The Green Sheet Online Edition
September 22, 2025 • 25:09:02
News Briefs
Fiserv gets on board with pot shops <- click to read full story
Fiserv introduced a way for cannabis dispensaries to accept payment cards through its Accel debit network, bypassing Visa and Mastercard restrictions tied to federal cannabis laws. The solution enables cardholders to make PIN-based mag-stripe purchases at state-authorized dispensaries, improving convenience and loyalty. About 3,100 financial institutions participate in Accel, serving 3 million merchant locations.
Fiserv is also helping dispensaries manage business expenses by offering business debit cards that can be used for supplies but not cannabis purchases. With U.S. cannabis sales at $15.2 billion in 2023 and projected to reach $171 billion by 2028, the company sees a significant growth opportunity. The initiative also supports financial institutions diversifying portfolios while addressing cash-handling and compliance challenges.
AGs to payment companies: help us stop 'deepfakes' <- click to read full story
A bipartisan coalition of 47 state attorneys general urged payment platforms, including Visa, Mastercard, AmEx, PayPal, Google Pay and Apple Pay, to block transactions linked to nonconsensual deepfake pornography (NCII). These AI-generated images and videos cause widespread harm, particularly to women, girls and youth. The AGs asked companies to detail current practices and commit to stricter enforcement of acceptable-use policies. They also pushed search engines to add safeguards like warnings and redirects. Mastercard voiced support, noting its zero-tolerance policy for unlawful content.
With cases involving celebrities and school-aged children, officials warned of serious mental health impacts and exploitation risks. The coalition emphasized that payment providers have restricted harmful content before and must act decisively to curb the monetization of deepfake NCII.
Surcharges impact card use, satisfaction <- click to read full story
Studies by J.D. Power and WalletHub revealed growing consumer frustration with credit card surcharges. J.D. Power found 34 percent of small businesses now add surcharges, allowed in 47 states, though transparency rules vary. Its 2025 survey showed 65 percent of cardholders had paid surcharges, with satisfaction scores for issuers falling an average of 39 points when fees were applied. Most affected cardholders tried alternative payments to avoid surcharges.
WalletHub’s April 2025 survey showed 82 percent of Americans have been charged fees, 87 percent feel “nickel-and-dimed” and 58 percent believe merchants lack transparency. Two-thirds said they would stop using credit cards if fees apply. The studies suggest while surcharging may boost margins, it erodes trust, drives alternative payments and risks long-term loyalty.
New bank-to-bank payment option for cannabis shops <- click to read full story
IndicaOnline launched sweedePay, an ACH-based payment system powered by Aeropay, to help cannabis dispensaries move beyond cash. The system supports both in-store and delivery models, ensuring compliance through encryption and regulatory safeguards. With U.S. cannabis sales hitting $15.2 billion in 2023 and projected to soar to $171 billion by 2028, dispensaries remain largely cash-dependent because card networks prohibit cannabis transactions under federal law.
Previous alternatives like prepaid cards and cashless ATMs failed to gain traction. SweedePay aims to fill that gap by enabling safe, legal bank-to-bank payments. IndicaOnline, with over a decade of experience in POS and compliance systems, positioned sweedePay as a tool to eliminate one of the industry’s biggest obstacles: limited access to reliable digital payment processing.
Nuvei partners with EWS for Paze online checkout <- click to read full story
Nuvei partnered with Early Warning Services (EWS) to integrate the Paze digital wallet into its online checkout solutions. Paze, owned by seven major U.S. banks and launched in 2023, uses tokenization for added security and simplified checkout, aiming to reduce the nearly 71 percent U.S. cart-abandonment rate.
The partnership expands Paze’s reach to Nuvei’s extensive U.S. merchant base, improving conversion rates and reducing friction. Executives from both companies highlighted the synergy of Nuvei’s acquiring and fraud prevention with Paze’s bank-backed credentials. EWS has been growing adoption through strategic alliances, including one with Fiserv in June 2025. The Nuvei deal further positions Paze as a trusted, convenient alternative to big-tech wallets in ecommerce payments. 
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