Sat.Mar 10, 2018 - Fri.Mar 16, 2018

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Amex Files Blockchain Faster Payment Patent

PYMNTS

American Express has reportedly filed a patent related to faster payments and blockchain technology, reports in CoinDesk said. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office released the patent application filed by American Express Travel Related Services Company, the payment technology firm’s travel unit, which outlines the use of blockchain technology to accelerate payments between two parties.

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What Tax Reform Means for Family Offices

Katz,Sapper&Miller

The structure and dynamics of family offices are often as varied as families themselves. Because of that, the new tax law will impact each family office differently. While there are a number of new tax provisions that should be considered, the following is a summary of the ones that are most likely to impact you and your family.

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BofA On Using APIs To Boost B2B Payments

PYMNTS

If some is good, more is better. That seems to be the idea among banks both big and small when it comes to APIs , as several players from around the financial services industry recently increased their investment in APIs, rolling out new solutions aimed at making B2B payments more efficient. . But it isn’t all about efficiency. Several financial institutions are turning to APIs to provide their corporate clients with new products and services that deliver flexibility and put them in control. .

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How Analytics Can Help Fashion Brands And Retailers

PYMNTS

What does it take for a fashion brand to stay on top of the trends? A lot of market data. But not all brands excel at crawling the web for information relevant to their businesses. “A lot of brands are having a hard time keeping up with the pace of consumer changes,” StyleSage ’s Director of Marketing and Digital Strategy Elizabeth Shobert told PYMNTS in an interview.

Retail 65
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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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Cascade To Power Crypto Card Loading

PYMNTS

This time last year, if a customer asked Cascade about cryptocurrency loading, the startup had to tell them, “We don’t do that.” Its partner banks weren’t supporting the feature, so neither could Cascade. But as more and more people started asking about it, Founder and CEO Spencer Schmerling began to recognize the big opportunity in front of him. That’s why Schmerling said the startup is now launching a crypto loading capability, among other new services and API enhancements.

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Retailers See A Future For Drones Beyond Delivery

PYMNTS

Ever since 2013, when Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos said the eCommerce giant was working on a 30-minute drone delivery program called Prime Air, people have been saying that delivery is the big retail use case for drone technology. Domino’s furthered the point by delivering a pizza by drone in 2016. Regulatory red tape has so far kept either delivery program from becoming a reality, but the technology was there and the value proposition was clear, as retail and logistics companies worldwide struggle to

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BillMo And Walmart Do Money For People Who Don’t Trust Banks

PYMNTS

Moving money across country lines is rarely easy or cheap, and that’s especially true in countries with large un- and under-banked populations, like Mexico. In a country where 60 percent of people choose not to bank due to a cultural mistrust of financial institutions, how can a payments app gain trust and bring value to those citizens by sending money cross-border for $0.99?

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Aggregating The Aggregators: How Ordermark Makes Digital Ordering Work For Restaurants

PYMNTS

Online ordering: the asset that’s a burden, the blessing that’s a curse, the “Can’t live with it, can’t live without it” of restaurant life. There’s a lot to be said both in favor of and against putting one’s menu online, and particularly on third-party aggregation platforms like Grubhub and Uber Eats. Except, not really — not according to Alex Canter, founder of Ordermark.

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Lyft Takes A Page From Netflix, Tests Monthly Subscriptions

PYMNTS

Ride-hailing company Lyft is reportedly testing the availability of monthly subscription plans for customers who use the service a lot. Citing comments Lyft Chief Executive Logan Green made at a press event this week, The Verge reported Lyft could take a page from Netflix and Spotify by bringing a subscription-based model to the transportation market.

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How ‘Mobile-Only’ Audiences Stack Up To ‘Multi-Platform’ Audiences

PYMNTS

While consumers are still using multiple platforms — such as desktop and mobile — “mobile-only” users are on the rise. In fact, “mobile-only” users surpassed 30 percent of users in almost half of the markets studied by comScore in 2017 for its “ Global Digital Future in Focus ” report. “Global digital landscapes continue to evolve in often surprising ways,” Will Hodgman, EVP of International Sales at comScore, said in a press release.

