Sat.Aug 11, 2018 - Fri.Aug 17, 2018

article thumbnail

Why Belgium Can Be A Good ‘Test Market’ For FinTech Firms

PYMNTS

Belgium, which is home to many European Union (EU) institutions, is also a burgeoning FinTech hub. The country has the fifth-highest number of FinTech deals in Europe, according to an analysis from Belgium-based European FinTech platform B-Hive. The average FinTech deal size in the region is doubling, but B-Hive noted a decrease in the number of deals.

Maine 87
article thumbnail

Principal Versus Agent: Which Are You?

Katz,Sapper&Miller

The Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) has implemented one of the most extensive changes to revenue recognition standards in its history with the issuance of Accounting Standards Update (ASU) No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers. As entities address and apply the standard’s provisions, one key element they must determine is how to report their revenues.

Insiders

Sign Up for our Newsletter

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Trending Sources

article thumbnail

Moving Past The Myths Of Payments Innovation

PYMNTS

All you need is a hot idea and some funding. All you have to do is listen to what consumers say they want. The big players have an inherent advantage. Meetings suck the creativity out of any worthwhile project. Those are some of the common myths of innovation , and they apply to the payments world. At best, they are superficially true, ne’er-do-well siblings of cliché.

Maine 76
article thumbnail

ICO Investors Fall For Exit Scams, Phishing

PYMNTS

The founder of crypto startup Savedroid , which just raised $50 million in an initial coin offering (ICO), posted two photos on his Twitter account a few months ago — one of him at an airport and another one of him at the beach. The caption? “Thanks guys! Over and out.” While it seems that Savedroid Founder Yassin Hankir pulled off a fake “exit scam,” the real ones are becoming a problem.

article thumbnail

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.

article thumbnail

In FinTech, The Race for Patents (And More)

PYMNTS

In technology, innovation, of course, is as critical as oxygen, fueling the “next big thing” and boosting top and bottom lines. And shoring up that “next big thing” comes with patent filings, part of the arsenal of protecting intellectual property, shepherding concept to reality. And, according to Cipher , a data insights firm based in the United Kingdom, in FinTech, the patent race is one that is seeing some clear winners, among them large tech firms, with traditional banks trailing.

B2B 75
article thumbnail

Zoho Expense Integrates With Uber For Business Travelers

PYMNTS

Zoho , the maker of an operating system for businesses, announced on Thursday (Aug. 16) that it will automatically import Uber for Business trip receipts into Zoho Expense, its expense reporting and tracking software. In a press release , Zoho said that with direct integration between the Uber and Zoho apps, business travelers don’t have to manually forward Uber receipts to Zoho Expense.

More Trending

article thumbnail

FBI Warns Banks About Widescale ATM Cash-Out Scam

PYMNTS

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has issued a warning to banks that cybercriminals are gearing up to launch a choreographed global scam, known as the “ATM cashout,” in which the bad guys hack a bank or payment card processor to make cloned cards that they can use to withdraw money from ATMs around the globe. According to a Krebs on Security report, citing a confidential alert the FBI sent to banks late last week, millions of dollars can be stolen in only a few hours.

audit 58
article thumbnail

Best Buy Plans To Buy GreatCall For $800M

PYMNTS

To continue to tap into the connected-home market, Best Buy plans to purchase GreatCall, Inc. for $800 million. The retailer expects that the deal will close by the end of the third quarter, Bloomberg reported. GreatCall makes emergency-response systems and smart phones geared towards seniors. The firm has over 900,000 subscribers, between its wearable devices and Jitterbug mobile phones.

article thumbnail

Zelle Eyeing Expansion Into Small Business Payments

PYMNTS

Zelle , the digital payment app that enables consumers to send money to friends and family, is gearing up to expand its offering to enable customers to pay small businesses. Bloomberg, citing people familiar with the situation, reported Zelle is in the process of enhancing its risk assessment tools as part of the effort to make it safe for people to pay small businesses.

Maine 50
article thumbnail

Food In Flight: Delivering Mobile Orders By Drone

PYMNTS

Food delivery is a $13 billion business in the U.S., one seeing growing interest from various players, ranging from delivery service companies like Deliveroo to ride-hailing giants like Uber. But while innovation is largely focused on making ordering and paying seamless, delivery times remain high, leaving customers frustrated and resulting in restaurants missing out on opportunities to fill more orders.

article thumbnail

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

article thumbnail

Fintechs Are Going After Borrowers With Poor Credit

PYMNTS

FinTechs are going after another financial market void, this time providing loans to customers with low credit scores. According to a report in the Wall Street Journal , citing the market research firm Competiscan, LendUp Global and Fair Square Financial are among the FinTech startups that are going after borrowers who have less than stellar credit, sending out about 35 million credit card offers in the mail in the first six months of 2018.

