive threat, noting that without adaptation, banks risk losing fees, customer data, and deposits to digital alternatives. This reflects a broader global shift, with regulators in the U.S. and elsewhere debating how to integrate stablecoins into the financial system. The ECB's push for a digital euro aligns with these efforts, aiming to provide a public alternative that ensures financial stability and Europe’s strategic autonomy in payments.

ambcrypto03/27 17:02

ECB flags stablecoin competition as digital euro push intensifies

ambcrypto03/27 17:02

Garlinghouse Reveals Why Ripple Really Pivoted To Its Own Stablecoin

Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse explained that the company launched its own stablecoin, RLUSD, to internalize a role it was already playing at scale—having previously minted 20% of all USDC due to its large payment flows. The decision was driven by Ripple's substantial balance sheet strength, which positions it to offer a compliant, institutionally-focused stablecoin, especially after observing vulnerabilities like USDC's depeg during the Silicon Valley Bank collapse. Garlinghouse emphasized that trust, licensing, and transparency will differentiate stablecoins as the market matures, and he expects regulatory progress in the U.S. to continue, with further clarity anticipated by the end of May.

bitcoinist03/27 15:01

Garlinghouse Reveals Why Ripple Really Pivoted To Its Own Stablecoin

bitcoinist03/27 15:01

RWA Weekly: Compromise on Crypto Market Structure Bill Sparks Industry Divisions; Three Major Traditional Exchanges Develop Tokenization Products

RWA Weekly Digest: March 21–27, 2026 The RWA sector saw steady growth, with total on-chain market cap reaching $26.6 billion (+4.73% MoM) and holder count rising to 694k (+6.07% MoM). Stablecoin market cap remained stable at ~$3 trillion, though transaction volume and active addresses declined, indicating more holding than trading activity. Key regulatory developments included a U.S. crypto market structure bill compromise on stablecoin yield provisions, causing division within the industry, and Delaware’s proposed legislation to bring stablecoins under banking supervision. Major exchanges and institutions advanced tokenization: NYSE partnered with Securitize; Nasdaq collaborated with Talos; CME and Bank of Montreal launched tokenized cash settlement services. Franklin Templeton and Ondo introduced a 24/7 tradable tokenized ETF, while Invesco acquired Superstate’s $900M on-chain treasury fund. Ecosystem developments included Circle integrating USDC into Africa’s Sasai network, USDT₀ expanding to Tempo blockchain, and Ripple testing RLUSD for automated cross-border trade settlements in Singapore. Financings included XFX raising $17M for fiat-stablecoin FX infrastructure and Payy securing $6M for private stablecoin payments. Reports highlighted concerns from the FSB on dollar stablecoin risks in emerging markets and Electric Capital’s analysis showing only 34 RWA assets exceed $50M in on-chain size, with AI infrastructure spending poised to drive future growth.

marsbit03/27 09:07

RWA Weekly: Compromise on Crypto Market Structure Bill Sparks Industry Divisions; Three Major Traditional Exchanges Develop Tokenization Products

marsbit03/27 09:07

How Does The XRP Ledger Fit Into SWIFT’s Move To Process Blockchain Transactions Across 25 Banks?

Crypto pundit Pumpius claims that SWIFT is quietly using the XRP Ledger as a front-end solution for its new blockchain-based cross-border payment system, rather than developing its own. This follows SWIFT’s announcement of a partnership with over 25 banks to enable 24/7 transactions using distributed ledger technology. Pumpius alleges that SWIFT is effectively adopting XRP as a neutral bridge asset it could not build itself, despite publicly working with ConsenSys and financial institutions on an independent ledger. Meanwhile, the Bank for International Settlements highlighted XRP as one of the top five cryptocurrencies banks are exposed to, signaling growing institutional acceptance. At the time of writing, XRP was trading around $1.40.

bitcoinist03/26 21:02

How Does The XRP Ledger Fit Into SWIFT’s Move To Process Blockchain Transactions Across 25 Banks?

bitcoinist03/26 21:02

X Bets Big On Crypto Veteran As April Money Launch Nears

X has hired Benji Taylor, a crypto and DeFi veteran, as its new Head of Design. Taylor, who founded a self-custody crypto wallet and later served as CPO at Aave Labs and Head of Design at Coinbase's Base network, brings deep expertise in crypto infrastructure and financial product design. His appointment comes just weeks before the planned April rollout of "X Money," a new financial product expected to include peer-to-peer payments, high-yield savings, a debit card, and cashback rewards. The move signals X's ambition to integrate financial services into its platform, advancing Elon Musk's vision of an "everything app." Taylor's hiring, strongly advocated by X product lead Nikita Bier, underscores the strategic importance of design and crypto experience in this launch.

bitcoinist03/26 15:10

X Bets Big On Crypto Veteran As April Money Launch Nears