October, 2018

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FICO To Debut New Credit Scoring System In 2019

PYMNTS

Fair Isaac, creator of the FICO credit score, will be rolling out a new scoring system in early 2019. According to the Wall Street Journal , the UltraFICO Score should help many consumers get approved for loans because it factors in how consumers manage the cash in their checking, savings and money-market accounts, which could serve as an indication of how likely they are to repay their debts.

Account 95
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Mastercard Will No Longer Require Signatures On Cards, Receipts

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Mastercard, the payments company, announced on Thursday (Oct. 18) that cardholder signatures will now be optional for the back of credit cards and receipts. In a press release , Mastercard said it is making the changes due to advancements in technology and security. “With modern, advanced forms of authentication now available, removing the requirement for signature capture at the point of sale and now signature panels on Mastercard cards is an important step in support of our digital evolution,”

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Visa Accelerates Tokenization Of Credentials On File For Digital Payments

PYMNTS

Visa announced today the commercial expansion of its Visa Token Service for “credential-on-file token requestors.” This expansion involves adding 20 acquirer gateway and technology partners as token requestors — including the likes of PayPal, Worldpay and Adyen — who can now, or soon will be able to, tokenize credential-on-file digital payments for their merchant and payment clients.

Retail 86
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A Look Inside Switzerland’s Plans To Bank Crypto Businesses

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The global regulatory framework of cryptocurrencies and blockchain remains either fragmented, vague or simply nonexistent. However, Swiss officials recently took steps to get ahead of the regulatory uncertainty surrounding the world of blockchain, focusing on a particularly large hurdle for companies in the industry. In July, reports in the Financial Times said Switzerland is working to open the nation’s traditional corporate banking market to cryptocurrency companies finding it difficult

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How to Build the Ideal HR Team

HR doesn’t exist in a vacuum. This work impacts everyone: from the C-Suite to your newest hire. It also drives results. Learn how to make it all happen in Paycor’s latest guide.

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Hackers Steal Alipay Customers’ Money Via Stolen Apple IDs

PYMNTS

Alipay , the mobile payment app, said Wednesday (October 10) that hackers stole money from accounts via stolen Apple IDs. Reuters , citing Ant Financial , the payment affiliate of Alibaba, reported the Chinese company said the issue hasn’t been resolved even though it reached out to Apple already. In a post on its Toutiao social media account, Reuters reported it said users who linked their accounts via Apple IDs should lower their transaction limits.

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Bitcoin Miners Fail To Make A Profit Despite Surge In Revenue

PYMNTS

Bitcoin miners have around $4.7 billion in revenue in 2018 — but because of the cost of electricity, miners are failing to make a profit. TheNextWeb , citing blockchain research firm Diar , reported that based on the data, this marks the first time cryptocurrency mining businesses aren’t making money off their bitcoin mining efforts. According to the report, as it stands, bitcoin miners make 54,000 BTC each month for processing the mining blocks.

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Bitcoin Daily: AML Crypto Regulation Will Be Dictated In June 2019

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The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) announced that it will get one step closer to creating international standards for cryptocurrency when it launches its first set of rules in June of 2019. According to Reuters , the Paris-based global AML watchdog revealed that jurisdictions around the world will be required to license or regulate cryptocurrency exchanges, as well as select firms providing encrypted wallets and firms providing financial services for ICOs.

Finance 79
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Pundi X CEO On Dialing Up Digital Payments, Calling Up Blockchain Phones In Dubai

PYMNTS

A small test market could be ground zero for seismic changes in commerce and payments — and now possibly for cryptos. Consider Dubai, a city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), home to 3 million souls. That’s a third of Manhattan’s population, if one is keeping score. It’s a self-proclaimed blockchain city. Dubai is gearing up for payments via digital coin through a concerted effort between the government and blockchain payments provider Pundi X , with hardware rolling out and a state-created cry

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North Korean Hacking Group Lazarus Takes In $571M

PYMNTS

Internet hackers have pilfered $882 million of digital currency from crypto exchanges since last year, but one group in particular has netted roughly half that amount: Group-IB noted in a report that a North Korean hacking group, Lazarus, has taken $571 million through an analysis of 14 different attacks, The Next Web reported. In general, hackers turn to methods such as social engineering, malware and spear phishing to target digital currency exchanges.

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Augmented Reality Growth Fueled by Chinese Investments

PYMNTS

One of the new realities of augmented reality is this: the technology is attracting more investment from China than from sources in North America. This trend happens as activity around AR heats up, with major players in the digital economy apparently positioning themselves to profit as the retail-friendly tech move every closer to mainstream popularity.

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Planning Your Restaurant's Path to Profitability

Speaker: James Kahler, COO of Full Course

Ever wondered where to splurge and where to safely conserve when it comes to operating and growing your restaurant? 🤔 Join James Kahler, COO of Full Course and industry visionary, in this new webinar where he'll talk all about best practices to invest in your restaurant's success! Whether you're a new business or an established restaurant, a seasoned pro or a rookie, you'll learn the keys to sustainable success in this competitive industry.

