Trackers Archive

Real-Time Payments World Map - May 2024

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In the United States, NetXD has launched a fully cloud-based solution for The Clearing House’s RTP® network.
Payments Canada continues progress toward completing and launching Canada’s nationwide Real-Time Rail (RTR).
In Denmark, real-time payments took a significant step forward with a new agreement between the European Central Bank (ECB) and Danmarks Nationalbank.

Money Mobility - April/May 2024

Many property managers aim to expedite rent payments to minimize errors and reduce the likelihood of late or missed payments.
Tenants who pay rent online report a significantly higher satisfaction rate than those who don’t.
Implementing instant payments can ensure the swift arrival of funds to their destination.

From Trips to Tips: How Faster Payments Can Elevate Travel and Hospitality

Instant payments could benefit all reaches of the travel and hospitality industries, as customers enjoy a better experience, companies see higher revenues and workers get faster payouts.

Business travel is a significant revenue driver for the travel and hospitality industries. However, travelers typically cover expenses out of pocket, relying on subsequent reimbursement by their companies. Accelerating this process could be a huge help in alleviating financial strain and improving business travelers’ overall experience.

Although businesses face challenges in adopting new payments technology, savvy travel and hospitality firms recognize the competitive advantage instant payments offer and are seizing the opportunity.

Modular Design: Can Composable Banking Find Favor With FIs?

Traditional FIs are increasingly contending with competition from challengers, especially as younger generations look outside their primary banks for certain financial services. In fact, studies show that young consumers favor using a service, card or app from a provider other than their bank for online payments.

New banking systems are often difficult to integrate into existing technology stacks. Despite the integration challenges, many banks are pressing ahead with new embedded finance strategies to expand product offerings and enhance customer loyalty.

Rather than attempting to wedge one-size-fits-all digital solutions into existing technology stacks, banks can embrace a far more agile and future-proof approach. Composable banking allows for seamless integration of best-of-breed components and services from a vast ecosystem of innovative technology partners.

Pains and Gains: Conquering Healthcare’s Payment Woes

Some of the healthcare industry’s most pressing operational pain points arise from inefficient and outdated payments and claims processes that threaten the industry’s financial health.

As digital transformation continues to make its way into everyday life, the healthcare industry is increasingly ready to explore its potential. Innovators across the industry are tackling inefficiencies and improving patients’ experiences — one payment at a time.

While digital payments can profoundly improve the healthcare industry — from patient experiences to operational efficiencies — they also face resistant challenges, the solutions for which are neither easy to implement nor industry-standard.

PYMNTS Intelligence interviews Misty Meraz, Vice President, Healthcare and Public Sector Payment Solutions at Elavon, on how healthcare organizations can improve patient collections by adopting an omnichannel payments strategy.

Money Mobility - April 2024

Disbursements are getting faster, but their speed heightens the need for timely and effective fraud protection.
Funds lost to faster payment fraud are often irretrievable, making more rapid detection and prevention paramount.
Emerging technologies such as AI and ML can secure faster transactions.

Real-Time Payments World Map - April 2024

Qatar Islamic Bank (QIB), a leading digital financial institution (FI), recently introduced the Fawran instant payment service, which users can access through the QIB Mobile App.
Sweden is expanding its real-time payment capabilities by joining the Eurosystem’s TARGET Instant Payment Settlement (TIPS), becoming the first non-Eurozone country to do so.
Mexico has adopted Uruguayan Fintech Prometeo’s innovative account-to-account payments system, which employs a single application programming interface (API) to enable instant payments between bank accounts.

Is AI the Master Key to Banking’s Next Era?

As banks and FIs increasingly implement AI tools, the financial industry’s morphology will rapidly undergo unprecedented change. All facets of the industry, from how leaders strategize and operate to how the labor force carries out tasks, will be touched by this transition.

Pain points threaten to drive nearly half of United States retail banking consumers into the arms of Big Tech for their financial needs. Can AI deliver on the promise of revolutionizing the retail banking experience for good?

The path to realizing AI’s potential for the financial industry is laden with hurdles, from technology and cybersecurity challenges to consumer mistrust.

End the Wait: SMBs and the Protracted Challenge of Delayed Payments

In the trenches of modern commerce, SMBs face a persistent battle against the delayed payments that disrupt cash flow and jeopardize their financial health. Manual processes and outdated banking solutions stand at the core of these payment delays.

As SMBs struggle to free themselves from the constraints of manual payment processing, many are turning toward more tailored and integrated solutions offered by banks and FinTechs.

Have SMBs hit a critical inflection point in their cash management strategies? The unique demands — and benefits — of a digital-first economy are driving a growing number of SMBs to turn a corner, with many considering the adoption of modern cash management tools, from instant payments to unified platforms.

PYMNTS Intelligence interviews Jason Carlson, Chief Financial Officer of experiential media company Mood Media, on why SMBs must invest in digital transformation now to ensure their viability and success in the long run.

Money Mobility - March/April 2024

Fraud, friction, limited payment options and slow payment processing are some of the obstacles consumers face when making digital bill payments.
Billers in the utilities sector must contend with the reality that customers trust them less than most other industries.
Some of the top issues billers and payers face are security concerns and overcomplication.

Into the Vault: Optimizing Payments

Vaulting has been proven to provide a streamlined and convenient payment process while also enabling stringent anti-fraud security measures. Merchants have only just begun to tap its potential to aid in customer retention, better authorization rates and cost reduction.

Vaulting offers considerable cost savings for companies in the long run by leveraging customer data to mitigate potential sources of payment failure. Preserving these revenues — along with the customers they represent — is most crucial to subscription businesses.

Personalized goods and services generate significant revenue for many organizations, including payment providers. Vaulting allows firms to leverage customer data to offer tailored experiences to individual customers.

No-Wait Wages: Leveraging Instant Payments to Boost Employee Satisfaction

Workers across the board benefit from on-demand pay, especially those who live paycheck to paycheck and cannot afford unexpected expenses. For many workers, instant payroll is something that should be taken for granted.

Companies are becoming increasingly aware of the demand for real-time payroll and are gradually implementing it in their workplaces. Meanwhile, some workers, growing impatient with their employers’ delays in adopting the trend, are turning to third-party services for real-time access to their earnings.

Financially stable employees appreciate the support they have received on their financial journeys, and organizations have a unique opportunity to offer this support in the form of instant payroll services. Doing so could encourage increased employee loyalty and reduced turnover.

Generative AI - March 2024

Telecoms have prioritized generative AI deployments to improve efficiency and reduce costs. Still, this approach may overlook the technology’s potential for achieving broader industry transformation and substantial long-term value creation.
Telecoms are partnering with technology incumbents on generative AI solutions, highlighting a significant shift in the telecom industry toward improving operational efficiency and customer service.
Telecoms actively differentiate their AI use cases from those of other industries to influence AI regulation, advocating for a risk-based governance approach amid global divergence in policy frameworks.

Are Challenges Still Holding Back Instant Payments Adoption in the US?

Businesses and consumers are of one mind in favoring the adoption of instant payments, yet the enduring use of traditional payment methods hints at the challenges of this transition.

For financial stakeholders, the rollout of FedNow in addition to the RTP network is affirming the future of U.S. real-time payments, helping to popularize the method for use cases throughout the economy.

Assessing the technical and operational requirements for the integration of instant payment rails offers a window onto the practical complexities of deploying these next-generation payments platforms — a crucial view for financial stakeholders evaluating their payment innovation agendas.

Money Mobility - March 2024

P2P payment apps are growing increasingly popular thanks to their ease of use and versatility.
Consumers have distinct preferences and dislikes regarding the apps they use, yet P2P payment providers often overlook them.
P2P payments are certainly convenient for consumers, but like all digital transactions, they need to comply with government regulations.

Real-Time Payments World Map - March 2024

The European Council adopted a new rule to enable instant payments across the European Union and European Economic Area, requiring all instant credit transfers to arrive in recipients’ accounts within 10 seconds.
Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank recently announced the launch of a new real-time payments hub to facilitate and streamline cross-border transactions.
The National Payments Corporation of India has unveiled an initiative to establish a real-time payment link between India and the United States to enable small transactions between the two countries.

Generative AI - February 2024

Companies, both new and established, are leveraging generative AI to reimagine media experiences.
Use cases showcasing generative AI’s potential are poised to disrupt the media industry.
The use of generative AI in media brings complex ethical, legal and social questions into focus.

B2B and Digital Payments - February 2024

PYMNTS Intelligence interviews Hicham Oudghiri, co-founder and CEO at Enigma, and Anthony Peculic, head of banking as a service and cards, FinTech banking at Cross River, about how the financial pressures on SMBs are shaping a move toward data-fueled alternative financing.
As small businesses consider their options for managing their finances in the present economic climate, business cards are proving to be an essential addition to their toolkit.
SMBs are more likely to have business cards than any other form of business financing, but an equal share report having personal cards available for business contingencies.

Can Open Banking Win Trust to Drive Real-Time Payments?

Adoption of open banking in the U.S. could shift into high gear with a recent rule proposal from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau requiring FIs to share data with both consumers and third parties. However, industry support for the proposed rule as written is far from unanimous.

Industry groups are not alone in their concerns. Both consumers and businesses could benefit from having better access to bank data, but their perceptions of open banking’s cybersecurity risks are also posing barriers to adoption.

Despite the hurdles, open banking’s potential to revolutionize the payments industry is clear. Financial service providers could have unparalleled access to banking data, allowing them to make real-time payments implementations more readily than ever before.

Money Mobility - February/March 2024

Real-time payouts could be a boon for insurers and their customers, but putting these payments into practice has its difficulties.
Despite the challenges inherent in instant payment systems, many insurers are making moves in the real-time space.
Implementing real-time disbursements can be a tall task for insurers’ accounting teams, prompting many to partner with FinTechs to address this hurdle.

Build Now, Not Later: How Banks Can Seize the BNPL Opportunity

BNPL financing has become widely popular in recent years as a means of defraying the increasing costs of many goods, especially among younger consumers with less spending power but greater digital savvy.

Surging consumer demand has spurred many banks and FIs to offer BNPL services of their own as a way of attracting new customers. Many institutions are tapping third parties to help them achieve their BNPL ambitions.

FinTechs may have been quicker on the BNPL draw than banks, but traditional FIs are catching up fast. Their ability to offer comprehensive and trusted financial services could give them the edge in the long run.

Can Banks and FinTechs Bridge the Divide to an Open Banking Future?

Through open banking, banks and FIs could go far to satisfy consumer demands for enhanced payment experiences and drive adoption of innovative banking tools, thereby positioning themselves as leaders in the dynamic open banking landscape.

Open banking holds immense potential to radically enhance the payment journey, but its widespread adoption remains held back by concerns over data privacy and security, both of which are significant roadblocks to building consumer trust. Banks and FIs are slowly acknowledging these obstacles and working to address them.

The regulatory landscape for open banking is in its early days, but activity is intensifying. Regulator and stakeholder participation should focus on codifying a regulatory framework that balances the needs of consumers with the requirements of banks and FIs — key for broader consumer acceptance of the open banking system and its long-term durability.

