PYMNTS

NOVEMBER 6, 2018

Before Michael Krakaris co-founded an online fulfillment platform for eCommerce merchants, he learned firsthand how companies could reinvent messy spaces with software. One of his first jobs was working for a company that created an application programming interface (API) to help businesses send text messages to their customers. That business solved a major pain point, he says, as companies used to have to make deals with the wireless carriers themselves to have that capability.

Retail 89

Retail Gaming Government Sales 89

Katz,Sapper&Miller

NOVEMBER 8, 2018

As a general rule, the earnings of a foreign corporation are not subject to U.S. taxation until such earnings are distributed as dividends. The Subpart F rules have long been in place to subject the earnings of a controlled foreign corporation (CFC) to U.S. taxation whether or not such earnings are actually distributed. The tax reform legislation passed in Dec. 2017 imposed an additional anti-deferral rule referred to as GILTI (Global Intangible Low-Taxed Income).

Tax 40

Tax 40

PYMNTS

NOVEMBER 8, 2018

Months of geopolitical spats that spanned Europe, the Middle East and the United States have seen payments infrastructure at the center of it all. This week SWIFT, the financial messaging service based in Belgium (and where the acronym stands for the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Communications) said that it would suspend access for at least some Iranian banks.

accounting and finance 81

accounting and finance Government Finance accountant 81

PYMNTS

NOVEMBER 7, 2018

Starting a new business is never easy, and new apparel lines are particularly challenging. There are many, many retailers and brands trying to outfit the world, and standing out in the crowd is difficult. But even on the already pitched startup terrain, apparel startup Clandestina, based in Havana, Cuba, had some unique troubles all its own. The brand became the first to launch a website for U.S. sales last month — and it is spinning up to take on its first-ever Christmas season.

South Carolina 79

South Carolina Manufacturing Florida Start-ups 79

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

NOVEMBER 5, 2018

Visa and Billtrust today (Nov. 5) announced the launch of the Billtrust Business Payments Network (BPN), an open buyer/supplier payments platform that Billtrust CEO Flint Lane said will do what other B2B payment platforms have struggled to do: put paper checks on the path to extinction by streamlining and digitizing payments between businesses — and doing it at scale.

B2B 78

B2B accounts payable Start-ups accounted 78

PYMNTS

NOVEMBER 6, 2018

It can be a moment of anxiety, worry and mistrust: that moment when a digital payment is sent into what was once called the ether. Will the funds end up in the right bank account? Will fraudsters hitch a ride? Those and other questions can vex people involved in the transaction — and keep them glued to paper-based payments until the questions can be answered to their satisfaction.

B2B 77

B2B Start-ups Technology accounted 77

PYMNTS

NOVEMBER 9, 2018

B2B cryptocurrency payments company BitPay announced this week that Rolf Haag is joining the company to lead its business solutions unit. In a press release , BitPay said Haag will spearhead the company’s B2B and mass payments operations. He comes to BitPay after working for both Western Union as its former director of global mass payments, and PayPal as its former head of mass payment global disbursements.

B2B 77

B2B Sales 77

PYMNTS

NOVEMBER 7, 2018

Blockchain , the crypto wallet provider, plans to have an airdrop worth $125 million, Fortune reported. Through the cryptocurrency giveaway, each recipient would receive around the equivalent of around $25 in Stellar. The company said in a statement, “Accessible to anyone with a Blockchain Wallet, the first batch of recipients will receive their lumens, Stellar’s native digital currency, this week — for free.

77

77

PYMNTS

NOVEMBER 9, 2018

Overstock may be best known as an eCommerce business, but these days its CEO and Founder Patrick Byrne is much more interested in talking about the power of cryptocurrency and blockchain, and how it will be the real future of both the firm and the economy in general. Suffice to say, Byrne remains one of blockchain’s bigger boosters. But things in the eCommerce business also showed signs of strength.

