Sat.Feb 23, 2019 - Fri.Mar 01, 2019

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Facebook Working On WhatsApp P2P Digital Currency

PYMNTS

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.

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Knowing Versus Doing: Part 2: The Importance of Designing an Effective Organizational Structure

Katz,Sapper&Miller

When you contemplate the strengths of successful businesses, it is common to focus on a unique product or service offering or a creative marketing strategy that was used to gain market share. You may also think of strong leadership, those with the vision and courage to climb above the rest. However, we often forget to acknowledge the massive importance of organizational structure and design in the ongoing success and viability of a successful business.

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For eCommerce Content, It’s Experiences Over Speed

PYMNTS

Among the main virtues of this golden era of eCommerce and digital payments is speed. Seemingly instant access to extremely specific product pages. Quick browsing. Fast checkout and transactions — the fewer buttons the better. Have-it-yesterday delivery. Sometimes, though, that ideal of speed can and even should take a back seat to content — the type of content designed to pull in sophisticated or specialized consumers, the type of content that can seem out of place during this time of reduced a

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Ripple Expands Into Middle East, Canada

PYMNTS

Mercury FX , the international currency exchange provider, is reportedly relying on Ripple’s XRP xRapid to open up ten new payment corridors by the middle point of this year. According to a report in OracleTimes , Mercury FX chief executive Alastair Constance said during the Ripple Regionals 2019, a company event held in London, that it will use xRapid for payments from the U.K. to Canada and the Middle East.

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Building a Business Case for Finance Automation

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.

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As The IoT Grows, Can It Overcome Security Problems?

PYMNTS

The Internet of Things (IoT) is about much more than the actual things, of course. All those “smart” appliances, speakers, TVs, vehicles, thermostats and other devices connect to networks and infrastructure in certain ways, with that back-end work a relatively significant source of anxiety in the world of digital payments and commerce. New funding generally targeting those connections, networks and infrastructure — along with fresh PYMNTS research — provide further evidence of the ongoing growth

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AlipayHK Expands With Cross-Border Payments To Japan And Greater Bay Area

PYMNTS

AlipayHK users will soon be able to use the service in parts of Japan and Southern China, the company said on Tuesday (Feb. 26). The service will be available next month in the Chinese cities of Shenzhen and Guangzhou, where AlipayHK customers can use their app in any places that accept Alipay, including theme parks, hotels and retail stores. In the Japanese city of Fukuoka, AlipayHK users can shop at the popular department-store chain Daimaru Tenjin.

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How Payments Have Ignited Subscription eCommerce

PYMNTS

Subscription commerce has come a long way since book-of-the-month clubs and those record and cassette retailers that tempted teenagers with seeming impossible introductory deals. Yet subscription eCommerce is still a youthful industry, one that, in the words of Emma Clark, chief of staff at Recurly , “is maturing,” with the lessons learned along the way set to influence the next generation of those increasingly popular retail offerings.

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Kroger Widens Ban On Visa Credit Cards

PYMNTS

Supermarket firm Kroger has expanded its ban on accepting Visa credit cards, stating on Friday (March 1) that its Smith’s Food and Drug unit will stop offering that payment option beginning April 3. The move follows 2018 bans on the payment giant’s cards at Kroger Foods stores located in the state of California. Then, as now, the company said its decisions have been tied to the fees Visa levies on transactions.

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How FinTech Companies Inspire Africa With Mobile Technology

PYMNTS

With the potential for rapid growth and job creation, FinTech firms in Africa have caught the attention of global investors. According to the London Stock Exchange Group’s 2019 “Companies to Inspire Africa” report, which highlights these firms, the FinTech sector has the second highest growth rate representation of technology and telecoms as well as financial services.

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Industry 4.0 Pulls South Africa’s SMB Banking Sector Into The Technology Mix

PYMNTS

The South African economy has struggled in the last decade. Gross domestic product (GDP) growth has failed to surpass 4 percent, with unemployment hovering above 27 percent. These market conditions may not seem ripe for FinTech innovation, but where there are challenges, there are opportunities. The nation’s unique history and current economic challenges may actually present a prime moment for innovators in the small business (SMB) financial services (FinServ) space, particularly as the Fo

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Fall In Love With the Month-End Close

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.

