PYMNTS

MARCH 29, 2019

Federal Bank in India has partnered with blockchain payments company Ripple to facilitate cross-border payments, according to reports. Federal Bank confirmed the collaboration in an announcement to the Bombay Stock Exchange on Thursday (March 28). “ This is to inform Federal Bank has entered into a partnership with Ripple Inc, a blockchain supported global remittance company, for cross border remittance through its network, ” the announcement said. “ Powered by blockchain-enabled solution, the R

Finance 96

Finance Technology 96

PYMNTS

MARCH 26, 2019

Ditch the plastic? Maybe, but not yet — and maybe not for a while. The world knows by now that Apple has debuted its credit card — the Apple Card — in conjunction with Goldman Sachs and Mastercard. The card is available in both virtual and tangible, plastic forms. The broad outline is one where the digital version of the card can be used wherever Apple Pay is accepted.

Gaming 95

Gaming Entertainment Sports Technology 95

PYMNTS

MARCH 18, 2019

Is there a right way and wrong way to innovate? For banks interested in transforming their brick-and-mortar branches, maybe, according to Diebold Nixdorf Senior Director of Advisory Services Chris Gill. Gill asserts that most financial institutions, left to their own devices, may end up following a less than optimal path to innovation, and not because they have selected the “wrong” technology solution, since in Gill’s experience, what’s “wrong” for one FI might be right for another.

Technology 94

Technology Start-ups 94

PYMNTS

MARCH 18, 2019

Fidelity Information Services ( FIS ), a global financial services technology company, announced Monday (March 18) it is merging with Worldpay , the global eCommerce and payments company, in a roughly $35 billion dollar deal. In a press release , FIS said the deal expands its capabilities by enhancing its acquiring and payment offerings. For Worldpay, it expands its distribution footprint and accelerates its entrance into new regions.

Florida 94

Florida Technology 94

Speaker: Danny Gassaway and Wayne Richards

Finance leaders are prioritizing efficiency and digital transformation, yet many hesitate to automate due to uncertainty. Without a clear understanding of its impact, organizations risk falling behind competitors who are leveraging automation to drive productivity and cost savings. Join Wayne Richards and Danny Gassaway from AvidXchange for a practical guide on bringing accounts payable (AP) automation to your organization.

Finance

PYMNTS

MARCH 4, 2019

Pharmacies and the delivery of prescription medication are both undergoing significant change, and much of the credit for that can be directly or indirectly attributed to the rise of eCommerce and digital payments. The latest development? The deployment in South Africa of what some observers are calling ATMs for medicine. A recent report from the Financial Times offers one of the better descriptions of the project, meant to ease certain pressures on the South African healthcare system and provid

Healthcare 93

Healthcare Technology Gaming accounted 93

PYMNTS

MARCH 20, 2019

Amazon Pay is a well-established payment method across online commerce — and not only because it’s the home payment method of the largest, most successful eCommerce platform in the U.S. Amazon Pay also has a rich and full existence outside of its website, as scores of merchants around the world and web have made Amazon Pay available as a payment method.

Start-ups 90

Start-ups Retail 90

PYMNTS

MARCH 28, 2019

Instant payments — and the ability to push funds immediately across the debit rails to consumer bank accounts — has entered something of a renaissance. The demand is there: According to the latest edition of the PYMNTS Disbursements Tracker , 75 percent of consumers expressed a preference for faster payments, and 84 percent of those consumers reported debit cards as their preferred way of receiving those funds.

Retail 87

Retail Account accounted accountant 87

PYMNTS

MARCH 14, 2019

Sephora, the beauty retailer, announced on Thursday (March 14) the launch of a new credit card program. The company said in a press release that starting in the spring, it will offer the Sephora credit card, Sephora Visa® credit card and Sephora Visa Signature® credit card to its retail customers. The credit cards will provide customers with more ways to earn rewards for their purchases, the retailer said in the release.

