Newline 2025: A Year of Empowered Innovation

In 2025, Newline^TM by Fifth Third further solidified its position as a leader in embedded finance. We delivered a suite of innovations that empower businesses to move faster, build smarter and scale with confidence. Newline General Manager Tom Bianco describes our mantra best, “If you are not interested in the future, the future is not interested in you.” That mindset drives our commitment to building what’s next, from payment processing innovations to developer-first tooling and intelligent infrastructure.

Smarter Payments, Greater Control

Newline introduced capabilities that give businesses greater autonomy over their payment operations. Dynamic Virtual Reference Numbers (VRNs) automate reconciliation and strengthen security, while real-time authorization and instant payment support give clients more control over how and when funds move. We’ve also streamlined workflows and reduced operational friction with additional enhancements like combined transfers and API-based returns and reversals.

Reimagining Developer Experience with AI

This year, Newline took a leap forward in developer enablement. We launched AI-powered documentation with conversational search and contextual assistance, making it easier for developers to integrate and innovate with speed and ease of navigation. New capabilities like the Model Context Protocol (MCP) and GitHub integration accelerate development cycles, while enhanced support for Embedded Deposit Account Solutions (EDAS) expands the platform’s utility for fintech builders.

Insights, Visibility & Self-Service Control

Newline expanded its dashboard and self-service tools to give finance and operations teams more autonomy and agility than ever. Now, clients can manage VRNs independently, monitor real-time balances and generate actionable insights through enhanced reporting and sandbox environments. These capabilities reduce reliance on engineering and enable faster, data-driven decisions.

Looking Ahead

Newline’s 2025 momentum reflects a platform built for the future—intelligent, intuitive and infrastructure-ready. With AI-native tooling, real-time payments and self-service capabilities, we’re not just keeping up with the pace of innovation, we’re setting the standard for the future. Every enhancement was designed with our clients in mind by giving them more control, deeper insights and greater flexibility to build the financial experiences their customers expect. As we enter 2026, Newline is poised to take embedded finance to new levels.