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Bitcoin Daily: JPMorgan Trials Ethereum Tech; Japan Sees Rise In Crypto Money Laundering

PYMNTS

JPMorgan Chase is testing out a zero-knowledge privacy solution called AZTEC. Developed by a London startup of the same name, AZTEC offers encryption of blockchain data at a lower cost, and with a more efficient process, than previous versions. “It’s being tested by the most important bank in blockchain today. JPMorgan Quorum, actually,” AZTEC CEO Tom Pocock told CoinDesk.

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Enterprise Security Returns To Top Of B2B Investment Mountain

PYMNTS

Cybersecurity returned to the top of the B2B startup investment list as three companies in the enterprise security realm landed nearly half of the $246 million in B2B venture capital this week. But Software-as-a-Service emerged as a hot spot, too, with the largest investment round of the week going to a B2B eCommerce SaaS provider. ONPEX. Linking financial institutions and corporates with its Banking-as-a-Service platform, ONPEX enables FIs to deploy cloud-based account and payment technology to

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In South Korea: Calls For Greater Bank, FinTech Collaboration

PYMNTS

Open banking may foster talk in Europe and the U.S. centered on collaboration between FinTechs and traditional banks. The movement to bolster such joint efforts and give a leg up to nimble tech upstarts is also gaining traction in other corners of the globe. News came Monday (Feb. 25) that in South Korea, the financial regulator there (known as the Financial Services Commission) is encouraging the creation of an interbank payment network that will allow access to banks and FinTechs.

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Keeping Theater Order-Ahead Fraud- And Drama-Free

PYMNTS

Six out of every 10 digital orders are now carried out via mobile app, putting the smartphone at the center of the modern quick-service restaurant (QSR) experience. More consumers are also using mobile apps for the rewards points and perks, as well as for the fast payment experience. However, as mobile grows more essential to the dining experience, consumers are becoming less tolerant to friction in the ordering process.

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Navigating Payroll Compliance: Future-Proofing Payroll in an Evolving Regulatory Landscape

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.

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Brex Rolls Out Corporate Card For eCommerce Cos

PYMNTS

Commercial card company Brex is rolling out a new card product designed to meet the specific needs of eCommerce businesses, the firm said in a press release Tuesday (Feb. 26). The card bridges companies in the eCommerce space, including online brands and eRetailers, to 60-day payment terms, interest-free financing and no foreign transaction fees. The solution also offers tailored rewards, including partnerships with providers of eCommerce solutions. “Legacy card companies view businesses a

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Citi Launches Digital Payment Service For Rent, School Expenses

PYMNTS

Citigroup , the U.S. banking giant, announced on Tuesday (Feb. 26) the launch of a new service that lets users pay their rent and school expenses each month with one of its credit cards. CNBC reported that the digital payment service, dubbed PayAll, can be accessed through the Citi mobile app. Each transaction will have an associated fee that is payable to the bank, with the average transaction at about $3,500.

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How Airbnb Uses Payments To Stay Competitive

PYMNTS

Consumers who rent a vacation home through Airbnb must trust that the keys will be there for them upon arrival, as much as the host must trust that they’ll be paid in a timely manner, and that their property won’t be damaged. As the sharing economy grows globally, fostering that confidence and trust between buyers and sellers has become more crucial for platforms to stay relevant and competitive.

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Why Retailers Are Crowdsourcing Delivery

PYMNTS

Imagine getting paid to go home. (Really, take a moment and do so. Feels nice, right?) Now, imagine not only getting paid to go home, but doing so in a way that pleases one’s employer, neighbor, girlfriend’s boss or the person on the other end of that daily, mundane trip. It’s not a fantasy, but a reality for a growing number of drivers in the United States.

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Next-Level Fraud Prevention: Strategies for Today’s Threat Landscape

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.

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Why ‘Mobile-First’ Must Mean ‘Trust-Always’

PYMNTS

There is quote attributed to Archimedes that goes something like this: “Give me a fulcrum, and I shall move the world.”. In the banking world, amid the continued shift to digital services, the mobile device might just be the fulcrum. In other words, the central point that will help financial services become truly omnichannel. As has been spotlighted in these pages, engagement is of paramount importance in financial services, no matter the setting — at branches, online or even through the Interne

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Exploding US CBD Market Could Hit $16B By 2025

PYMNTS

The U.S. cannabidiol (CBD) market continues to grow, with nearly 7 percent of Americans saying they use the substance. According to an analysis by Cowen & Co., the market could reach $16 billion by the year 2025, as per a report by Bloomberg. Cowen questioned 2,500 adults for its January survey. Analyst Vivien Azer said that the 6.9 percent of people who said they used CBD was higher than the 4.2 percent who used an eCigarettes.

