PYMNTS
DECEMBER 5, 2017
And now, the rise of the machines — or, at least, machine learning. This movement has been a long time coming, as artificial intelligence (AI) is moving ever-farther into real-world business applications where once it was too expensive (or too conceptual) to embrace. Through improving technology and decreasing costs, AI and Big Data are now combining to help firms in the financial sector prevent payments fraud.
Katz,Sapper&Miller
DECEMBER 6, 2017
There is little doubt that blockchain – the newest buzz word in technology – has the potential to change the way transportation carriers interact and transact with each other.
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PYMNTS
DECEMBER 8, 2017
Payment Rails is making its official step into the cross-border payments market through the launch of its application program interface (API) and payment platform, the company said Thursday (Dec. 7). In a press release , Payment Rails said its white label platform supports business payments sent to more than 220 countries in more than 135 currencies.
PYMNTS
DECEMBER 6, 2017
As the financial services industry takes a look back at 2017, a few milestones stand out: the progress of faster and instant payment initiatives. The evolution of blockchain-based services. Collaboration between FinTechs and banks. And, much to the relief of corporates, the continuing focus on B2B payments innovation. Businesses have begun to shed the notion that they are slow to embrace new technologies, and that means the disruptive services and solutions coming out of the financial services s
Speaker: Victor C. Barnes, CPA, MBA
In the climb from contributor to leader, the rules quietly change. But if you’re aiming for the summit, the air gets thinner, and what got you here won’t be enough to get you to the top. 🗻 What made you successful early in your finance career—technical accuracy, sharp analysis, flawless execution—won’t be what carries you to the next level. The higher you go, the more your effectiveness depends on how you connect, adapt, and communicate.
PYMNTS
DECEMBER 5, 2017
The digital economy is here and, for many consumers, it has become a way of life. Direct deposits, push payments, eWallets, same-day ACH transfers, PayPal, Zelle and myriad other platforms and tools are now second nature. But, with this progress comes friction in the form of a payments patchwork. It has these newer, faster methods running across core payments infrastructure that was not built to support so many, so fast.
PYMNTS
DECEMBER 8, 2017
In total, B2B venture capitalists placed (or announced plans to place) $85 million in funding to businesses, with startups in the U.S., Asia and the Middle East taking the lead this week. It was a mixed bag of funding, with a few startups working in more traditional B2B technology, including expense management and SaaS. The others, however, are working with more cutting-edge tech, including bitcoin and artificial intelligence (AI), and just so happened to see the largest funding rounds of the we
Accountant Advocate brings together the best content for small business accounting professionals from the widest variety of industry thought leaders.
PYMNTS
DECEMBER 4, 2017
McAfee Labs recently published its 2018 Threats Predictions report , and after a year of high-profile cyberattacks and data breaches, analysts say the threat won’t let up in the new year. A rising challenge for the enterprise is the fact that cyberattackers are becoming increasingly sophisticated in their methods. According to McAfee, while companies are embracing innovations like machine learning to safeguard their systems, attackers, too, are using these same tools.
PYMNTS
DECEMBER 5, 2017
The public may learn of data breaches much more promptly if three senators get their way on a proposed Senate bill, the Data Security and Breach Notification Act, which was introduced on Thursday, Nov. 30. According to the bill , individuals with knowledge of a data breach within their organization would have to report it within 30 days or face up to five years in prison.
PYMNTS
DECEMBER 7, 2017
Marqeta , the open API payment card issuing platform, and Progressive Leasing, a virtual lease-to-own company, have announced a technology partnership that will enhance the checkout process for Progressive Leasing customers. Progressive, a division of Aaron’s, Inc. , is one of the largest players in the lease-to-own industry. In seeking a partner to provide innovative solutions to help build their future payment checkout roadmap, Progressive will work with Marqeta to issue virtual cards at the p
PYMNTS
DECEMBER 5, 2017
Fitness company SoulCycle is known for its indoor spin classes, and now it could be known for its fashion too. According to news from Bloomberg on Monday (Dec. 4), SoulCycle recently launched a line of workout clothing in collaboration with New York City-based streetwear company Public School. The partnership’s athleisure collection was released during a launch party in downtown Manhattan during a cycling class-turned-fashion-show.
Speaker: Kim Beynon, CPA, CGMA, PMP
The most overlooked, yet most critical, element of transformation is preparing people for change. Automation and AI aren't just technical upgrades, they’re cultural shifts which can challenge identities. That’s why change management isn’t a side project—it’s the foundation. In finance, where precision and process rule, navigating change can feel especially disruptive.
