KakaoPay Bets Big on Stablecoins
Hey Payments Fanatic!
KakaoPay is preparing for what could be its biggest move into digital assets yet.
The South Korean payments giant is developing a new "super wallet" that will combine traditional payments with stablecoins and tokenized assets, bringing both into a single consumer platform.
It's an interesting direction.
Rather than treating stablecoins as a separate crypto product, companies are increasingly looking at how they can fit into the payment apps millions of people already use every day. The goal is no longer just to support digital assets, but to make them part of the everyday payment experience.
And speaking of companies evolving beyond their original business models, keep scrolling for a closer look at Klarna's latest results and why the BNPL leader may have finally reached an important turning point, followed by this week's How Payments Companies Performed Last Week.
See what else is shaping Payments. 👇 See you tomorrow!
Cheers,
HOW PAYMENTS COMPANIES PERFORMED LAST WEEK
📈 Here’s how the biggest publicly traded Payments companies moved last week:
NEWS
🇵🇹 Mastercard has launched Priceless Portugal, giving cardholders access to exclusive travel, gastronomy, music, arts and cultural experiences across the country. The platform includes partnerships with local venues and brands, while also connecting Portugal to Mastercard’s global Priceless ecosystem.
🇦🇪 KamelPay launched AbsoluteCard in partnership with Mastercard and Mawarid Financial to help UAE businesses streamline corporate payments. AbsoluteCard combines a web portal, a mobile app and a corporate card, replacing manual administrative work with a more transparent and intelligent financial workflow.
🇨🇳 Unlimit has opened a new office in Shanghai, strengthening its presence in China and the APAC region. The expansion aims to better support Chinese merchants growing internationally, while reinforcing the company’s commitment to cross-border commerce and programmable financial infrastructure.
🇪🇺 PayPal joins the European Payments Council (EPC), allowing it to help shape payment standards across the Single Euro Payments Area. PayPal will contribute to discussions on interoperability, instant payments, fraud prevention, resilience, and consumer payment experiences in Europe.
🇪🇺 Bridge secures MiCA and EMI authorisations covering all 27 EU member states. The licenses enable the company to expand its regulated stablecoin and euro payment services, including virtual IBANs and custom EUR-backed stablecoins for businesses. Read on
🇱🇺 Paytm secures Luxembourg payment licence to expand regulated services in Europe, effective on July 2, 2026, not carrying an expiry date. The regulatory clearance strengthens Paytm's presence in the European financial services market and provides the company with a framework to expand its payments business in the region under local regulatory oversight.
🇺🇸 Binance reportedly set to lead a new funding round for Mesh, at a valuation of up to $2B. The deal was reported by Axios, citing people familiar with the matter. The report said demand for digital asset-to-fiat transfer tools, payment systems, and settlement infrastructure is rising. Continue reading
🚨 Klarna just quietly answered the question that's followed it since the IPO: can BNPL actually make money?
🇵🇹 Klarna has partnered with SIBS to integrate MB WAY as a payment method in Portugal. The partnership is part of a strategy to combine its global network of brands with local payment solutions tailored to the consumption habits of each market, with the goal of reducing friction at checkout by allowing consumers to use payment methods that are already familiar to them.
🌎 LurraPay integrates MoonPay Virtual Accounts, powered by Iron, enabling users to fund and withdraw across USD, EUR and GBP directly within the platform. The integration connects traditional banking and crypto through virtual accounts with support for fast fiat-to-stablecoin transfers.
🇰🇷 KakaoPay is developing a “super wallet” to support stablecoins and tokenized assets, expanding its blockchain-based financial services. The platform aims to combine payments with digital asset storage and transfers, bridging traditional finance and on-chain asset management.
🌎 Worldline, ING and Visa have completed a live end-to-end agentic payment transaction in Europe. The pilot demonstrated how AI-driven purchases can operate securely within existing regulations, using strong biometric authentication while maintaining customer control and merchant trust.
🇫🇷 Worldline sells stake in CAWL joint venture to Crédit Agricole. The deal will see Crédit Agricole acquire Worldline’s remaining shares in CAWL, giving it full ownership. Worldline will continue as a technology partner, with CAWL integrating its acceptance solutions into its payments. Financial terms of the deal have not been disclosed.
🇺🇸 UPAY has appointed Wynand Jordaan as a non-executive director, strengthening its board with expertise in software architecture, cloud infrastructure and FinTech development. The company said the appointment supports its long-term strategy to expand its technology platform and digital infrastructure.
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