Theme: Thursday

Fintech Deep Dive — Thursday | May 07, 2026 Focus: International & Cross-Border Payments — Global fintech, UPI abroad, stablecoins, and cross-border FX Coverage Period: May 1-7, 2026 Executive Summary This week’s cross-border fintech landscape is defined by explosive growth in stablecoin payments infrastructure, major funding rounds for international money transfer platforms, and strategic partnerships expanding global reach. Key developments include OpenFX’s $94M Series A to power cross-border stablecoin payments in Southeast Asia, Ebury’s £550M raise as Santander increases its stake to 55%, and stablecoin transaction volumes hitting a record $4.5 trillion in Q1 2026. Meanwhile, legacy payments players like Visa and J.P. Morgan are doubling down on cross-border FX capabilities, while Indian fintechs like KreditBee prepare for international expansion and IPO. ...

Fintech Deep Dive — Thursday | April 30, 2026 Focus: International & Cross-Border — Global fintech developments touching India, Indian fintech expanding abroad, and UPI’s footprint beyond borders Coverage Period: April 23–30, 2026 Executive Summary This week saw major moves in India’s payments diplomacy and competitive dynamics. Amazon and Meta joined a coordinated lobby against PhonePe and Google Pay’s duopoly on UPI — a dominance problem that has direct implications for international payments infrastructure. Meanwhile, WhatsApp tried a different tactic: adding utility features like prepaid recharges to boost its anemic payments traction. Globally, the money transfer app market is projected to hit $52 billion by 2030, stablecoin volumes hit a record $4.5 trillion in Q1 2026, and India’s free trade agreement with New Zealand opens new corridors for digital payments integration. ...

Fintech Deep Dive — Thursday | April 23, 2026 Focus: International & Cross-Border Fintech — Global expansion, UPI abroad, cross-border payments infrastructure, and international funding flows shaping India’s fintech ecosystem. Coverage Period: April 16–23, 2026 Executive Summary This week’s International & Cross-Border theme surfaces a defining tension: Indian fintech companies are aggressively pursuing global markets even as geopolitical headwinds — U.S. tariffs, Iran conflict pressures, rupee volatility — complicate the landscape. CredAble promoted a former HSBC veteran to lead its fintech unit as it expands into Europe, Americas, APAC, and MENA. Meanwhile, cross-border payment infrastructure is being rebuilt globally on stablecoin rails, with Singapore emerging as the critical bridge hub. India’s export ambitions face hurdles, but digital financial infrastructure remains a bright spot in its international story. ...

Fintech Deep Dive — Thursday | April 16, 2026 Focus: International & Cross-Border — Global fintech developments touching India, UPI’s overseas push, NRI finance, and cross-border payments infrastructure. Coverage Period: April 9–16, 2026 Executive Summary India’s cross-border payments infrastructure accelerated its global march this week. NPCI’s UPI-PayNow corridor with Singapore deepened as 13 more Indian banks joined, the India-Alipay+ linking talks advanced, and an NRI-focused AI “Financial Autopilot” from Abound (Times of India Group) and NEAR AI grabbed headlines. Meanwhile, PayTabs’ UAE acquisition and a Capitec-Wise partnership underscored how payment infrastructure is consolidating globally around real-time rails. ...

Fintech Deep Dive — Thursday | April 09, 2026 Focus: International & Cross-Border — Global fintech developments, UPI abroad, cross-border payments, Indian fintech overseas expansion Coverage Period: April 3–9, 2026 Executive Summary This week’s international fintech coverage reveals India’s payment infrastructure making significant inroads into Central Asia through a strategic PayU-8B partnership, while global stablecoin adoption accelerates toward a projected $50 trillion in settlement volume by end of 2026. Indian fintech continues attracting global capital, with KreditBee joining the unicorn club on a $280 million funding round. Meanwhile, BHIM App’s new biometric authentication feature signals NPCI’s push to balance security with seamless low-value transactions. ...

Fintech Deep Dive — Thursday | April 02, 2026 Focus: International & Cross-Border — Global fintech, UPI abroad, cross-border payments, India’s global footprint Coverage Period: March 26 – April 02, 2026 Executive Summary This week’s International & Cross-Border fintech coverage is dominated by India’s emergence as a global fintech talent and technology hub. Revolut announced plans to base 40% of its global workforce in India by 2026, signaling a major shift where Indian innovations — particularly video-based KYC — are being exported back to global markets. Meanwhile, SWIFT advanced its blockchain-based shared ledger to MVP stage with real transactions planned for 2026, and the RBI faced pressure over new FX rules amid rupee volatility. The week’s developments underscore India’s dual role: both as a beachhead for global fintechs entering high-growth markets, and as a source of cost-effective, AI-driven financial technology being deployed worldwide. ...

Fintech Deep Dive — Thursday | March 26, 2026 Focus: International & Cross-Border (Global fintech, UPI abroad) Coverage Period: March 19-26, 2026 Executive Summary This week’s international fintech developments reveal a sector navigating both ambitious expansion and significant macroeconomic headwinds. Paytm is charting a new European chapter with seasoned leadership, while Revolut continues its meteoric rise toward global banking dominance. The broader cross-border payments landscape is being reshaped by platform players like dLocal, even as geopolitical tensions—particularly the ongoing Middle East conflict—force Indian fintech companies to reassess IPO timelines. The rupee’s record low and slowed manufacturing activity underscore the challenges facing India’s fintech sector as it seeks growth beyond domestic borders. ...

Fintech Deep Dive — Thursday | March 19, 2026 Focus: International & Cross-Border (Global fintech, UPI abroad) Coverage Period: March 12-19, 2026 Executive Summary This week’s International & Cross-Border fintech coverage sees major shifts in India’s digital payments landscape. PhonePe, India’s largest UPI platform, has shelved its planned IPO citing geopolitical tensions and market volatility—a move that highlights the challenges facing Indian fintech companies seeking global capital markets amid escalating Middle East conflicts and volatile global stock markets. Meanwhile, cross-border payment infrastructure continues evolving with stablecoin-powered platforms raising significant funding, and international payment networks expanding their global reach. ...

Fintech Deep Dive — Thursday | March 12, 2026 Focus: International & Cross-Border (Global fintech, UPI abroad, remittances) Coverage Period: March 5-12, 2026 Executive Summary This week’s international fintech developments highlight India’s growing integration into global payment networks, with Swift’s new retail framework positioning India among priority corridors. Cross-border payment infrastructure continues to attract significant capital, with TransFi processing over $1 billion and raising targets to $5 billion. Meanwhile, stablecoin-based payments are gaining mainstream traction, and India’s digital commerce ecosystem is seeing strategic repositioning ahead of anticipated IPOs. ...