PYMNTS

SEPTEMBER 18, 2018

Sixty years ago today (Sept. 18), a San Francisco startup launched by sending roughly 60,000 credit cards to consumers living in northern California. This startup was a bank, and its innovation was a single card that could be used by consumers to purchase things on credit from many different merchants. The card eliminated the need for consumers to establish credit with multiple merchants, then carry multiple cards issued by each of those merchants to pay for purchases over time.

Technology 103

Technology B2B California Start-ups 103

Katz,Sapper&Miller

SEPTEMBER 20, 2018

Most auto dealers participate in leasing in some way, whether they are leasing a building or equipment, operating as a lease here – pay here (LHPH), or are lessors of real estate. That means nearly all auto dealers will be impacted by the Financial Accounting Standards Board’s (FASB) update to the accounting standard for leases under U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP).

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accounting standards Real Estate accounting principles Account 40

PYMNTS

SEPTEMBER 19, 2018

Amazon.com announced Wednesday (September 19) that it launched in Turkey, enabling consumers in the country to shop from millions of products over the internet. In a press release , Amazon said Amazon.com.tr is now live, featuring products in 15 different categories including books, consumer electronics, sports, outdoor, tools and more. “Our mission at Amazon is to be Earth’s most customer-centric company, where customers can find and discover anything they might want to buy online, at great pri

E-commerce 81

E-commerce Sports Retail 81

PYMNTS

SEPTEMBER 17, 2018

I needed a few outdoor cushions earlier this season and hired a local upholstery shop to make them. This small business is a really small business: a guy working out of a teeny tiny storefront in a little town north of Boston. The shop came highly recommended for the quality of his work and high service levels. The sole proprietor is a hard-working immigrant who’s been in business in this town for 20 years.

B2B 78

B2B accountant accounted Account 78

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

SEPTEMBER 21, 2018

Sizzle Of The Week: AR/VR’s Retail Gains. Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) have spent much of 2018 generating buzz as a potential tool for retailers looking to bridge the digital/physical gap and deliver an all-encompassing, omnichannel shopping experience. Retailers and merchants — big and small — have come running to the tech. Some of the luminaries on the field include Target , Walmart, Amazon , eBay , Macy’s, Ikea and Airbnb , all of which have made some type of notabl

Technology 77

Technology Retail Start-ups accountant 77

PYMNTS

SEPTEMBER 21, 2018

Uber Technologies, the ride-hailing company, is reportedly in early-stage talks to acquire Deliveroo , the food delivery company. Bloomberg , citing people familiar with the plans, reported the deal could be worth several billion dollars. Deliveroo , which is based in the U.K., was most recently valued at greater than $2 billion, noted Bloomberg. Acquiring the startup would be a big effort on the part of Uber to lead in the food delivery market in Europe.

Technology 77

Technology 77

PYMNTS

SEPTEMBER 19, 2018

Spending on cognitive and artificial intelligence (AI) systems is expected to see continued strong growth as businesses invest in projects in those areas. According to market research firm International Data Corp.’s Semiannual Cognitive Artificial Intelligence Systems Spending Guide , spending on cognitive and AI systems will reach $77.6 billion in 2022, more than three times the $24.0 billion forecast for this year.

Technology 76

Technology Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Government 76

PYMNTS

SEPTEMBER 20, 2018

In an effort to kill the check — where B2B payments are anything but efficient — might virtual cards be the answer? In an interview with PYMNTS’ Karen Webster, Scot Yarbrough, group executive of commercial services , and Todd King, vice president of product management , both at TSYS , said the embrace of electronic payments may have been slow to get beyond a standing start, but momentum is building.

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accounts payable B2B Technology accounting meaning 76

PYMNTS

SEPTEMBER 17, 2018

NACHA — The Electronic Payments Association — announced that its membership has approved three new rules that will expand Same-Day ACH for all financial institutions and their customers. The first rule will allow Same-Day ACH transactions to be submitted to the ACH Network for an additional two hours every business day, while the second boosts the Same-Day ACH per-transaction dollar limit to $100,000, and the third rule increases the speed of funds availability for certain Same-Day ACH and next

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PYMNTS

SEPTEMBER 21, 2018

Robotics process automation (RPA) is a fast-rising star in the enterprise software space, touting its ability to go beyond surface-level automation and provide true efficiencies to businesses. Investors are clearly impressed, thanks to a funding round for one startup that now claims it may be the fastest-growing enterprise software company in history.

