The Green Sheet Online Edition
May 25, 2026 • 26:05:02
Industry Update
ANNOUNCEMENTS
AdvicePay celebrates 10-year anniversary
AdvicePay is marking its 10th anniversary after growing from a niche fee-for-service planning payments platform into a broader operational support system for RIAs and broker-dealers. Established in 2016 by Michael Kitces and Alan Moore, the company was created after the founders observed existing payment processors declined to address the compliance and billing complexities tied to financial planning fees. Since launch, AdvicePay noted, it has processed more than 2 million transactions and surpassed $1 billion in planning fees. The company has expanded into compliance, engagement workflows and adviser compensation, including through its acquisition of AdvisorBOB.
AEON raises $8M to build agentic economy settlement layer
AEON, a settlement layer focused on the emerging agentic economy, raised $8 million in pre-seed funding led by YZi Labs with participation from multiple venture and blockchain-focused investors. The company said the funding will support development of payment infrastructure designed for autonomous AI agents and agent-to-agent transactions. AEON recently launched an AI payment product enabling on-chain transactions across more than 50 million merchants globally and partnered with BNB Chain to introduce an x402 Facilitator for verifiable on-chain settlement. The company added that its infrastructure is designed to support AI-native commerce through programmable, trustless and real-time payment capabilities.
Exponent raises $40M to build financial OS for franchise operators
Exponent raised more than $40 million in combined equity and credit financing to expand its financial platform for multi-location franchise operators. The funding includes a $7.5 million Series A round led by Chailease and Andre Koo, with participation from Era and existing investor Inauguration Capital, along with more than $30 million in committed credit facilities. Exponent provides lending, corporate card and AI-powered accounting tools tailored for franchise operators. The company said it serves more than 100 multi-unit operators representing over 10,000 locations and has grown revenue approximately 800 percent year over year since launching commercially in 2025.
InvoiceCloud joins Boston Tech Week
InvoiceCloud is serving as a founding host of Boston Tech Week, the city’s inaugural decentralized technology conference taking place May 26 to 31, 2026. The event, presented in partnership with Andreessen Horowitz, will feature hundreds of gatherings focused on AI, fintech and innovation across Boston neighborhoods. InvoiceCloud plans to host two sessions at its headquarters, including an event examining how sales teams use AI to improve pipeline generation and customer engagement, and a discussion with the Mass Technology Leadership Council on maintaining trust in the age of agentic AI. The company said the event highlights Boston’s growing influence in AI and fintech.
RESEARCH
1 in 3 Americans unable to make full monthly debt payments
New research from Achieve and Money.com found that rising debt and living costs are straining Americans financially and emotionally. The research showed that 34 percent of U.S. consumers cannot fully pay their monthly household debts, while 28 percent describe their unsecured debt as unmanageable. The study also linked financial stress to anxiety, sleep problems, fatigue and other health concerns. Many respondents reported cutting spending on necessities or using emergency savings to cope. Despite the challenges, the survey found that many consumers remain open to strategies such as debt consolidation, and 75 percent said they remain hopeful their financial situation will improve.
Brands without in-app financial tools fear losing customers
New research from Galileo Financial Technologies found that consumer demand for integrated financial services inside brand apps is growing faster than brands are delivering them. The 2026 Galileo Integrated Financial Services Research Report, based on surveys of more than 2,000 U.S. consumers and 150 senior executives, found that while 80 percent of executives plan to launch integrated financial services, only 20 percent have done so. The research also showed that easier payments, rewards and refunds increasingly influence customer loyalty and purchasing behavior. Galileo reported that brands are accelerating plans for embedded financial services as competitive pressure and consumer expectations continue rising.
Adapting to changing customer behavior a top priority for retailers
New research from Lloyds Banking Group, detailed in the report More Than Checkout: The Role of Payments in Retail in 2026, found that 91 percent of UK retail business leaders participating in the study view adapting to changing customer behavior as a strategic priority. Based on a survey of 1,000 UK retail decision-makers, the report showed growing demand for faster, more flexible checkout experiences alongside stronger operational tools such as integrated reporting and payment system reliability. Lloyds found that retailers surveyed increasingly see payments as core business infrastructure rather than simply transaction processing, with payment flexibility, operational resilience and faster access to funds becoming key competitive differentiators.
Most hoteliers use AI daily, but CS still needs a human
New research from Mews found that AI adoption has become widespread across the hospitality industry, with 98 percent of hoteliers surveyed reporting AI use in the past six months. The Mews Hotelier Survey 2026, conducted across more than 500 global properties, found AI is involved in 11 of the 19 most common hotel tasks on average. Researchers also found that revenue growth is increasingly becoming a primary focus for AI initiatives. Despite strong adoption, however, 59 percent of respondents said front-desk welcomes and check-ins should remain human-led. Mews also found that while optimism and trust in AI are high, 41 percent of hoteliers in the study still lack formal AI policies.
