Fintech and policy are colliding. Lawmakers push to open Fed payment rails, Visa and Mastercard face fresh antitrust pressure, and a surprise $1B takeover bid shakes up B2B payments. Meanwhile, a $292M DeFi hack exposes ongoing security cracks—even as players like JPMorgan and the Bank for International Settlements warn about deeper structural risks. We break down what’s actually changing—and what’s still unresolved.