January, 2019

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Credit Unions Step Up During Government Shutdown

PYMNTS

There is no shortage of headlines about the partial government shutdown that is now on its 27th day, and no shortage of articles speculating how long it will go on, what will be affected and (most often) what it will take to finally bring it to an end. There is, yet, one simple takeaway from all of them: So far, there is no end in sight. While that can — and hopefully will — change any day now, the reality is that the longer the government remains partially closed for business, the longer 800,00

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Cherry Home CEO: The Future Of Smart Homes And Independent Senior Living

PYMNTS

When talking about advances in home automation and artificial intelligence (AI)-guided systems for consumers, the conversation has a natural tendency to drift toward younger consumers, particularly millennials. That focus isn’t unwarranted, as there are 75 million millennials, and the older half of that generation (the group PYMNTS has termed Bridge Millennials ) is much more likely than the average consumer to own a smart device, and more likely to use it to make a purchase.

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2019: Big Payment, Commerce And Tech IPOs Loom On The Horizon

PYMNTS

Tech companies are taking more time to reach their initial public offerings, with the median gap between their early financing and their IPOs hitting 10.1 years in 2017, up from 6.9 years in 2013, according to a recent estimate. A robust supply of private capital reportedly is one of the main reasons for that, along with corporate cultures that are averse to public markets.

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mPOS At 37,000 Feet

PYMNTS

With the global mobile point of sale (mPOS) market projected to experience a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 18.8 percent from 2017 to 2026, many solution providers are looking to use partnerships as a boost to snag a bigger share of the growing market. Around the mPOS space, providers are teaming up, merging or making acquisitions. In the January mPOS Tracker , PYMNTS charts the latest developments.

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Planning Your Restaurants 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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Amazon Plans Whole Foods Expansions In Closed Sears Stores

PYMNTS

Amazon has its eyes on expansion for its Whole Foods brand in closed Sears and Kmart stores, according to a report by Yahoo! Finance. The recent woes of Sears and other struggling retailers are seen as an opportunity for the online retail giant. Sources told Yahoo! that the company is visiting sites of now defunct retail spaces. For example, Whole Foods managers went to a site in Utah that used to be a Kmart.

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Why Africa Is eCommerce’s Next Great Frontier

PYMNTS

Africa as next great eCommerce frontier? The ingredients for a revolution in payments across the region, fueled by demographics and technology, seem to be there. In an interview with PYMNTs’ Karen Webster, Saqib Nazir, managing director of Africa at Emergent Technology delved into the ways the payments landscape across Africa is ripe for digital and mobile conduits, and a “cash light” mentality that focuses on the needs and desires of a burgeoning and youthful population.

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Fortnite’s In-Game Currency Used In Money Laundering Schemes

PYMNTS

A new report has revealed that Fortnite’s in-game currency is being used to launder money from stolen credit cards. According to a report by The Independent and cybersecurity firm Sixgill , a hacker will access someone else’s credit card information, and then use it to create a Fortnite account and buy V-bucks, which is the game’s currency. Once the account fills up with V-bucks, it is then sold through a legitimate vendor like eBay, or on the dark web, for lower rates that the $10 for 1,000 gam

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Blockchain Makes Inroads Into Banking

PYMNTS

In Asia, blockchain continues to get a boost from government and regulatory efforts, especially in the realm of trade finance done across borders. In one example from the past several days, the China Banking Association (CBA) — the regulatory agency tied to the sector — has launched a new blockchain-underpinned initiative focused on trade finance.

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Stripe Raises $100M, Boosting Valuation To $22.5B

PYMNTS

Stripe, the San Francisco digital payments startup, has landed a $100 million investment from Tiger Global Management, boosting its valuation above $20 billion. According to a report in CNBC , citing The Information, with the $100 million investment by Tiger Global Management , Stripe now has a valuation of $22.5 billion. It comes on the heels of Stripe raising $245 million in a Series E round of fundraising last fall.

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Mastercard Fined $648.3 Million By EU Over Interchange Fees

PYMNTS

Mastercard was slapped with a $648.3 million fine by the European Union, which alleged that the payments company raised the costs of card payments artificially. According to a report in Reuters , citing the European Commission, the bloc’s antitrust regulator, the move is part of an effort on the part of European regulators to stamp out fees that U.S. credit card companies charge.

Retail 82
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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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How AR/VR Tech Is Reshaping Retail

PYMNTS

Before consumers started to trade brick-and-mortar shopping experiences for eCommerce websites, retailers could bring customers through their doors with window displays. Now, with this shift, retailers are creating engaging experiences that digitally-connected consumers can tap into online with the help of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technologies.