Real-Time Payments World Map - February 2024

The National Bank of Angola has entered the second phase of its 24/7 Real-Time Payment System by extending the weekday service to include Friday and Saturday mornings.
Mastercard and The Clearing House recently announced a multiyear extension of their payments partnership.
Canadian businesses can now receive customer payments in real time through instant payments offering Flinks Pay.

Money Mobility - February 2024

Errors, delays and other inefficiencies plague private and federal student loans.
Many financial service providers view students as a captive audience and, as a result, are less inclined to provide better products.
Electronic disbursement methods, such as direct bank transfers and digital wallets, offer unparalleled speed and efficiency.

From the Ground Up: Rebuilding Payments in the Construction Industry

New construction in the United States continues its impressive growth trajectory since 2021, but construction remains one of the sectors most burdened by the late payments that surged at the onset of the pandemic for industries across the board.

Because of the slow payments that plague the construction industry, cash flows out of these businesses much faster than it flows back in.

Digital payment innovations are beginning to help, but their swift implementation is crucial to assure the construction vertical’s continued upward rise.

PYMNTS Intelligence interviews Chris Doyle, CEO of construction payments platform Billd, on why industry stakeholders — and subcontractors in particular — need faster payment solutions that rest on a solidly digital foundation.

Instant Impact: AI’s Role in Advancing Real-Time Payments

Perceptions about risk are hindering the adoption of real-time payments, as many companies and consumers are hesitant to leverage these rails for fear of fraud and cybercrime. AI offers the potential to effectively manage these complications.

Balancing the need for security with a fast and convenient customer experience is a constant challenge for any payments provider, especially one that intends to operate in real time. AI can be a key tool to deliver on this promise.

FIs and payments providers are recognizing AI’s potential to eliminate payments roadblocks and accelerate the transaction process by improving fraud detection. Firms that have integrated AI into their systems are reporting numerous successes.

Tapping Into the Future of Payments

Cash is fast losing its supremacy. Amid the ongoing global rise of digital culture, young consumers are increasingly opting for digital wallets and other payment alternatives, compelling businesses to pivot toward contactless and digital payment methods — and reckon with the digital-forward ethos driving their popularity.

The digital payments wave is sweeping through the financial sector, forcing traditional banks and FIs to adapt or perish. The competition from payment FinTechs and even retail brands themselves is pushing financial industry stalwarts to reinvent their approach to payments — and even reassess long-standing retail banking models.

More than just the art of paying is on the drawing board. The underlying concept of transacting itself is being redrawn by the hands of advanced payments technologies. From pay-by-bank tools to the collaborations behind them, the payments industry is witnessing a rapid adoption of these unprecedented technologies in everyday commerce.

Money Mobility - January 2024

Gamblers have lodged more than 2,400 complaints against online sportsbooks for slow payouts.
Implementing instant payouts can improve the odds of return visits from loyal customers.
While unilaterally implementing instant payments can be a demanding task for casino IT departments, forging tech partnerships proves to be a more efficient approach.

Why Digital-First Banking Does Not Mean Digital-Only

igital banking has been on the upswing over the past few years, especially among younger demographics. There are multiple reasons for this change, including ease of use, the closure of physical bank branches amid the pandemic, and the tech-savvy nature of younger consumers.

While customers generally appreciate digital banking, they still have reservations about the service potential of this technology. Many feel that a balanced approach combining digital technology and human-centric customer interaction could be the best way forward.

Banks and FIs that fail to balance digital and in-person services run the risk of losing customers to their competitors, a process that, from the customer’s perspective, is now easier than ever before.

Gift Giver: Payments Innovation Delivers Cheer to Holiday Shoppers

As consumers become accustomed to the convenience of online shopping, they now seek out that same level of ease and efficiency when shopping in-store. Streamlining payments is one of the most effective ways to provide that seamlessness.

Merchants seeking to bolster customer loyalty and to provide a superior customer experience are turning to new payment systems. Among the payment options being explored, real-time payments punch above their weight in terms of enhancing customer satisfaction.

Customers have more choices than ever for their holiday shopping needs — from brick-and-mortar retailers to a limitless selection of online merchants. With so many options available, it is no wonder that customers are willing to switch merchants should their payment needs go unmet.

Unattended: The Payments Technology Shifting the Future of Commerce

Gone are the days when human interaction was essential to completing a transaction at the traditional point of sale. Now unattended technologies are steering payment experiences as businesses answer consumers’ call for speedy, efficient and touch-free payment options.

Technologies both old and new are realizing new potential in unattended payments. RFID, once used only to track items, is now part of the unattended experience. Even biometrics is no longer the next frontier: You can now pay using your palm.

Once relegated only to gas stations and vending machines, unattended payments are now making inroads into all areas where checkout lines discourage customers and where consumers want to be more in control.

Real-Time Payments World Map - January 2024

Real-time transactions are projected to encompass 28% of all electronic transactions globally by 2027.
The world is expected to log 511.7B real-time transactions by 2027.
Bahrain is forecast to have the highest volume of real-time payments consumer adoption per capita by 2027.

‘Adjustable’ Is the New ‘Agreeable’: BNPL Flexibility for Subscription Success

BNPL is quickly becoming a preferred choice for consumers, particularly for millennials. Subscription merchants that seize this opportunity to integrate secure BNPL solutions stand ready to ride this wave of change, capitalizing on BNPL’s potential to drive revenue growth and to build a larger, more sustainable subscriber base.

BNPL could recast the retail subscriber experience, replacing rigid payment models with flexible options that better reflect consumers’ current expectations for seamless payments in an increasingly digital economy.

The surge in retail BNPL usage during peak shopping periods this past year highlights its potential to boost sales and operational efficiency for subscription merchants. Beyond merely driving conversions, BNPL could act as a strategic lever for sustaining subscriber loyalty and mitigating churn, especially after introductory discounts end.

Generative AI - January 2024

Generative AI is revolutionizing finance and banking, enhancing consumer interactions and risk models while introducing challenges like data security and systemic decision-making risks.
The technology is significantly advancing banking as a service initiatives and embedded finance, with applications ranging from personalized customer services to anti-money laundering programs.
PYMNTS Intelligence examines the actions that regulators are taking to address risks associated with generative AI, particularly in areas of model explainability.

From Checkout to Growth: BNPL’s Sprint Picks Up Pace

This year’s Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping extravaganzas unveiled a turning point in the BNPL narrative, solidifying its role as a driver of retail conversions. The steep climb in the volume of BNPL transactions made clear the growing consumer preference for flexible payment options — both online and in-store.

BNPL’s success since the kickoff of holiday shopping this year underscores the industry’s potential to boost merchant sales and reinforces its place as a newly formed cornerstone of consumer retail strategy.

BNPL is stepping up its game, growing beyond retail to also empower small businesses and business-to-business (B2B) markets. This expansion signifies BNPL’s versatility as a payments and financial tool for all, from everyday shoppers to small business owners.

Promising Payments: Digital Payments Gain Ground in Latin America

The digital payments ecosystem in Latin American is evolving rapidly. While cash once dominated the payments scene, consumers are quickly moving to digital alternatives, many of which operate in real time.

Payments are just one part of the digital banking revolution underway in Latin America. Consumers are also changing the way they shop, leveraging the constant internet connection provided by their smartphones to check for deals, make payments and interact with digital tools offered by the stores themselves, both online and offline.

Keeping pace with the rapidly evolving paradigm of Latin American consumer payments can be challenging, but companies that meet customers where they are will be richly rewarded.

B2B and Digital Payments - December 2023

PYMNTS Intelligence interviews Christina Wagner, Senior Vice President of Strategy and Transformation at Worldpay from FIS, about how SMBs can tap into the current holiday spirit to flourish in the new year — and thereafter.
A new survey finds that consumer interest in shopping with small businesses for the holidays is on the rise.
At the intersection of two growing trends — buying online and shopping small — lies a digital payments opportunity for SMBs that is too important to be missed.

Money Mobility - December 2023

Payment delays in the construction industry have detrimental downstream effects, escalating costs throughout the entire sector.
Late payments do more than disrupt projects — they burden the workers driving these projects forward.
Leveraging digital technology to expedite payments will bring transformative change to the construction industry.

Why Network Tokenization Is eCommerce’s Newest Essential

Payment “tokens” — unique digital identifiers used to replace sensitive payment details throughout a transaction chain — cannot be easily reverse-engineered to expose the underlying data, making them less valuable to hackers and other fraudsters.

Network tokens, generated automatically by card networks such as Mastercard and Visa, offer added fraud protection and a security advantage over other tokens that can benefit merchants and customers alike.

Because a network token conceals the card details at every stage of the transaction, it offers greater protection from fraud than a PCI token. The card network also generates a cryptogram for each transaction, thus adding another layer of security.

How SoftPOS Is Poised to Revolutionize Payments

The freedom to offer convenient, contactless payments without being limited to a wired device is likely to make SoftPOS a game-changer for small merchants and big players alike.

SoftPOS has obvious benefits for merchants that deliver services outside of a fixed location, but its benefits for brick-and-mortar businesses are becoming just as clear.

Contactless payments’ growing popularity with consumers is expected to drive explosive growth in SoftPOS over the next four years and beyond.

BNPL Defies the Economic Odds Through Innovation and Partnerships

Overshadowed by economic uncertainty, BNPL companies continued to rely on their core technologies not only to sustain profitability but also to increase it in Q3 2023, reinforcing the criticality of the industry’s modern payments infrastructure in ensuring BNPL’s economic resilience.

Leveraging the high interest rate and inflation landscape that continued into Q3 2023, the BNPL industry invested substantial effort in enhancing and diversifying service offerings — a maneuver that helped to reduce consumer financial pain and drive profitability.

Strategic partnerships have emerged as a key trend in Q3 2023, representing a crucial strategy in BNPL’s toolkit for achieving profitability. Using these partnerships to tap into new markets and expand services, the industry has managed to effectively avoid economic fallout and sustain robust profits.

Generative AI - December 2023

From marketing and sales to personalized recommendations, generative AI is poised to transform the retail experience for consumers.
A blend of optimism and suspicion characterizes the cautious embrace of AI-powered personalization in retail, while regulatory moves thus far offer a similarly nuanced picture.
PYMNTS Intelligence examines the actions regulators and retailers can take to remove the “creepy” factor from the growing use of generative AI to improve personalized recommendations.

Working Capital - December 2023

Retailers are looking to accelerate their B2B payments even further with real-time payments.
Nearly one-third of healthcare providers are owed more than $100,000 from insurers.
Massive payment delays in the construction sector cause catastrophic downstream effects, including missed deadlines, unpaid workers and a host of other issues.

A Season of Change: Credit Cards vs. BNPL for the Holiday Retail Matchup

This year’s holiday season promises fierce competition between BNPL services and credit card installment plans as consumers are expected to gravitate more toward flexible financing options to cover their holiday purchases. Both BNPL providers and credit card issuers are already jostling for their favor — a contest that may well be determined by the role of enhanced features and perks.

BNPL’s journey is now one that goes beyond mere transactional convenience. The changes underway in the industry will diversify the pathways to financial well-being and significantly impact consumers’ financial decisions. From credit enhancement to flexible financial management, BNPL’s unanticipated advantages are even capturing more of the attention — and loyalty — of a key consumer group.

