PYMNTS

DECEMBER 18, 2020

Facebook’s Libra might be fading a bit as a perceived threat to monetary systems that have been in place around the globe for centuries. But the race is still on for central banks to develop their own digital versions of fiat to take their place alongside bills and coins. To that end, the Bahamas may stand out as an epicenter of sorts for the rise of central bank digital currencies (CBDCs).

Currencies 142

Currencies Banking Compliance Retail 142

Simply Treasury

DECEMBER 16, 2020

[link]

Treasury 130

Treasury 130

PYMNTS

DECEMBER 28, 2020

Digital currencies could render the SWIFT global payments network unnecessary, RT.com reported, citing the Central Bank of Russia (CBR). Olga Skorobogatova, first deputy governor of the CBR, said 30 countries are working on their own national digital currencies, some of which could launch in five to seven years. According to the Bank for International Settlements (BIS), as of July, some 36 central banks published studies on the concept of a central bank digital currency (CBDC) also known as a di

Banking 142

Banking Currencies Prioritization Technology 142

PYMNTS

DECEMBER 23, 2020

Santander Consumer USA was ordered to pay $4.7 million to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ( CFPB ) for violating the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), the CFPB said in a press release. According to the release, Santander allegedly knew that it provided incorrect consumer data to the three major credit reporting agencies (CRAs). Santander is an originator and servicer of non-prime auto loans and leases and provides credit information to CRAs via monthly data files, according to the CFPB

Manufacturing 142

Manufacturing Compliance Banking Accounting 142

Speaker: Ashley Harlan, MBA

What if your role as a fractional CFO went beyond operational support to actively shaping the future of your clients’ businesses? 💼 ✨ In this session, discover how fractional finance professionals can position themselves as architects of growth, guiding their clients toward sustainable success and preparing them for full-time financial leadership.

CFO

PYMNTS

DECEMBER 18, 2020

The U.S. Treasury Department proposed sweeping new rules late Friday (Dec. 18) that the government says would make convertible digital currencies like bitcoin less attractive to criminals engaging in crimes such as ransomware attacks. The new regulations, if adopted after a comment period, would require banks and some other institutions to obtain and report the identities of parties engaging in certain digital transactions, including payments involving what are called "unhosted wallets" – effect

Treasury 141

Treasury Currencies Securities Banking 141

PYMNTS

DECEMBER 27, 2020

The highly competitive streaming-audio industry could be starting the New Year with some consolidation, a new report suggests. Jack Dorsey — the billionaire CEO of Square and Twitter — is said to be interested in buying TIDAL , the audio service owned by billionaire music legend Jay-Z. Unnamed sources told Bloomberg that the outspoken Dorsey has been seen with Jay-Z and his singer-wife Beyonce recently, and is reportedly interested in adding a music feature to payment platform Square’s growin

Financial Data 139

Financial Data Marketing Numbers 139

PYMNTS

DECEMBER 14, 2020

The 2020 holiday shopping season is picking up, and consumers are heading online or to reopened brick-and-mortar stores to shop and pay for gifts. They are using everything from cash to mobile wallets to complete these transactions, requiring retailers to race to accommodate a wide variety of payment methods. Supporting a host of simple and frictionless payment options is often a complicated endeavor from the retailer’s perspective, said Keala Gaines , vice president of global payment services f

eCommerce 139

eCommerce Retail Leverage Securities 139

PYMNTS

DECEMBER 16, 2020

Bitcoin continued its ongoing surge in price Wednesday (Dec. 16), heading above the $20,000 mark for the first time ever — eclipsing its previous record high set in 2017. The price of a bitcoin traded higher by 5.6 percent, hitting around $20,600. CNBC reported that the surge was fueled by cryptocurrency fans along with a big boost from big-name investors such as Paul Tudor Jones and Stanley Druckenmiller.

Investments 137

Investments Retail Marketing 137

PYMNTS

DECEMBER 15, 2020

GoDaddy has agreed to acquire Poynt , which lets businesses sell and accept payments anywhere through its suite of products, according to a press release. GoDaddy plans to pay $320 million in cash at closing, along with $45 million in deferred cash payments subject to various performance and employment standards in the next three years, the release stated.

Technology 135

Technology eCommerce Investments Marketing 135

Advertiser: Paycor

Use these handy calendar templates to stay on top of payroll in 2025! Download them today to share with your HR team or post for employees. Whether your company has biweekly, semi-monthly, or monthly pay periods, Paycor has you covered. Get your templates today!

PYMNTS

DECEMBER 9, 2020

In payments, speed is everything. So, it’s no surprise that in a fireside chat with PYMNTS Karen Webster, Visa ’s Alan Koenigsberg , global head of new payment flows at Visa Business Solutions; and Tim Summers , vice president of Visa Direct global segments and market development, said B2B payments between buyers and suppliers are poised to pick up speed as they travel round the globe.

B2B 134

B2B Reconciliations Accounting Invoicing 134

PYMNTS

DECEMBER 13, 2020

Point-of-sale (POS) lender Affirm is putting on hold its initial public offering (IPO), which had been scheduled for this month, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing unnamed sources. WSJ did not give a definitive reason for the delay in Affirm Holding Inc.'s plans but suggested it may be for the same reason video game-maker Roblox also put off an imminent IPO: fear of missing out at the corporate level.