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HSBC Expands PayMe To Businesses With Beta Test

PYMNTS

HSBC, the U.K. bank, has started beta testing of its PayMe System, a digital payment system for businesses. According to a report in Fintech Futures , HSBC started the beta test with 15 retailers in Hong Kong. They can now accept payments from customers that use HSBC’s eWallet. In the early part of 2017, HSBC announced the new payment app, geared toward millennials in Hong Kong who also wanted social media built in.

Retail 71
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Venmo, Girl Scouts And Bitcoin: The Week In Unexpected Upsides

PYMNTS

Usually when we talk about unintended consequences here at PYMNTS, we are talking about something that has gone terribly wrong, or at least failed to perform as well as desired because of some unforeseen side effect. The goal might be noble – but pursuing a noble goal the wrong way can quickly have byproducts that make the cure worse than the disease.

Sales 71
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Cash Flow Secrets Every Upskilled CPA Should Know

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.

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A New Approach To Bank-FinTech Collaborations

PYMNTS

Banks have historically developed their own solutions for the marketplace, using sophisticated information technology (IT) and development resources. “If they wanted something for the marketplace, they would create it” and would design, develop and support those solutions for their unique needs, DadeSystems President and CEO Bill Zayas told PYMNTS in an interview.

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Tesla Plans Move To eCommerce Sales Model

PYMNTS

In an effort to transition to an eCommerce sales platform, Tesla announced its move to an online-only sales model. The company’s CEO, Elon Musk, noted that the move would lower costs and enable the Model 3 to arrive on the market, CNET reported. Tesla, in fact, forecasts that the move could let the company lower vehicle prices by about 6 percent. And the company said in the post that the move would let it “achieve the $35,000 Model 3 price point earlier than we expected.”.

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UK Retailers Press For Commercial Card Interchange Fee Caps

PYMNTS

The European Union’s (EU’s) battle against U.S. card company interchange fees reached new levels earlier this year when the European Commission (EC) issued a $648.3 million fine against Mastercard for its swipe fees, which regulators said drove up prices for retailers and consumers, and hampered competition. It marked the latest chapter in a long-standing saga, as the European Commission and U.K.

Retail 70
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Jamie Dimon Doesn’t Rule Out Consumer Payments Via JPM Coin

PYMNTS

Jamie Dimon, the CEO of JPMorgan Chase, said the bank’s new cryptocurrency, JPM Coin, could one day be used by consumers, according to CNBC. “JPMorgan Coin could be internal, could be commercial, it could one day be consumer,” Dimon said during a question-and-answer session at the bank’s annual investor day. The bank became the first to create its own cryptocurrency earlier this month.

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Profit in the Details: Rethinking Spend for Monumental Impact

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

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Are Robots Last-Mile Delivery’s Future?

PYMNTS

To provide retailers with an automated option for last-mile deliveries, shipping carriers are entering the world of robotics technology. FedEx , for instance, recently unveiled its FedEx SameDay Bot concept, which the carrier said is in development with DEKA Development & Research Corp. along with DEKA Founder Dean Kamen (of Segway fame). The idea behind the bot is to let merchants accept customer orders and deliver them to customers on the very same day.

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HighRadius Links AR Data To Collections

PYMNTS

Order-to-cash Software-as-a-Service company HighRadius is addressing organizations’ collections struggles with a new data exchange solution. The company said in a press release on Thursday (Feb. 28) that it is rolling out the Collection Agency Data Exchange (CADE) tool, a way for accounts receivable teams to streamline data sharing with collection agencies.

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Square: 51 Pct Of GPV Comes From Larger Sellers

PYMNTS

Square ‘s Q4 earnings 2018 results came after market close on Wednesday (Feb. 27), showing the continuation of several trends seen in recent quarterly reports. These trends included double-digit gross payment volume (GPV) growth, as measured year on year, double-digit transaction gains and traction in newer technology offerings — such as point-of-sale (POS) financing to help sellers log their own top-line growth.

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Apple Laying Off Nearly 200 In Self-Driving Car Unit

PYMNTS

Apple , the iPhone maker that’s been struggling with lackluster demand for its flagship product, is gearing up to slash its self-driving car workforce, letting go of 190 in the unit. The San Francisco Chronicle , citing a letter to the California Employment Development Department sent by Apple, reported the layoffs are happening at Project Titan , its self-driving car unit.

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Navigating Bleisure Travel: A Guide for Mid-Sized Companies

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.