BNPL has proven its worth, prompting consumers to seek even more from the industry. Although shoppers are aware of the incentives credit card issuers offer to promote enrollment in their own installment plans, many consumers want to stick with BNPL services — if BNPL providers can deliver similar experiences. Can the industry rise to this challenge and broaden its appeal, or will it risk eroding its consumer base by failing to meet these demands?

Working Capital - November 2023

AI automation has the power to boost cash flow by speeding historically delayed manual processes, thus improving businesses’ financial health.
AI can provide a customizable communication interface to enhance the customer experience while facilitating dispute resolution to reduce payment delays.
AI technology can process large quantities of data to provide unmatched cash flow forecasting and unique insights that can guide better AR decision-making and collections.

Money Mobility - November 2023

Paper payments and manual processes add layers of complexity to the already intricate web of regulations, documentation and compliance in the transportation and logistics industry.
Delayed or erroneous payments can damage vendor relations and exasperate workers counting on consistent paydays. Adopting advanced payment technology is critical to solving freight payment woes.
Modernizing AP and leveraging innovative payment systems get truckers paid faster and improve cash flow for the entire firm.

FinTech - November 2023

Government regulators and FinTech companies are working to ensure consumers have a clearer and more transparent BNPL experience.
BNPL is evolving beyond a mere payment alternative to become a crucial yet practical solution for helping to manage personal finances.
Retailers face the challenge of strategically integrating BNPL to enhance customer experiences and drive sales as the method reshapes consumer purchasing habits.

Beyond the Headlines: Understanding BNPL’s Impact on Consumers

BNPL is balancing rising popularity among consumers with increasing regulatory and media attention. As more consumers employ this form of short-term financing, concerns are surfacing about debt risk and the need for stronger consumer protections — a dual narrative of opportunity and scrutiny in a financially challenging climate.

The economic pain of high interest rates and high inflation are driving consumers to explore alternatives to traditional credit solutions. Enter BNPL. An unexpected financial haven for consumers in the U.S. and the U.K., BNPL is evolving beyond a mere payment alternative to become a crucial yet practical solution for helping to manage personal finances.

Younger U.S. consumers spanning multiple income brackets are increasingly embracing BNPL, utilizing it not only for casual spending but also for better managing their financial lives — signaling a notable departure from traditional financial behavior.

Generative AI - November 2023

From legal research to real-time negotiations, generative AI is poised to transform the legal profession.
A blend of optimism, concerns and ethical dilemmas make generative AI’s role in the legal industry a subject of heated debate.
PYMNTS Intelligence looks at the steps courts and industry organizations are currently taking to navigate the ethical and regulatory complexities of generative AI in law.

Real-Time Payments World Map - November 2023

Real-time transactions are projected to encompass nearly 28% of all electronic transactions globally by 2027.
The pandemic was a game-changer for real-time payments, especially in countries like India and China.
Today, 56 countries provide some form of real-time payments scheme.

Embedding Transformation: Solving Critical AP Challenges With Embedded Payments

Business-to-business (B2B) payments form the backbone of the modern economy. Compared to their peer-to-peer (P2P) or consumer-to-business (C2B) counterparts, however, they consistently come up short in terms of ease of use and security. This is due primarily to a reliance on paper payment methods.

One of the most promising solutions to AP challenges is embedded finance, which integrates financial tools into existing AP software and workflows, eliminating the need for an outside bank or financial service provider to facilitate the transaction. Moreover, embedded finance solutions offer unparalleled seamlessness and security to AP teams.

The benefits of implementing embedded payments are not just hypothetical. They have been thoroughly field-tested and have generated numerous success stories. Here, PYMNTS Intelligence highlights two notable examples of successful embedded payments partnerships.

B2B and Digital Payments - November 2023

PYMNTS Intelligence interviews Ian Drysdale, CEO of insurance industry digital payments network One Inc, on how the industry is accepting the challenge of meeting Gen Z and millennials’ digital demands.
As relative newcomers to the insurance market, Generation Z consumers crave information above all else and, lacking deep pockets, specifically want price comparison data.
With younger consumers’ digital expectations evolving faster than insurance processes, a notable gap has grown between what insurers offer and what these customers want.

Working Capital - October 2023

Rising prices and economic anxiety are pushing companies to consider adopting AI to streamline their payments and combat fraud.
Implementing AI involves building the data and technical infrastructure to accommodate the technology. These steps are neither easy nor cheap.
Worries are widespread that AI is here to replace the labor force. What is the likely workforce impact of embedding AI into payment processes?

Accelerating Account-to-Account Transfers via Real-Time Payments

The rising popularity of A2A payments does not necessarily make them a perfect fit for all use cases. Both businesses and consumers have grown frustrated by many of A2A payments’ limitations, including transaction limits and susceptibility to fraud.

While A2A payments have gained prominence worldwide, their adoption in the U.S. has lagged. Americans, it appears, prefer faster payment methods such as peer-to-peer (P2P) apps to the slower, costlier alternative.

Real-time payments have become incredibly popular over the past several years as the pandemic pushed payments online and businesses and consumers clamored for faster transactions. Accelerating A2A payments into real-time transactions could boost this channel’s popularity.

The New Challenges Facing Finance: Algorithms, Finfluencers and the Quest for Reliability

Social media algorithms have become pseudo financial advisers, steering the financially curious toward carefully curated narratives of financial education and opportunity. The influence of these narratives is as profound as their stated aim: democratizing access to financial literacy.

The Wild West of online financial advice shows no signs of being tamed. In a financial info-scape where finfluencers and digital personalities propagate the full spectrum of financial strategies — from the genuine to the imaginary — the call for a regulatory sheriff is growing louder.

Picture your FI. This is a place where calculations have ruled over creativity — until now. The consumer retail banking sector is breaking new ground, marrying long-established roles of financial stewardship with the dynamism of innovation. This evolution is not merely a timely shift. It is a much-welcomed stride toward personalized financial experiences guided by integrity.

Unlocking Modernized Accounts Payable With Virtual Cards

Paper checks sent through the mail continue to be the preferred payment method for businesses, with 62% of firms using this approach to pay for goods and services. However, the ongoing reliance on checks is causing numerous delays and complications for AP teams, not to mention inviting a host of potential security issues.

For many businesses, ACH payments offer an appealing alternative to paper checks. In Q3 2022 alone, ACH payments represented more than $19 trillion in transactions. However, despite their remarkable transaction volume, ACH payments are plagued by fraud and inefficiency.

Virtual cards are fast becoming a popular replacement for legacy B2B payment systems, offering ease of use and effective mitigation of fraud and other complications. Businesses that have implemented virtual cards have reported high levels of success.

Buy Now, Analyze Later: A Deep Dive Into BNPL’s Disruption of Retail Payments

Protracted inflation and the burden of credit cards have made BNPL an increasingly sought-after alternative for consumers demanding financial flexibility. The payment method’s popularity is on the rise, but BNPL is not without its vulnerabilities.

Millennials and Generation Z are powering BNPL’s surge in the retail payments space and, in doing so, are helping to mold new shopping norms. While these trendsetters are accelerating toward a BNPL future, some are still swayed by the appeal of credit cards.

FinTechs are pioneering consumer payment experiences that marry consumption with greater financial autonomy — unlocking doors previously barred by the constraints of traditional credit. At the same time, innovative collaborations are fueling a dynamic upgrade to merchant payment solutions.

Fast-Tracking Funds: Finance and Insurance Accelerate Payments

Swift and accurate payouts are critical in the financial and insurance industries, but legacy payment systems are not cutting it. Delays and errors can damage customer loyalty and ultimately lead to lost business.

Customers are fed up with the status quo surrounding payments and are demanding improvements. They seek the speed, simplicity and seamless experience they enjoy in other aspects of their digital lives. While some customers may be willing to pay a price for these enhancements, others view them with skepticism.

With consumers showing a willingness to switch financial institutions (FIs) and insurance carriers to meet their payment goals, firms are tuning in to these demands and implementing real-time payment options en masse. The proactive approach helps them both outpace the competition and hold on to their customers.

B2B and Digital Payments - October 2023

PYMNTS Intelligence interviews Billtrust’s Murray Sharp about why the current economic climate requires not merely an AR upgrade but a major shift in operational strategy.
Manual payment methods such as paper checks have many downsides — never more so than now.
More than eight in 10 businesses believe their AR teams have become more crucial in recent months, yet the resources at teams’ disposal remain limited.

Fast Finance and the Fight Against Fraud

In the last year, fraud has surged at an unsettling pace. Few have been spared. However, technology-savvy youth and the financially strapped have disproportionately borne the brunt. Even reputed stalwarts of banking have not been left unscathed. This is a wake-up call for the financial industry to strengthen its guard and innovate its defenses.

As businesses continue to lean more heavily into their use of digital B2B channels, especially ones for payments, the recurring dual narrative of convenience and vulnerability highlight a key challenge of digital transformation: navigating innovation while mitigating potentially very costly risk.

Digital fraud can be shockingly crafty. To counter this aptitude, FIs and banks are redrafting long-standing industry narratives about security. By adopting multifaceted strategies, banks are signaling commitment not only to counter fraud — but also to outpace it.

Real-Time Payments World Map - October 2023

In the U.S., the RTP® network achieved a significant milestone in July by reaching 500 million payments, and the launch of FedNow marked the first nationwide payment infrastructure in 40 years.
The U.K. anticipates that real-time payments will have overtaken cash transactions in the country by 2027.
In Europe, instant transactions accounted for less than 12% of all Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA)credit payments in Q1 2022.

Generative AI - October 2023

Generative AI is reshaping diagnostics, treatment plans and delivery of care as providers ponder its implications.
Generative AI innovations expand researchers’ capabilities, accelerating drug discovery and diagnostics.
Generative AI in healthcare requires further development, including training large language models on healthcare-specific data and establishing robust benchmarks.

The Restaurant of the Future Is Open. Will Diners Bite?

More than half of consumers are dining in restaurants as much or more often than before the pandemic’s onset, but they have acquired a new taste for savings. As inflation continues to pump up prices, delivering on this expectation may be a tall order.

Restaurants are banking on technology to help overcome financial barriers to growth, but as they reinvent themselves to adapt to rapidly shifting market signals, getting the balance just right for consumers will be no mean feat.

Automation and robotics in restaurants are here, promising enormous cost-containment and profitability potential — but are consumers ready for the future shock of robot-run restaurants?

No Time for Delay: Shaving 16 Days From Accounts Payable Payments With Automation

Completing a single payment involves a vast chain of events that AP departments must process successfully. This can be a highly time-consuming task.

Manual AP processes add up to massive amounts of time spent making vendor payments, but no one process is at fault. Every step in the AP system can be a significant time drain, even if everything proceeds smoothly.

Automating AP payment processes can be an enormous time-saver for companies, allowing accounting teams to streamline their operations and focus their efforts on value-adding endeavors. Firms that have implemented automation have high praise for their new operational capability.

Credit Union - September/October 2023

Few technologies have sparked more interest in recent years than cryptocurrency, which hit a worldwide market capitalization of more than $1 trillion in 2023.
PYMNTS Intelligence explores what members expect from their CUs when it comes to cryptocurrency and why CUs have added cryptocurrencies to their portfolios.
The rise of CUs implementing new cryptocurrency initiatives could bring significant returns in the next five years if the current market growth persists.

