52 Monday Conversations About Payments In 2019

Mondays have a bad reputation, and that’s understandable. The magic of the weekend is fading into memory, and sometimes even the strongest coffee has a hard time sparking the engine needed for the workweek ahead.

But Mondays have a different meaning here at PYMNTS — and for me. It’s the day we publish my weekly column about the latest trends in these industries we all love. They are not just columns, however. They are part of an ongoing conversation about the deeper currents that drive payments and commerce — data-supported views about what’s working and what’s not, what’s happening and what’s to come, where the blind spots might be and how to prepare for the future.

That future is taking on prime importance as a new decade dawns. The 2020s promise to bring about a convergence of the technology and innovations that have defined the last 10 years — to bring about new disruptions as the web shifts into higher gear, mobile becomes ever more popular and vital, homes and automobiles become hotbeds of commerce, and Big Tech firms face significant political and policy challenges and redefine themselves for the new decade. New ecosystems are being created as the old methods, in many cases, start to fall away.

Now in its third annual edition, 52 Mondays 2019 showcases those columns. Think of them, perhaps, as a kind of first draft of history for forces that are not only shaping the global economy, but also daily life. They are presented in the order published — giving you, more or less, a mini payments and commerce time capsule for 2019.

Enjoy! And, as always, happy Monday.