PYMNTS
JUNE 6, 2018
Blockchain has issued many promises in the financial services space, vowing improved efficiency, heightened transparency and unmatched security. The debate continues over whether distributed ledger technology can fulfill those promises, but analysts today say that, whether these benefits are actualized or not, markets will have to be patient to find out.
PYMNTS
JUNE 7, 2018
Payments are getting ever faster and global in nature. Real-time payments are becoming part of the landscape. PSD2 is reality and open banking is fostering demand for open APIs. To that end, collaborative efforts between banks and FinTechs are on the rise, where joint programs seek to hasten the availability of technology that dovetails with open banking.
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PYMNTS
JUNE 5, 2018
Millennials are finally moving out of mom and dad’s house and creating their own households, which has increased demand in the housing market. At the same time, supply has taken a hit due to a shortage of skilled labor. Rising mortgage rates and lumber prices are only compounding the problem. This imbalance of supply and demand is proving to be a perfect storm for home improvement chains.
PYMNTS
JUNE 5, 2018
McDonald’s has not had an easy road. It had to continually rebrand itself to keep up with changing consumer sensibilities around health. It has also had to shift strategies to keep up with competition from other QSRs — which is no longer just about the “burger wars” between McDonald’s, Burger King and Wendy’s , but has expanded to the breakfast hour as more chains crowd into the category that — for a while at least — set McDonald’s apart.
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
JUNE 7, 2018
As financial institutions grapple with compliance costs, a finance industry organization in Asia wants regulators to allow new technologies that could help them fight money laundering. For example, the Asia Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (ASIFMA) would like to see more use of know your client ( KYC ) checks to help reduce costs, Reuters reported.
PYMNTS
JUNE 5, 2018
Citi is the first corporate bank to enroll in the U.K.’s Open Banking Directory in an effort to enhance payment and collection services for business clients, the FI said Monday (June 4). Citi announced it is joining the Directory as a Payment Initiation Service Provider (PISP), enabling the bank to pilot payment and collection services for its corporate customers. “We see open banking as a significant development in the banking landscape in Europe and increasingly in other regions, a
Accountant Advocate brings together the best content for small business accounting professionals from the widest variety of industry thought leaders.
PYMNTS
JUNE 7, 2018
Community banking can be one of the most rewarding and most challenging areas of financial services in which to work — that’s the view, anyway, of Rebeca Romero Rainey, president and CEO of Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) , who recently joined the nation’s leading advocacy organization that exclusively represents community banks. Rainey is a third-generation community banker who spent her entire career at all levels of the industry — literally: She grew up in her family bank, sta
PYMNTS
JUNE 8, 2018
IBM is teaming up with Intellect Design Arena to deliver new solutions for corporate banks, according to a press release on Thursday (June 7). The technology conglomerate is deploying its IBM Cloud solution in conjunction with Intellect Global Transaction Banking (iGTB), a provider of corporate banking technology. The two companies will jointly develop applications, cloud services and infrastructure for financial institutions (FIs), while iGTB’s CBX S-18 corporate banking platform will be
PYMNTS
JUNE 5, 2018
Blockchain probably won’t solve all the world’s financial problems, as devoutly as innovators and enthusiasts may hope and believe that it can. At any rate, it’s not going to solve all of them at once with the technology available today. Esther Pigg, SVP Product Strategy of FIS , says blockchain’s potential benefits will instead be discovered gradually, and will change the industry even more gradually.
PYMNTS
JUNE 5, 2018
After launching its CitiConnect application programming interfaces (APIs) last year, Citi ‘s Treasury and Trade Solutions (TTS) continues to expand the platform. Since its rollout, Citi has processed more than 18 million API calls for account balance inquiries, payment initiation and payment status, the company said in an announcement. Through the API, CitiConnect offers information on account statements, direct debits and FX rates, among other data.
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
JUNE 8, 2018
Sun Tzu might approve. As every general and C-suite pseudo-warrior knows, the ancient Chinese military theorist advised that every battle is won before it is ever fought — a saying that highlights the importance of preparation prior to any fight. The recent news that Goldman Sachs is the first financial institution (FI) to sign up with U.K.-based Immersive Labs for its cyber security war games demonstrates the enduring appeal of that adage.
PYMNTS
JUNE 8, 2018
Clarity , a startup that offers small businesses (SMBs) a way to manage their data , announced plans for a token sale before its official launch. Reports in Cointelegraph on Thursday (June 7) said Clarity will sell $50 million worth of its tokens to raise funds before its debut on the market. The company provides a platform for SMBs to manage their own data with added analytics, file sharing, benchmarking and third-party verification services.
PYMNTS
JUNE 7, 2018
Automation may be transforming the procurement department, but when it comes to the buyer-supplier relationship, human interaction is critical. In a survey of B2B buying organizations conducted by SnapApp and Heinz Marketing last year, researchers found that millennial corporate buyers rank their personal relationships with suppliers as the most effective way to evaluate products and services that vendors offer.
PYMNTS
JUNE 8, 2018
To verify payment cards at the point of sale (POS), Mastercard is looking into blockchain technology. In a filing with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), the company said it has devised a process to send and retrieve payment credentials through a “publicly accessible blockchain,” CoinDesk reported. Through a two-way method, the system encodes an encrypted payment card image that is stored on the blockchain with a private and public key.
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
JUNE 6, 2018
In the first service offered by Mastercard after integrating Vocalink last year, and with an eye on real-time payments, Mastercard Send is launching in the United Kingdom. Mastercard said in a release on Wednesday (June 6) that the payments service will make it possible for various stakeholders in the financial realm — ranging from financial institutions, digital customers, FinTech companies and various enterprises — to send real-time payments to U.K.
