Payment Expert’s Fintech Unwrapped delivers the latest and developing news that has shaped the sector over the course of the week.
This week, Uber has finally launched its consumer debit card, Uber Card, which will be rolled out in Mexico. The new card will offer two versions of how consumers can earn cashback on trips and food orders.
Also this week, Cash App becomes the latest payment platform to adopt stablecoin payments, Checkout.com is realising the growth of BLIK, Orbital is expanding access to local currencies in Europe, and ClearBank has launched a digital asset rail for stablecoin to fiat conversions.
Uber Card launches in Mexico offering cashback benefits
The Uber Card has entered the market, selecting Mexico as its first launch location. As part of the Mastercard network, and operated by Mexican banking app Klar, the card comes with standard and platinum versions and is available to all Uber and Uber Eats users in Mexico.
Standard perks include the accumulation of cashback on trips and food orders, as well as rewards when used for subscription and supermarket payments, as well as access to credit lines of up to $144,000 (MXN 250,000).
The platinum version enables users access to VIP lounges at airports with a dedicated ‘Lounge Key’, as well as increased cashback on a larger category of businesses. Both cards come with no annual fees.
Daniel Colunga, CEO of Uber Eats Latin America, said: “Uber Card operated by Klar is a natural step in the evolution of our ecosystem. Today, we connect more than 25 million active users each year in Mexico and we want every trip and every order to represent a real advantage for them, especially for Uber One members. This card will integrate mobility, delivery and rewards in a single experience, optimising spending.”
Cash App adopts stablecoin payments
Cash App announced it will now accept stablecoin payments for its 59 million monthly US users, according to a 27 May press release.
Without the need for any additional setups, Cash App will allow customers to send and receive USDC on the platform. Transactions using this stablecoin will allow users to convert to US dollars without the need to hold a standalone stablecoin wallet.
USDC payments on Cash App are supported by the Arbitrum, Ethereum, Polygon and Solana blockchains and will initially be fee-free; Cash App has said this will only be for a limited time.
After integrating Bitcoin payments within its platform, Cash App stated stablecoins are a “complementary option”. The payment app remains a “bitcoin-first” platform with the world’s largest cryptocurrency acting as a “foundation for an open and borderless financial system”, whereas stablecoins serve to move digital dollars quickly.
Miles Suter, Bitcoin Product Lead at Block, said: “As stablecoins continue to gain global adoption, we see an opportunity to get millions more Cash App customers comfortable using open financial rails. Once they’re on those rails, they’re one step closer to bitcoin.”
Checkout.com integrates BLIK for greater checkout flexibility
Checkout.com is adding Poland’s account-to-account payment rail BLIK to its payment stack to enable merchants to integrate the payment method at the checkout.
By integrating and becoming an official partner of BLIK, Checkout.com aims to offer BLIK to merchants across the wider Central Europe region by adding more flexibility for customers at their checkouts. BLIK recurring payments will also be integrated into Checkout.com later in the year.
Customers are able to pay with BLIK by receiving a generated six-digit code within their banking app at the checkout. The customer confirms the payment within the app with additional security built-in to the payment process.
BLIK processed 756 million transactions in the first quarter of 2026, a 14% increase from the same period last year, with the highest-growth channel being e-commerce businesses. The payment method was used by over 21 million users by the end of March 2026.
Matthieu Barral, Head of Global Partnerships at Checkout.com, said: “Our approach to expanding payment method coverage is grounded in merchant demand and real-world usage. BLIK is a clear example of that, as it’s trusted by millions in Poland and central to the country’s digital economy.”
Orbital to support businesses with local currencies with Banking Circle
Orbital has expanded its reach to local currency payment rails in partnership with Banking Circle.
The partnership enables Orbital to offer its clients virtual IBANs in local currencies, such as Danish and Swedish Krona, to hold, settle and perform transactions, complementing Orbital’s current access to payment rails facilitating euro, pound and US dollar.
Banking Circle will assist with helping Orbital clients looking to expand their business into regions such as the Nordics and Central Europe by providing payment rails with greater access to local currencies that can route fiat, FX and stablecoin flows through a single platform.
Chris Mason, CEO at Orbital, said: “Enterprises are increasingly thinking in multi‑currency terms – not just euro, sterling and dollars, but also Nordic, Central European and Asia‑Pacific currencies.
“They want to hold and settle in those currencies under their own name, not via pooled wallets or opaque structures, and they need those accounts to plug directly into their existing treasury, FX and stablecoin workflows.”
ClearBank launches banking rail for stablecoins transfers
ClearBank Europe launched Digital Asset Rails on 28 May, a service designed for 24/7 cross-border settlement of fiat payouts using digital currencies.
The service enables regulated financial institutions to make digital currency transfers, such as stablecoins, to convert in fiat currencies through established banking rails, such as EUR and SEPA Instant.
ClearBank will use programmable liquidity for cross-border flows to enable clients to instruct the conversion of fiat currencies into stablecoins. ClearBank will provide the regulated banking layer, including fiat account infrastructure and access to SEPA Instant.
Mark Fairless, Group CEO of ClearBank, said: “This launch is a further step forward in how we deliver on our purpose to unlock our clients’ potential. As the financial system evolves, clients need infrastructure that keeps pace with how they operate today.
“By combining our cloud-native platform with regulated banking, we are removing friction from cross-border flows and giving clients a more effective way to control and deploy liquidity. This is the direction of travel for the industry, and we are focused on enabling our clients to move with it confidently.”
To read what news stories happened across the industry last week, click here
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