Governments Byte Back in Response to Digital Demand

U.S. federal and state governments’ strategies for digitized public services are puzzling — a dichotomy of evolving aspirations and archaic practices. As citizens navigate between the remarkable strides of select state agencies and the lingering digital holdouts of others, their call to action is unequivocal: America’s eGovernment evolution should not be a debate but a pressing economic necessity.

Governments globally are unlocking a new age of convenience and speed in the public services they offer. Whether by revolutionizing digital payments, streamlining public transit transactions or remolding federal student-aid experiences, the digital race is on.

As digital transformation continues its march, public institutions find themselves under a magnifying glass. Users of their services expect intuitive and secure digital experiences. The calculus is simple but profound: Enhance these services, and the dividends are paid in heightened public satisfaction and trust. Governments that master these digital moves stand to capture the king of public trust.

Automation Clears the Path to Getting Paid on Time

The market has spoken. Companies automating their finance offices to streamline AR are faring better than those that continue to adhere to obsolete, labor-intensive processes.

Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) have arrived in the payment processing space and are here to stay, offering concrete solutions to satisfy the needs of companies bogged down by outdated processes.

The role of CFOs has evolved in recent years, from financial stewards to crucial drivers of growth and sustainability for the companies they lead. Consequently, their influence on guiding the mission and vision of their companies has never been more critical.

Working Capital - September 2023

The market has spoken. Companies automating their finance offices to streamline AR are faring better than those that continue to adhere to obsolete, labor-intensive processes.
Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) have arrived in the payment processing space and are here to stay, offering concrete solutions to satisfy the needs of companies bogged down by outdated processes.
The role of CFOs has evolved in recent years, from financial stewards to crucial drivers of growth and sustainability for the companies they lead. Consequently, their influence on guiding the mission and vision of their companies has never been more critical.

BNPL’s Gambit: Power Moves in the Payments Arena

BNPL players are doing more than just changing the way consumers pay. Many are also revising their own operating manifesto. Whether repositioning on stock exchanges or delisting for a fiscal edge, these strategic decisions speak to the industry’s renewed bigger-picture outlooks: the pursuit of growth, innovation and financial optimization.

BNPL firms continue to radically defy traditional installment models — and consumers are reaping the benefits. From lengthier payment schedules to instant mobile checkouts, the lines are now officially blurred between convenience and innovative payment strategies. This is no longer just retail financing with a lollipop twist. This is financial empowerment — in a shopping cart.

eCommerce is up against two existential challenges: the abandoned cart and financial volatility. In response, BNPL leaders are rolling out intuitive widgets for businesses and leveraging AI to mitigate risk. eCommerce metamorphosis is firmly underway.

Tap and Tip: Travel and Hospitality Embrace Digital and Instant Payments

Busy, budget-conscious consumers are increasingly tapping the convenience of digital tools and payments to plan and pay for travel. Real-time payments also can reduce headaches for travelers and travel companies alike in the case of refunds.

As hospitality rebounds from several years of deep losses, it looks to jettison legacy transaction methods to include faster payments in a broader customer experience built on personalization.

Gratuities for good service have been a longstanding tradition in many cultures. Digitizing gratuities to give patrons the option to tip with an app instead of using coins and bills was just a matter of time. That time has come.

Optimizing eCommerce Payments Demands Dynamic Routing

The inability to reroute a transaction can lead to a loss of revenue and business that, depending on the merchant and the gateway, can be substantial.

Transaction retry is a basic must-have for any merchant wishing to capture all potential sales, as it offers an automated way to turn stalled transactions quickly and easily into revenue.

From basic failover to customization based on cardholders’ preferred payment methods, dynamic routing ensures that merchants are always online and maximizing authorization rates while minimizing costs in any market.

Digital Alchemy: The Rise and Reach of Request for Payment (RfP) Capabilities

RfP solutions are orchestrating a transformative update of the global payments landscape. As regional authorities and institutions race to adopt and enhance their RfP and real-time payments systems, the motivation for doing so is clear: Immediate, efficient and user-controlled payment methods are the future.

The global rise in real-time payments offerings and use cases parallels the ascendency of RfP solutions. Together, they redefine the global landscape of financial transactions — with booming adoption in the U.S. and Asian markets underscoring the payment method’s transformative impact.

Credit Union - September 2023

The data breach, discovered in June, led to the compromise of CU members’ personal information, including names, Social Security numbers and account numbers.
Generative AI programs like ChatGPT have made phishing and other fraud techniques not only more effective but also easier to conduct on a larger scale.
Any fraud prevention technique CUs use must not unduly inconvenience their members, who view seamlessness as equally important.

Real-Time Payments World Map - September 2023

Usage of Thailand’s PromptPay scheme, introduced in 2016, has become prevalent among Thai consumers, as real-time payments account for more than one-third of all transactions in that country.
Switzerland plans to launch a new real-time payments scheme, SIC5, next year. All financial institutions are expected to switch to SIC5 in 2026.
Despite being available at more than 70 financial institutions across the country, real-time transactions in the United Arab Emirates account for just 1.1% of total payments volume.

B2B and Digital Payments - August/September 2023

PYMNTS interviews Ryan Audus, vice president of product strategy at TouchNet, about the joint problems of spiraling educational costs and student debt — and how technology plays a part in relieving both.
The growing dual risks of physical violence and cyberattacks affecting university campuses are prompting institutions to invest in automation and advanced mobile systems to head off these threats.
Automation is set to be a vital element of the campus experience — not simply to deliver on Generation Z’s expectations but also as a critical source of new revenue streams for colleges.

AI and Banking's New Dawn: From Conversations to Conversions

Financial chatbots are evolving into highly capable problem solvers. Advanced AI technology is steering the conversation, shaping a consumer banking future in which digital assistants not only listen but also understand and anticipate consumers’ needs.

Generative AI is proving to be more than just a flashy new bandwagon the financial industry is jumping on. As banks face evolving challenges from both regulation and fraud, AI is stepping in to offer enhanced detection and safeguard capabilities while reshaping traditional banking methods.

From Gen Z banking to a techno beat to investment banks releasing their future chart-toppers, AI is adding a powerful new tune to the financial sector’s songbook — one that signals a revolution both in experience and economics.

Companies Enlist AI in Battle Against AI Fraud

Fraudsters are engaged in an unending arms race with those pioneering technologies to stop them, as both sides continually strive to outmaneuver one another’s techniques. Legacy accounts payable (AP) systems have proven ineffective at countering this latest AI threat, and companies will need to upgrade their systems to mitigate the associated risks.

Synthetic identity fraud presents a serious threat, as malicious actors use various methods to create new identities for the purpose of scamming companies. AI tools have augmented this technique, allowing fraudsters to create phony companies and clients and thwart fraud prevention strategies.

Governments are working at a frustratingly slow pace to protect their economies from AI attacks, leaving organizations to fend for themselves against bad actors. More than 40% of businesses or their customers have already encountered AI fraud attacks, with deepfake software duping voice authentication systems 99% of the time. AP departments will need to deploy their own AI software to beat fraudsters at their own game.

Generative AI - September 2023

Artificially generated content, including deceptive and fraudulent content, is at our doorstep. Humans and companies cannot rein it in entirely.
Generative AI tools are promising but not foolproof. Their accuracy can be challenging to calculate and varies widely.
Countermeasures to keep tabs on artificially generated content are AI tools themselves. They come with drawbacks.

Working Capital - August 2023

Current market conditions are pushing businesses to scramble to improve cash flow. This ongoing struggle is jeopardizing their liquidity and working capital positions.
Businesses have exhausted legacy strategies for improving cash flow. Now they must decide how to address declining cash flow with AR enhancements.
Businesses must modernize their financial management infrastructure not only to stay afloat but also to remain viable in a competitive marketplace. Automation is offering a feasible solution to address cash flow, liquidity and working capital shortfalls.

Can Automating Working Capital Insulate Businesses From an Economic Downturn?

Current market conditions are pushing businesses to scramble to improve cash flow. This ongoing struggle is jeopardizing their liquidity and working capital positions.

Businesses have exhausted legacy strategies for improving cash flow. Now they must decide how to address declining cash flow with AR enhancements.

Businesses must modernize their financial management infrastructure not only to stay afloat but also to remain viable in a competitive marketplace. Automation is offering a feasible solution to address cash flow, liquidity and working capital shortfalls.

Everyday Retail Is Taking a Page From Luxury’s Playbook to Win Consumers

For years, luxury brands have led the way in retail innovation, pioneering personalized shopping, targeted marketing and customer-centric experiences to drive conversions.

Luxury retailers’ lower conversion rates compared to other forms of retail mean they must place a strong emphasis on cultivating repeat customers, who are far less expensive to acquire than new customers. Over the years, luxury brands have learned that the most effective way to accomplish this is by providing a personalized experience that remembers customers from prior visits.

Recognizing the need to attract repeat customers is easy. Doing it is the hard part. For luxury retailers, targeted marketing and loyalty programs are critical tools for gaining repeat customers.

What Self-Service Retail Is Teaching Banks About Self-Service Banking

Customer habits evolved quickly over the past several years as eCommerce grew in popularity. Now consumers want their in-person retail experiences to be as fast and seamless as their online ones. Many retailers have found that self-service options are crucial for meeting these expectations.

Few technologies have made a bigger splash in recent times than AI, with the technology poised to replace countless occupations in the years ahead. The retail sector is embracing this transformation, with stores developing strategies to harness AI in various back-end and customer-facing applications.

Retailers are facing greater competition than ever, not just from other retailers but also from massive eCommerce conglomerates. Just to keep up requires a complete transformation of their existing businesses, which can be a daunting challenge.

FinTechs Look to M&A for Profitability as Economic Shake-Up Continues

FinTechs face powerful economic storms that are dampening investors’ previous fervor for these digital upstarts. Rising interest rates, high inflation and lower consumer spending have put pressure on FinTechs’ business models, resulting in some costly failures.

Regulators are finalizing guidance and stepping up enforcement against banks that fail to monitor their FinTech partnerships, but for banks and FinTechs that are compliant, the new guidance offers a powerful endorsement of their relationship.

Bank-FinTech alliances and M&A are proving to be a two-way street, bringing benefits — including profitability — to both. Banks are not the only buyers, moreover, with FinTechs themselves gaining new capabilities by acquiring other FinTechs.

Credit Union - August 2023

CUs’ market niche has come under threat in recent years as consumers begin to abandon brick-and-mortar banking services in favor of digital banking.
CUs have hesitated to implement instant payment rails, but FedNow’s direct-to-Fed accounts have made this system more appealing.
This month’s PYMNTS Intelligence examines why CUs are merging to pool resources and survive in a rapidly changing financial environment.

B2B and Digital Payments - August 2023

PYMNTS interviews Matt Wegner, vice president of global payments & risk at Adobe, about how the technology industry is perfectly poised to move B2B payments toward a consumer model of technology and service.
Roughly two-thirds of technology B2B buyers regret almost every purchase they make, up 6% from 2020, and the challenges of purchasing technology are a large part of the reason.
Technology and IT companies are among those suffering the biggest brunt of slow payments, and a poor B2B payment process badly in need of an upgrade bears a good deal of the blame.

