Latest Payments News: Amazon’s Pay By Bank Launch Marks Milestone For UK National Payments Vision, and more

Catch up on some of the stories our payments compliance analysts have covered lately, and stay up-to-date on the latest news.

Amazon’s Pay By Bank Launch Marks Milestone For UK National Payments Vision

The retail giant’s launch of Pay by Bank in the UK is a significant step in the evolution of open banking from regulatory concept to mainstream retail infrastructure.

Pay by Bank, which went live last week, allows UK customers to pay for Amazon purchases directly from their bank account, without using a card.

Customers select their bank at checkout and are then redirected to their mobile banking app, where they can authorise the transaction using biometric authentication or PIN code.

By placing an order using Pay by Bank, customers authorise open banking API provider TrueLayer to process the payment.

Francesco Simoneschi, founder of TrueLayer, described the launch of Pay by Bank as “one of those moments that changes an industry”.

“This is a historic day for fintech and for e-commerce merchants, and we're proud to support one of the world's most demanding commerce environments with Pay by Bank at true mass-market scale,” he said.

“Operating at Amazon's scale demands resilient infrastructure, deep bank connectivity, and consistently high performance.

“Anyone who has ever worked in payments will know this wasn't just the flick of a switch – this has been literally years of building and perfecting.”

Digital Euro Legislative Push Gains Pace, Despite Holding Limit Debate

Plans for the central bank digital currency (CBDC) are still being refined, but look set to create significant data, governance and interoperability responsibilities for payments firms operating in the EU.

Earlier this month, Piero Cipollone, a member of the European Central Bank’s (ECB) Executive Board called on MEPs to “swiftly” finalise legislation and “accelerate” other preparatory steps for the launch of a digital euro.

Speaking at an event hosted by the Central Bank of Cyprus, Cipollone reaffirmed the ECB’s support for the negotiating position of the Council of the European Union, as published in December.

This position outlines the Council’s vision for a Regulation that would establish the digital euro and authorise its issuance by the ECB.

Cipollone also emphasised the strategic importance of the digital euro in supporting a competitive and resilient European payment system, and for ensuring European economic and currency security.

“The digital euro will deliver tangible benefits to European citizens, merchants and payment service providers alike – it is a win-win for Europe,” he said.

“We strongly believe in public-private partnership when it comes to enhancing the resilience of our payment systems and strengthening our autonomy, and both sides of this partnership are moving forward.”

On the public side, Cipollone said the digital euro project is “advancing well”, both technically and legislatively.

On the technical front, the ECB is continuing its preparations and building the necessary capacity ahead of a possible decision to issue a digital euro.

As part of this work, the ECB is expected to issue a call for expression of interest in March 2026, inviting payment service providers (PSPs) to take part in a 12-month digital euro pilot that will begin in H2 2027.

On the legislative front, Cipollone said the Council’s publication of its negotiating position is a “decisive step” towards an official launch of the digital euro.

“The Council’s position preserves the key pillars of the European Commission’s proposal, including legal tender status, mandatory distribution and acceptance, as well as online and offline functionalities,” he said.

“It also introduces targeted adjustments that address some of the concerns raised by European banks.”

For example, as per the Council’s proposal, only EU-licensed account-serving PSPs would be allowed to distribute the digital euro. This includes banks, payment firms, electronic money institutions (EMIs) and post office giro institutions.

Moreover, the proposed compensation model aims to ensure PSPs remain incentivised by mirroring the economic logic of current card schemes, while removing the burden of third-party scheme fees.

Cipollone said the European Parliament is “actively discussing” the proposal and is expected to reach its own negotiating position in May this year.

Under the assumption that legislators will adopt the Regulation on the establishment of the digital euro in 2026, the ECB is aiming for a potential first issuance in 2029.

Ghana Moves Towards Comprehensive Virtual Asset Regulation In 2026

Ghana is preparing for a major shift in its regulatory approach to virtual assets, with the Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASP) Bill 2025 set to introduce a structured, risk-based regulatory framework for virtual asset activities. As one of West Africa’s largest economies, Ghana’s approach is likely to influence regulatory developments across the region.

The Bank of Ghana (BoG), working with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC), has completed the draft bill following extensive consultations with industry, state institutions and international partners.

The regulatory push reflects rapid expansion in Ghana’s virtual asset ecosystem. According to the BoG’s Policy Position on Virtual Assets and Service Providers, this ecosystem now includes more than 3m users (around 10 percent of the population) and over 100 VASPs offering exchange, custody, wallet and brokerage services. This penetration rate exceeds that of many developed markets and underscores Ghana’s growing fintech leadership.

The 2024 National AML/CFT/CPF Risk Assessment identified significant exposure to money laundering, terrorist financing, consumer risks and operational vulnerabilities due to the absence of a dedicated regulatory framework.

Ghana’s move mirrors broader continental trends: Kenya’s Virtual Asset Providers Act, passed in November 2025, introduces licensing categories for exchanges, custodial wallets, processors and token issuance platforms, signalling a wider regional shift towards structured oversight.

Cross-Border Retail Payments Platform Set To Boost Regional Trade Integration in Africa

The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa’s (COMESA) Digital Retail Payments Platform (DRPP), unveiled in October 2025, is a landmark step for regional financial integration. It will enable payment service providers (PSPs) and banks to expand cross-border services, reduce transaction costs and capture emerging opportunities in 2026 and beyond.

The system is designed to enable seamless cross-border retail payments across the bloc’s 21 member states, allowing transactions to be settled in local currencies rather than US dollars.

This could reshape Africa’s payments landscape, reducing foreign exchange dependency, cutting SME transaction costs and driving financial inclusion.

The pilot phase between Malawi and Zambia is already active, and the platform marks a pivotal move from fragmented national innovation to regional interoperability, set to be a key theme in Africa in 2026.

The DRPP is compatible with existing regional settlement systems, including the COMESA Regional Payment and Settlement System (REPSS) and the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS), ensuring compatibility across financial institutions and central banks.

This reflects the view that the future of payments in the region is integrated digital ecosystems rather than domestic solutions.

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