Mastercard

Wero still unknown to most Germans after two years

Wero, built by the European Payments Initiative (EPI) as a European alternative to PayPal, Mastercard and Visa, has seen limited consumer recognition and usage two years after its July 2024 launch. A representative Verivox/Innofact survey of 1,002 German adults in July 2026 found 39% correctly identified Wero as a payment service, 31% had never heard of it, 23% had heard the name but couldn't identify it, about 7% use it actively and 14% had linked a bank account. EPI reports 57 million registered users across Belgium, France and Germany (9 million in Germany), while PayPal reports roughly 35 million active German accounts. Wero expanded from phone-to-phone transfers to e-commerce payments in November 2025 and plans in-store rollout; growth is constrained by limited merchant acceptance, bank-based onboarding, AWS reliance and ongoing funding needs.

L.L. Bean launches rewards program with charitable voting

L.L. Bean launched a free loyalty program that awards members 1 point per $1 on qualifying purchases (150 points = $5 in 'Bean Bucks'), offers perks such as free shipping on orders over $50, special offers and 10% off outdoor discovery programs, and lets members vote on how $250,000 of the retailer’s charitable investments are directed. The program debuted Aug. 11, 2026, and launches with four charitable partners: the National Park Foundation, YMCA, Mental Health America and the Appalachian Mountain Club. L.L.Bean Mastercard cardmembers receive enhanced benefits, including a birthday bonus and an increased 5% back in Bean Bucks (up from 4%). The retailer framed the program as a way to deepen customer engagement and reward loyalty.

Google Play Adds Venmo as Payment Option

PayPal announced that Venmo is now available as a payment option on Google Play, letting Android users pay for apps, games, in‑game purchases, add‑ons, subscriptions and tip creators using their Venmo balance or linked bank accounts and cards. Users enable Venmo from the Payment Methods section in Google Play settings and select it at checkout. Venmo general manager Alexis Sowa and Google Play director Pete Albers said the integration brings Venmo's convenience and accessibility to Play purchases and extends Venmo's "secure, fast and social" experience. The addition complements existing Play payment options (including PayPal, Cash App and major U.S. card networks), arrives amid robust in‑app spending (Sensor Tower: over $167 billion across iOS and Google Play in 2025), and follows Google Play's updated fee structure in the UK, U.S. and EU.