Generative AI - August 2023

LLMs are lifting AI to new heights by expanding its capabilities beyond text to include images, speech, video and even music.
Major technology companies are sharpening their AI skills and offerings to build upon their earlier successes involving AI, chatbots and data analytics.
For now, investors’ priority may be open-source models, but they will gradually shift to nuanced versions of LLMs — and how well they can play with external tools and APIs.

Real-Time Payments World Map - August 2023

The pan-EU SCT Inst system is more popular in Spain than the country’s homegrown Bizum system.
Sweden launched its BIR payment scheme in 2012, which now accounts for a 14% share of total payments volume there.
South Korea’s CD/ATM scheme is the second-oldest real-time payment system in the world — only Japan’s is older.

A Primer on Payments Orchestration: What It Is — and Is Not

As businesses seek to meet rising consumer expectations for an ever-growing array of seamless digital payments, payments orchestration offers a simplified solution for building these capabilities while reducing costs and regulatory burdens.

Payments orchestration comes in three forms: agnostic, augmented and solution-centric. Which one is best depends on the merchant or merchant aggregator.

The meaning of “payments orchestration” is not obvious to the uninitiated. One source of confusion is the distinction between payments orchestration and payments optimization. These terms, sometimes used interchangeably, refer to distinctly different concepts.

Real-Time Payments - July 2023

Christine Mayes, executive vice president at Corporate One Federal Credit Union, details how she believes the launch of FedNow will bring healthy competition to the real-time payments industry.
Payments Canada said that it will review its delivery risks over the next three months in anticipation of the Real-Time Rail scheme’s launch date and will also use this time to undergo additional testing and investments.
This month’s PYMNTS Intelligence examines FedNow’s capabilities as well as the key differences and similarities between FedNow and the RTP® network.

Doubling of Check Fraud Last Year Makes AP Automation an Urgent Priority

Fraud is taking an astonishing toll on businesses in the digital era, with companies now more likely than not to have fallen victim to fraud.

Legacy payment procedures of all kinds are proving increasingly untenable for doing business.

The use of outdated AP systems and processes is leading to significant annual fraud losses that would otherwise be recoverable. This calls for urgent action in upgrading AP systems.

Money Mobility - July 2023

Overall employee trust in a company tends to plummet when payroll’s punctuality or accuracy is called into question.
This month’s PYMNTS Intelligence examines the benefits of instant payroll systems for corporates as well as their employees and freelancers.
Hiring international workers can be very appealing to corporates, but it brings with it a variety of challenges, topped by high taxes.

FinTech - July 2023

Despite their expertise in cutting-edge technology, FinTechs are far from invulnerable to fraud attacks.
Card fraud rose 26% in 2022, with 75% of losses to U.S. lenders resulting from phishing scams.
As fraud schemes mutate alongside — and enabled by — technology, FinTechs are bearing the brunt of risks. They need swift and dynamic solutions.

Generative AI - July 2023

PYMNTS interviews Vinay Iyengar, partner at Foundation Capital, about how AI is acting not just to disrupt but also to enhance workflows and marketplaces.
Generative AI has boosted NVIDIA’s stock price and made the company a household name. At the same time, being in the right place at the right time does not guarantee a permanent lead on potential rivals such as AMD.
While speculation circulates about industries where generative AI could disrupt current operations and approaches, the technology is already having a pronounced impact in some corners.

Real-Time Payments World Map - July 2023

While the Philippines’ InstaPay scheme made up just 0.7% of its total payments volume in 2022, the country’s geography gives real-time payments tremendous potential.
The Saudi government has aggressively pushed widespread real-time payments adoption since its inception.
Poland was an early adopter of real-time payments in Europe, introducing two separate schemes in 2012.

Digital-First Banking - July 2023

Consumers expect targeted and personalized digital banking experiences rather than one-size-fits-all.
More than half of banks are moving toward cloud technology to strengthen cybersecurity, with 34% want to reap the benefits of the cloud’s enhanced data science capabilities.
Cloud technology can help banks augment their digital transformations, but implementation can be a hurdle.

Embedded Finance - June 2023

PYMNTS interviews Isaac Itzkowitz, founder and CEO at Global Rewards, about the opportunities presented by cash flow and spend management technology in a down economy.
Small merchants are trying to stay competitive with larger businesses, but many do not even have the finances to weather an emergency, let alone invest in new technology.
Companies that have applied automation and digitization to AP and AR processes are seeing results in both time and money.

B2B and Digital Payments - June 2023

Amid mounting consumer frustration over the restaurant experience, an industry insider explains why restaurateurs must thoroughly understand their customers for technology to help.
Wendy’s partnered with Google to automate the drive-thru with AI, and OrionStar Robotics and Rocky Mountain Robotech revealed an AI-powered robot for restaurants.
A survey found that 75% of restaurant operators plan to adopt innovative technology in 2023 to address labor and cost challenges.

Accounts Payable Payments as a Service - June 2023

Executives from Branch, YellowHeart and Zumiez describe how automated payments can benefit companies in several different verticals.
The average middle-market company uses five payment methods, with physical credit cards and wire transfers being the most popular.
This month’s PYMNTS Intelligence explains how AP automation can reduce late payments and bolster businesses’ overall financial health.

Money Mobility - June 2023

PYMNTS found that 54% of consumers experienced at least one pain point during the healthcare payment process in the past year.
Health insurance company SIGNAL IDUNA released a virtual card for healthcare payments, while a PayGround-Collectyve Health partnership is helping healthcare companies with pricing requirements.
Seventy-nine percent of consumers want to pay all their medical bills through a single digital platform, and those who already do are highly satisfied.

Real-Time Payments - June/July 2023

Customers of retailers with real-time payment capabilities are likelier to have adopted loyalty programs or digital coupons.
Real-time payments can help SMBs improve their cash flow and promote customer loyalty for increased overall revenue.
Forty-one percent of businesses say the high cost of making payments has impeded their business.

Payments Orchestration - June 2023

PYMNTS interviews Jordan McKee, FinTech research and advisory group lead, Technology, Media and Telecoms (TMT) at S&P Global Market Intelligence, about ongoing developments in payments vaults and how they impact companies’ bottom lines.
Sixty percent of consumers already have stored payment credentials but want better options, meaning innovative payments vaults are in high demand.
Payments vaults can help merchants meet consumer expectations for convenience and security while protecting against friction that costs them both transactions and customers.

Real-Time Payments - June 2023

Rob Nardelli, director of commercial banking and business development at DailyPay, explains how earned wage access can help households avoid high-risk options such as payday lenders.
Seventy percent of Americans report feeling financial stress, including insecurity about their lack of savings and concerns about their credit card debt.
Real-time payments can help individuals manage their cash flow more efficiently and employers can help by deploying instant payroll to reduce the financial strain on their workers.

Credit Union - June 2023

With younger generations having grown increasingly accustomed to digital experiences, an industry insider explains why credit unions should strive to meet this demographic’s needs.
The University of Hawaii Federal Credit Union partnered with a company to improve its financial literacy tools, while PSCU rolled out a product to help CUs offer BNPL.
Upward of 80% of financial account holders who self-identified as highly satisfied would be open to switching to another provider for more innovative products and services.

FinTech - June 2023

With surging levels of fraud and growing regulatory scrutiny, an industry insider explains why compliance will become a central part of bank-FinTech relationships.
Lloyds Banking Group announced efforts to discover new FinTech partners, while Orange Bank revealed plans to migrate to Mambu’s cloud banking platform.
When the U.S.’s open banking rules go into effect, banks and FinTechs must rely on each other to ensure compliance and make the most of the opportunity.

Real-Time Payments World Map - June 2023

Peru’s large unbanked population has hampered they country’s real-time payment scheme.
Two of Norway’s largest real-time payment apps are set to merge, which would provide citizens with a pan-Scandinavian payment option.
Nigeria’s real-time payments scheme has caught on like wildfire, comprising more than 60% of the country’s total spend last year.

B2B and Digital Payments - May/June 2023

PYMNTS interviews Nathaniel Katz, CFO at eCommerce software provider Rokt, about the importance of shared data and integrations in ensuring that automation tools improve working capital transparency.
Rising wages and decreased consumer spending squeeze Main Street businesses’ margins. These businesses need to cut costs without cutting essential functions.
Better automation and integration of systems can help companies of all sizes adjust to economic challenges and exploit opportunities.

Digital-First Banking - May/June 2023

Shimon Steinmetz, CFO at fraud prevention firm Vesta, explains why the fraud landscape has shifted toward card-not-present schemes.
More than 58% of consumers trust their primary banks to vault their payment credentials.
PYMNTS details the most effective solutions banks can leverage to prevent cybercrime and its associated lost revenue.

Generative AI - May 2023

Generative AI exploded into the public consciousness as a technological leap akin to light-speed travel — and it is only likely to accelerate from here.
Anything nonphysical can be generated by AI, from text and videos to data sets, and the world is scrambling to find all the ways to use that generated material.
Generative AI can create misinformation, undermine the value of original materials and destroy trust, but is there an authenticity solution?

Real-Time Payments - May 2023

Anil Mahalaha, head of solutions at Akoya, explains why open banking proliferation in the U.S. needs government leadership.
In a recent survey, 36% of consumers said they did not want to share their card information for push payments, while 33% did not want to share their bank account information.
This month’s PYMNTS Intelligence examines how open banking can accelerate real-time payments implementation and how open banking regulations in the U.S. and Europe affect real-time payments in these regions.

Credit Union - May 2023

An insider explains how CUs can come out on top as lenders in challenging economic times.
A new CFPB rule requires more small business data reporting from lenders in an effort to detect discrimination and inform regulators and other stakeholders.
Whether they are considering leaving a CU or another FI, potentially mobile borrowers are motivated by finding the best rates and terms.

B2B and Digital Payments - May 2023

With many salons and spas struggling with staff shortages and other challenges, an industry insider explains how digital payment platforms are making a difference.
Beauty services are pursuing initiatives from booking and payments innovations to “treat now, pay later” programs, while retailers are experimenting with technology-driven “salon experiences.”
Digital transformation was key to the beauty service industry’s survival during the pandemic, but new trends signal challenges and opportunities ahead.

Hospitality - May 2023

Andrew Robbins, CEO of Paytronix, explains how restaurants can deploy technology to mitigate their ongoing staffing problems and increase revenue.
More than two-thirds of hotel operators plan to add, upgrade or change their property management systems in the coming year, with automation a core component of these refits.
PYMNTS explores the automation technologies with the most promise for use in the hotel and restaurant industries.

FinTech - May 2023

As poor or nonexistent credit profiles keep millions of Americans from accessing traditional lending options, an insider explains how secured credit cards can help.
Consumers seeking credit are gravitating toward BNPL programs and other alternative credit services as banks tighten access to consumer lending.
With an estimated 307 million smartphone users in America, FinTechs can leverage mobile technology to improve credit access among the financially underserved.

Digital-First Banking - May 2023

As embedded finance becomes increasingly central to consumers’ lives, an industry insider discusses how community banks can benefit by offering BaaS.
Many FinTechs are reporting issues with their BaaS providers, while upward of 83% of brands expect embedded finance to have a significant impact on their companies within a year.
With 71% of small banks and CUs saying their customers sought capabilities beyond what the institution’s infrastructure could support, partnerships and BaaS can help.