PARTNERSHIPS
Affirm, Google striving to simplify AI shopping payments
Affirm is expanding its collaboration with Google to bring its buy now, pay later options into Google Search, including AI Mode, and the Gemini app through Google Pay checkout. The initiative is designed to support emerging AI-driven commerce experiences by providing transparent payment terms and real-time eligibility checks during checkout. Consumers approved for Affirm financing will be able to review full payment schedules and costs before completing purchases. Affirm also announced development of early BNPL extensions for the Universal Commerce Protocol, an open standard for agentic commerce. The company said the effort aims to embed transparency and consumer-focused payment experiences into AI-powered shopping environments.
BHN brings digital gift cards to TikTok Shop
Blackhawk Network launched a new in-app digital gift card experience within TikTok Shop, allowing users to purchase digital gift cards without leaving the platform. The integration also supports combined purchases of digital gift cards and physical products within a single shopping experience. BHN said the offering creates a new distribution channel for brands by connecting gift card sales to TikTok’s content-driven commerce environment. Brands can link gift cards directly to products featured in creator content and marketing campaigns. BHN said the launch supports growing social commerce activity, with social commerce revenues projected to surpass $1 trillion globally by 2028.
emerchantpay, integrates Visa installment payments in UK
emerchantpay integrated Visa Instalments Services into its payment platform, expanding its flexible payment offerings by enabling UK merchants to offer installment payments at checkout. The solution allows eligible Visa cardholders to split qualifying purchases into smaller payments using their existing credit lines, with real-time eligibility checks and repayment terms presented within the payment flow. emerchantpay said the integration is designed to help merchants reduce checkout friction, improve conversion rates and increase average order values. The company cited growing consumer demand for flexible payment options, with UK usage of deferred or installment-based payments rising significantly.
Global Payments, Lightspeed expand partnership
Global Payments renewed and expanded its partnership with Lightspeed DMS, extending a relationship that began in 2009. As part of the expanded agreement, Lightspeed will launch a new embedded payments offering powered by Global Payments’ Payrix Pro technology. The integration will allow dealership customers to manage payments directly within the Lightspeed platform, providing greater visibility, control and operational efficiency. Lightspeed serves more than 4,500 dealerships across the power sports, marine, RV, trailer and golf car industries. Global Payments said the partnership reflects its broader strategy of helping software platforms scale embedded payments and financial services without building payments infrastructure independently.
Ingenico, Arrive tackle on-street parking, urban transport
Ingenico and Arrive formed a strategic partnership to deliver payment experiences for on-street parking kiosks and transport ticket vending machines across more than 30 countries. The partnership integrates Ingenico’s self-service payment terminals with Arrive’s Archipel unattended payment gateway to support urban mobility infrastructure in outdoor and solar-powered environments. Arrive plans to deploy new kiosks globally while upgrading a significant portion of its existing fleet of approximately 360,000 kiosks using Ingenico payment technology. The companies said the initiative is designed to support secure, unattended payments, digital wallet acceptance and sustainability goals. Pilot programs are expected to begin in 2026.
Mitek, FICO aim to strengthen fraud defenses
Mitek Systems disclosed that its Mitek Verified Identity Platform is now available through FICO Marketplace, enabling enterprises to integrate identity verification and fraud prevention tools directly into decisioning workflows. The integration is designed to help organizations address increasingly sophisticated fraud threats, including AI-generated deepfakes, biometric spoofing and synthetic identity attacks. Through the FICO Platform, enterprises can deploy Mitek’s identity intelligence across digital onboarding, account recovery and authentication processes. Mitek said the partnership allows organizations to combine identity assurance with real-time decisioning to improve fraud detection while reducing friction for legitimate users. FICO Marketplace provides access to pre-vetted AI, analytics and data services.
Nuvei, Syspro to enhance operations for underserved sectors
Syspro and Nuvei partnered to embed payment capabilities directly into Syspro’s ERP platform for manufacturers and distributors. The integration connects Syspro’s PayThem Payment Gateway with Nuvei’s global payments infrastructure, allowing businesses to process payments, update accounts receivable and manage cash flow within a single system. The companies said the partnership is designed to reduce manual reconciliation, accelerate fund collection and improve operational visibility. Customers will be able to support real-time payments, ACH and bank transfers, and transactions across 150 currencies and more than 200 markets, Nuvei said, adding that the initiative reflects its broader strategy of embedding payments into enterprise software platforms.
YipitData, Ulta team up on data-driven merchandising
YipitData partnered with Ulta Beauty to provide alternative data-driven market intelligence supporting the retailer’s merchandising, assortment and customer loyalty strategies. Through the collaboration, Ulta Beauty said it will use YipitData’s insights to better understand shopper behavior, competitive performance and category trends across the beauty market. YipitData is known for providing retailers with near real-time visibility into brand and item-level performance, helping identify emerging opportunities and market shifts. Ulta Beauty said the insights will help strengthen data-driven decision-making and support evolving customer preferences. YipitData noted the partnership reflects growing demand among retailers for external market intelligence to guide merchandising and customer engagement strategies.