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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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Ripple Wants To Invest In Startups That Can Advance XRP

PYMNTS

Ripple , the blockchain payments company, is gearing up to invest in startups and technology firms that create more uses for its cryptocurrency XRP. In an interview with TechCrunch on the sidelines of Money2020, the payments conference currently being held in Singapore, Brad Garlinghouse, CEO of Ripple, said the company is focused on enabling banks to use its blockchain software offering, while also looking to invest in startups that could provide alternative uses for XRP.

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Small Business Employees, ‘Frenemies’ Threaten Cybersecurity

PYMNTS

Fraud experts warn it could be a business-shuttering mistake to assume an SMB is less susceptible to fraud than large enterprises. An estimated 86 percent of companies around the world experienced at least one cyberattack last year, according to Kroll research, as cited by Insurance Business last week. “The most devastating impacts of a data breach can only be avoided by both working to prevent a breach and by planning and preparing a response before an incident occurs,” Jerry Thompson, senior v

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Emerging Restaurant Delivery Services Take Hold In Small Cities

PYMNTS

Those hungry for takeout in many cities can choose from a variety of restaurant delivery services. But that’s not the case for some cities, such as Youngstown, Ohio. The on-demand economy hasn’t yet taken off in Youngstown, according to Grubdom Founder Jay White, who hopes to change that with a website and forthcoming mobile app that will allow local diners to order grub from local restaurants.

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To Improve Treasury Tech, Target The Developers

PYMNTS

The financial services industry’s sudden support for application programming interfaces (APIs) has people talking about the power of data sharing. Certainly regulations like PSD2 and the U.K.’s Open Banking initiative encourage API development and adoption, with industry players acknowledging the technology’s ability to efficiently comply with data sharing rules.

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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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Aussie Accountants Brace For Industry Disruption

PYMNTS

Australia’s Institute of Public Accountants (IPA) is urging its members to “future-proof” their businesses as the industry heads toward disruption. Reports in Money Management on Thursday (March 15) said the IPA’s Vice President, Sam Zervides, issued a statement encouraging accountants to collaborate and explore value-added services, particularly for small businesses (SMBs).

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Zara Plans To Bring Augmented Reality To Its Stores

PYMNTS

In an effort to attract millennials, Zara plans to integrate augmented reality into its stores this April. The retailer will bring the technology to 120 of its locations around the world, Reuters reported. With the technology, Zara will be able to show models wearing the latest fashions to customers when they put their mobile devices near a sensor within its brick-and-mortar stores or near certain shop windows.

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Payments Firm i2c Opens Op Center In Omaha

PYMNTS

Smart payments and integrated commerce firm i2c said Tuesday that it is opening an operations center in Omaha, Nebraska. That center will be operational during the second quarter of this year. The Omaha location will be used, the company said in a release Tuesday , to expand the account management, operations and client services divisions, and will also be the setting of a network operations center.

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Amazon Launches Debit Card In Mexico To Drive eCommerce Adoption

PYMNTS

Amazon, the leading eCommerce player, has made a push into the financial market in Mexico, rolling out a debit card this week for the first time ever. With Mexicans reluctant to shop online, Amazon is hoping to encourage more of it by providing a new way to purchase things. According to a report in Reuters, the debit card — called Amazon Rechargeable — is aimed at providing a new way to shop over the Internet.

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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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Not All Consumers Are Willing To Use Amazon Key

PYMNTS

While almost 64 percent of Americans trust Amazon , only about 31 percent are willing to use Amazon’s in-home delivery service, InsuranceQuotes.com reported. The willingness of Americans to use the service, which is known as Amazon Key, differs by factors such as gender. While 40 percent of men are willing to use the service, only about 24 percent of women are willing use it.

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The ‘Peril And Promise’ Of Blockchain

PYMNTS

“The important thing to remember here is this is a brand-new, very complicated space,” warned John Oliver on last weekend’s episode of “Last Week Tonight.” “Literally nobody knows how it’s going to develop, so you need to be careful.” Oliver was discussing cryptocurrencies and blockchain on his show, highlighting the massive potential the world of FinTech has touted for the last year or so.

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New Rules For Tech Giants Google, Apple In EU?