PYMNTS
DECEMBER 8, 2017
Amazon has long avoided troubles with copyright and trademark infringement issues in the U.S. by calling itself a venue through which merchants can sell — not an actual merchant for many of the goods for sale under its umbrella. Amazon can try to police its sellers, but it is ultimately not responsible for whether they follow the law. Various cases have challenged that premise, to little or no avail.
PYMNTS
DECEMBER 4, 2017
U.S. Bank and Visa co-hosted the “Big Hack for Small Business” hackathon over the weekend, with the winner emerging as Big Data 4 Small Business. In tandem with the event, Visa said more than 120 developers traveled to Atlanta to compete in the hackathon, which offered up $18,000 in prizes. Visa said in a release that the focus was on helping small business owners manage inventory procurement and management, eyeing quantity and cost, among other factors.
PYMNTS
DECEMBER 8, 2017
When it comes to delivering a personalized, pleasant experience, the goals of consumers and hospitality operators are completely aligned. Consumers want a great experience – and when they have one, they are inclined to spend more and frequent that establishment more often. Operators – from hotel chains to bars and restaurants to sports arenas – want them to have that great experience, for that reason.
PYMNTS
DECEMBER 5, 2017
When a company is hit by ransomware, the cost of paying the ransom is rarely, if ever, the full cost of the cyberattack. For a small business (SMB) operating without access to flashy, expensive cybersecurity resources, being forced to halt operations entirely while data is being held for ransom can mean thousands of dollars lost and can mean the very future of the business is put in jeopardy.
Speaker: Mark Gilham, FCCA, CPP
Finance used to be the function that counted, now it's the one that’s counted on. 📊 For accounting firms, controllers, and finance leaders, expectations are rising faster than headcount. Businesses want agile forecasts, granular analysis, seamless reporting, and smart automation—often without added resources while demanding uncompromised accuracy and compliance.
PYMNTS
DECEMBER 6, 2017
Nearly every day, it seems, another technology company announces its vision for blockchain. But highly specialized startups aren’t the only ones playing around with distributed ledger technology (DLT). In this week’s Blockchain Tracker , PYMNTS looks at the companies — from banks to diamond giant De Beers — making headway in their own blockchain projects.
PYMNTS
DECEMBER 4, 2017
International payments startup Airwallex is taking steps to link its corporate customers to the U.K.’s Faster Payments scheme. In an announcement on Friday (Dec. 1), the Australian company said it is partnering with with U.K.-based RailsBank, an open banking platform that facilitates connectivity into the U.K. and the EU’s SEPA zones. Through their collaboration, RailsBank customers will also gain access to Airwallex’s cross-border payments and foreign exchange (FX) services.
PYMNTS
DECEMBER 6, 2017
Quick service restaurants (QSRs) are known for getting customers their food fast. For modern, tech-happy customers, however, quickly receiving their burger and fries fixes isn’t always good enough. Not only do patrons want their eatery of choice to offer tasty culinary creations, but they increasingly expect the latest cutting-edge tech, as well. They want to be able to pre-order their meals from their phones (from wherever they may be), pay in advance and skip the line to pick up their ready-to
PYMNTS
DECEMBER 5, 2017
“A couple of years ago, everyone was talking about integrated payments,” WePay CEO Bill Clerico told Karen Webster in a recent conversation. “Now people aren’t just talking about it – they are doing it and focusing in on it.”. That can only mean one thing: The old model of resellers and hardware and using ISOs to acquire SMB merchants is ceding to one that has payments fully embedded into the software these SMBs use to run their businesses.
Advertiser: Paycor
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PYMNTS
DECEMBER 5, 2017
Quick service restaurant (QSR) chain Pizza Hut has begun testing beer delivery at its Arizona locations, according to Tuesday reports from CNBC. Wine delivery is slated for availability in January. The company announced the test delivery service is live in the Phoenix, Arizona, area for consumers aged 21 and older, and will be offering six-packs of Budweiser, Bud Light, Shocktop and locally brewed craft beer during its initial phase.
PYMNTS
DECEMBER 7, 2017
While many foreign firms complain that China is a hard market in which to do business, Walmart-operated Sam’s Club has managed to make some major inroads. The bulk buy retailer has struggled head-to-head in its home country against Costco, but in China, it’s a very different story. Three of the top-performing Sam’s Clubs on Earth are located there, as the brand attracts a certain type of shopper with extreme regularity.
PYMNTS
DECEMBER 7, 2017
The United States hasn’t had a new payment system for 40 years – until now. And, now that the U.S. has had a taste of faster payments, the country’s Federal Reserve wants to push the industry even further into the future. The December edition of the PYMNTS Faster Payments Tracker , powered by NACHA, examines the latest efforts to bring faster payments technology and capabilities to the United States. .