ACQUISITIONS
MoonPay acquires Dawn Labs
MoonPay acquired Dawn Labs, an applied research firm focused on artificial intelligence and financial markets, as part of a broader effort to expand its AI-native financial infrastructure strategy. Founded in 2025 by MIT-trained engineer Neeraj Prasad, Dawn Labs developed Dawn CLI, a trading tool that allows users to describe trading strategies in plain English before automatically generating code, conducting simulations and executing trades autonomously. Prasad, whose background includes engineering roles at Waymo, Microsoft and Citadel, joins MoonPay as chief engineer of MoonPay Labs. The acquisition follows MoonPay’s recent rollout of AI-focused financial and payments infrastructure initiatives.
NMI gains Dwolla
NMI acquired account-to-account payments provider Dwolla, expanding its embedded payments platform with API-first capabilities for real-time payments, open banking and money movement. The combined company will process nearly $700 billion in annual transaction volume and add more than 400 Dwolla customers to NMI’s ecosystem, NMI stated. As part of the deal, approximately 60 Dwolla employees will join NMI, while Dwolla CEO Dave Glaser will become NMI’s chief operating officer. NMI pointed out that the acquisition strengthens its support for ISOs, ISVs and fintechs seeking broader payment acceptance, payouts and embedded money movement capabilities across card, bank and emerging payment rails.
Shirah Technologies acquires Veero AI
733Park served as exclusive sell-side M&A advisor to Veero AI in the company’s acquisition by Shirah Technologies. Veero AI, based in Cambridge, Mass., developed the EyeSize virtual fitting platform, which uses AI and computer vision to generate precise facial measurements for online eyewear purchases from standard consumer devices. The deal marks another vertical AI transaction for 733Park, which focuses on AI, fintech, payments and SaaS companies. Veero AI’s technology originated from computer-vision systems initially developed for military and first-responder protective equipment. Financial terms were not disclosed. Shirah Technologies focuses on SaaS and AI services for ecommerce and direct-to-consumer brands.
APPOINTMENTS
Emma Banymandhub moves up at TPA
Emma Banymandhub was appointed CEO of The Payments Association after previously serving as chief operating officer during a period in which the organization tripled its headcount. Banymandhub brings more than 17 years of experience scaling events businesses and industry communities and has advised or led more than 20 organizations focused on commercial growth. As COO, she helped drive the expansion of PAY360 into the UK’s largest payments-focused event and oversaw the Pay360 Awards and member engagement initiatives. In her new role, Banymandhub will lead the association’s international expansion efforts while continuing its work influencing payments policy and industry collaboration.
Treasury Prime taps Travis Champion
Travis Champion joined Treasury Prime as vice president of revenue, overseeing sales, marketing and broader commercial functions as the company expands its embedded banking platform. Champion brings more than 25 years of experience leading sales and marketing organizations across fintech and financial services. Most recently, he served as head of GTM, partnerships and business development at Minna Technologies, where he led the company’s North America launch and expanded its reach to more than 100 million U.S. cardholders before Minna’s acquisition by Mastercard in 2024. At Treasury Prime, Champion will focus on aligning go-to-market strategy and building an AI-powered revenue engine.
PayPal reorganizes, appoints new leadership
PayPal is restructuring into three business units while also reshaping its executive leadership team as it works to accelerate growth, simplify operations and sharpen accountability. The company's three new divisions are Checkout Solutions & PayPal; Consumer Financial Services & Venmo; and Payment Services & Crypto.
Frank Keller was appointed president of Checkout Solutions & PayPal, which will combine PayPal’s consumer and merchant ecosystems under a unified strategy. Alexis Sowa will serve as interim lead for Consumer Financial Services & Venmo, a division focused on expanding Venmo into a broader consumer financial services platform. Jeff Pomeroy was named interim lead for Payment Services & Crypto, which will unify Braintree, SMB processing, value-added services and the company’s crypto offerings. Antonio Lucio is joining the company as chief marketing and corporate affairs officer, while Anshu Bhardwaj was appointed chief AI transformation and simplification officer.
In addition, Diego Scotti, executive vice president and general manager of the consumer group, is departing the company after helping drive Venmo’s growth and monetization and overseeing the launches of PayPal Everywhere, PayPal+ and PayPal Ads. Michelle Gill, executive vice president and general manager of the small business and financial services group, will also leave PayPal. She led initiatives involving small business payments, BNPL offerings and AI-driven payment experiences.
Raj Singh joins Diebold Nixdorf
Raj Singh joined Diebold Nixdorf as executive vice president and chief information officer, succeeding Teresa Ostapower, who is retiring after serving as CIO since 2021. Tasked with overseeing Diebold Nixdorf’s IT and cybersecurity strategy, Singh brings nearly 30 years of experience in technology and digital transformation across the financial, automotive and energy sectors. Most recently, he served as vice president and CIO at Visteon Corp., where he led enterprise AI strategy, IT transformation, cloud initiatives and cybersecurity programs. Singh also held senior technology leadership roles at Ford Motor Co., DTE Energy, Horizon Global and Ally Financial. 
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