Trade press for commerce and distribution · Europe
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Payment rails, fee structures, default and risk.
Effective immediately, all retailers, hospitality businesses and service providers must offer card payments and mobile payment methods alongside cash – a move by the federal government under Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil.
Meta unveiled the AI agent Muse, which operates via WhatsApp, handles purchases through Stripe Link, drafts emails and conducts price negotiations on its own.
The Berlin Regional Court ruled on June 24, 2026 that Lieferando’s clause excluding the refund of pre‑paid tips on cancellations is invalid. Lieferando has removed the clause from its terms and has been automatically refunding tips since March 2026.
The number of cyberattacks on banks and insurers is rising, with foreign intelligence services now blamed for more than a third of the attacks. At the same time, AI‑driven techniques such as deepfakes and automated robo‑calls are significantly reshaping the threat landscape.
The Swiss E-ID enables banks to fully digitize identification and service processes. This allows helpdesk effort and manual KYC checks to be significantly reduced.
Effective July 10, 2027, the EU Anti-Money Laundering Regulation applies directly and replaces national rules. Institutions must shift their KYC processes to continuous updating.
Deutsche Bank plans to consolidate its 15 legacy systems in retail banking onto two cloud platforms. Vault Core from Thought Machine has been chosen as the first platform, with migration slated to roll out gradually from 2027.