Sat.Dec 01, 2018 - Fri.Dec 07, 2018

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What An Alleged NSA Hack Reveals About Payments Cybersecurity

PYMNTS

Not to ruin your holiday spirit, but let’s start this story with the cold and brutal truth: One of the largest risks that payments and commerce operators face in 2019 is being called to account by government officials, regulators or media about a failure to secure their organizations from cyberattacks. The past year brought a significantly increased focus on the security and privacy of online data, with not only consumers paying more attention to the issue but (much more importantly) lawmakers h

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Tax Reform and Year-End Considerations: What You Need to Know

Katz,Sapper&Miller

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) was the most sweeping overhaul of the U.S. tax code in more than three decades, and its changes will impact nearly every 2018 federal income tax return. As the year draws to a close, now is the time to consider year-end tax planning strategies to help you maximize deductions and minimize your tax bill – for this year and the year ahead.

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Ripple Forms Blockchain For Europe Association With Other Players

PYMNTS

Ripple, the blockchain company that owns XRP, the digital currency, has joined forces with NEM, Fetch.AI, and EMURGO/Cardano to create a new association that represents the interest of blockchain and cryptocurrency business in Europe. According to a report in The Next Web , the group, dubbed Blockchain for Europe, says its the first unified voice for the industry in Europe.

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Why Consumers Will Shrug Off The Marriott Breach

PYMNTS

In 1954, mathematician L.J. Savage published research about how consumers process information when making decisions. Dubbed the sure-thing principle , Savage’s work showed that consumers consider a variety of inputs when making decisions. They also mentally bucket – and then disregard – inputs that may be important, but not important enough to change their minds about something they really want to do.

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Elevating Accounting Practices: The Power of Outsourcing and Automation in the Digital Age

Speaker: Nancy Wu, Head of Sales and Customer Success at SkyStem

Join us for an enlightening webinar as we delve into the transformative realm of modern accounting practices. In today's digital age, the convergence of outsourcing and automation has revolutionized how businesses manage their financial operations. In this webinar we will explore the synergistic potential of these two strategies to streamline processes, enhance accuracy, save cost and drive strategic decision-making.

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The Security Threat Of Bank-FinTech Collaboration

PYMNTS

When the data of 15 million T-Mobile customers was stolen in 2015, the mobile firm’s CEO immediately went into damage control mode. John Legere released a statement when the news broke, offering customers access to free credit monitoring and identity resolution services, and emphasizing the company’s efforts to assist clients concerned about their privacy.

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TSYS On How Payments Power Rewards, And Rewards Power Loyalty

PYMNTS

Loyalty has come a long way in the payments realm, from the days when strict terms of rewards programs were more frustrating than enticing for consumers. Gone are the days when you had to redeem points for miles and miles for flights – but only if you were flying two years from that day, on the second Thursday in March, at 7:30 p.m., with the condition that you make three stops before finding your way to the final destination.

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Intel, Nasdaq Back Crypto Startup BOX’s Supply Chain Finance Launch

PYMNTS

China cryptocurrency startup BOX is introducing supply chain financing services for corporate users with the help of Intel , Nasdaq and Baidu Cloud. In a press release issued Monday (Dec. 3), BOX announced the rollout of its BOX Ecosystem, a suite of new services for businesses from the crypto wallet company, at a launch event at the Shanghai Film Plaza.

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CFOs Held Back From Driving Digital Transformation

PYMNTS

Like many positions in corporate finance, the role of chief financial officer (CFO) is facing new pressures in a climate of innovation and novel challenges, from cybersecurity to geopolitical events. It’s a shift that’s been happening for years. However, as the market looks ahead to 2019, corporate finance leaders will continue to face even more, newer hurdles to meet the demand for strategic leadership within the enterprise. “The CFO role has evolved over the last several year

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Is #donate The First Step To #buy?

PYMNTS

By almost any measure, John Gossart , COO and Co-founder of fundraising resource Goodworld , has done more than his fair share of public service. He served two decades in the military and government, eventually working in a Department of Defense counter-terrorism post that took him to Pakistan, Yemen, Iraq and other countries. That is, until he decided, in his own words, that “the counter-terrorism world became more of a younger man’s game.

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Marriott CFO On Cost Of Massive Data Breach: Too Soon To Say

PYMNTS

After one of the largest data breaches in history, affecting an estimated 500 million guests , Marriott International Chief Financial Officer Leeny Oberg said the attack is too recent to estimate how much it will cost the company, and that it’s hard to compare attacks between other companies and Marriott, according to a report by Bloomberg. The company was made aware of the attack in September, after an alert from an internal security tool.

