WASHINGTON — In a significant policy shift aimed at easing the financial burden on millions of Americans, the U.S. Department of Education has announced a temporary quadrupling of the federal student loan autopay interest rate discount. Beginning July 1, 2026, eligible borrowers who enroll in automatic monthly debit will receive a full 1% reduction on…
In a significant address delivered at a London luncheon this past Friday, Federal Reserve Governor Michelle Bowman outlined a transformative vision for the future of bank supervision and stress testing. Her remarks, which synthesized upcoming policy revisions with a sobering retrospective analysis of the Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) collapse, signaled a shift toward a more…
The landscape of American banking is undergoing a subtle but profound shift. While the early months of 2026 brought with them high expectations for a surge in large-scale mergers and acquisitions (M&A) — fueled by a perceived loosening of regulatory oversight under the second Trump administration — the reality has proven to be far more…
By: PYMNTS & Industry Analysts Published: September 16, 2026 Main Facts: Redefining Conversational Commerce In a bold evolution of digital advertising, OpenAI has officially announced the rollout of user-facing trials for business-sponsored artificial intelligence agents within ChatGPT. Revealed in an official corporate blog post on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, the new feature allows users who…
For frequent travelers and points enthusiasts, the ability to strategically acquire loyalty currency can often be the difference between a standard vacation and a luxury escape. IHG One Rewards, one of the world’s most expansive hotel loyalty programs, has officially launched its latest promotion: a 100% bonus on purchased points. Running from September 15, 2026,…
Main Facts The U.S. Department of Education has officially updated its online regulatory guidance to reflect sweeping legislative and systemic changes to federal student loan programs that went into effect on July 1, 2026. While these transformations impact millions of borrowers across diverse demographics, they hit Parent PLUS Loan borrowers hardest. Parent PLUS Loans are…
For frequent travelers and points enthusiasts, the window of opportunity to bolster a mileage balance at a discount has reopened. Air Canada has officially launched its latest promotion on purchased Aeroplan points, offering members a bonus of up to 100% on transactions made between September 11 and September 25, 2026. This promotion arrives as a…
In a coordinated strike against the global residential proxy ecosystem, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), supported by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigation division and a coalition of private-sector technology giants, has successfully seized hundreds of domains associated with NetNut. The service, a sprawling residential proxy network operated by the publicly-traded Israeli firm…
In a profound irony for the agency tasked with defending the nation’s digital infrastructure, the U.S. Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) is currently embroiled in a high-stakes crisis. Lawmakers in both the House and Senate have launched formal inquiries into the agency following reports that a CISA contractor inadvertently—and perhaps negligently—exposed a massive cache…
By PYMNTS | June 17, 2026 The landscape of American retail and commercial banking is on the cusp of a significant transformation. On June 12, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) granted regulatory approval for the acquisition of Connecticut-based Webster Bank by the global financial powerhouse Banco Santander. This milestone represents a…