Credit Union - April 2023

Developing relationships with legislators to amplify CUs’ voices on regulatory issues is a must to stay competitive, according to California Coast Credit Union President and CEO Todd Lane.
With the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s fate hanging in the balance, there are several new regulations for which credit unions must prepare.
Regulators are moving to protect consumers on many fronts as credit unions look to avoid an abrupt changeover to open banking.

Real-Time Payments World Map - May 2023

Mexico is expected to double the daily volume of real time transactions in just four years, exceeding 5 billion.
Japan may see the slowest growth in real-time payments transactions among the featured countries.
Kenya can leverage the M-PESA network to triple the volume of real-time transactions.

Real-Time Payments - April/May 2023

Lee Kyriacou, vice president of real-time payments at The Clearing House, discusses how a mix of technology, consumer education and security best practices can effectively fight push payment fraud.
The number of attempted fraud transactions skyrocketed by 92% between 2021 and 2022, with attempted fraud dollar amounts spiking by a massive 142%.
PYMNTS examines the economic and reputational harm fraud can wreak on P2P applications and how technological solutions can keep fraud to a minimum.

Payments Orchestration - April 2023

PYMNTS speaks with Randy Guard, chief marketing officer and product officer at Spreedly, about why marketplaces need payments orchestration solutions to satisfy merchant partners.
One-third of merchants were disappointed in PSPs’ risk and transaction security, with other pain points including access to support services and transaction settlement times.
PYMNTS details how customizable payments orchestration can enable diverse payment methods and help aggregators improve merchant retention.

Global Commerce - April 2023

Worldline’s Guillame Tournand, vice president of growth and digital commerce, and Michael Bilotta, head of digital services, detail what makes the Turkish eCommerce market a unique investment prospect.
Retail sales in Türkiye are seeing a renaissance, growing 34% year over year this January — the fastest pace since 2021.
PYMNTS explores the potential benefits and challenges of doing business in Türkiye, including digital payment methods and impending regulation.

Money Mobility - April/May 2023

Open banking rails in the U.K. are underutilized, says Boodil co-founder and CEO Harry Luscombe, and his company’s app is combining rewards and faster payments to increase customer engagement and adoption.
Instant disbursements reached a five-year high in the insurance industry last year, yet fewer insurers offered the option compared to the year before.
Those businesses adopting faster payments will have a competitive advantage, thanks to the customer satisfaction, revenue and operational efficiencies they bring.

Digital-First Banking - April 2023

Aligned leadership and teams — coupled with nimble product design and a customer-centric focus — can create lasting digital banking innovation, according to Associated Bank senior vice president Michael Tischer.
Only 11% of consumers feel a sense of financial belonging with their banks — a crucial sentiment correlating with 160% better financial health.
As banks continue to invest heavily in digital, they must better anticipate customers’ needs to deliver personalization where and when they need it.

Credit Card - April 2023

In early 2022, 28% of consumers had a store card — and by the end of the year, the use of and interest in store cards appeared to grow.
The Federal Reserve released data showing that credit card balances and delinquencies are rising, and major retailers are tempering sales expectations.
Despite the challenges, store cards offer reward advantages to consumers and revenue avenues for retailers.

Embedded Finance - April 2023

With embedded finance and BaaS evolving to meet consumers’ digital needs, Mastercard’s Sherri Haymond discusses how FinTechs are responding.
More than half of Americans expressed interest in integrated add-ons, while approximately the same share of software vendors reported satisfaction with their embedded payment providers’ APIs.
Of companies that offered some type of embedded finance option, 88% reported increased engagement, and 85% said it helped them acquire new customers.

Money Mobility - April 2023

Lenders looking to move closer to instant disbursements can lean into AI for both speed and improved financial inclusion, says LendingClub financial health officer Anuj Nayar.
Member satisfaction with credit unions dipped in 2022, but lending is CUs’ superpower. A modern loan origination system could bring CUs back up to speed.
Instant disbursements are in demand in the lending space, but lenders — and borrowers — still cling to branches and legacy processes. Find out how FinTech partnerships can help.

B2B and Digital Payments - April 2023

As companies embrace digital payment solutions more than ever, an industry insider discusses why B2B payment digitization is inexorable and irreversible.
The use of same-day ACH for B2B payments is up 44% as merchants’ satisfaction with payment processors falls.
SMB payers identified an average of five issues usually encountered when making B2B payments — all of which these payers can address with modern payment platforms.

Real-Time Payments - April 2023

Kathy Mertes, vice president and executive leader for digital payments at Conduent, discusses how real-time payments can solve common bill pay challenges.
Real-time payments could be a critical tool in streamlining payments and AR processes in bill pay.
The high cost of bill payment is consumers’ top challenge, reported by 27% of digital payers, followed by inconvenience and lack of features.

Real-Time Payments World Map - April 2023

Greece launched its real-time payments scheme in 2017
India currently records more real-time transactions than any other country in the world
Hong Kong’s real-time payments scheme has unlocked $338 million in economic output

B2B and Digital Payments - March 2023

Michael Nardy, founder and CEO of Electronic Payments, explains why SMBs often must lean on the expertise of a trusted fraud solutions partner to protect the payments they receive.
Organizations anticipate more fraud attempts and are responding by spending more on security, including cyber insurance, to mitigate risk.
The new security threats come from within and without and takes many forms, which is why more companies must take matters into their own hands to protect themselves.

Buy Now, Pay Later - April 2023

Omri Flicker, chief legal and risk officer at Splitit, discusses why BNPL needs regulatory oversight to protect consumers from predatory fees.
The Australian government is considering three proposals to bring the industry in line with its credit counterparts.
This month’s PYMNTS Intelligence explores pending BNPL regulatory moves in the U.S. and abroad and how these regulations could affect BNPL providers.

Credit Union - March 2023

A proactive approach to meeting member financial needs with useful and personalized products, offers and advice can boost loyalty and deepen community ties, according to insiders interviewed by PYMNTS.
CUs should invest in digital experiences focusing on the individual, not broad market segments, using multiple data streams to gain member insights.
Those CUs that can ease access for members wherever they are will see increased loyalty and chances for relationships to evolve.

FinTech - March 2023

As many FinTechs navigate the challenging path toward turning a profit, an industry insider discusses how a company needs to be its own worst critic to improve business operations.
Affirm laid off 19% of its workforce in February as the company’s net losses increased significantly, while the second-largest banking failure in U.S. history left many startups in a bind.
Although there is no sure way to profitability, companies can improve their financial situations. Find out which strategies can help.

Digital-First Banking - March 2023

Physical interaction still drives value when the right approach is taken, according to Barb Jacklin, head of retail product and digital customer experience for Wintrust Financial Corporation.
As consumers leverage mobile apps to access banking wherever they are, FIs must determine how to use their physical footprints to provide the support customers need.
Banking customers are reaping the benefits of a more digitized industry, and as FIs adjust their strategies to stay competitive, streamlining omnichannel with a human touch is crucial.

Buy Now, Pay Later - March/April 2023

Neha Raghava, group head of innovation and engagement for Bryant Dental, discusses how B2B BNPL can help businesses seamlessly afford expensive yet essential inventory.
Inventory price increases across the board are forcing businesses to examine new avenues to increase their margins. For many, implementing BNPL could prove a lifeline.
This month’s PYMNTS Intelligence examines how BNPL can simplify and accelerate B2B payments by solving the high cost of credit.

Real-Time Payments - March 2023

Peter Davey, senior vice president and head of the Innovation Lab at The Clearing House, details the pros and cons of faster payment systems.
Insurance providers sent 20% of all payouts through instant payment systems last year.
PYMNTS explores how organizations can deliver real-time payments in C2B and B2B transactions and the benefits of deploying this payment option.

Money Mobility - March 2023

With restaurants struggling with staffing shortages, Kickfin co-CEO Brian Hassan discusses how digital tipping platforms that support instant payouts can make a difference.
Younger consumers prefer ordering at a QSR with a self-service kiosk, and Canadian restaurants are expanding beyond traditional food and drink offerings.
Software could save restaurants 20 hours per week in tedious administrative tasks. Read more to find out how restaurants can further utilize technology.

Buy Now, Pay Later - March 2023

As checkout friction continues to build, potentially chasing shoppers away, retailers and FinTechs are scrambling for ways to streamline checkout online and in-store.
It can be costly to overlook customer satisfaction at checkout, where wait time frustrates customers into abandoning transactions more often than not.
Consumers want a seamless checkout experience, and there is ample opportunity to make changes that boost

Embedded Finance - March 2023

Mbanq CEO and co-founder Vladimir Lounegov explains how actionable data and diverse revenue are there for the taking for banks that can make the right BaaS moves.
Several factors, including increased online credit card spending and the introduction of new services, are fueling embedded finance growth.
PYMNTS explores how BaaS technology partnerships can help banks leverage the data from BaaS to unlock more personalization opportunities.

Real-Time Payments World Map - March 2023

119 million: Finlands’s average daily payments volume in 2021
61%: French compound annual growth rate
833 million: Denmark’s projected daily payments volume in 2026

B2B Payments Fraud - February 2023

With 41% of all U.S. businesses using real-time payments in some capacity, it is safe to say that B2B payments are becoming faster and easier. The bad news is that fraud is, too.
Facing growing reports of invoice fraud, the Better Business Bureau released a warning to companies, while a man in Utah was charged with sending nearly $6 million worth of fake invoices to a produce company.
Now that payments can be made in seconds, invoice verification is an indispensable tool for companies’ fraud-fighting efforts.

Global Commerce - February 2023

High-growth markets are a powerful draw for businesses worldwide as economic challenges persist, but attendant complexities require a thorough understanding before venturing forth.
Specialty and D2C eTailers have seen cart abandonment rate increases of more than 20% when they do not offer local payment methods.
Experts explain why market research alone cannot replace firsthand experience with local payment methods.

Payments Orchestration - February 2023

Spreedly’s senior director of product, Andy McHale, and PPRO’s head of strategic growth, Adrian Burgess, discuss the challenges and solutions of local payment requirements.
Outranking free shipping, data protection, rewards and saved payment info, payment method preference emerges as customers’ top priority when shopping online.
Businesses worldwide are partnering with payments orchestration providers to ensure their marketplaces have as many payment options for customers as possible.

Credit Union - February 2023

Increasing fraud threats mean that CUs must focus on improving their fraud-fighting methods, but an industry insider explains why CUs must balance security with seamlessness.
Members Trust of the Southwest Federal Credit Union reported a data breach exposing members’ personal information, while Maryland’s Freedom Federal Credit Union announced that some members were cyberattack victims.
Although fraud is a growing problem, just 27% of CU executives invested in fraud management and anti-money laundering solutions in 2022. Learn how digital solutions can fight fraud and meet member needs.

Retail - February 2023

A new study indicates that retailers should balance traditional and self-checkout lanes to suit shopper preferences, improve customer experience and maximize efficiency and sales.
The ongoing effects of the pandemic remain the top driver of the self-checkout market as retailers continue to implement self-service solutions to accommodate social distancing.
Thordur Reynisson, CEO of Iceland-based grocery store Nær, explains why cashierless shopping offers the clearest example of how technology can make life easier.