Finance 44
article thumbnail

Next-Level Robotics Arrives, But Enterprises May Not Be Ready

PYMNTS

First, there was automation, then robotics process automation (RPA). As the enterprise makes its way through the Industry 4.0 age of automation and data sharing, analysts say there is yet another wave ahead, combining smart technologies to make businesses more efficient. Industry 4.0 is the term given for the current trend of automation within the enterprise.

article thumbnail

Bots Enter The Uncharted Territory Of Accounting Compliance

PYMNTS

Bots are marching steadily into the corporate accounting department as professionals feel more comfortable handing tasks to a machine. Since automation technologies have taken some of the burden of monotonous activities away from accountants, the profession has exchanged some of its anxiety about robots replacing their jobs with support for enhanced functionality and efficiency — though, not entirely.

account 44
article thumbnail

TRENDING: Making Mobile Order-Ahead Appealing To App-Weary Customers

PYMNTS

Not every consumer wants to add yet another app to their mobile phone. In fact, smartphone users aged 35 to 54 delete their existing apps more frequently than they download new ones, according to a recent report. That’s a problem for fast-casual and quick-service restaurants (QSRs), which are betting on apps to boost mobile ordering. In the August Mobile Order-Ahead Tracker , PYMNTS explores how restaurants and service providers alike are working to find new ways to reach app-weary customers, in

article thumbnail

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.

article thumbnail

Credit Karma Buys Online Mortgage Company

PYMNTS

Approved, the online mortgage platform company, announced Thursday (Aug. 16) in a blog post that it has been acquired Credit Karma. In a blog post , Approved Chief Executive and Founder Andy Taylor said that with the acquisition, Credit Karma is gearing up to build a consumer-facing digital mortgage platform for its 80 million members. “We started Approved with a vision that borrowers could visit an open house not having even talked with a lender, find the home of their dreams and get full

article thumbnail

Walmart, Home Depot And Macy’s Beat Q2 Earnings Expectations

PYMNTS

After what feels like years writing about the ongoing retail apocalypse, it is just a touch surprising to see retail do so well this week — especially physical retail. But, much like the the dog days of summer, physical retail has been undeniably on fire as earnings results have started to roll in. The people, it seems, are a spendin’ — and they are even going to the stores to do it.

Retail 43
article thumbnail

A New Echo Hack Unearthed At Defcon

PYMNTS

Defcon , the annual hackers conference, has turned up a new security concern in smart speakers like the Amazon Echo. Two presenters at the conference, Tencent’s Wu HuiYu and Qian Wenxiang, offered a presentation called Breaking Smart Speakers: We Are Listening to You , which detailed how they had both hacked into an Echo and turned it into a bugging device that could be used to spy on its users.

Indiana 43
article thumbnail

Citigroup’s Jud Linville To Leave As Part Of Executive Reshuffling

PYMNTS

Citigroup announced Monday (Aug. 13) that Jud Linville, CEO of global cards and consumer services, will leave the bank as part of executive reshuffling. According to a report in CNBC , Citigroup is overhauling the executives in its global consumer banking businesses and, as a result, Linville will leave. David Chubak, head of global retail banking and mortgage, will be in charge of the global-branded cards and the consumer lending business, reported CNBC.

Retail 43
article thumbnail

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.

article thumbnail

US Inflation Balloons: 2.9 Pct Over Past 12 Months

PYMNTS

Core inflation spiked 2.9 percent over the last 12 months, essentially flattening wage gains that had edged into the last several months’ economic reports. The July jump is the biggest pick-up the index has seen in a decade, and is considered another piece of evidence that the Federal Reserve should proceed carefully with an interest rate increase.

article thumbnail

New Guinness Brewery On Tap In Maryland

PYMNTS

To bring a beer tour and tasting experience to its customers, Guinness has opened a $90 million brewery in Maryland. The location is the company’s first new brewery in 60 years, CNBC reported. The brewery, which is located just outside of Baltimore, may bring in 300,000 visitors a year to its facilities, which are said to include a brew house, restaurant, tap room and gift shop.

article thumbnail

Can Millennials Drive Mobile Payments For Gas?