Technology 75

Technology B2B accounts payable payroll 75

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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

SEPTEMBER 18, 2018

Amazon announced on Tuesday (Sept. 18) the launch of a new API, dubbed Alexa Gadget Toolkit, which is aimed at creating more functions for the Alexa Gadgets. According to Amazon, Alexa Gadgets are accessories that pair to compatible Echo devices via Bluetooth and extend Alexa’s abilities with motors, lights and sound chips, among other things. The toolkit offers developers self-service APIs, including Gadget Interfaces, which provide the metadata of Alexa capabilities on compatible Echo devices.

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PYMNTS

SEPTEMBER 17, 2018

Amazon.com Inc. is reportedly gearing up to launch a new store later Monday (September 17) where consumers can shop the U.S. small and medium sized businesses that sell on the platform. According to a report in FoxBusiness.com, the store is being called Amazon Storefronts and gives customers access to a more than one million products from close to 20,000 U.S. businesses.

Michigan 75

Michigan Sales Retail 75

PYMNTS

SEPTEMBER 17, 2018

Stripe, the payments company, announced on Monday (Sept. 17) the launch of Stripe Terminal, a product that will enable online businesses and platforms to accept in-person payments with Stripe. In a press release, Stripe said Stripe Terminal extends its infrastructure to the physical world, enabling developers to build custom payment experiences for in-person transactions in the same way they have been doing it for online merchants.

Retail 75

Retail Sales 75

PYMNTS

SEPTEMBER 17, 2018

Taxify , the African ride-hailing app company, is ahead of Uber Technologies, moving from an Estonian startup to a tech unicorn within five years, reported The Wall Street Journal ( WSJ ). According to a report in the paper citing Taxify, the company has 2.4 million active users in six African countries including Uganda, South Africa, Nigeria, Tanzania, Kenya and Ghana.

Transportation 75

Transportation Technology Start-ups 75

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

SEPTEMBER 20, 2018

The financial services (FinServ) market is, by far, ahead of other industries when it comes to blockchain innovation and adoption, according to data released this year by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). Much of that innovation has been focused on corporate finance and payments, as top financial services players have introduced new blockchain solutions in an effort to disrupt and improve corporate payments.

accounting and finance 75

accounting and finance Finance Healthcare B2B 75

PYMNTS

SEPTEMBER 17, 2018

Phishers caught a big one — any way it’s sliced, $81 million is a big haul. The fraudsters who hacked their way into the Bangladesh central bank two years ago got there by getting into software tied to the SWIFT financial platform. The way they got there? By casting a line by email, of course, offering a cautionary tale for anyone who sees a link they are quick to click.

Entertainment 75

Entertainment New York Government accountant 75

PYMNTS

SEPTEMBER 20, 2018

SAP has been chosen by cosmetics company Grupo Boticário to digitize its cosmetics supply chain, reports said on Wednesday (Sept. 19). Based in Brazil, Grupo Boticário is a leading manufacturer of cosmetics and perfume. The company has points of sale across 13 countries, according to reports in Retail Times. In an announcement, Grupo Boticário said it has chosen SAP and its SAP Ariba solution to digitize its supply chain and procure-to-pay processes.

Manufacturing 75

Manufacturing Retail Sales Technology 75

PYMNTS

SEPTEMBER 21, 2018

Switzerland is reportedly exploring ways to make it easier for blockchain companies to open corporate bank accounts as the government moves to prevent those innovators from leaving the country. Reports in Reuters on Friday (Sept. 21) said the Swiss Bankers Association (SBA) is taking measures to address what the publication described as an “exodus” of blockchain projects from Switzerland.

Account 74

Account accounted accountant Government 74

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

SEPTEMBER 18, 2018

A cyberattack on what’s been described as a “decentralized” token exchange reportedly has led to a $58,000 theft and an illustration of a “shocking security vulnerability.”. According to a report in The Next Web , hackers flooded the exchange with “one billion fake EOS.” EOS refers to “a decentralized operating system [that] is developed to support decentralized applications in commercial scale by providing them [with] all the essential support and features,” as per one common definition.

Technology 74

Technology accounted Account accountant 74

PYMNTS

SEPTEMBER 20, 2018

Marco Polo, the blockchain-powered trade finance platform developed by R3 and TradeIX , has launched its first product following the completion of bank partners’ proof of concept. Reports in Global Trade Review said on Wednesday (Sept. 19) that Marco Polo’s receivables discounting solution is now live on the platform. Banks participating in the initiative, including BNP Paribas, Commerzbank, ING and Standard Chartered, can begin piloting the solution next month.