PYMNTS
JUNE 8, 2018
The Amazon -effect is back at it again in the B2B world. With eCommerce now a mainstay for consumers, B2B eCommerce is quickly coming into the fold, too. There is a lot of money to be earned. Statistics estimates that retail eCommerce sales will hit $4.5 trillion by 2021, a more than 246 percent increase from 2014. B2B eCommerce, on the other hand, is already estimated to enable $7.7 trillion in online sales — about 235 percent more than B2C’s current sales volume.
PYMNTS
JUNE 4, 2018
After applying for a banking license in Europe, Revolut plans to apply for one in United States in the near future. Chief Executive Officer Nikolay Storonsky said the startup could apply for a license in California by the end of 2018, Reuters reported. However, through a banking partner, Revolut plans to roll out services in the U.S. this summer. As of now, the company has five employees in New York and plans to open an office in California.
PYMNTS
JUNE 6, 2018
Everyone has heard of storing data in the cloud, but what about in the briny depths? On Wednesday (June 6), Microsoft lowered a submarine-like data center into the ocean off the coast of Orkney — a group of islands near Scotland — as part of its efforts to boost internet speeds in coastal regions and support the world’s growing reliance on connected technologies, for both business and leisure purposes.
Advertiser: Paycor
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PYMNTS
JUNE 7, 2018
Spending on credit cards will continue to grow, but any issuer that decides to take a breath, instead of crafting creative rewards and going after young consumers, runs the risk of being left behind. That’s according to Chad Peck, vice president of credit product strategy at Fiserv. He recently sat for a discussion with Karen Webster about trends in credit card spending and rewards, for the latest edition of the PYMNTS’ “Walk to the Elevator” podcast series.
PYMNTS
JUNE 7, 2018
U.K. challenger bank Arro Money , which launched its small business bank account service last December, has debuted its newest product designed for sole traders. In an announcement sent to PYMNTS on Wednesday (June 6), Arro Money said it has rolled out its account designed for entrepreneurs that operate independently. According to Arro, sole traders are an underserved demographic in the financial services market, often forced to rely on personal account services with inadequate cash management,
PYMNTS
JUNE 6, 2018
Alternative lending platform BlueVine has announced its latest investment to the tune of $60 million. A press release issued by the company said Menlo Ventures led the Series E equity funding round for BlueVine, which also saw backing from SVB Capital and other investors. BlueVine said it will use the funds to expand its invoice factoring and business line of credit products, as well as to explore new products for small- and medium-sized business (SMB) borrowers.
PYMNTS
JUNE 6, 2018
After reviewing sales practices at more than 40 large and mid-sized banks, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) found multiple systemic issues, along with hundreds of problems at individual banks. With the review, the office found examples of banks opening accounts without proof that consumers gave them permission to do so, American Banker reported.
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
JUNE 8, 2018
Dueling headlines show that when it comes to the gig economy, differing data tell different stories. Citing findings from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), The Washington Post noted that the share of U.S. workers in the gig economy has fallen to 6.9 percent of workers at the end of last year from 7.4 percent in 2005. Based largely on that headline, the assumption is that firms in the gig economy, namely marquee names such as Uber and Lyft, have not rendered the sea change that had been expec
PYMNTS
JUNE 7, 2018
Goldman Sachs is using cyber security war games so that its technology staff will better learn how to fight and prevent threats that could harm the bank and its clients. According to the Financial Times , Goldman is the first financial institution to sign up with U.K.-based Immersive Labs , which offers learning tests and war games on cyber threats.
PYMNTS
JUNE 7, 2018
Corporate Spending Innovations , formerly known as CSI globalVCard, announced on Wednesday (June 6) a partnership with THG Energy Solutions in an effort to digitize corporate payments to their utility providers. THG corporate clients will have access to CIS’s automatic, electronic payment solutions to support payment of utility invoices, the firms said.
PYMNTS
JUNE 7, 2018
Artificial intelligence has received a mixed welcome from corporates exploring how the technology could disrupt their operations. While AI can deliver time and cost savings, automation and actionable insights, executives are also concerned that the tool will displace professionals like accountants and procurement officials. New research suggests, however, that the technology is finding harmony in these two areas of the enterprise.
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
JUNE 5, 2018
Consumers who want to hire a home services professional to, say, fix a broken air conditioner, are sometimes faced with a dilemma: Who do they call for a repair? When on-demand home services platform Lula debuted in 2015, there weren’t a ton of options, but the market has since changed. Large companies, such as Facebook , are now forging partnerships with platforms to bring home service providers onto their marketplaces.
PYMNTS
JUNE 4, 2018
With retail uses as a top driver, International Data Corporation (IDC) projects that worldwide spending on virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) will reach $27 billion in 2018. The estimate marks a 92 percent increase over 2017 spending on the technology, Retail Dive reported. Overall, the market for AR and VR products and services is expected to reach a five-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 72 percent for the years 2017 to 2022.
PYMNTS
JUNE 7, 2018
Adding to its technology efforts, H&M is rolling out a voice-activated mirror in a flagship New York City location. The device offers style recommendations, selfies and a route to eCommerce, Forbes reported. Microsoft, Ombori and Visual Art worked to create the device, which “sleeps” until facial detection technology turns it on. The device then asks the person to take a selfie, which appears on the screen in the style of a magazine cover.
PYMNTS
JUNE 7, 2018
The landscape in SMB lending is almost totally unrecognizable from what it was even a short five years ago, BlueVine founder and CEO, Eyal Lifshitz, told Karen Webster shortly after his firm’s latest $60 million funding round was announced. Though today most businesses are both comfortable and familiar with borrowing from an online lender, that would have been the territory of early adopters just five years ago.
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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