Sat.Dec 31, 2016 - Fri.Jan 06, 2017

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Blockchain Starts 2017 With A Bang

PYMNTS

Whether you believe the hype or not, blockchain technology is attracting massive investments, exploration and competition across the globe. In the last week alone, top players in the distributed ledger space have made progress in their own initiatives, from membership growth within blockchain consortia to the pursuit of distributed ledger-related patents by top banks.

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An Indiana Legislative Call-to-Action

Katz,Sapper&Miller

Indiana has had a lot of economic development success in recent years, and much of the foundation for this success is the result of actions taken by the Indiana legislature to modify Indiana’s tax structure.

Indiana 40
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KPMG Touts The Progress Procurement Has Made

PYMNTS

As the old joke goes, for corporate professionals, the procurement department is where you go to retire. Indeed, said KPMG ‘s Procurement and Operations in the Americas Practice Leader Samir Khushalani, historically, procurement has been viewed within the organization as a cost center that deals with straightforward transactions. And while technology progressed, with solutions providers developing company-wide infrastructure for businesses to manage all aspects of procurement, Khushalani

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Chatbot Tracker: Implementing Chatbots in 2017

PYMNTS

Heading into the new year, most everyone, retailers included, is looking within to enhance our lives and businesses from knowledge already ascertained and move that understanding forward. In the retail space, experts say the chatbot may be one of the best things a merchant can add in 2017. “Creating better real-time customer experiences based on conversational interfaces.

Retail 63
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How to Build the Ideal HR Team

HR doesn’t exist in a vacuum. This work impacts everyone: from the C-Suite to your newest hire. It also drives results. Learn how to make it all happen in Paycor’s latest guide.

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FinTechs In Canada Getting Lots Of VC Love

PYMNTS

Canadian financial technology companies backed by venture capitalists reached a level not seen in nearly two decades, despite a slowdown of investment dollars flowing into FinTechs in the U.S. According to a report by Reuters , while FinTechs may not be red hot in the U.S., in Canada , they are breathing new life into the startup market and have drawn in a new crop of venture capital funds in Canada that are looking for young FinTech companies.

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MagicCube, Sequent And Splitting The Data Security Difference

PYMNTS

Hackers — in case anyone was still left wondering — are not going anywhere anytime soon. The environment is simply too rich with targets. And given the tens of billions of IoT devices expected to be logging on — and possibly logging into payments functions — the environment is only getting richer and more tempting. And in an age where cybercriminals seem to be ubiquitously lurking at all times, security becomes every merchant’s, issuer’s, card network’s and consumer’s problem.

Gaming 62

More Trending

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Employee Password Reuse A Top Concern For IT Execs

PYMNTS

IT professionals say the reuse of passwords by company employees is a significant concern, reports said Monday (Jan. 2). A new survey by Gemalto found that 90 percent of IT professionals are concerned about employees reusing passwords they use for personal accounts in their professional lives, researchers said. Still, 68 percent of those surveyed said they would be fine with having an employee use the same passwords for personal social media accounts and company accounts.

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More Holiday Shoppers Made Mobile Purchases This Season

PYMNTS

Consumers aren’t just using their mobile devices to browse; they are also making purchases at a higher rate, according to NetElixir. According to a report , citing data from search marketing firm NetElixir, the conversion rate from mobile devices during the holiday season increased to 1.45 percent from 1.15 percent in the year-earlier period. NetElixir, which based its analysis on 90 million visits to retailer websites, said consumers are still spending more when shopping on desktops compared t

Sales 60
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New Sleep Technology Care Of … Tom Brady?

PYMNTS

Quite possibly the sleeper hit of the Consumer Electronic Show (CES) 2017? Three-time Super Bowl MVP, four-prime Super Bowl Champion, legendary New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady. Or at least his new technology. Beyond his NFL talents and with his wife, Gisele Bundchen, he has become known for focusing on a stringent and healthy lifestyle. Earlier this year, the couple released the $200 TB12 Nutrition Manual that instructs staying away from sugar, white flour, olive oil, iodized salt, to

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African Dictator’s Son Stands Trial For Money Laundering

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Amid several investigations by France into how several African leaders acquired their wealth, the vice president of Equatorial Guinea, Teodorin Obiang, is now on trial for money laundering and corruption, Forbes reports. The trial got under way after the United Nations denied a request by Equatorial Guinea at the end of last year to halt proceedings on the argument that Obiang is covered by diplomatic immunity.