Retail 86

Retail 86

PYMNTS

MARCH 1, 2019

Facebook , Telegram and Signal are looking to launch their own cryptocurrencies that will allow users to send money internationally on their messaging systems. Citing various sources with knowledge on the matter, The New York Time s reported that Facebook is currently working on a coin that users of its WhatsApp could instantly send to friends and family.

New York 85

New York audit Technology 85

PYMNTS

MARCH 7, 2019

Lawmakers in Philadelphia have passed a ban on cashless stores, making it the first major city in the U.S. to do so, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal. The new law will take effect in July and would require most retail outlets to accept physical currency. New Jersey recently passed a similar law and New York City is on the path to doing so as well.

New Jersey 85

New Jersey Massachusetts New York Retail 85

Advertisement

It's the time of year to give our close process some TLC. Join us in this one hour webinar where we discuss how to adopt leading practices and infuse technology into the month-end close process to improve our experience and increase our productivity during month-end and quarter-end close. Learning Objectives: This course's objective is to understand how the month-end close can be improved with automation and adoption of leading practices.

Technology

PYMNTS

MARCH 19, 2019

Instagram has launched a checkout feature designed to help the social media platform become a more attractive place for consumers to buy retail products, and to capture more sales via what is coming to be known as contextual commerce. The launch of Checkout by Instagram includes participation by PayPal and its retail partnership program , signaling its further expansion into eCommerce payments.

Retail 84

Retail Tax Sales 84

PYMNTS

MARCH 22, 2019

Singapore-based FinTech startup InstaReM , which enables banks and consumers to send money across borders , announced a partnership with First Data to assist businesses that issue corporate credit cards. The partnership will combine InstaReM’s digital payments and remittance solution with First Data’s debit processing solution for businesses like corporates and FinTech firms that need to issue cards to employees, vendors or consumers.

payroll 83

payroll Technology B2B 83

PYMNTS

MARCH 12, 2019

Digital banking customers of today aren’t looking for the bank with the newest features — they’re looking for the bank that can keep their data safe. Any security mishap can send customers to one of the other digital banking apps that are ready and waiting for them. In the new Digital Banking Tracker , PYMNTS examines the ways digital banking is changing as security measures grow more stringent, and challenger banks look to amass more customers.

Technology 83

Technology Maine 83

PYMNTS

MARCH 24, 2019

Uber, the ride-hailing startup, is reportedly gearing up to make a $3 billion bid for Careem Networks , the Dubai-based ride-hailing company. According to a report in Reuters , citing sources familiar with the deal, Uber could make the offer during the early part of the week. Uber is offering $1.4 billion in cash and $1.7 billion in convertible notes, which can be converted to Uber shares at a price of $55 per share.

Sales 82

Sales 82

Speaker: Jennifer Hill

Payroll compliance is a cornerstone of business success, yet for small and midsize businesses, it’s becoming increasingly challenging to navigate the ever-evolving landscape of federal, state, and local regulations. Mistakes can lead to costly penalties and operational disruptions, making it essential to adopt advanced solutions that ensure accuracy and efficiency.

payroll

PYMNTS

MARCH 25, 2019

Approximately 20 billion IoT-enabled devices will be connected by 2020. These items are fast, handle an increasingly large amount of personal and financial data and tend to be prone to cybercriminals’ attacks. A large-scale, IoT-based breach has yet to occur, but the seeds are already sprouting. Thus, IoT security is becoming an essential part of modern conversations.