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Corporates Step Up To Welcome AI, Blockchain

PYMNTS

In a recent report published by Protiviti and North Carolina State University, analysts found just how important technology and innovation are becoming for corporate executives. Their December 2018 survey found “digital readiness” to be the c-suite’s top priority for 2019, with executives also reflecting their concern that the biggest risks their companies face are intensifying.

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Credit Card Surcharges OK’ed In New York

PYMNTS

New York has banned the ban. In the wake of court filings this week that effectively ended a challenge to surcharges on credit card transactions in New York, merchants in the Empire State can indeed embrace those fees, contingent upon stating those costs to consumers up front. The merchant plaintiffs and the state of New York filed motions on Jan. 8 to dismiss a challenge to such charges, seemingly capping a battle stretching back years.

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Nearly 100 Chinese Tech Startups Hit Unicorn Status In 2018

PYMNTS

China’s startup market had a good year in 2018, with close to 100 technology companies garnering a valuation of more than $1 billion. Known as unicorns, the companies were led by eCommerce and video streaming services, the Financial Times reported, citing data from Hurun’s ranking of China’s top tech companies. According to the report, Hurun, which also produces the annual rich list for China, found there are 186 Chinese tech startups that have valuations of more than $1 billio

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No-Code Technology: The Key to Unlock the Future of Your Business

Global economies are reeling from recent upheavals—pandemic aftershocks, geopolitical conflicts, and a tech sector crunch. Mark Zuckerberg's 2023 "Year of Efficiency" ethos extends into 2024, with leaders seeking cost reductions without stunting growth. No-code technology emerges as a beacon of hope, fostering resilience and adaptability. Platforms like Make.com and Zapier empower even non-technical staff to automate and innovate, freeing IT for strategic tasks.

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Physical Retail Isn’t Dead – The Physical Store Model Is

PYMNTS

It looks like we can finally have a serious conversation about the impending collapse of physical retail in the U.S. All it took was a 160-year old retailer and a $34 billion kick in the stomach to the retail sector to get everyone’s attention. News last week that Macy’s profits would take an unexpected Q4 nosedive set off a retail stock market shock wave that wiped $34 billion in value from the sector.

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2019: The Year Of Instant Payments

PYMNTS

Here’s a 2019 prediction that we guarantee will come true: There will be no human being or business adamantly hoping to be paid slower in 2019 than they were in 2018. We also guarantee that this prediction will hold, regardless of who one is talking about or the use case to which it pertains. That could be the small merchant wanting access to their daily sales on the same day instead of seven days later, the dad who just sent $100 to his college-age kid to buy food for the weekend, an Uber drive

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Deep Dive: Why Smart Cities Should Get Smart About Digital ID

PYMNTS

The rapid rise of smart cities promises to connect citizens with a wide range of municipal services. By some accounts , approximately 70 percent of the world’s population will reside in smart cities by 2050. Citizens in this type of environment will find a host of connected devices designed to enhance their daily routines, such as smart parking meters that help drivers find and pay for parking.

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Why Banks’ Immune Systems Need Both AI And Human Boosts

PYMNTS

As fraudsters become more brazen in their efforts, banks are realizing they need to do more than simply respond to suspicious activities as they find them. Instead, a deeper understanding of fraud — down to its genetic outline — is needed to be truly effective in fighting it. The new Digital Banking Tracker highlights how banks are adopting new approaches to protect their customers and clients from nefarious actors.

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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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Warehouse Robots Pave The Way For More AI Logistics

PYMNTS

Robots have taken their place inside eCommerce and other commerce-related warehouses, and will in the coming years take even larger roles in fulfillment, according to estimates. Hot on their trail are machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) technology — the software and algorithms promising to reduce the risks of overstocking and understocking, and providing other benefits that can boost retailers’ revenue.

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What Australia Can Teach The World About Real-Time Payments

PYMNTS

On the face of it, the lure of real-time payments might seem like an inevitability. The concept is gaining traction and deployment across any number of avenues and several countries. In a recent example, in the U.S., a number of leading tech companies have become vocal in their support of a real-time payments (RTP) network, to be created under the leadership of the Federal Reserve and different from what has been previously proposed by the big banks.

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Fresh Holiday eCommerce Data: Another Nail In Physical Retail’s Coffin?