Digital-First Banking - February 2023

Truist executives Sherry Graziano and Ken Meyer offer insider takes on the bank’s innovation engine, driving targeted digital capabilities when and where customers demand them.
Banking customers are shifting loyalty in the Asia-Pacific region as FinTechs and digital-first competitors gain market share.
In many ways, traditional banks have the advantage over digital challengers, but they must engage in the right approaches and partnerships to achieve digital success.

Money Mobility - February 2023

Adam Feinstein, vice president of product for payments at AppFolio, explains the importance of property managers offering a fully digital payments experience.
The number of small businesses falling behind on rent is growing, while even major companies are considering cutting costs through office closures.
Online payment platforms are a powerful tool for property managers to gain an edge during a difficult time, with fast and frictionless online payments benefiting tenants and owners.

Digital Identity - February 2023

Martin Spusta, CEO of Spark Wallet, shares how his organization addressed onboarding with advanced ID verification to fight fraud and elevate ease of use
Companies are integrating technologies addressing advanced ID verification more often as remote onboarding becomes more important and ubiquitous
Customers want frictionless and streamlined experiences when accessing their accounts, and banks that provide these experiences can gain customers and revenue

Subscription Commerce - February 2023

Matthew Berk, CEO and co-founder of D2C coffee brand Bean Box, provides an insider’s viewpoint on how inflation will force subscription companies to diversify their business models to retain customers in 2023.
It is much easier to convert an existing customer than a new prospect, which is why more brands are turning to subscriptions as they look for ways to navigate a challenging economic climate.
Brands cannot afford to lose customers due to failed payments. Investing in customer lifetime value through a strong retention strategy can drive massive revenue gains when prioritized.

Real-Time Payments World Map - February 2023

5.3%: Share of Brazil’s total payments volume that real-time payments account for
16%: Projected share of all electronic payments in Croatia that will be real-time payments by 2026
0.1%: Share of Colombia’s total payments volume that real-time payments account for

Real-Time Payments - January 2023

Karen Hess, vice president of human resources at Oglebay, explains how instant payroll has significantly improved the resort’s employees’ quality of life
Why seven out of 10 middle-market companies are offering instant payroll to some employees, and another 24% are planning to implement it in the near future
The EU’s recent proposal forcing banks to provide 24/7 free instant payments, and the banks’ concerns about the high cost of doing so

Money Mobility - January 2023

From Europe to Africa, insiders in the insurance space speak about how digital solutions are changing the industry worldwide
Fraud costs the insurance industry dearly, while a lack of progress on modernization efforts is also holding the industry back
Given all the problems the industry faces, insurers must focus on improving the speed and ease of claims and payments processes

B2B And Digital Payments - January/February 2023

Patricia Bonilla, owner and president of Miami-based Lunacon Construction Group, offers insight into why construction businesses need to make tracking and receiving payments a top priority
Delayed payments are causing headaches for contractors, subcontractors and banks, but automation and other technologies can help ease pain points
The pandemic added friction to B2B payments, and the construction industry saw the value in unlocking faster payments

Credit Union - January 2023

Sumeet Grover, chief digital and marketing officer at Alliant Credit Union, describes how the CU is keeping up with and staying ahead of member demand for innovative and varied payment solutions
More consumers are going cashless as digital payments and card usage grow, and debit continues to outpace credit cards
Consumers of all ages want payment flexibility and digital solutions, but these features are must-haves for a new generation of consumers and CUs must appease this group of potential customers

B2B Payments Fraud - January 2023

Candler Eve, vice president and director of enterprise fraud at MidFirst Bank, unpacks the challenges of detecting and preventing invoice fraud
Fraud rates are rising, and losses are mounting. Companies must secure all aspects of their businesses — including their incoming payments systems
Companies are turning to digital solutions to secure payments and prevent fraud as manual processes prove to be an inadequate solution

Digital-First Banking - January/February 2023

Charles Potts of the Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) provides an up-close look at how community banks are stepping up with innovation to help SMBs improve cash flow and stay competitive
More small businesses are struggling to survive these days, but digital solutions can help them compete
Smaller businesses want comprehensive advice and support around payments and embedded finance, but traditional banks are not delivering

B2B And Digital Payments - January 2023

Andrea Gellert, head of marketing at Clover, shares three questions every SMB should ask about new payment technologies and how merchants can achieve scale for their entire businesses
Consumers are increasingly aligning their shopping preferences with the ability to choose their preferred payment options
SMBs have a strong ally in consumers, but payment preferences are evolving rapidly and SMBs can leverage consumer goodwill if they meet these preferences

Buy Now, Pay Later - January 2023

Merchants can reap big benefits by offering installment options in-store and online, provided they can do so seamlessly
Customers looking for deals in their holiday shopping this year turned to BNPL more than ever before
BNPL’s in-store availability can build brand recognition and loyalty, but merchants must be aware of potential hiccups and be ready to counter them

Real-Time Payments World Map - January 2023

316M: Projected real-time payments volume in Argentina by 2026
1.1B: Projected real-time payments volume in Bahrain by 2026
593M: Projected real-time payments volume in Austria by 2026

Digital-First Banking - January 2023

Retail banks prioritizing a digital-first approach and strong data framework are well-positioned to compete and deliver personalized, wealth-building offerings
Gen Z and millennials are increasingly taking advantage of digital tools to build wealth, while accessing in-person services is difficult for some
Personalizing offerings can be challenging for any financial institution but considering how quickly consumer trends have shifted toward digital, gaining customer cooperation and trust with data is a must

Blockchain Payments - December 2022

Anish Jain, CEO of WadzPay, tells PYMNTS how building interoperability between blockchain and established systems fuels the payments industry’s next revolution.
Following significant growth since 2020, the global blockchain technology market is expected to grow more than 10 times in value by 2027.
Wholesale CBDCs, which may be simpler to launch than retail CBDCs due to their limited impact on consumers, promise faster cross-border payments and can help countries leapfrog intermediary steps toward a more modern banking system.

Real-Time Payments In Review - December 2022

Richard Booth, senior product manager of real-time payments and core payable check products at KeyBank, explains why the RTP® network’s offering streamlines operations and improves customer experience.
Dave Glaser, president and chief operating officer at Dwolla, elaborates on why multilayered security around real-time payments is so important in the open banking ecosystem.
Kelly Albiston, senior vice president and chief technology officer at Mountain America Credit Union, describes how banks offering bill payment in real time increase consumer trust and loyalty.
Modern Treasury’s chief growth officer, Rachel Pike, helps illuminate why automation is key to RTP network implementation.

Credit Union - December 2022

Robert Cashman, president and CEO of Metro Credit Union, offers an insider perspective on how CUs can help their members weather a turbulent economy
Consumers in the grip of economic storms are looking to their FIs for help, but many feel left to navigate alone
Credit unions emphasize improving members’ financial well-being and are uniquely positioned to help consumers, but they must understand member needs and respond accordingly

Real-Time Payments - December 2022

Rupa Krishnan, head of global real-time payments at JPMorgan Chase & Co., on how the RTP® network has evolved since its launch and possible new use cases
PYMNTS explores the growth of the RTP network over the past half-decade and details the most significant milestones along the way
Banks and businesses that add real-time payments capabilities can experience increased accounting efficiency, reduced risk of payment failure and improved transparency in the payment process

Money Mobility - December 2022

DraftKings discusses the need to offer payment speed without compromising security.
Regulators and industry innovators are calling for the casino industry to embrace cashless payments. Due to the pandemic and a desire to gain a competitive advantage, the industry is responding.
Consumers want to receive their gambling winnings through a variety of payment methods, with instant payments among the most desired. Many companies, however, are not meeting this need.

Payments Orchestration - December 2022

Troy Pike, CEO of merchant aggregator Volusion, and Spreedly CEO Justin Benson describe how payments orchestration can assist platforms in their goal of helping small merchants compete on a global stage.
There is vast untapped potential in international expansion, but the diversity of payments worldwide can pose a formidable barrier to market entry.
Payments orchestration allows aggregators to “turn on” payment gateways to onboard merchants swiftly and easily. It can also provide them with value-added services to sweeten the deal.

Digital Identity - December 2022

Lisa Zeimetz, senior vice president at First National Bank and Trust, explains why banks’ collaboration is key to developing better fraud detection solutions for the industry
More fraud attempts are motivating bank customers to seek security atop convenience
Artificial intelligence, rules-based algorithms, data mining and biometrics are among the ways many companies deal with fraud — at the growing behest of consumers and regulators

Embedded Finance - December 2022

Sofiat Abdulrazaaq, CEO of on-demand food truck marketplace Goodfynd, discusses how embedded finance can help merchants address the most common payments complications
More than 60% of SMBs desire an embedded financial services and payment overlay to help them smooth their payments processes
Trends indicate that SMBs value convenience when sending payments, but speed when receiving them

Digital Fraud - December 2022

Christian Santaniello, senior vice president and head of commercial deposits and treasury management at Axos Bank, details how firms can process instant payments securely
Studies show consumers will leave merchants for good if they do not have a smooth checkout experience or if they cannot deal with fraud in a friction-free manner
Businesses and consumers are demanding stronger customer protections against fraud and scams perpetrated using instant payments, and advanced technologies can help

Telecommunications Payments - December 2022

Four telecom providers detail how the industry is uniquely positioned to help unbanked households — as well as some areas needing improvement
Partnerships with FinTechs and FIs could allow telecommunications companies to transform access to financial services through innovation and improve financial inclusion globally
As new nonbank financial systems such as telecommunications payments swiftly replace banks in many consumers’ lives, “unbanked” could take on a whole new meaning

B2B And Digital Payments - November/December 2022

Craig O’Neill, CEO at Versapay, explains which all-in-one payments solutions can check the right boxes for companies seeking better cash flow management
Cash flow planning is even more pressing for SMBs invested in digital transformation, and navigating solutions requires understanding pain points
All-in-one platforms, technology and financial assistance from banks and other payment providers hold great promise for smoothing B2B payment processes

Global Commerce - November 2022

Karen Bruck, vice president of commerce and strategic initiatives at Mercado Libre, discusses the unique opportunities and challenges of Latin American eCommerce
Amazon and Flatfee bet big on the surging Latin American digital retail market
Mobile shopping and buy now, pay later could be the wave of the future for LatAm shoppers

Credit Union - November 2022

An interview with Jeff Hibbard, chief digital officer at Truliant Federal Credit Union, about engaging with young, mobile-driven members
Consumers demand speedy, uncomplicated means of opening accounts or transacting, including apps and on-demand onboarding
Consumers want to manage their finances as easily as they summon a rideshare or stream a favorite film, and CUs can help

Buy Now, Pay Later - November 2022

An interview with Xiao Wang, co-founder and CEO of immigration services startup Boundless, about how BNPL helps the companies that implement it
Forty-six percent of department store shoppers say they would switch to another retailer if it meant being able to leverage BNPL payment options
While merchants benefit from higher conversation rates, some obstacles may be a disincentive for some shoppers

Money Mobility - November 2022

Ben Mendelsohn, director of product management at Fifth Third Bank, gives the insider perspective on how making direct deposits available faster, regardless of the source, benefits workers of all kinds.
With more workers living paycheck to paycheck, having fast access to their hard-earned cash is crucial.
Times are tough, and the speed of payments matters. Employee expectations are also changing, and employers must revamp their payroll departments to retain workers.