Washington 82

Washington California Manufacturing Start-ups 82

PYMNTS

MARCH 12, 2019

Innovation has always been important for community banks, but the driving force of digitization over the last decade has greatly sped up the pace, said Kevin Tweddle, chief innovation officer for the Independent Community Bankers of America ( ICBA ). That push, he noted, hasn’t come from within the financial services industry proper, but primarily from the so-called “GAFA group” of Google, Amazon, Facebook and Apple — and the many ways they’ve made doing business simpler and smoother for consume

Technology 82

Technology 82

PYMNTS

MARCH 25, 2019

And so a tech giant gets into the credit card game. And not just any tech giant – it’s Apple, the company whose payment services were touted (by at least some) as a credit card killer. News came Monday (March 25) that Apple – specifically, through its payments service Apple Pay – has launched the Apple Card. As reported, the company said users sign up for the card through their iPhone, can get approval through the device and can begin using the card immediately.

Technology 81

Technology Gaming Retail 81

PYMNTS

MARCH 7, 2019

The gig economy has changed — and is still changing — when we work, how we work and, of course, how we get paid. Readers of this space may recall some stats at the end of last year, where the PYMNTS Gig Economy Index found that as many as one-third of workers in the U.S. have participated in the gig economy — and 85 percent would do more work if they were paid faster.

payroll 80

payroll Gaming Government Sales 80

Speaker: Sierre Lindgren

Fraud is a battle that every organization must face – it’s no longer a question of “if” but “when.” Every organization is a potential target for fraud, and the finance department is often the bullseye. From cleverly disguised emails to fraudulent payment requests, the tactics of cybercriminals are advancing rapidly. Drawing insights from real-world cases and industry expertise, we’ll explore the vulnerabilities in your processes and how to fortify them effectively.

Finance

PYMNTS

MARCH 6, 2019

Global payments and receivables company Flywire enjoyed strong growth in 2018 that it plans to carry into this coming year and over $10 billion in total payments volume. Some of the company’s achievements last year included raising $100 million in new funding, expanding its presence in Asia-Pacific and EMEA and making significant gains in both regions.

Hospitality 80

Hospitality Healthcare Education 80

PYMNTS

MARCH 18, 2019

“Connect the dots” is used as a metaphor for describing how a series of discrete events can explain a “big picture” – often high-impact – action or outcome. Steve Jobs, in his very famous 2005 Stanford commencement address , said connecting the dots was only possible with hindsight, by looking in the rearview window at the series of things that had happened over the course of one’s life to explain the actions of the here and now.

B2C 80

B2C Start-ups Account accounted 80

PYMNTS

MARCH 7, 2019

Ant Financial Services Group and Jiangsu-based Hoperun Information Technology announced Wednesday (March 7) a new banking product aimed at financial institutions. In a press release , the companies said the new banking product dubbed Distributed Core Banking Platform (DCBP) helps financial firms move their business models to customer-oriented models and away from transaction-oriented models.

accounting and finance 79

accounting and finance Finance Technology accountant 79

PYMNTS

MARCH 25, 2019

To help meet customer expectations in the digital age, retailers have to know who their shoppers are and what they want. While eTailers already have this information about consumers, brick-and-mortar retailers don’t have this in-depth knowledge. New digital innovations, however, provide the promise of offering valuable customer data to merchants. Smart vending solutions are becoming more popular and offer merchants new opportunities for insights, according to the latest PYMNTS Unattended Retail

Retail 79

Retail Kentucky Texas Technology 79

Speaker: Debra L. Robinson

CPAs know the drill: taxes, compliance, rinse, repeat. But what about the sneaky cash flow that’s quietly messing with your organization’s success? It’s time to step into the spotlight and expose the “dirty little secrets” of cash flow to fuel strategic growth. By upskilling your accounting practices and shifting focus from tax compliance to the strategic movement of money, you can transform your role from reactive accountant to proactive financial strategist.