PYMNTS

New rules loom in the European Union for tech giants like Apple , Amazon and Google, Reuters reported. The European Commission is at work on a new proposal that aims to shape how online platforms — spanning eCommerce and mobile apps — rank search results. The draft regulation, as quoted by Reuters, targets what might be seen as harmful trading practices and states that “online intermediation services can hold superior bargaining power over their business users, enabling them to behave unilateral

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Today In Data: 55 Percent Of Consumers Shop For Groceries Both Online And Offline

PYMNTS

Today in PYMNTS data, Karen Webster discusses Amazon’s impact on consumers and grocery shopping as a whole. “The gulf between what consumers want and what grocery stores today deliver as consumers move regularly between the online and offline worlds is pretty big,” Webster noted. “On a scale of zero to 100, where zero is, well, zero, and 100 is a perfect score, grocery stores scored a pretty lousy 30, based on consumer responses and a statistical analysis of store features and functionality.”.

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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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Alibaba Partners With Qupital For SMB Financing

PYMNTS

Alibaba is enhancing its relationship with invoice financing company Qupital , reports in AsiaOne on Thursday (March 15) said. Their partnership means Alibaba small business sellers that are members of the platform’s Gold Supplier program will be linked to invoice financing via Qupital. The initiative follows Alibaba’s earlier investment in the alternative lender last May, marking Alibaba Entrepreneurs Fund’s first investment in a Hong Kong company.

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NEW DATA: Smart Tech Makes Street Parking Smarter

PYMNTS

When the parking meter made its grand debut in 1935, it allowed municipalities to collect money in exchange for vehicles to be parked for a set amount of time. Simultaneously, it created the inconveniences of forcing motorists to locate change wedged in between seats to feed the meter, while also keeping track of time to avoid a parking ticket. Thankfully, today’s parking kiosks have moved beyond coin-operated solutions to accept dollar bills, credit and debit cards, mobile wallet and mobile app

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LL Bean Backs Away From The Blockchain

PYMNTS

L.L. Bean had been testing a data collection project that was attempting to determine the viability of the blockchain ledger for attaching sensors to coats and boots. The tests were scheduled to begin earlier this year and involved asking consumers to wear garments that would send information back to the Ethereum blockchain platform, which would have given L.L.

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Supply Chain, Linked and Billed Via Blockchain

PYMNTS

Even at its smoothest, supply chain management is never the easiest of endeavors. Transparency is key, but often is lacking – in part because of far-flung parties, which include both sides of a transaction (buyer and seller, of course) that may be operating across time zones, languages and currencies. Frequently, there are intermediaries involved with financing.

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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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Why Fluidity Is The Future Of Voice AI

PYMNTS

While often painted as hesitant to jump on board with the next big technological advance, banks of all sizes are more than ready to get going with voice-activated AI, says FIS Mobile SVP and group executive Doug Brown. “The demand we are seeing is overwhelming from our banking partners,” Brown told Karen Webster in a recent conversation. “Banks from the biggest player on Wall Street right on down to community banks are absolutely ready for this change and want to get in on the ground floor.

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What The $1B Kiosk Industry Can Do For Hotels And Restaurants

PYMNTS

Kiosks aren’t just for selling tickets or providing customers with another way to order a meal. They can personalize the guest experience too. “Our take on it is that we’re all different,” Bite CPO Steven Truong has said. “Our recognition and learning algorithm allows us to give each guest a different experience — and cater to their personal needs.”.

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Financial Inclusion: Accelerated, Collaborative, Mobile and Global

PYMNTS

Financial inclusion is no mere buzzword in financial services. Call it life-changing, if done right. Everything for the heretofore unbanked and underbanked can improve – beyond mere wealth. Think health, education, quality of life. Stability. In an interview with PYMNTS, Eddie Grobler, executive vice president of ACH Systems and Integration with Vocalink , noted that financial inclusion can help individuals, families and businesses find surer financial footing on a day-to-day basis.

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Uphold Powers Cryptocurrency Payroll

PYMNTS

In the developed world of workers in the United States and Europe, the ability to be paid in cryptocurrency probably would not add all that much to their daily life. It’s novel, of course – and the “ain’t it cool” factor might prompt some people to give it a try. And, of course, there are true bitcoin believers in every nation who want all their earnings, savings and investments in crypto form.

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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.