PYMNTS
DECEMBER 6, 2017
The potential for commerce applications to be embedded in a car’s dashboard is great. Who hasn’t fantasized about owning a car that can be told to pay for its own gas at the pump or buy the driver a cuppa job at the drive-thru without having to tap, swipe or really even touch anything? Unfortunately, the gap between that potential and the real-world experience is also great, as voice-activation expert and Sensory CEO Todd Mozer told Karen Webster in a recent conversation.
Speaker: Cheryl J. Muldrew-McMurtry
Distributed finance teams are rewriting how the back-office runs, and attackers are taking notes. Disconnected workflows, process blind spots, and rising cyber threats are more than just growing pains—they’re liabilities. The challenge isn’t just going remote. It’s building resilient systems that protect accuracy, control, and speed across every transaction and touchpoint.
PYMNTS
DECEMBER 6, 2017
The porch pirates have returned for another season of holiday suburban swashbuckling. For those unfamiliar with the term, porch pirates are thieves who cruise neighborhoods looking for unattended eCommerce orders. According to new data from security firm Ring , about 20 percent of eCommerce shoppers have been the victims of porch piracy during the holiday shopping season.
PYMNTS
DECEMBER 4, 2017
A new bill was introduced in the U.S. Senate last week calling for jail time for executives who hide data breaches. As reported by Wired , the bill would result in the imprisonment of executives for up to five years if they don’t report a breach within 30 days of learning of it. According to the report, it’s not clear whether the bill will go anywhere, given that a similar bill in 2014 – prompted by the massive Target breach – attempted to achieve the same goal.
PYMNTS
DECEMBER 7, 2017
When Panera Bread first rolled out its mobile order-ahead service in 2012, the idea was to attract consumers wary of waiting in lines for service. Five years in, the bakery-café chain is taking its restaurant readiness strategy to the next level with voice-enabled mobile ordering offerings. Earlier this month, the St. Louis, Missouri-based company partnered with Google to allow customers to place orders using simple phrases like, “OK Google, ask Panera for delivery,” or “OK Google, talk to Paner
PYMNTS
DECEMBER 6, 2017
[link]. “There has to be a better way.”. They’re the founding words of many entrepreneurs – in this case, Ethan Bernstein, who was just trying to get home after a ski trip while on break from business school. Bernstein was far from a travel novice: Before deciding to leave the work force for business school, he worked for Expedia. One might assume that managing travel and travel snafus would be second nature.
Speaker: Frank Taliano
Documents are the backbone of enterprise operations, but they are also a common source of inefficiency. From buried insights to manual handoffs, document-based workflows can quietly stall decision-making and drain resources. For large, complex organizations, legacy systems and siloed processes create friction that AI is uniquely positioned to resolve.
PYMNTS
DECEMBER 4, 2017
The world seems to spin faster at the holidays. Weeks and hours whirl away, and there always seems to be something going on. This time of year has been no different for these seven startups, all of which have launched new products and features, fielded new investor funding, upped the security ante and, in the spirit of the holidays, generally worked toward payments peace on Earth.
PYMNTS
DECEMBER 7, 2017
Amazon takes another swing at Etsy, Apple catches up in the proprietary Pay game and Facebook matriculates a new generation of social media users with its new Messenger product for kids — this and more of the latest news from the Frightful Five, just in case you missed it. Amazon. In another blow to online artisan marketplace Etsy, Amazon is pushing its own artisanal wares this holiday season by offering last-minute, one- and two-hour Prime Now delivery through Christmas Eve on items from its A
PYMNTS
DECEMBER 4, 2017
Blockchain technology firm XinFin announced Sunday (Dec. 3) that it is integrating a new technology into its Hybrid blockchain, which aims to standardize enterprise-gate blockchains across industries. In a press release , the company said it is adding its XDC01 protocol into its Hybrid blockchain, used by companies so they can “keep their financial transactions private but still verifiable by an immutable record on the public state of blockchain,” explained XinFin CTO Karan Bharadwaj
PYMNTS
DECEMBER 8, 2017
Much changes in a quarter century in any realm — personal and professional — but especially in payments. And especially in cross-border payments , where, amid globalization, currencies shift and businesses connect across time zones, languages and even industries. In an interview with PYMNTS’ Karen Webster and Gary McDonald, CEO of Cambridge Global Payments , discussion hinged on the ways moving money remains a challenge, and how technology has played a role in streamlining some processes.
Speaker: Claire Grosjean, Global Finance & Operations Executive
Finance teams are drowning in data—but is it actually helping them spend smarter? Without the right approach, excess spending, inefficiencies, and missed opportunities continue to drain profitability. While analytics offers powerful insights, financial intelligence requires more than just numbers—it takes the right blend of automation, strategy, and human expertise.
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