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NewsBriefs






        This article contains summaries of news stories recently posted under   offerings by integrating loans into Walmart's checkout
        Breaking Industry News on our homepage. For links to these and other   systems.
        full news stories, please visit www.greensheet.com/breakingnews.php.
                                                                The deal is expected to boost Klarna's valuation and reach,
                                                                while offering consumers streamlined access to credit
                                                                via  the OnePay  app.  Klarna's  CEO  hailed it  as a "game
                                                                changer," while OnePay's CEO emphasized making fair
                                                                credit more accessible. The collaboration reflects fierce
                                                                fintech competition and growing demand for flexible
                                                                payment solutions.
                                                                Consumers hammered by fraud losses
        Senator raises concerns over X Money-Visa deal
                                                                U.S. consumers lost $12.5 billion to fraud in 2024, a 25
        Senator Richard Blumenthal raised concerns about Visa's   percent increase from 2023, according to the FTC. Experts
        deal with  X Money, the  financial arm  of Elon  Musk's   believe the actual figure may be far higher, as many
        platform X. Blumenthal questioned Visa CEO Ryan         victims don't report fraud. Investment scams led with $5.7
        McInerney about X's ability to protect consumers, and   billion in losses, followed by imposter scams. Business/
        cited Musk's alleged efforts to weaken the Consumer     job opportunity scams surged, with employment agency
        Financial Protection Bureau through DOGE. Critics       scams growing fivefold since 2020. Bank transfers and
        believe dismantling the CFPB benefits firms like X Money   crypto payments platforms saw the most fraud-related
        by sidestepping oversight.                              losses. Check fraud alone accounted for $24 billion in
                                                                losses.
        Blumenthal warned of potential data misuse, noting
        concerns about bot activity promoting cryptocurrency    The FTC, which issued $319 million in refunds in 2024,
        scams. With key consumer protections under threat and   noted scammers often use email, phone and text to deceive.
        lawsuits against fintechs withdrawn, lawmakers have     Suspicious activity reports tied to fraud have jumped 51.8
        been debating who will regulate nonbanks. Blumenthal    percent since 2020. Experts warned that AI is making
        joined Senator Elizabeth Warren in criticizing actions that   scams more sophisticated.
        weaken consumer safeguards, enabling big tech firms to
        bypass financial scrutiny that banks must endure, thereby   CFPB no longer wants BNPL covered by Reg Z
        gaining unfair advantages.                              The CFPB plans to rescind its interpretive ruling that buy

        Bipartisan credit card bill                             now, pay later providers are subject to Regulation Z, which
        would cap APRs at 10 percent                            governs consumer credit disclosures and protections. This
                                                                shift comes after a lawsuit by the Financial Technology
        Senators Bernie Sanders and Josh Hawley introduced      Association, representing BNPL firms like PayPal and Zip.
        a bipartisan bill to cap credit card APRs at 10 percent,
        citing rising debt and exorbitant interest rates harming   Under former Director Rohit Chopra, the CFPB asserted
        working Americans. President Trump had previously       that BNPL digital accounts functioned like credit cards,
        promised this cap. Supporters argue that banks borrow at   requiring Reg Z compliance. However, with Chopra's
        low federal rates yet charge consumers nearly 30 percent   dismissal under the Trump Administration and ongoing
        interest, trapping them in debt.                        actions to scale back the CFPB, the agency signaled it
                                                                would withdraw the rule. Critics argued the CFPB is
        But credit  industry  groups, including the  Electronic   being dismantled, jeopardizing consumer protections. A
        Transactions Association, oppose the measure, claiming   federal court temporarily blocked mass firings of agency
        it would reduce access to credit, particularly for subprime   staff. Originally created after the 2008 financial crisis, the
        borrowers. They warn it could push consumers toward     CFPB also faces continued political opposition over its
        costlier, less regulated alternatives like payday loans.   independence and funding model.
        Data cited includes average household credit card debt of
        $21,000 and rising delinquency rates.                                   Also find us on Facebook,
        A new era of consumer financing at Walmart                              LinkedIn & Twitter for the

        Walmart partnered with Klarna and its OnePay platform                   most up-to-date stories,
        to offer buy now, pay later loans. Customers will be able               can’t miss events and newest
        to finance purchases online or in-store with installment                industry announcements.
        options ranging from three to 36 months. Klarna replaced
        Affirm  as  Walmart's  exclusive BNPL  provider,  marking
        a strategic shift amid Klarna's IPO push. OnePay, backed
        by Walmart and Ribbit Capital, is expanding its fintech

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