Real Estate 77

Real Estate Gaming Retail Technology 77

PYMNTS

NOVEMBER 8, 2018

Top U.K. banks and financial technology firms have worked together to create a set of guidelines to improve the relationship between FinTech startups and financial institutions (FIs). The new guidelines, developed by the British Standards Institute (BSI), aim to address issues that interfere with FinTech firms and banks forming alliances. The U.K. banks that put them together includes the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), Barclays, HSBC UK, Lloyds Banking Group and Santander — as well as vendors l

Retail 76

Retail Government Technology 76

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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

NOVEMBER 8, 2018

“Artificial intelligence” (AI) may be a financial industry buzzword, but how many banks actually use it? The truth is that AI is still relatively rare in the banking world, with only 5.5 percent of banks in our survey equipped with genuine AI systems. Meanwhile, the rest are relying on automation and machine learning (ML) technologies. In other words, financial institutions (FIs) that use AI are few and far between, but that’s not to say FIs from aren’t investing in it — or rather in what they t

Technology 76

Technology Maine 76

PYMNTS

NOVEMBER 6, 2018

“May you live in interesting times,” runs an old proverb. For those companies navigating the waves of FX volatility — which means a whole lot of companies, large and small, across verticals — these are interesting times indeed. In an interview with Karen Webster of PYMNTS, Karl Schamotta, who serves as chief market strategist at Cambridge Global Payments, said we’re living in a new age.

76

76

PYMNTS

NOVEMBER 9, 2018

For retailers, the holiday season is both a busy and profitable time, but it’s also when cybercriminals seize the opportunity and target those increased retail revenues. In the latest Omni Security And Authentication Report , PYMNTS explored the different tactics cybercriminals are deploying this holiday season, and how retailers are working to safeguard themselves.

Retail 76

Retail Technology Sales accountant 76

PYMNTS

NOVEMBER 5, 2018

“Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm,” said Winston Churchill. Might the sentiment extend to cryptocurrencies, but — parsing the quote a bit — replace “success” with “ruination?”. At this writing, bitcoin trades were at $6,352. That’s down precipitously from peaks of more than $19,800, but off lows of roughly $5,500.

Finance 74

Finance Tax Sales 74

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

NOVEMBER 8, 2018

Cashierless payments are set to increasingly be part of the convenience store checkout model. To that end, 7-Eleven said earlier this week that is debuting scan-and-go options at 14 of its Dallas-based stores, with the goal of bringing that technology to additional locations through 2019. The Scan & Pay feature exists within the convenience store operator’s eponymous mobile app.

Technology 74

Technology Retail 74

PYMNTS

NOVEMBER 9, 2018

With a new commerce deal for the soccer world, Ant Financial’s Alipay has partnered with Europe’s UEFA to bring its platform to events sanctioned by the organization’s men’s national team. Terms of the arrangement, which is said to have a duration of eight years, were not made public, CNBC reported. “I think the future of football as future in principle is in digitalization, and we are in Europe quite far behind concerning that, so we got a proper partner for that, and I

Gaming 73

Gaming Retail Technology accountant 73

PYMNTS

NOVEMBER 7, 2018

Canada’s St. Francis Xavier University of Nova Scotia (StFX) had to temporarily shut down its entire network due to a crypto-jacking attack. “The malicious software attempted to utilize StFX’s collective computing power in order to create or discover bitcoin for monetary gain. At this time, there is no evidence that any personal information within our network was breached, however, ITS will continue to analyze and monitor for suspicious activity in the days and weeks ahead.

Technology 73

Technology 73

PYMNTS

NOVEMBER 8, 2018

Square posted results Wednesday (November 7) that showed double-digit gains in gross payment volumes, continued traction amid a base of larger merchants, and notable growth in subscription and software-based revenues. The company’s third quarter adjusted revenues came in at $431 million, up 68 percent, and better than the $414 million consensus. Further adjusted revenues, said the firm, exclude Weebly and Zesty results, up 56 percent.

accounting and finance 72

accounting and finance Finance Start-ups payroll 72

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

NOVEMBER 5, 2018

Consumers want to touch before they buy, and they want to talk when they purchase. Those promise to stand as two main traits of the 2018 holiday shopping season , and retailers that gain an edge and increase revenue during the all-important fourth quarter will likely have exploited such tactics during this period, at least according to new data that strives to paint a detailed picture of U.S. commerce over the coming two months.