Restaurant Digitization - November 2022

Karl Goodhew, chief technology officer at BurgerFi, discusses the technologies required to meet customers’ demands.
Restaurants that weathered the pandemic leaned into online ordering, curbside pickup and delivery services, and adopted restaurant management software to survive.
Increasing revenue despite staffing and supply chain challenges will require adopting new ordering, payment and automation technology.

Blockchain Payments - October/November 2022

Andreas Veneris, professor of electrical and computer engineering at the University of Toronto, explains why cross-border payments would be a good starting point for blockchain regulation.
New executive actions on both sides of the Atlantic are kicking regulation into high gear.
Cryptocurrency is exploding in popularity but brings with it significant personal and societal risks.

Subscription Commerce - November 2022

Sunil Vasisht, chief operating officer at Meridian Springs Primary Care, tells PYMNTS how the practice’s subscription model enables exemplary care and patient retention.
As the cost of living goes up, consumers are abandoning subscriptions. One poor experience with a brand — or a better experience with a competitor — can cause them to flee.
Consumers’ difficulty in managing subscriptions can prompt them to cut the cord, but better payment options and personalization can keep them engaged — even through economic adversity.

Digital Identity - November 2022

An interview with fraud and identity threat industry expert Lenny Gusel on how targeted friction and advanced authentication can make payments more secure and user friendly.
With cyberattacks up 7% in the past year, ensuring the best possible security practices has never been more important.
Sixty-five percent of consumers are frustrated by passwords, and password overload leads to recycling and repetition in password choices.

Digital Fraud - November 2022

Lien Nguyen, senior vice president of fraud prevention at Bank of the West, tells PYMNTS about the leading identity fraud threats today — and how leveraging data can deflect them.
Bad actors’ use of AI to create deepfakes and fabricated identities is a growing threat to eCommerce.
PYMNTS explores how businesses can protect themselves through the deployment of advanced AI systems.

B2B And Digital Payments - November 2022

PYMNTS speaks with Adam McDonald, president of TouchNet, on what students want from their campus payments experiences and how his company is helping colleges and universities simplify and modernize their payments infrastructures to meet student needs.
Notre Dame ditches cash on campus, and Michigan State University expands the options of where students can use their meal plans to pay for dinner.
With many campuses using legacy payments systems riddled with problems, there is a pronounced need for innovation. Find out which systems and functionality colleges want to improve the most and the role of student ID cards.

B2B Payments Fraud - November 2022

Pablo Molina, chief information security officer at Drexel University, tells PYMNTS how technology and collaboration with FIs helped him detect and prevent an attempted payments fraud scheme.
Invoice and payments fraud is an enduring problem for businesses, but its growth due to the pandemic has been astronomical.
B2B fraud gets less press than consumer-related fraud, but its identification tops companies’ list of biggest challenges.

Credit Union - October 2022

UNIFY Financial Credit Union shares the scoop on how it leveraged member data to design an in-demand cryptocurrency product.
CUs are poised to gain an edge but need member data to personalize experiences.
Consumers want an FI that knows them better than they know themselves. Becoming that FI requires innovative use of consumer data.

B2B And Digital Payments - October 2022

An interview with Alain Nana-Sinkam, senior vice president of business development at TrueCar, about the role of connected vehicles in customers’ changing relationship with their vehicles.
Connectivity is cutting costs and improving safety for fleet operators.
With 72% of fleet operators seeking to reduce costs or improve safety, connected fleets are becoming the new normal.

Embedded Finance - October 2022

Alex Zerio, head of solution and platform architecture at Green Dot Corporation, discusses how embedded finance and cloud technology can improve banking
An inside look at the risks banks face by relying on legacy banking systems and how cloud banking can effectively upgrade core infrastructure
PYMNTS Intelligence examining how banks can leverage cloud technology and embedded finance to drive digital payments

Digital-First Banking - October 2022

Small businesses are often forced to make do with limited resources, but tools such as personalization and automation can help level the playing field.
Bank of America is increasing its spending on digital technology, and Truist Financial Corporation announces a new digital banking app.
Digital banking is already mainstream and will only grow, but winning consumers’ hearts with the technology is a more human matter.

Digital Fraud - October 2022

PYMNTS talks to Darren Beyer, chief product and strategy officer at Qolo, about 2022’s most pressing fraud threats and the right tools to fight them.
Why both technology and human diligence must be implemented in tandem against the constant onslaught of fraud.
Google, Visa and dYdX deploy innovative new technologies to fight fraud in their industries.

Buy Now, Pay Later - October 2022

PYMNTS interviews Heidi Hillis, education coach at Fortuna Admissions, on how the company reduced administrative costs and discounts by using BNPL.
BNPL for dental services expands affordability, and one in three consumers is leveraging BNPL for back-to-school shopping.
Education and healthcare are primed to be the next frontiers for BNPL services.

Money Mobility - October 2022

PYMNTS interviews John Moshier, CEO at ReadyCap Lending LLC, about the pain points of government programs intended to aid small businesses.
As government aid programs continue to play a critical role in pandemic economic recovery, paper processes are slowing and delaying disbursements.
The successes and struggles that emerged during the pandemic demonstrated the potential of private-public partnerships.

Real-Time Payments - September 2022

Chris Ward, head of wholesale payments at Truist Financial, discusses what to look forward to in the world of real-time payments
PYMNTS explores the latest worldwide real-time payments headlines, including how North American Banking Company plans to power its instant payment solution and why middle-market companies’ fraud concerns with real-time payments may be misplaced
2022 saw massive growth in the real-time payments industry, but its true potential remains largely untapped in the U.S.

Subscription Commerce - September 2022

PYMNTS interviewed Juan Palacio, founder and CEO of BloomsyBox, on how the company is responding to economic pressures by making the payment and cancellation experience more flexible.
The NFL is doubling down on subscription services, and Vindicia and ACI Worldwide are partnering to create a better subscription solution.
Nonessential recurring payments are at risk as consumers juggle many recurring payments each month for services ranging from insurance to cable.

Expanding Payments Choice - September 2022

The Insider POV On Effective End-To-End Digital Customer Experiences: Businesses and consumers expect transparency that a check in the mail cannot provide but end-to-end digital can.
End-To-End Digital Car Buying Saves Money, Builds Customer Loyalty: Whether by avoiding the pitfalls of outdated systems or attracting repeat customers, digital solutions can save companies in both the short and long term.
Meeting Car Buyers In The Digital Space: New car purchases are increasingly being made by young, digitally savvy consumers. A check in the mail is the last thing they want to see from an auto company.

Digital-First Banking - September 2022

Lindsay Davis, head of markets at Atomic, offers PYMNTS an insider POV on how Atomic is improving the payroll experience through digital innovation.
FNB is named Africa’s top digital bank, and First Federal Bank of Kansas City releases a new mobile banking app.
Consumers want banking apps to address day-to-day banking needs, but there is a growing desire for apps to handle even more complicated financial tasks.

Blockchain Payments - August/September 2022

An interview with Jon Knipper, senior director of crypto treasury management at Republic Crypto, on stablecoins, crypto assets and the role of blockchain tokens in the future of finance
The latest headlines from around the blockchain payments space, including the cautious-yet-interested approach many of the largest U.S. banks are taking toward cryptocurrencies and how current understanding of the stablecoin space is impacting regulations
An in-depth look at eMoney, cryptocurrencies and stablecoins, their roles as currency and how consumer interest is driving their further development

Money Mobility - September 2022

Lilac Bar David, founder and CEO of FinTech Lili, offers PYMNTS an insider POV on what FIs and FinTechs can do to ensure smooth money transfers
PYMNTS examines the latest worldwide money mobility headlines, including why 85% of consumers in MENA have used digital payment methods in the past year and how Zelle’s transaction volume surpassed checks for the first time this year
Customers are more demanding than ever when it comes to money mobility: Find out how banks, FinTechs and other companies can effectively meet these demands

Embedded Finance - September 2022

An interview with Bennie Pennington, vice president of embedded banking and integrated payments at KeyBank, on the challenges consumers face when making digital payments and how embedded banking can help
The latest headlines from the embedded finance space, including how less than one in three consumers can access personalized mobile banking experiences despite most consumers wanting them
An in-depth look at how both consumers and businesses want and need digital payments more than ever and how embedded finance is key to meeting these demands

Digital Fraud - September 2022

An interview with Carl Slabicki, co-head of global payments at BNY Mellon, on protecting both buyers and sellers when making the necessary moves to the metaverse
The latest headlines from the digital fraud space, including Citibank’s metaverse crime predictions and the tools that enable cybercriminals to continue their scams undetected
An in-depth look at the risks and rewards of Web 3.0 and the metaverse, including why these new online environments are a fraudster’s paradise and what smart organizations can do to control these risks

Real-Time Payments - August/September 2022

An interview with Leo Lipis, chief executive officer of payments industry consulting group Lipis Advisors, about how the U.S. can encourage more use of the RTP® network
The latest real-time payments headlines, including how India’s digital payments platform logged 6 billion transactions in July 2022 and why the EU and U.S. are considering instant payment regulation in the near future
An in-depth analysis of how the RTP network in the U.S. compares to its peers across the globe

Expanding Payments Choice - August/September 2022

An interview with Nearside’s Bert Friedman, vice president of compliance, and Tim Wu, head of growth, about the difficulties of maintaining compliance and mitigating risk in a constantly evolving digital world
The latest headlines from the space, including how U.S. employers that use employees’ tax withholdings to pay business expenses may have to pay income tax on those funds in addition to fines and penalties and a New York law that holds prime contractors liable when subcontractors commit wage theft
An in-depth look at how an increasingly international and digitized payments landscape often confronts firms large and small with hefty regulatory fines and loss of reputation and how third-party solutions can help

B2B Cross-Border Payments - August/September 2022

An interview with Bob Binford, executive vice president at Unique Carpets Ltd., on the importance of making the cross-border payment experience faster and frictionless
The latest headlines from around the B2B cross-border payments space, including American Express’ recent launch of a digital B2B cross-border payments solution and why the European Central Bank believes a CBDC could be the “holy grail” for cross-border payments
An in-depth look at the major challenges businesses face when making B2B cross-border payments, what solutions they expect and how FIs can meet these expectations

Buy Now, Pay Later - August 2022

Consumers and merchants are turning to BNPL to deal with the cost-of-living crisis. Consumers are using BNPL more for both small- and big-ticket items, and merchants have seen a steady increase in sales when offering BNPL options — and this growth is not showing any signs of slowing.
Inflation is taking a bite out of consumers’ pockets, but one dental supplier found a BNPL solution that helped patients keep their oral health intact.
Recent economic conditions have significantly affected the BNPL market and consumer spending power. Learn insider info on how consumers are using BNPL in these times and what retailers can do to succeed.

Digital-First Banking - August/September 2022

An interview with Aaron Wollner, an executive at Quontic Bank, about how it is hard to predict crypto’s role in banking, aside from saying it will have one
An in-depth look at how banks have been slow to embrace cryptocurrencies despite consumers’ interest and how FIs can catch up
The latest headlines from around the digital-first banking space, including how the biggest bank in Europe plans to develop a cryptocurrency custodial platform

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