Blockchain is transforming payments, identity, and investing. Financial institutions must modernize quickly or risk losing relevance amid the shift to real-time, programmable systems.

Flexible installments and expanded rewards can help small businesses navigate rising costs

Troubled user experience dogged the platform, but helpful tabs and new features could streamline the app.

35% of US QSR loyalty members say points expiring too quickly is their top frustration with loyalty programs, the No. 1 complaint in Alchemer's March 2026 study, eight points clear of the next gripe.

Uploaded via QR codes, Apple works to make more ticket and card functions Wallet-compatible.

Adding BNPL and credit-building opportunities can help them win the next generation of consumers.

Betting on a cash-back strategy, Robinhood takes a shot at premium card spend.

After Libra/Diem’s failure to launch, the firm returns again to crypto with regulatory clarity.

In 2026, economic uncertainty is quietly reshaping consumer payment behavior, driving shifts across cards, cash, BNPL, and emerging alternatives as households adapt how they manage spending and access liquidity.

The issuer targets new consumers with rewards tied to account balances.

Visa promises cardholders cash-back rewards in new accounts, but lacks the ability to enforce.

Our analysts (or “bakers”) compete in a Great British Bake Off–style episode, discussing how AI will automate credit card rewards personalization and what happens when Agentic AI turns mobile banking into a personal financial concierge. Join the discussion with guest host Senior Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson, Senior Analyst Grace Broadbent, and Principal Analyst Tiffani Montez.

A 10% APR and fee-free rent dangle may not justify the new maze of spend requirements.

Issuers warn of legal fights, tighter credit, and shrinking perks for premium users.

Neighborhood Rewards hit physical stores, eyeing loyalty from Gen Z and millennial renters.

We review the biggest credit card movements of the year including the Capital One Discover merger, Sapphire Reserve and Platinum card refreshes, and tightening underwriting standards that are squeezing out middle and lower class families from credit lines.

SoFi debuted the SoFi Smart Card, a charge card aimed at rewarding consumers in essential categories, per a press release. SoFi’s latest product meets the needs of everyday consumers while offering competitive cash back in a necessary category. Issuers should expand rewards on essential categories like groceries and gas to stop middle- and working-class cardholders from switching to neobank competitors—offering card products that assist with affordability.

In 2026, commerce media will shift toward the core mechanics of shopping, as retailers reorganize, stores become high-impact media showcases, agentic AI opens new monetization, and financial platforms move closer to shoppable environments.

In 2026, stablecoins, agentic commerce, and AI-driven rewards will reshape the payments industry. Providers need to bet early or risk being sidelined by faster, cheaper, and more intuitive payment experiences.

US Bank offered cardholders exclusive discounts during its “Bonus Days,” per press release. Rewards include double cash back, double rewards at certain retailers, 10% off gift card purchases, and select discounts on merchandise, all activated and available through US Bank’s shopping portals and app. Slowly shifting consumers’ attention into banking and payment apps can open major new revenue streams for issuers. However, as these initiatives are piloted, issuers can’t lose consumers’ trust with their data.