CPA

PYMNTS

MARCH 7, 2019

Merchants and customers are now transacting under PSD2 and GDPR in the European Union (EU) — regulations that allow a greater window into how customer data is being used. While these regulations are aimed at increasing consumer trust by allowing them more transparency, many consumers in the region are still adjusting. In fact, many still have concerns over data breaches under PSD2, especially when it comes to their relationships with banks, now required to share previously siloed data with third

Government 79

Government Technology Maine 79

PYMNTS

MARCH 25, 2019

Most of the payments chatter last week focused on FIS’ mega acquisition of Worldpay. The topic of conversation was the inevitable consolidation of the payments sector, as scale becomes critical to optimizing the payments experience and innovating new payments flows. Another piece of Worldpay news broke last week that has as much potential to innovate new payments flows and shape the direction of commerce in the decade of the 20s, now only nine months away.

Sports 79

Sports Retail Healthcare Start-ups 79

PYMNTS

MARCH 28, 2019

There are no incumbent banks that are not paying attention to what the challenger banks are doing. What might have been written off even five years ago as a fad for digital financial services companies, or a niche product for a subset of consumers, is now “top of mind” for banks of all sizes, Jim Priestley, chief revenue officer at Feedzai , told PYMNTS in a recent conversation.

Technology 78

Technology Minnesota Start-ups accounted 78

PYMNTS

MARCH 25, 2019

The numbers are sobering. Even staggering. When it comes to financial crime, it seems, the bad guys are getting away with financial murder. Consider the fact that, as noted in the most recent AML/KYC Tracker produced as a collaboration between PYMNTS and Trulioo , money laundering is estimated by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime to be an $800 million to $2 trillion-per-year problem, equivalent to 2 percent to 5 percent of the global GDP.

Technology 78

Technology Sports accounting and finance Government 78

Speaker: Aaron Berson

Managing spend is more than a cost cutting exercise – it's a pathway to smarter decisions that unlock efficiency and drive growth. By understanding and refining the spending process, financial leaders can empower their organizations to achieve more with less. Explore the art of balancing financial control with operational growth. From uncovering hidden inefficiencies to designing workflows that scale your business, we’ll share strategies to align your organization’s spending with its strategic g

Spend Management

PYMNTS

MARCH 20, 2019

Square has two new offerings: the revamped Square Online Store and Square For Retail, introduced in an announcement by the company on Wednesday (March 20). The two products will “offer sellers the tools to have one cohesive solution to start or grow an omnichannel business,” and will be fully integrated with Weebly, which Square acquired about a year ago.

Retail 78

Retail Sales Start-ups Technology 78

PYMNTS

MARCH 28, 2019

It started, arguably, with mass transit , though with many bumps along the way, as the problems are slowly being solved while still bedeviling many cities. But transit will very likely be key – whether that means subways, buses or other, more individual forms of motion, such as rideshares or even scooters. It will certainly involve parking, and then tolls, and then other forms of commerce tied to transportation.

Alabama 78

Alabama Transportation Maine Government 78

PYMNTS

MARCH 15, 2019

Here’s an exercise that may come off as too academic – like a debate over how many angels fit on a pinhead – but is really among the most vital for not only PYMNTS readers, but pretty much any other business operators: What is the perfect payments experience? That question formed a hook for a recent PYMNTS discussion between Karen Webster and Kurt Bilafer, executive vice president and chief revenue officer at Yapstone.

Start-ups 78

Start-ups Retail Technology 78

PYMNTS

MARCH 7, 2019

It might be the case that 2019 takes shape as a watershed year for payments regulation, marked by PSD2 and GDPR. Stakeholders in the financial services and payments arenas are navigating new rules about how data is collected, stored and shared. However, the way payments innovation is pursued — and becomes reality — is changing, too. The rise of Open Banking is helping to open up payment ecosystems, encouraging collaboration between traditional financial firms and smaller, tech-focused upstarts.

Technology 77

Technology Healthcare accountant accounted 77

Advertisement

Bleisure travel — where employees combine work and leisure — has been around since the advent of corporate travel and is here to stay. Successful bleisure policies strike a balance between employee preferences and company goals — workers report a 64% improvement in work-life balance, while companies benefit from reduced travel costs and increased workforce innovation.