The Green Sheet Online Edition
October 26, 2026 • 26:10:02
News Briefs
IRS clears way for direct credit and debit card acceptance <- click to read full story
Federal regulations effective Oct. 19, 2026, expand the IRS's authority to accept credit and debit card tax payments and restructure processing contracts. Implementing the Taxpayer First Act of 2019, the rules permit the agency to pay processing fees and recover those costs from taxpayers, potentially allowing direct card payments without routing taxpayers through separate processors. Reimbursement fees must be collected with the payment, cannot exceed the IRS's processing costs and are ineligible for tax refunds or credits.
The regulations neither establish a new processing service nor change existing contracts. Third-party providers will continue handling transactions, but their arrangements with the agency could evolve. Practical effects will depend on implementation and whether the IRS introduces direct card-payment arrangements under its expanded authority.
Mastercard expands offline payments across Europe <- click to read full story
Mastercard will require newly issued European cards to support offline payments as of February 2027, followed by new and replacement terminals in May. The capability lets chip-and-PIN transactions receive local approval during connectivity outages, using spending limits stored on cards and a bank-set ceiling of €200 per transaction. Payments enter clearing once connectivity returns. Terminals still require power. Mastercard implemented offline payments in Denmark, Sweden, Estonia and Latvia, where generator-powered shops continued accepting cards during a storm.
The expansion targets essential purchases, including groceries, fuel, medicine and transportation. Issuers must establish risk limits beforehand and prepare for delayed transactions to reach clearing, settlement and reconciliation together. Acquirers face similar demands as merchants upgrade terminals and transaction backlogs flow through their systems after service resumes.
TNS tops 100 alternative payment methods <- click to read full story
Transaction Network Services said its payment orchestration platform now supports more than 100 alternative payment methods alongside traditional card schemes. The managed platform connects businesses to digital wallets, QR payments, pay-by-link, BNPL and local payment schemes through one integration. TNS handles connections, compliance and processing, reducing the need for separate provider relationships and technical integrations, according to the company.
The expanded coverage targets businesses operating across markets and channels, particularly unattended environments such as parking and self-service. TNS executives said payment preferences vary by market and customer group, making acceptance more complex. In unattended settings, customers cannot readily seek assistance or another option if their preferred method fails. The company said broader payment coverage can help prevent abandoned transactions while simplifying business operations.
OCC orders AmEx to pay $350M over AML deficiencies <- click to read full story
American Express National Bank will pay a $350 million penalty after the OCC identified significant Bank Secrecy Act and anti-money laundering compliance deficiencies. The Oct. 8 action cited inadequate staffing, expertise, controls, testing and training. Risk assessments emphasized deposit products while insufficiently addressing larger credit and charge card operations. Weaknesses in customer identification, due diligence and monitoring contributed to failures to timely identify, evaluate and sufficiently report approximately $13 billion in suspected trade-based money laundering activity over a decade, the OCC said.
The Federal Reserve issued a related enforcement action. American Express said remediation includes increased investment in personnel, technology, governance and oversight. The company said the penalty will not affect its 2026 guidance, and the orders impose no asset cap.
Apple Pay enters India with help from merchant acquirers <- click to read full story
Apple Pay launched in India on Sept. 30, 2026, with Axis Bank as its first issuer. Eligible Visa and Mastercard credit cardholders can use the wallet in stores, apps and online; RuPay cards are excluded initially. Apple worked with payment providers including BillDesk, Cashfree, Juspay, Paytm, Pine Labs and Razorpay to extend acceptance across merchant networks, with millions of merchants participating at launch.
Transactions use tokenized credentials rather than sharing actual card details with merchants. The rollout relies on established acquiring relationships and payment infrastructure. Apple Pay enters a market dominated by the Unified Payments Interface, which accounts for about 84 percent of digital payment volume. The launch adds a card-based option alongside UPI, testing how a global wallet competes within India's established account-to-account payments ecosystem. 
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