This Week in Credit Cards: Visa Aims to Turn Smartphones Into Payment Terminals

A smartphone may soon be the only payment terminal some small businesses need.

Visa announced new capabilities this week aimed at helping small businesses in emerging markets accept card payments, send digital payments, and move money from their phones.

The updates include new Visa Accept capabilities and changes to Visa Pay and Visa Direct, three tools designed to make smartphones more useful payment hubs for emerging businesses.

Visa aims to turn smartphones into card terminals, payments giants push new stablecoin Open USD, and Chase Sapphire adds Apple perks. Find out what else happened This Week in Credit Cards 💳 Full story and video: https://t.co/ABIi8UecIG pic.twitter.com/7MoBgunfcR

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With Visa Accept, micro sellers can use their smartphones to take payments from cards without needing a merchant terminal. When a customer pays by link or taps to pay, funds can reach the seller’s account in near real-time through the seller’s Visa debit or prepaid account, Visa said. 

With more customers paying by card these days, the solution could remove a major payment hurdle for small businesses. Meanwhile, Visa Pay links different payment apps and wallet providers to the company’s network, allowing businesses to accept more payment methods that their customers prefer.  

Visa Direct, the company’s money movement system for payouts, allows business owners to send fast payments from their smartphones to partners or customers for refunds or incentives.

“With Visa Pay, Visa Accept, and Visa Direct, we’re helping partners expand acceptance, speed up payouts, and deliver trusted payment experiences for their customers — all through their smartphone,” Rubail Birwadker, Senior Vice President and Head of Growth Products and Partnerships at Visa, said in the release. 

A group of more than 140 businesses, including Visa and Mastercard, has launched an initiative to create and promote a new stablecoin system. The group aims to issue a new digital asset, known as Open USD, that is pegged to the U.S. dollar. A Reuters report says that the coin is expected to go live later in 2026. 

Cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum can swing sharply in value. Stablecoins are designed to hold a steadier value, which can make them more useful for payments and transfers.

“Existing stablecoins have great strengths, but to use them at scale, businesses need something that’s open, low-cost, high-throughput, broadly accessible, and aligned to their interests,” Zach Abrams, CEO of Open Standard, said, according to Reuters.

Open Standard, the company behind the initiative, plans to let companies mint and redeem Open USD without volume limits or direct fees. If the initiative gains traction, it could eventually change how businesses move money across borders.

Chase is adding Apple entertainment perks to two Sapphire cards as premium card competition stays hot. Those who have the Sapphire Preferred card can now get free access to Apple TV for one year, which carries a value of $156. The offer must be activated by December 31, 2026.

Sapphire Reserve cardholders can access Apple TV as well as Apple Music through June 22, 2027. That offer has a value of $288, according to Chase’s website.

Chase’s New Apple Perks

Card	Apple perk	Stated value
Chase Sapphire Preferred	Apple TV for one year	$156
Chase Sapphire Reserve	Apple TV and Apple Music	$288

The offers arrive as card issuers look for more ways to make annual fees feel easier to justify. Apple TV includes original series for adults as well as children’s programming, including Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock.

Both offers can help to offset the annual fees of the cards, which are $95 for Sapphire Preferred and $795 for the Sapphire Reserve.

Barclays US Consumer Bank and Frontier Airlines are extending a credit card partnership that has lasted more than 20 years. A press release said that the updated arrangement will bring more value to the Frontier Airlines World Mastercard program.

“This renewal positions us to continue investing in new benefits, rewarding customer loyalty and giving travelers even more ways to save every time they fly,” Bobby Schroeter, Chief Commercial Officer at Frontier Airlines, said in the release.

The renewed deal could also give Barclays more opportunities to offer Frontier customers personal loans and savings products.

The Frontier Airlines World Mastercard comes with an annual fee of $99. It offers cardholders miles on eligible purchases, including boosted miles for spending at restaurants and on transactions made through Frontier’s website.

American Airlines is bringing its grab-and-go lounge concept to John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City. The company’s Provisions by Admirals Club space may be a perfect fit for travelers who want to access lounge benefits but don’t have enough time to visit a sit-down lounge.

American rolled out its version of the grab-and-go airport lounge at Charlotte Douglas International Airport in 2025, and JFK is the next airport to get the concept.

The 3,700-square-foot lounge at JFK features a barista bar where travelers can find both hot and cold coffee beverages, and it also offers food options ranging from snacks to heartier fare. Breakfast is served daily until 11 AM local time, and vegetarian options are also available throughout the day.

Domestic travelers with the Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard or an Admirals Club membership can access the new lounge. People who own the Citi / AAdvantage Globe Mastercard or Citi Strata Elite can use one of four annual passes to visit the spot, while others can simply pick up a 24-hour pass for 7,900 AAdvantage miles or $79.

John F. Kennedy International Airport is one of the busiest airports in the U.S., but travelers who want lounge benefits without fighting for a seat now have a faster way to grab refreshments and keep moving.