Finance 74

Finance B2B Maine Start-ups 74

PYMNTS

SEPTEMBER 17, 2018

Flipkart , the Indian eCommerce company owned by Walmart , is in discussions to acquire a stake in Hotstar , the video streaming service owned by Star India. Reuters , citing Mint, the daily, reported the move comes at a time when demand for video streaming in India is growing, with companies like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video doing brisk business in the country.

Technology 73

Technology 73

PYMNTS

SEPTEMBER 17, 2018

Samsung has revealed that South Korea’s customs authority has agreed to use the company’s Nexledger blockchain tech for its decentralized customs clearance system. In addition, 48 domestic institutions, including public agencies and shipping and insurance companies, have also signed the memorandum of understanding (MoU), according to CoinDesk. The move will enable all parties to easily share necessary documents, such as customs declarations and delivery forms, and is being designed to “fundament

Maine 73

Maine 73

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

SEPTEMBER 17, 2018

The battle over FinTechs and national banking charters is about to get a bit more heated. New York state is suing the United States. Or to put it a bit more specifically, the Conference of State Bank Supervisors sued the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. The suit is one alleging that the OCC does not have the authority to provide such licenses under the FinTech charter that has been proposed.

Legal 72

Legal Technology New York Finance 72

PYMNTS

SEPTEMBER 18, 2018

Government Payment Service , the company that enables online payments for thousands of U.S. state and local governments, has inadvertently made available information on more than 14 million customers from as long as six years ago. According to a report in KrebsOnSecurity , the data includes names, addresses, phone numbers and the last four digits of credit card numbers.

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Government 71

PYMNTS

SEPTEMBER 18, 2018

Amazon Go has launched another store, this time in the Windy City. According to Venture Beat , the Chicago store is located at 113 S. Franklin Street, and offers standard convenience store fare that includes breakfast, lunch and dinner meal kits and hot food. The location will only be open on weekdays from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. This is the fourth Go store and the first to open outside of Amazon’s hometown of Seattle.

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New York accounted Account accountant 71

PYMNTS

SEPTEMBER 17, 2018

China’s UnionPay , the payment card issuer, is gearing up to roll out branded cards in the U.K. as it expands more into Europe, aiming to take on Visa and Mastercard. According to a report in the Financial Times , with UnionPay facing increased competition in its home market from the likes of Alipay and WeChat Pay , it is setting its sights on expansion.

Transportation 70

Transportation Technology 70

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

SEPTEMBER 20, 2018

Flipkart has launched a cashless credit program to give shoppers an instant credit line of up to Rs 60,000 ($833.97 USD). According to DealStreetAsia , depending on credit history and past shopping patterns, customers can receive the instant credit line, then have the option to pay for products they buy on the site later in month, or through easy monthly installments (EMIs).

Finance 70

Finance Retail 70

PYMNTS

SEPTEMBER 18, 2018

Facebook may be under fire for how it handles the data on its more than two billion monthly active users, but the social media company has been trying to get its hands on financial information from the financial services firms for years, reported The Wall Street Journal. According to the report, which cites people familiar with the matter and documents reviewed by the paper, as late as 2017 Facebook urged financial firms to let them use customer data that comes from its Messenger platform for ad

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PYMNTS

SEPTEMBER 21, 2018

Walgreens Boots Alliance and Alibaba Group Holding have announced the launch of a Boots flagship store on Tmall Global , Alibaba’s B2C platform for international brands and retailers. The partnership will offer Boots beauty brands to more than half a billion consumers in China, including No7, Soap & Glory and Boots Cucumber. Launched in 2014, Alibaba’s Tmall platform is China’s largest B2C marketplace for both Chinese and international brands and retailers, allowing those without a presence

B2C 70

B2C Retail Sales Technology 70

PYMNTS

SEPTEMBER 18, 2018

A $6.2 billion settlement has been reached by Visa, Mastercard and several U.S. banks over a suit brought by merchants over what is commonly known as “swipe fees” — a name for the fees that are paid by those merchants when they accept credit card payments. The settlement had been anticipated over the past few weeks, as evidenced by news reports over the summer.

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Legal Retail accountant accounted 70

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