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Key Areas Of SMB Finance Show Need For Improvement

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The latest rundown of small business (SMB) finance research uncovers key areas for improvement: Younger small business owners are more often relying on personal credit cards for business purchases, paper remains a staple in the finance department, and, while small business loan delinquency rates overall remain stable, research showed several industries in which they rose last month.

Finance 78
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Seven Big Threats Facing Seven Big Tech And Payments Players This Halloween

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Halloween , the annual celebration of the spooky and supernatural, is just a couple of days away. For many in payments and the vast ecosystem that it powers, the scariest thing about Oct. 31 might not be the sight of a kid in a full-on Frankenstein costume at the door on Halloween night asking for candy. The day after Halloween marks the 60-day sprint to the end of the year – a year in which the pace of innovation has accelerated materially.

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Bitcoin Daily: VCs Plow $3.9B In Crypto Ventures; Coinbase Taps Charles Schwab Advisor For Board

PYMNTS

Crypto research site Diar claims that startups in the digital currency and blockchain space have notched roughly $3.9 billion in funding via venture capital (VC) investments, CoinDesk reported. The figure, which represents investments over the first, second and third quarters, marks a 280 percent jump from all of last year. In addition, the report noted that the average size of investments in the blockchain and crypto space rose by $1 million this year.

Sales 78
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JPMorgan To Open FinTech Office In Silicon Valley

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JPMorgan Chase is doubling down with its FinTech aspirations, gearing up to start development of a new FinTech corporate campus in the early part of 2019. CNBC reported that the campus in Palo Alto, California will be home to more than 1,000 employees. The campus will be located between Facebook and Google in the Stanford Research Park. JPMorgan Chief Executive Jamie Dimon views technology as a way to keep back the competition from FinTech startups that are luring over millennial customers in dr

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How Automation is Driving Efficiency Through the Last Mile of Reporting

Speaker: Jamie Eagan

As organizations strive for agility and efficiency, it's imperative for finance leaders to embrace innovative technologies and redefine traditional processes. Join us as we explore the pivotal role of digitalization and automation in reshaping what is commonly referred to as the “last mile of reporting”. We’ll deep-dive into why digitalization is no longer a choice, but a necessity for finance departments to stay competitive in a fast-paced environment touching on: 2024 trends for the Office of

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Banco Santander Settles On Ripple For Settlement

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Much has been said in recent weeks about Ripple and its digital XRP token, where trading has been nothing but volatile. In just over a week, the price has slipped 20 percent. Beyond that trading, noted Forbes , there has been speculation that banks would embrace Ripple to move money through cross-border conduits. In news that may be separated from the vagaries of cryptocurrency trading, Banco Santander said this week that it will use Ripple’s ledger, bringing payments across the bank’s OnePay FX

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As The Dawn Of 5G Nears, Will It Be All That?

PYMNTS

5G is coming. Now if we can just figure out what it’s good for. That’s a little bit unfair, but it does reflect some of the talk around the mobile connectivity standard. What types of business will it support? What will emerge as the “killer use case” for payments and commerce? As one observer put it: “The fifth generation of connectivity, pithily called 5G, will be ready for prime time later this year.

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XRP Revenues Double For Ripple In Q3

PYMNTS

Ripple said that its revenues related to the sale of the digital asset known as XRP gained ground in the third quarter of this year, more than doubling over the second quarter (that is, sequentially). The company said in its third-quarter report on XRP markets that it sold $163.3 million in the latest period, up from the $75.5 million in the second quarter.

Sales 77
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Furnishing The Mobile Lifestyle, Sharing Economy-Style

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Michael Barlow has called several places home: He has moved five times in seven years and lived with different roommates. But through his experiences, he didn’t have the furnishings that he wanted. “I never actually bought nice furniture,” Barlow, CEO and co-founder of Fernish , told PYMNTS in an interview. “I never actually had an inspired home experience.”.

Maine 77
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Register Now: Sneak Peek Into Close Automation SkyStem Web Demo

Technology is rapidly changing the way accountants perform and manage month-end activities. Spreadsheets, email, and shared drives no longer have to slow us down. Join us as we present a "sneak peek" recorded demo of SkyStem's month-end close solution – ART. In under four weeks, your team can start reaping the benefits of month-end close automation by vastly reducing spreadsheets, cut down on reconciliation work, speed up the month-end close, and better manage your remote team.

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PayPal Invests In Emerging Markets Lending App Company Tala

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Tala, the consumer lending app in emerging markets, announced Monday (Oct. 22) a strategic investment from PayPal. In a press release , Tala said the undisclosed investment from PayPal will help the company bring visibility and access to underserved regions in emerging markets across the world. According to Tala, more than two-thirds of the adult population in the world has no formal credit record, which makes it hard for them to access traditional financial services.

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Small Business FinTech Takes Center Stage With VCs

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Cybersecurity investment probably won’t let up anytime soon. Indeed, this week did see some cybersecurity funding action, with several big-name backers participating in the $85 million investment for Team8 , a venture studio that explores how corporate collaboration can develop better cybersecurity tools and businesses. This week, however, venture capital rounds were all about the small- and medium-sized business (SMBs), and how to address their biggest financial management pain points.

