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Letter from the editor

s we close out the year, we want to thank you
for reading, engaging with and supporting
The Green Sheet throughout 2025. We wish
A you a happy and peaceful holiday season
as we reflect on a year of extraordinary change. A
new presidential administration often brings policy
whiplash, and 2025 delivered more than the usual
recalibration. As regulatory priorities shifted, payments
innovation accelerated on nearly every front—from buy
now, pay later and peer-to-peer payments to stablecoins,
instant rails, and agentic artificial intelligence.
The result was a year marked by contradiction: consumer
protections rolled back at the federal level even as states
stepped in; Big Tech largely spared from oversight
while banks faced renewed scrutiny; and digital
payments growing more powerful and faster but also
more vulnerable. This issue's lead article examines how
those forces collided and what they reveal about where
commerce and payments are headed.
Our contributing writers are always looking toward
where our industry is headed next. Herein they cover
Season‛s Greetings!
different ways hemp/CBD restrictions and the long- Season‛s Greetings!
awaited Visa-Mastercard settlement proposal are already
rattling merchants, ISOs and sales teams; what's behind
Lloyds’ acquisition of Curve and how it could reshape I ’ m w o rk in g ha r d t o he l p y o u incr e as e
I’m working hard to help you increase
embedded credit, wallet strategy and customers' bank
accounts; why payments professionals must rethink their your bottom line today!
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origin stories, strategies and AI use to stay differentiated
and human in an increasingly commoditized market;
how Mastercard's MATCH Pro clarifies rules, timelines Customized advertising campaigns
and thresholds to reshape how acquirers assess merchant

risk and handle disputes; and ways in which businesses to t any size company and budget
can navigate the increasingly tough alternative finance
regulatory landscape. • Spotlight Innovators’ pages
(frequently updated content)
As always, there's been plenty of news across our sphere.
Highlights include shopping records set during the • Print options (various size options)
Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday weekend; a surge
in small business credit card satisfaction; the FIDO • Online options (website/twice month email)
Alliance's expansion of its mission beyond passwordless • Resource Guide listing
authentication to tackle digital identity; attorneys
general from seven states that are scrutinizing the buy (print/online/front page (option))
now, pay later market, raising concerns about consumer
protections, fees and rising debt; a report warning that • Email Blasts (to GS readership)
hotels must get AI-ready soon or risk falling behind; and • Video (website)
The Federal Reserve's examining whether to reduce its
scope of check services due largely to declining check • Bundle advertisng campaign discounts
usage.
We've also included updates, profiles and other resources Rick Aston
to help you stay informed and inspired.
Thanks again for including us in your payments journey. Senior Media Partnership Specialist
Please email your comments to greensheet@greensheet.
707-284-1693
com; to share your news, just send a press release 707-284-1693
to press@greensheet.com.
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