Pushpendra Mehta meets with Craig Jeffery, Managing Partner of Strategic Treasurer, to review the latest treasury news and developments. Topics of discussion include the EU tabling a €300bn plan to stop using Russian gas, UniCredit and Commerzbank abandoning merger talks due to the Ukraine war, South Africa looking at introducing digital rand, Commonwealth Bank of Australia pausing crypto trading amid regulatory uncertainty, and Mastercard launching its Biometric Checkout Program that allows customers to pay by smiling or waving their hands at checkout.

Article links:

• EU produces €300bn plan to escape Russian gas
• Ukraine invasion "derailed UniCredit-Commerzbank tie-up"
• South Africa warming to digital rand
• Commonwealth Bank of Australia puts crypto trading process on hold while regulators hesitate
• Smile at checkout! Mastercard launches biometric facial recognition to retailers