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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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Blockchain Banking, In NY And Done In Real Time

PYMNTS

Banking in blockchain – with real-time payments as a kicker? CoinDesk reported this week that Signature Bank , which is based in New York, is debuting a digital payments platform that is built on blockchain – and geared toward real-time transactions. With the dawn of the new year, the platform, to be known as Signet, will go live on Jan. 1, and will let customers transact at any time.

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Cyber Insurance Disputes Rise With Attacks

PYMNTS

With cyberattacks on the rise, corporate victims find themselves battling it out with cyber insurance companies over protection from the damage done by security breaches. The Financial Times reports that not only have sales of policies been growing by about 25 percent a year, but so have disputes between companies and the insurers. For example, the National Bank of Blacksburg in Virginia sued Everest National Insurance Company earlier this year after the bank was hit by cyberattacks in 2016 and

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Mastercard, Microsoft Team Up On Digital Identity Initiative

PYMNTS

Mastercard and Microsoft announced Monday (December 3) a strategic collaboration to improve how people manage and use their digital identity. In a press release , Mastercard and Microsoft said that currently verifying an identity online is dependent on physical or digital proof which is managed by a central party. That dependence on a central party puts a big burden on individuals who have to remember hundreds of passwords for different identities.

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Bitcoin Tumbles 8 Percent Over 24-Hour Period

PYMNTS

In a new round of declines for bitcoin, the popular cryptocurrency tumbled 8 percent over a 24-hour period leading up to Friday (December 7) morning. The digital currency was trading at just over $3,375 as of 8:40 a.m. EST, CNBC reported. A few hours later, as of 11:21 a.m., the cryptocurrency was trading a bit lower at $3,235.57, according to Coindesk.

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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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Jumio Tries To Stamp Out Illegal Purchases Of eCigarettes

PYMNTS

Water always finds the lowest point — that’s a fact of life. So, too, is this: Underaged consumers will always try, and often find ways to, circumvent restrictions on purchases of goods that they are not supposed to buy until they reach maturity or, at least, the age of majority. Excuse the homespun wisdom, but offering weak authentication defenses in the face of those determined young consumers can bring down heavy fines and unwanted attention, and threaten a growing retail or online business.

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From Friend’s Grandpa To Hip Elder Brother: Banks As Consumer Trust Anchors

PYMNTS

Almost five years ago (on Dec. 19, 2013), Target was breached. Roughly 40 million consumer credit cards were hacked, and the public outcry of shock was massive. People could not believe an entity like Target could be so completely compromised. Half a decade later, consumers are no longer so easily appalled since hacks, breaches and compromised data privacy have become a standard background noise in payments and commerce.

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Third Parties Help Central Banks Ride RTP Rails

PYMNTS

The uptake of faster payment systems keeps going up — and up, and up. In fact, the number of Same Day ACH transactions rose by 192 percent in Q3 2018 over the same period from the previous year. EBA CLEARING ’s RT1 system, meanwhile, has processed more than 5 million transactions since launch — but some have said the faster payments space could be growing even faster.

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Bitcoin Hits New All-Time-Low

PYMNTS

Bitcoin marked the beginning of December with another drop in value – this time by 8 percent, according to a report by CNBC. Following a 37 percent drop in November, which took about $70 billion off bitcoin’s market value, the cryptocurrency found a new bottom at $3,790.96. A year ago, bitcoin was on the rise to its peak at $20,000, and in December of 2017 it was up 40 percent, when a large number of retail investors were buying.

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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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Coinbase Mulls Adding 30 New Cryptocurrencies

PYMNTS

Coinbase, a platform that allows users to buy, sell and store cryptocurrency, said it is considering adding 30 new cryptocurrencies to its roster for trading, according to a report. The company said it is looking at many different currencies, including Cardano’s ADA, EOS and Tezos. Following is a list of all the currencies the company is considering: Cardano, Aeternity, Aragon, Bread Wallet, Civic, Dai, district0x, Enjin Coin, EOS, Golem Network, IOST, Kin, Kyber Network, Chainlink, Loom Network

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Draft Guidelines Clarify GDPR Scope

PYMNTS

As GDPR continues to take root, having an impact in Europe and beyond the confines of the continent, news came late last month that the European Data Protection Board has published draft guidelines that touch on the data protection regulation’s territorial scope. As reported through sites such as Lexology.com, the guidelines help clarify, for non-EU based companies, whether GDPR covers their own operations.