Retail 71

Retail Sales Maine Technology 71

PYMNTS

NOVEMBER 6, 2018

PCI compliance is vitally important for businesses that process credit cards. The standards put forth by the PCI Security Standards Council – the PCI Data Security Standards – offer a framework for ensuring data security, and they must be followed in order to avoid fines and other penalties. Even worse, failure to comply with these standards can increase a company’s risk of suffering a data breach , which can result in substantial legal liabilities and loss of sales, not to mention irrevocable d

California 71

California Legal Start-ups Technology 71

PYMNTS

NOVEMBER 9, 2018

While living paycheck to paycheck is often associated with low-salary or part-time workers, the data tells a different story. As it turns out, the white-knuckled wait for payday is something that affects consumers up and down the economic ladder, something a glance at the PYMNTS Financial Invisibles Report quickly confirms. There’s a fairly large swath of college-educated consumers earning an excess of $60,000 a year who reported that they frequently fall behind on bills, and regularly use plac

payroll 71

payroll Retail Start-ups Education 71

PYMNTS

NOVEMBER 8, 2018

In a bid to increase loyalty, merchants are driving innovations in their stores. To that end, some brick-and-mortar retailers have begun to offer rewards programs for the very first time to bring shoppers through their doors. The idea? Retailers are taking new approaches to the way they attract customers. J.Crew , for instance, has a new loyalty program that offers standard perks such as a store credit when customers hit a certain spending threshold.

New York 71

New York Retail California Gaming 71

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

NOVEMBER 6, 2018

Facebook and Google have signed up for new internet standards, which will require internet companies to respect data privacy and “support the best in humanity.” According to Financial Times , the standards were designed by World Wide Web Founder Tim Berners-Lee, who last week warned that the technology giants are now so dominant that they might need to be broken up.

Technology 71

Technology Government 71

PYMNTS

NOVEMBER 6, 2018

American Express has struck a new partnership in its latest B2B payments push, announcing a collaboration with commercial payments firm WEX to support corporate use of virtual cards in accounts payable. In an announcement on Monday (Nov. 5), American Express said it will link its corporate customers using American Express business and corporate cards to WEX’s Synaptic accounts payable solution.

accounts payable 71

accounts payable B2B accounting and finance accounting system 71

PYMNTS

NOVEMBER 6, 2018

It’s that time of the year: crowded airports, missed connections, maybe the surprise of an upgrade (to stretch out those legs after sitting all day in meetings or at a holiday gathering). There is also the chance (please no, not this time) of some hassle with payments, such as the corporate account or card not going through, or maybe, on the travel agency side, a software glitch or another problem that adds friction and frustration to an already long travel day.

B2B 70

B2B accounting and finance Technology corporate accounting 70

PYMNTS

NOVEMBER 6, 2018

Mastercard is working to simplify the daily commute through its “Tap and Ride” program, available in more than 150 cities. A new global study shows that metro systems around the world are carrying close to 170 million passengers each day, and with that number only expected to grow, improving the speed and reliability of transit services is a key concern for most urban residents.

New York 70

New York 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

NOVEMBER 5, 2018

Apple’s taken a beating since announcing its Q4 earnings last week. The stock price is off nearly 7 percent , even though its trillion-dollar market cap remains intact. Analysts and the media smelled blood in the water after CEO Tim Cook said Apple would stop reporting unit sales of its products, including its crown jewel, the iPhone, next quarter. This came on the heels of reported iPhone sales that didn’t meet analyst expectations.

Sales 69

Sales Tax Start-ups Transportation 69

PYMNTS

NOVEMBER 4, 2018

Amazon has reportedly held advanced discussions about opening its second headquarters in Crystal City, Virginia — and the eCommerce giant isn’t happy about that news leaking to the press. According to The Washington Post , sources have revealed that Crystal City is so confident that the city’s top real estate developer, JBG Smith, has pulled some of its buildings off the leasing market, and local officials are making plans for a public announcement after the midterm elections.

Real Estate 69

Real Estate Virginia Washington 69

PYMNTS

NOVEMBER 9, 2018

It’s not your father’s customer loyalty anymore. The ascent of eCommerce and the digital tools that support it have made it easier — in both theory and practice — for retailers to not only see how consumers browse and what they buy (to analyze the entire path to purchase), but to get to know them in the same ways as those old-time general store operators who served small towns.

Retail 69

Retail Maine Technology Sales 69

PYMNTS

NOVEMBER 5, 2018

In many parts of sub-Saharan Africa, almost 90 percent of all payments and transactions are based on cash. But there is a large opportunity to increase mobile money penetration, as two-thirds of the region is adopting mobile phones. Companies like Cellulant are tapping into this market by digitizing payments in an effort to provide increased reach and transparency for players in the financial sector.

Agriculture 69

Agriculture Government Sales Account 69

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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.