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Amazon Employee Fired Over Customer Email Addresses

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Amazon revealed that it has fired the employee responsible for sharing customer email addresses with an outside seller on its platform. According to the Wall Street Journal , the eCommerce giant said it had identified and fired the employee, and that no other customer data was disclosed. In addition, the seller who received the email addresses was blocked from selling on Amazon.

Texas 77
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From The Phone To Email: How Scammers Hit SMBs

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When Maryland Attorney General (AG) Brian E. Frosh issued a warning to the state’s small business (SMB) owners last week, he shed light on the fact that, despite business owners’ rising focus on cyberattacks, some scammers continue to use legacy tactics to target their victims. AG Frosh’s warning pertained to a specific small-business cybersecurity threat.

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Join the Instant Payment Revolution: Read 7 Must-Know Facts for Small Businesses

Technology evolves at lightning speed, and as finance keeps changing, instant payments emerge as a game-changer for small businesses. By 2030, instant payments are projected to surge by 289% and will become the new norm in financial transactions. Our whitepaper reveals seven must-know facts about instant payments, offering to help you navigate this financial revolution effectively.

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How PSD2 And Open Banking Impact Security

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As a result of the passage and adoption of open banking regulations, like PSD2 in Europe, banks and other financial firms are sharing data more freely than ever before. The greater availability of data gives financial institutions (FIs) and FinTech firms alike insight into customers’ behaviors, habits and preferences, allowing them to develop more effective tools, products and features.

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Venmo Raises Rate For Instant Transfers

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Venmo , the digital payment unit of PayPal , has raised the fee for instant transfers when moving money from their account to a traditional bank account, according to reports. Reports citing an email Venmo sent to users late last week said the fee is going up to one percent of the transferred amount, with the payment company taking a $0.25 fee at the minimum.

Account 76
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Curve Aims To Become The Amazon Of Banking

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An Amazon of banking? That’s the description — perhaps clichéd but still apt — applied to FinTech firm Curve , which is on the hunt for $50 million in fresh capital, according to recent comments made by CEO Shachar Bialick to CNBC. The Amazon comparison came from Bialick, who also said that the three-year-old firm is looking to become more of a platform for services from various providers, explaining why it has not applied for a banking license.

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Amazon Launches Amex SMB Card, New Prime Features For Businesses

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Amazon Business is bolstering its services for small businesses through a new co-branded commercial card with American Express as well as enhanced Prime features for business users. In an announcement Tuesday (October 23), American Express introduced the Amazon Business American Express Card, offering businesses a streamlined checkout experience when purchasing on the Amazon Business and Amazon.com platforms.

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How CPA Firms Can Profit From Payroll Services Without the Extra Work

"Offer payroll and do it yourself,” they said. “It’ll be fun!” Spoiler alert: It was not fun. Most CPA firms know that they need to offer payroll services to their clients or risk losing them to another firm that will. However, many don’t really want to. It is often time-consuming and complex due to changing tax laws and regulations, and with the growing staffing shortages, most just don’t have the resources.

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Visa Doesn’t View Cryptocurrency As A Business Threat

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Visa’s chief executive officer Al Kelly doesn’t think cryptocurrencies are a threat to its business and is ready to implement systems that support it if it becomes more mainstream. In an interview with CNBC Thursday (October 26), Kelly said there has to be a market where cryptocurrency becomes “somewhat like a fiat currency in order for us to be comfortable,” Kelly said in an interview with “Mad Money” host Jim Cramer, noting that crypto isn’t a threat to its business either in the short or medi

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Ripple Pairs With Three X-Border Payment Cos

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Ripple, the cross-border payments company and backer of the XRP digital token, said Monday (Oct. 1) that xRapid, its cross-border payments platform, is commercially available with three firms signing on as clients. According to a report in Reuters , citing the companies, the three clients that are using xRapid at the launch are Cuallix, Mercury FX and Catalyst Corporate Federal Credit Union. xRapid uses XRP to make faster cross-border payments.

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Nationwide Study: SMB Owners Lax About IoT Security Risk

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For smaller firms, the IoT has its lures and its dangers. The Nationwide fourth annual business owner survey released at the end of last month, which surveyed 1,000 small and mid-sized business owners about their views on cybersecurity, found that an overwhelming majority – 91 percent – use connected technology. But 48 percent of those surveyed are “unconcerned” that devices – ranging from sensors to drones and used across any number of verticals – may boost their likelihood of cyberattacks.

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Fleetcor Beats The Street In Q3, Launches McDonald’s Contactless Payments Collab

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Commercial fleet payments solution provider Fleetcor once again beat Wall Street expectations when it reported its 2018 third quarter earnings data Tuesday (Oct. 30) evening, coinciding with the announcement of a new contactless payment partnership with McDonald’s in Brazil. Total revenues were up 7 percent year over year to $619.6 million, which included a $28 million impact from the adoption of the new revenue recognition standards, ASC 606.

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Recruit and Retain New Blue-Collar Talent

Blue-collar jobs have a branding problem. One company, GEON, partnered with Paycor to find the solution. Learn how to attract, engage, and retain blue-collar employees, helping them build meaningful careers – and support your company’s goals.