Good morning, 

Thank you all for being here today as we embark on yet another initiative aimed at  capitalizing on the tremendous opportunities presented by the U.S. Virgin Islands’  strategic location, particularly in the development of our “blue economy.”  

Checkout.com, a leading global digital payments provider, today announced a new partnership with insurance technology leader, Sure, to improve the digital experience for consumers accessing insurance products, by boosting payments performance.

Shift4, a global leader in integrated payments and commerce technology, today announced a strategic partnership with ConnexPay, the world's first all-in-one payments platform. This partnership will empower online travel agencies (OTAs) and hospitality businesses in the UK and European markets by integrating ConnexPay's payment issuance solutions with Shift4's leading payment processing infrastructure.

The collaboration combines Mastercard Move’s money transfer capabilities and extensive network with Buna’s cross-border payment system to facilitate seamless cross-border payments into and out of the MENA region.

Businesses and consumers paying into and out of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region will benefit from faster, cheaper and more transparent cross-border payments through a first-of-its-kind public-private collaboration between Mastercard and the Arab Regional Payment System, Buna.

As the digital nomad lifestyle continues to surge, bunq’s latest research highlights rising costs for expats across Europe. In its new study, bunq compared the costs for rent, groceries, public transport, utilities, and coworking spaces across all European capitals. With the number of digital nomads projected to reach 40 million globally by the end of 2024, the borderless workforce now faces higher living costs, averaging €1,586 per month – a 5% increase from last year.

As payments become more intricate, Mastercard today announced the latest enhancement to its new Mastercard Payment Passkey Service which enables secure, on-device biometric authentication through facial scans or fingerprints, the same way consumers unlock their phones every day.