Bolt, the checkout, identity and payments leader powering faster, smarter commerce, today announced the launch of Bolt Activate, a new program designed to help the next generation of innovative digital commerce founders bring their ideas to market faster and scale with confidence.

Ripple, a financial technology company that offers crypto solutions for businesses, today announced a $25 million commitment to leading nonprofits Accion Opportunity Fund and Hire Heroes USA. This funding, delivered in Ripple USD (RLUSD), Ripple’s U.S. dollar-backed stablecoin, will expand access to capital for underserved small business owners and create career pathways for veterans and military spouses. It will also equip entrepreneurs with digital payment tools so communities across the U.S. can thrive in today’s rapidly evolving economy.

UnionPay International (UPI), a global leader in payment solutions, announced the launch of its program for international students, in partnership with multiple universities, tuition payment platforms, student housing operators, and local banks.

Street Wallet, the South African fintech empowering informal traders and service providers with accessible, low-cost digital payment solutions, is delighted to announce its acquisition of Digitip, a South African startup enabling informal workers to receive digital tips. The move strengthens Street Wallet’s footprint in KwaZulu-Natal and accelerates its mission to empower informal traders to enter the digital economy.

Swiss Financial Institution, Bivial AG, is pleased to announce the launch of instant 24/7 CHF payments through the SIC Instant Payments (SIC IP) clearing system. As an early adopter of this national infrastructure, Bivial now enables all clients to send and receive Swiss Franc payments instantly, 24/7, 365 days a year.

VoPay, a leading provider of Embedded Payments and Treasury-as-a-Service solutions, today announced an extension of its payment orchestration platform with real-time payouts to PayPal and Venmo. Effective immediately, businesses in North America can send funds directly to PayPal and Venmo accounts, unlocking faster, more flexible, and highly inclusive payout options.

Extend, a leading spend and expense management platform, today announced it has secured $20 million in additional capital, including new venture debt and an equity investment led by B Capital, with participation from March Capital, Point72 Ventures, FinTech Collective, and new investor, Commerce Ventures.

The Aleo Network Foundation, the non-profit corporation that oversees the health of the ALEO Network, a privacy and compliance infrastructure that powers secure, programmable, worldwide payments, today announced the appointment of Deborah Marfurt as Chief Financial Officer. Her appointment marks the next phase of Aleo’s expansion, building on recent partnership momentum with Binance Alpha, Revolut, Global Dollar Network, and Request Finance.