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Planning Your Restaurant's 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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Are Restaurants Ready To Let mPOS Solutions Serve Them?

PYMNTS

For millions of Americans, opening and running a restaurant is the ultimate achievement of the American Dream. But while creating your own business and being your own boss may sound like fun, keeping that dream alive requires business savvy, and whether restaurant owners want to admit it or not, it also usually requires a helping hand from technology.

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Logistics Consortium Forges Path In Blockchain

PYMNTS

A Netherlands-based consortium exploring logistics and supply chain technology will begin to look at blockchain in its efforts, reports said Friday (Dec. 30). The consortium, headed by TKI Dinalog, is made up of 16 companies that will consider blockchain in ways to improve supply chain logistics and reduce supply chain footprints, according to reports.

Finance 55
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eCommerce Platform Magento Scores $250M

PYMNTS

Open-source eCommerce platform provider Magento Commerce recently snagged a whopping $250 million in new funding from one of China’s largest investment firms, Hillhouse. This latest fundraising puts Magento Commerce’s valuation at more than $700 million, according to a person familiar with the deal. In a statement, Magento Commerce said that the new money will fund a global expansion, particularly in Asia, of both its sales and marketing operations.

Sales 55
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In Retail, Are Rewards Their Own Reward?

PYMNTS

Retail is a dog-eat-dog world, operating at times on the thinnest of margins. The fact remains that price is a competitive advantage or threat, depending on which side of the pricing war you’re on. Rewards can help lure customers to a brand and keep them there. In a recent survey by Vantiv and Socratic Technologies, across 500 consumers, findings indicated that these buyers held, on average, 2.1 credit cards, 1.3 debit cards and 1.3 store affinity cards.

Retail 55
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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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Xoom Expands In Asia To Make It Easier To Send Money To Japan

PYMNTS

Xoom, a digital money transfer provider, announced Tuesday (Jan. 3) it is expanding its services in Asia as a way to make it easier for U.S. residents to quickly send money to Japan. In a press release , Xoom said, by expanding to Asia, people can send money via a mobile phone, tablet or a computer. The money is directly deposited into the recipient’s bank account and can be accessed 24/7 throughout the year.

Account 54
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Hacker Tracker: Call Center Scams, Password Reuse Dangers

PYMNTS

It never takes long for cybercriminals to find new avenues to perpetrate fraud. Like the old saying goes, when one door closes, a window opens. In India, call centers are becoming a prime launching point for fraudsters to target Americans, while the advertising industry is dealing with the continued threat of the elaborate Methbot scam. All the while, people who continue to reuse passwords are potentially making the job of fraudsters much easier than it has to be.

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Indonesian FinTechs Face New Regulations

PYMNTS

FinTech firms operating in Indonesia and running peer-to-peer lending businesses may face new regulations from the Indonesian Financial Services Authority (OJK). According to a report in the Jakarta Post , Finextra confirmed, the OJK has introduced new rules that require these FinTechs to have a minimum of Rp1bn ($74,239) when registering with the agency as well as capital of Rp2.5bn in order to apply for a business license.

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Barclays First To Enable Nearly Instant SME Loans Via App

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Barclays has hit a new milestone in U.K. banking. The financial institution is the first to offer nearly instantaneous small business loans via a mobile app, reports said Thursday (Jan. 5). Of course, the loans aren’t exactly instant, but they’re pretty close. Reports said Barclays can provide an SME with financing within 60 minutes, with loans ranging up to £25,000 (about $30,000).

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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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The Traditional Payments Player Role In The FinTech World

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The payments space is filled with so much innovation — and new entrants eager to use that innovation to deliver a revolution to the industry — that it can be hard to see exactly where existing players fit into that vision. While it may seem that traditional payments companies only have the option to hop on board with the change or get left behind, Joby Orlowsky, VP of business growth and development for Discover Global Network , shared a broader view of the role that existing payment organizatio

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Data Enablers: Thinkwrap, Growing eCommerce Opportunities

PYMNTS

Every business knows that there is more to eCommerce than just having a website. But how to make that website cull more revenue, increase online and in-store traffic and tailor the experience to the customer is where data can help retailers — especially in this ever-growing omnichannel world. “Our specialty is in helping brands in their digital transformation efforts to enable an omnichannel buying experience,” said Jason Maloney, VP of business development at Thinkwrap Commerce.