PYMNTS

Online retail and mobile commerce had their shining moments over the 2018 holiday shopping season — the latest evidence of that comes from Adobe Analytics , which said that U.S. consumers spent a record $126 billion online during that period, above the company’s earlier projection. The new figure comes amid fresh questions coming out of that holiday season about the viability of brick-and-mortar retail sales.

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Blockchain Tries To Jolt B2B eCommerce Into The Digital Age

PYMNTS

The complexities and demands of B2B eCommerce can be significantly greater than those of the consumer digital shopping realm. While that characteristic can be an argument for why it is imperative that B2B commerce goes digital, it’s also one of the biggest reasons why the industry is struggling to make progress. Procurement officials and business professionals may prefer to shop online for their companies today, but only about 10 percent of B2B sales of products and services are online, ac

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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.

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Mastercard To Apply For China Payments License

PYMNTS

Mastercard , the payments company, said late last week that it is still committed to operating in China. In a press release , Mastercard said that it is making every effort to secure the license to access the domestic Chinese market and confirmed it is in active talks with different solutions. Mastercard said it plans to present another application for a bank card clearing license shortly.

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PSD2 Creates Turbulence For Travel Operators

PYMNTS

With PSD2 in full swing in the European Union (EU), any merchant dealing with the payment data of EU citizens must upgrade their payment protocols to stay compliant. That said, the fact that PSD2 is effectively changing how merchants transact doesn’t mean the merchants in question understand what those changes mean. In the January PSD2 Tracker , PYMNTS examines how money movement and data flow are getting an upgrade with PSD2, as well as how the upcoming SCA regulation is bound to affect user au

Retail 78
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New Year, New Blockchain Use Cases?

PYMNTS

The new year brings time for reflection and projection. To that end, any number of analyses are coming in the blockchain arena. According to an article via the MIT Technology Review , this will be the year that blockchain becomes “boring,” with innovative projects that will “bear fruit” this year even amid the declines seen last year in the sector, and in cryptocurrencies.

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No Pain, No Gain? GDPR, PSD2 And The New Payments Reality

PYMNTS

Last year brought the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) deadline, Europe’s attempt to boost online privacy and security for consumers — a law that just resulted in a $57 million fine against Google , which was accused of not doing enough to gain the consent of users when collecting data meant for targeted advertising. This year brings the Second Payment Services Directive ( PSD2 ) deadline, also in Europe, with its designs meant to encourage more security and innovation in the payments

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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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Apple Pay Users In Australia Can Now Choose Visa Or EFTPOS

PYMNTS

Apple Pay, in a move that will let users in Australia skip credit card fees at places that support EFTPOS (electronic funds transfer), now has support for dual-network debit cards, according to reports. Previously, the default Visa payment option had users pay a fee they otherwise wouldn’t have had to fork out if they were using a physical card. The feature, called “Choose Payment Option,” allows an Apple Pay user to decide whether they want to use Visa or EFTPOS on a dual-network card.

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Data Shows Boost In Holiday eCommerce Traffic

PYMNTS

New data shows that eCommerce traffic was up this holiday season, even after Christmas Day. According to the 2018 Holiday Retail Index by Verizon , average daily eCommerce traffic to the top 25 U.S. retailers increased by 7.5 percent year-over-year on Thursday, Dec. 27 and 7.7 percent year-over-year on Friday, Dec. 28. And while there was a 20 percent year-over-year decline in U.S. online retail traffic on Sunday, Dec. 30, eCommerce traffic saw a boost every day compared to the previous year bet

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Ripple Hits Customer Milestone, Eyes X-Border Payments Disruption

PYMNTS

Ripple, the blockchain company that has the XRP digital currency, reached a milestone on Tuesday (Jan. 8) by reaching 200 customers. According to a blog post , Ripple said that in addition to the 200 customers, it has seen a 350 percent increase in customers who are sending live payments over its blockchain platform. The company announced that 13 new financial institutions, including Euro Exim Bank, SendFriend, JNFX, FTCS, Al Ahli Bank of Kuwait, Transpaygo, BFC Bahrain, ConnectPay, GMT, WorldCo

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Mastercard Eyes SMBs As Drivers Of FinTech Competition

PYMNTS

Mastercard has released its latest report on the FinTech landscape, with analysts fixing their eyes on the small business (SMB) community to drive competition and innovation. In its “ What to watch for FinTech in 2019 report ,” developed in conjunction with CB Insights and Mastercard Start Path, Mastercard explores the role of artificial intelligence and open banking in driving the next phases of FinTech innovation.

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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.