PYMNTS

43 percent : That is the amount of high-income millennials who said they would be more likely to visit a gas station if its app offered them convenience, loyalty and savings. Fueling up vehicles and mobile apps seems, on the surface, like a natural, obvious pairing. After all, drivers are often in a hurry, and topping off the gas tank is one of those chores that no one really likes to do.

Sales 42
article thumbnail

How The Gap Hopes To Capture Consumers With A More Open Take On Loyalty

PYMNTS

Loyalty rewards for shoppers are not new to the Gap , or its associated brands, Banana Republic, Athleta and Old Navy. For those who carry either the branded Gap card, or the Gap Mastercard (or anyone who has ever been part of a retail rewards program), the offerings are fairly familiar. Shoppers who use their Gap card get a discount (10 percent off in-store and online), accrue points and enjoy perks like free shipping, exclusive offers and events.

Retail 42
article thumbnail

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.

article thumbnail

The Changing Omnichannel Expectations Of Consumers

PYMNTS

Traditional brick-and-mortar retailers are rolling out omnichannel options. To that end, Home Depot has been installing lockers in many of its locations to allow customers who place online orders to easily pick up their merchandise at the store. The move enables the retailer to get items to online customers right away, instead of having them wait for their purchases to be delivered to their home and comes as “[customers] want as many options as you can possibly give them,” a Home Depot spokes

article thumbnail

letgo CEO: How AI Helps Reinvent The Secondhand Marketplace

PYMNTS

What’s old is new again, kind of — or how about secondhand goods and first-rate funding? Funding of $500 million is affirmation, it seems, of a marketplace that underpins the buying and selling of used goods. Online firm letgo , which brings sellers who want to unload secondhand items to interested buyers, said this month that it closed a $500 million funding round from Naspers , a South Africa-based internet and media firm.

Sports 42
article thumbnail

As Bill Payments Go Digital, The Rental Industry Still Lags

PYMNTS

More than 50 percent : That’s the amount of U.S. bills paid online. As eCommerce continues to rake in revenue — global sales volume topped $2.3 trillion in 2017, and that could nearly double by 2021 — online billing platforms are rushing to incorporate payment processing capabilities into their offerings. That’s according to the new “ Payments Powering Platforms Tracker ” from PYMNTS.

article thumbnail

CITCON Rolls Out Cross-Border Payments At Mall Of America

PYMNTS

To help Mall of America merchants engage with Chinese consumers, CITCON has teamed up with the shopping complex to offer stores a cross-border mobile payments system. The feature will be offered in merchandise shops, Nickelodeon Universe and guest services, CITCON said in an announcement. “Chinese consumers have become accustomed to the idea of doing everything on mobile,” CITCON Founder and CEO Chuck Huang said in the announcement. “Accepting the familiar and preferred mobile payme

article thumbnail

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.

article thumbnail

Bank Of China And China UnionPay Unveil Blockchain Partnership

PYMNTS

To look into blockchain payment applications, Bank of China (BOC) is teaming up with China UnionPay. The tie-up was fueled by regulatory requirements as well as market demand, and provides opportunities for cross-border payments, Cointelegraph reported. The two companies are seeking to look into distributed ledger and big data technology to update products for mobile banking.

article thumbnail

Drivers Are Ready To Engage In Commerce During Commutes

PYMNTS

83.2 Percent. That’s the percentage of commuters who would engage in commerce if that function was integrated into their cars and trucks. That compares with 51.2 percent of drivers who use a connected device to order and pay for things as they as go about commuting to and from work. Source: Digital Drive Report, a PYMNTS.com/Visa collaboration. Technically, connected vehicles are already here.

Retail 41
article thumbnail

NEW REPORT: US Bank On Fraud-Fighting AI

PYMNTS

Businesses in nearly every industry need to worry about risks, especially when it comes to fraud and security. But those dangers are even more pressing in the banking industry, where bad actors are increasingly attacking financial institutions (FIs) on multiple fronts, and using multiple techniques. In response, FIs from around the space are rolling out new innovations and turning to artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), investing $19.1 billion in emerging technologies, hoping

article thumbnail

Coinbase Snares Patent To Help Secure Bitcoin Transactions

PYMNTS

Coinbase, the cryptocurrency exchange, has snagged a patent that looks to bring a measure of security to payments done over bitcoin. As reported by several media outlets, including ones focused on cryptocurrencies such as CoinDesk , Coinbase’s efforts were published in a filing earlier this week. The overarching theme of the patent is one where a payment portal would foster bitcoin payments done directly, as CoinDesk notes, from digital wallets.

41
article thumbnail

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.