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Marriott Breach: Why The Worst May Be Yet To Come

PYMNTS

Let’s try this a different way, if only to make a vital point with insincerity. We must give credit to the criminals who engineered the recently disclosed data breach that could end up impacting some 500 million guests of Marriott International. These tourists, business travelers and others entrusted the Starwood hotel guest reservation database with details about their payment cards; home, work and email addresses; passport numbers and images; reward accounts and general travel habits.

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India’s SMBs Rebound As Demonetization Dust Settles

PYMNTS

India saw a busy year in B2B FinTech as the small business (SMB) community continued to demand enhanced financial services. The nation continues to push against cash in favor of digital payments, while both the government and private sector continue to fuel FinTech innovation. It hasn’t been easy for the nation’s small businesses, however.

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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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Harry Potter And The Credit Card Scam?

PYMNTS

There’s seemingly no magic in this tale. The BBC reports that beloved JK Rowling – she of “Harry Potter” fame and fortune – has been at the center of a credit card scam. The site reports that a former personal assistant of Rowling’s, Amanda Donaldson, has been charged with using a card (allegedly to be used solely for business expenses) to rack up charges totaling thousands of pounds for personal items.

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Gradifi CEO On Disrupting Student Loan Disruption

PYMNTS

Debt is the burden that can keep on burdening — forcing borrowers to make choices that are sometimes less than ideal. Consider student debt, which is carried by 44 million borrowers in the United States alone, and where $1.5 trillion is owed. Big numbers, to be sure, but let’s get granular for a moment. Generally speaking, student debt is used as a conduit to higher education, and by extension, higher education leads to a greater income potential over one’s career.

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Bitcoin Daily: Overstock Subsidiary Puts $2.5M In ‘GrainPay’; US Govt Works To Make Crypto Transactions Transparent

PYMNTS

Cryptocurrency exchange ErisX announced that it has raised $27.5 million from investors, including Fidelity Investments and Nasdaq Ventures. The exchange is set to launch next year, pending regulatory approval. The funding will be used to hire staff, “build out our infrastructure and secure the appropriate steps are taken to develop a regulated market for digital assets,” said ErisX Chief Executive Officer Thomas Chippas, according to Reuters.

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Amazon Go Sets Sights On Larger Stores

PYMNTS

Amazon is testing the idea of expanding its cashierless checkout technology to a larger store format, experimenting with it in Seattle in a space that is formatted to be like a big store, reported the Wall Street Journal. The report, citing people familiar with the matter, reported that if the test proves successful it would put retailers further on notice that they need to increase the convenience factor.

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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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NEW DATA: Two-Thirds Of Consumers Now Window Shop From Home

PYMNTS

Brick-and-mortar is a no-go —literally. Consumers simply don’t visit physical stores to discover new products anymore. In fact, there is about a 58 percent chance that a consumer knew what they were going to buy before they even walked into the store to make their most recent purchase. So, where are modern shoppers going for new, exciting products to purchase?

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Healthcare Payments’ ’30 Pct Of The 30 Pct’ Problem

PYMNTS

Much has changed in healthcare over the last decade. Technology, of course, has helped make strides in how we detect and treat any number of maladies. You can use your watch to monitor how many steps you take, use your phone to set up (literal) facetime with a physician, and pay bills with a tap of a virtual wallet. Online pharmacies deliver cost savings to customers, Amazon is debuting software that mines data and translates physician notes to improve the continuum of care.

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CoverWallet Expands SMB InsurTech Tool To Brokers

PYMNTS

Small business InsurTech startup CoverWallet is positioning itself directly with insurance brokerages, according to Insurance Journal reports Tuesday (December 4). The company aims to “reinvent insurance for small businesses” and launched to provide small business owners with access to insurance products and management solutions. Now, the company is looking to expand by working with brokers, too, and Chief Executive Officer Inaki Berenguer told the publication that 16 agencies have already been

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FTC Seeks Input On Identity Theft Prevention Rules

PYMNTS

The Federal Trade Commission announced Tuesday (December 4) it is seeking comment on whether the agency should make changes to rules requiring financial institutions and creditors to take certain steps to detect signs of identity theft affecting their customers. In a press release , the FTC said that it periodically reviews all of its rules and guidelines and wants comment on whether any modifications need to be made to the Red Flags Rule and the Card Issuers Rule.

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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.