Payment Expert’s Fintech Unwrapped delivers the latest and developing news that has shaped the sector over the course of the week.
This week, Visa’s exploration of stablecoins this year has led the global payment network to open up a new stablecoin advisory practice designed to help businesses of all sizes to understand the benefits of the digital currency.
Also this week, BBVA has plans to become an AI-native bank with OpenAI, bunq is offering competitive returns on interest with its latest launch, and UK bank Griffin has hit a new landmark.
Visa now offering stablecoin guidance for further growth
Visa is offering businesses across Europe guidance on how to embed stablecoins within their infrastructure with the launch of its Stablecoins Advisory Practice.
The value-added service was announced on December 15 in response to the growing surge of stablecoin interest this year. The advisory practice will offer a suite of services designed to guide strategy and implementation of stablecoin infrastructure to comply with regulatory standards.
The service is recommended to banks, fintechs and merchants, with Web3 money app Wirex being one of the initial adopters of the Stablecoins Advisory Practice.
“Our new dedicated Advisory Practice is designed to bring practical insights and tailored recommendations for our clients to unlock growth and stay ahead, including the adoption and implementation of robust stablecoin and digital asset solutions,” said Claudio Di Nella, European Head of Visa Consulting & Analytics at Visa.
BBVA has aims to become an AI-native bank
BBVA expanded its partnership with OpenAI to integrate ChatGPT Enterprise to enable AI to support its customer services, enhance risk analysis and update internal processes.
The service, announced on December 12, will be rolled out to 120,000 global BBVA employees across 25 countries to help increase productivity in customer service.
As part of the partnership, BBVA will also leverage AI to form a dedicated team to work directly with OpenAI’s product, research, and technology success teams to support the bank’s shift toward becoming an AI-native financial institution.
“We were pioneers in the digital and mobile transformation, and we are now entering the AI era with even greater ambition,” said Carlos Torres Vila, Chairman of BBVA. “Our alliance with OpenAI accelerates the native integration of artificial intelligence across the bank to create a smarter, more proactive, and completely personalized banking experience, anticipating the needs of every client.”
bunq offers new returns and added interest flexibility
Europe’s second largest neobank bunq launched term deposits on December 16, a new savings option for its customers to earn returns while also keeping track of crypto investments.
bunq customers have also introduced instant crypto alerts. This allows customers with crypto wallets to automatically be notified when their digital assets are falling or rising by more than 5% within a 24 hour period.
“At bunq, we make it easy to grow your wealth in a way that’s both safe and secure,” said Joe Wilson, bunq Chief Evangelist. “We give our users an easy-to-use, regulated environment where savings and crypto live side-by-side, so they can take control of their money and shape the future they want.”
Volt supports stablecoin pay-ins with BVNK
Volt partnered with BVNK on December 15 to provide stablecoin pay-ins at the checkout to its global merchants and partners.
Integrating BVNK’s stablecoin payment infrastructure, Volt will enable its partners to use stablecoins for cross-border e-commerce marketplaces, trading and investment apps, as well as for travel, offering 24/7 instant settlement.
“With the first set of merchants fully integrated and ready to go, we’re excited to help them realise the powerful benefits stablecoins bring: seamless cross-border settlements, freedom from traditional or limited banking infrastructure, and reaching a new generation of consumers for whom self-custody of funds is a non-negotiable,” said Steffen Vollert, Volt’s Co-Founder and CEO.
Griffin caps 2025 off with 50 confirmed partners
UK bank Griffin announced it now serves over 50 platforms with its banking-as-a-service (BaaS) to round out 2025.
Having begun full operations in March 2024, Griffin now serves companies such as Uber, Marqeta and Aspora, with a full range of financial products involving payments, lending, remittances and insurance.
“2025 was the year we became the partner bank of choice for fast-moving technology companies in the UK,” said David Jarvis, CEO and Co-Founder of Griffin. “We’ve proven you can build a bank that moves as fast as the fintechs it serves without compromising on compliance or resilience.”
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