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How MoneyGram Used Digital Enablement To Power Growth

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As the payments ecosystem continues to evolve and grow with the help of new technologies and innovation, the way money moves around the world has also transformed. Peter Ohser, chief revenue officer of Americas and Europe at MoneyGram International , pointed out that, while there are many things driving the company’s business, the impact of digital is having lasting effects on the evolution of the global remittance landscape.

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Bitcoin Breaks $1,000

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Given the past few days, it seems like 2017 could be a banner year for bitcoin. Bitcoin broke past $1,000 in value on its first day of trading in 2017. This marks the first time in three years that the cryptocurrency has been so valuable. At the time of writing, the price of bitcoin sat at $1,027.05. These figures are the highest bitcoin has been since its $1,216.70 peak in 2013, just weeks before the Japanese bitcoin exchange Mt.

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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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CES (And Why It’s Secretly All About Mobile Pay)

PYMNTS

For most of the year, Las Vegas is something of a specific taste. If one happens to love gambling, showgirls or extremely bright lights, it is a lot of fun. If one happens to dislike one or all of those things, Las Vegas is more or less a perfect approximation of hell on Earth. But for the last half-century, for one week a year — the first week — Las Vegas literally and actually has something for everyone because the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) comes to town.

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India’s Call Centers Are Becoming Avenues To Scam Americans

PYMNTS

India’s sprawling customer service industry isn’t only there to help Americans with their legions of questions and complaints. Increasingly, it is designed to scam consumers. According to a report by The New York Times highlighting the scams , a call center worker in India recently contacted Betsy Broder, who tracks international fraud at the Federal Trade Commission, and alerted her to a scam in which everyone in the call center impersonated Internal Revenue Service officials and demanded im

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Google And Facebook Are Killing AdTech Funding

PYMNTS

The “Facebook-Google duopoly” has crashed funding for advertising technology start-ups to five-year lows, according to reports emerging this morning. All in all, there were 343 adtech venture deals in 2016 — a 17 percent drop compared with the 414 deals made in 2015. The value of the funding is down too – worth $3.2 billion in 2013, and only $2.2 billion in last year.

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Cab Glut In The Big Apple Hints At Ridesharing As Salve?

PYMNTS

Is the Big Apple overrun with one of its ubiquitous signifiers — the yellow cab? CNNMoney reported recently on an MIT study, which, earlier this week, said that a staggeringly low number of four-person cabs/sedans — how about 3,000? — would be adequate to cover as much as 98 percent of the riding demand that exists city-wide. Contrast that 3,000-car fleet with the 13,600 taxis and 45,000 drivers tied to Lyft, Uber and other ride-hailing services that currently putter about the city, and it seem

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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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Hyundai To Showcase Blue Link Agent’s Compatibility With Google Assistant

PYMNTS

Hyundai is gearing up to demonstrate the compatibility of its Blue Link Agent with Google Assistant during Pepcom’s Digital Experience ahead of the Consumer Electronics Show, which is the annual tech confab in Las Vegas that kicks off today (Jan. 4.). In a press release , Hyundai said the demonstration will show how Blue Link Agent allows control of various functions of a Hyundai car with voice commands — commands such as “OK, Google, tell Blue Link to start my Santa Fe and set the temperature t

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REI Takes Contextual Commerce Outside For A Walk

PYMNTS

Imagine that the sun is shining, the birds are chirping and there is absolutely no reason to be inside. It’s time to be adventurous. REI is using the opportunity to convert you into a customer. Let’s say the customer wants to hike. The problem is: They don’t know what to do or where to go. With the suite of REI mobile apps, that problem is solved, thanks to its recent acquisition of Adventure Projects.

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India’s Modi Makes Thank You Speech, Announces New Initiatives

PYMNTS

India Prime Minister Narendra Modi defended his move to ban high-denomination bank notes in a televised speech in which he announced incentives to help the poor, farmers, women and small businesses. According to a report by Reuters , Modi made the televised speech last week in which he thanked Indians for hanging in with the currency moves. “In this fight against corruption and black money, it is clear that you would like to walk shoulder to shoulder with us [the government],” Modi said, accord

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Alexa’s Big 2017 Entrance

PYMNTS

Amazon had an extremely happy holiday season in 2016. According to reports from Slice Internet, 37 percent of all online traffic during the annual commerce crush went to Amazon. This is an impressive figure on its own, made more so by the fact that none of its nearest competitors — Best Buy, Target and Walmart — so much as cracked double digits. And while the official sales data has yet to be released by Amazon, the eCommerce giant did note that 2016 was the “best holiday season ever,” along wit

Sales 48
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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.