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In El Salvador, only 12% of the population reportedly used Bitcoin for payments of goods and services in the past year, marking a 12.4% decline from the 2022 statistics. This information comes from a study conducted by the Central American University José Simeón Cañas, based on face-to-face interviews with 1,280 people. 
Deutsche Bank and SC Ventures have successfully executed the first stablecoin swaps within the Universal Digital Payments Network (UDPN). This platform was established to facilitate transactions using stablecoins and Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDC). 
Lightning Network and BTC: The Future of Global Payments
While the world remains engrossed with Bitcoin's market rallies, David Marcus and the team at LightSpark are looking at the bigger picture. Their ambitious endeavor to turn BTC into a global payment network could reshape our views on money, borders, and financial inclusivity. 
Solana Pay, a decentralized payment protocol by Solana Labs, has teamed up with global commerce leader, Shopify.
This integration offers real-time access to funds for merchants, eliminating bank fees, chargebacks, and holding times.
Also it enables millions of Shopify merchants to accept payments in stablecoins, enhancing the shopping experience for consumers. 
The U.S. Federal Reserve's instant payment system, FedNow, has highlighted Dropp, a micropayments platform built on Hedera Hashgraph, in its Service Provider Showcase.
This section connects financial institutions with providers that can assist in implementing instant payment products using FedNow. Dropp offers a digital solution for merchants to accept payments at reduced costs, leveraging DLT and banking tech.
While this suggests the Federal Reserve's growing interest in DLTs, FedNow clarifies that the showcase is merely for convenience and doesn't imply endorsement. 
"Simply put, no. Bitcoin raises concerns among both local and European regulators. Our primary business demands our focus, and it wouldn't be rational to jeopardize it by engaging with a high-risk asset like Bitcoin," says Mykhailo Rohalskyi.
He believes that cryptocurrency lacks advantages over fiat money, apart from the potential to sidestep local currency regulations.
Speaking on Ukraine's crypto landscape, the Monobank co-founder added:
"I'm skeptical about the widespread acceptance of cryptocurrencies in our country. The approach of the National Bank of Ukraine to crypto regulation remains uncertain." 
Partnering with Paxos Trust, financial giant PayPal has unveiled PayPal USD (PYUSD), focusing on swift and budget-friendly payments.
With backing from dollar deposits, short-term government securities, and similar cash equivalents, PayPal's CEO, Dan Schulman, envisions the stablecoin bolstering the company's foothold in the digital currency space:
"The vision over time is that this becomes a part of the overall payments infrastructure." 
Bendigo Bank, one of Australia's leading banks, has decided to limit high-risk crypto payments to protect its customers from potential scams.
As a result, Bendigo Bank has become the fourth major bank in Australia to implement such security measures. However, the precise criteria used to block transactions remain unknown. 
Financial company COCA, in partnership with Wirex, has introduced a new non-custodial MPC wallet. It boasts multiple keys for enhanced control and includes support for a debit card, effectively creating a decentralized banking card for seamless payments at various terminals. 
Citing potential fraud risks, British banking titan Chase has chosen to halt cryptocurrency-related payments from October 16th.
"If we think you're making a payment related to crypto assets, we'll decline it," was the message relayed to clients via email.
The bank also emphasized that those intent on investing in cryptocurrencies have the liberty to switch to other banks or providers. 
X, previously known as Twitter, has successfully obtained the Rhode Island Currency Transmitter License, enabling it to offer cryptocurrency payments and trading services in the U.S.
This acquisition, confirmed on August 28 via NMLS data, aligns with X's ambition to be a "cryptocurrency-friendly" platform.
Earlier, X had integrated features like Bitcoin tipping and NFT profile picture support. With this license, users might soon be able to send, receive, and store crypto directly on X, further mainstreaming cryptocurrency use. 
Coin Center, a crypto-focused policy nonprofit, has reached out to Congress members, urging for more transparent crypto tax regulations. In a letter to Senate Finance Committee's Ron Wyden and Mike Crapo, Coin Center emphasized the need for guidance on cryptocurrency taxation, especially concerning capital gains. They suggested a threshold for gains below which no tax would be due. Coin Center also stressed the importance of a "de minimis" exemption, without which, every small crypto transaction could become a taxable event. This exemption would simplify the use of cryptocurrencies for daily payments, especially for micropayments. 
Following the Bank for International Settlements' official announcement on August 9th, Ripple has been included in a task force targeting the enhancement and facilitation of cross-border payments.
The core task is to fine-tune international payments by increasing the accessibility of payment systems and nurturing the links between them, encompassing API consolidation. 
Company’s CTO Paolo Ardoino has shared his excitement about a mobile app designed to facilitate international purchases settlements B2B, B2C and C2C based on USDT and XAUT payments.
Notably, the app will also incorporate support for Bitcoin Lightning.
Paolo stated that he envisions this app as the future of trade finance.
Having personally reviewed the code, his experience as a developer has left him genuinely impressed. Currently, the app is in its testing stages, with more specifics yet to be unveiled. 
X (Twitter) is actively seeking a financial-data giant to collaborate on building a trading hub within its app.
The request for plans emphasizes the importance of real-time information, particularly in the realm of investing. The company aims to offer financial content, real-time stock data, and other related features to enhance user experience.
Reminding that Elon Musk envisions the platform as a Western super-app akin to WeChat in China, Gojek in Indonesia, Grab in Singapore, and Gozem in Africa.
Such super-apps integrate various consumer services like food delivery, ride-hailing, payments, investing, and identity authentication into a single app, providing a comprehensive user experience. Hardware Wallets with a Credit Card Form Factor
A number of hardware wallet manufacturers have adopted a unique approach. If they can't compete with the functional prowess of market leaders such as Ledger and Trezor, they can distinguish themselves in another area - the form factor. The convenience of a credit card-sized wallet over bulkier alternatives holds appeal for many.