Securities 134

Securities Sales Planning Technology 134

PYMNTS

DECEMBER 18, 2020

Digital trust-and-safety company Sift said that 2020 has been a “banner year” for online shopping sales, but that scammers have modified their approaches to take advantage of the boom, according to an announcement. The company said that malicious actors are moving away from the usual “spray and pray” strategy that entails conducting dozens or hundreds of lower-value transactions with stolen payment data, and are instead making fewer and larger attacks.

eCommerce 133

eCommerce Retail Accounting Sales 133

PYMNTS

DECEMBER 21, 2020

Apple is advancing its self-driving car project, according to a Reuters report, and will look at debuting a new product by 2024 that could also come with new battery technology. Project Titan, the Apple automotive effort, has been working on a self-driving vehicle sporadically since 2014, working from scratch. Apple hasn't always kept up with it, sometimes drawing back to focus more on the software the company is known for, Reuters reported.

Manufacturing 132

Manufacturing Technology Planning 132

Speaker: Michael Veatch, Senior Director, Implementations & Ella Aguirre, Director of Solution Consulting

Embedding payments can be a transformative step for software companies looking to enhance their platform capabilities, boost customer satisfaction, and drive long-term growth. However, the success of payments hinges on a single thing: implementation. Drawing on real-world insights and experiences, payments implementation experts Michael Veatch and Ella Aguirre will explore actionable strategies that can lead to a transparent, friction-free launch and mitigate potential challenges like technical

Investments

PYMNTS

DECEMBER 25, 2020

’Twas Christmas with COVID, We were all stuck at home. Can’t go out, it’s not safe, We’re advised not to roam. The holiday Zoom calls have been scheduled with care, To talk to the relatives who cannot be there. . The children are nestled asleep in their beds, As visions of PS5s dance in their heads. Ma on her mobile and me on the tablet, Spent Christmas Eve cementing our new digital-first habits. .

B2B 132

B2B Retail 132

PYMNTS

DECEMBER 17, 2020

Although the digital shift brought on by the pandemic has rapidly reshaped the entire retail industry, its impact on the grocery segment in particular has been especially pronounced. In fact, according to a new Omnichannel Grocery Report from ACI Worldwide and PYMNTS, 17.2 percent of all consumers have switched from in-store to online shopping. Ordering for home delivery has become particularly popular, as 23 percent of U.S. consumers — 57 million people — say they are ordering more groceries on

eCommerce 132

eCommerce Retail Sales Technology 132

PYMNTS

DECEMBER 22, 2020

Amazon is postponing its logistics fee increase to help accommodate businesses affected by the pandemic, a company letter from Amazon Worldwide Consumer CEO Jeff Wilke stated. Wilke wrote that the eCommerce giant will continue to take on the extra costs without increasing fees until June 1, 2021. "We are doing this because we want to provide stability and support for you during what will likely remain a challenging winter as vaccine distribution gets underway," Wilke said in the letter.

Prioritization 131

Prioritization eCommerce Investments Planning 131

PYMNTS

DECEMBER 16, 2020

With eCommerce volume way up for the holiday shopping season, we knew it was going to be a tricky year for gift shipping. The reports of potential delays and earlier-than-average shipping windows for Christmas delivery rolled in right on time in early December. UPS imposed shipping restrictions on some large retailers such as Gap, Nike, L.L. Bean Inc., Hot Topic Inc., Newegg Inc. and Macy’s as the shipping giant struggled with unprecedented demand from the pandemic-driven eCommerce surge.

Strategic Planning 131

Strategic Planning eCommerce Forecasting Retail 131

Speaker: Duke Heninger, Partner and Fractional CFO at Ampleo & Creator of CFO System

Are you ready to elevate your accounting processes for 2025? 🚀 Join us for an exclusive webinar led by Duke Heninger, a seasoned fractional CFO and CPA passionate about transforming back-office operations for finance teams. This session will cover critical best practices and process improvements tailored specifically for accounting professionals.

Accounting

PYMNTS

DECEMBER 29, 2020

Amazon is reporting a record-breaking holiday shopping season that saw more than 1.5 billion toys, electronics and household goods delivered amid the global COVID-19 pandemic. “Amazonians around the world have truly shown what it means to be customer-centric and support our communities this year,” Jeff Wilke , CEO of worldwide consumer at Amazon, said in a press release on Tuesday (Dec. 29). .

Healthcare 130

Healthcare Sales Retail 130

PYMNTS

DECEMBER 30, 2020

A lawsuit filed by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) against digital payments firm Ripple is heading to virtual court on Feb. 22, according to legal documents filed in the U.S. District Court of the Southern District of New York. Legal counsel for those named in the suit — Ripple Labs, CEO Bradley Garlinghouse and Executive Chairman and Co-founder Christian Larsen — were called to appear in an online pretrial conference with Judge Analisa Torres. .

Currencies 130

Currencies Securities Retail 130

PYMNTS

DECEMBER 14, 2020

For a 6-year-old Australian startup that’s only been doing business in the U.S. for two years, Afterpay — with its buy now, pay later (BNPL) interest-free installment loans — has gone from relative obscurity to the front page of the financial section this holiday season. Although the installment concept is hardly new, Afterpay’s platform and growing catalog of retailers has brought fame and fortune to the company and its founders.

Retail 129

Retail Healthcare Budgeting Finance 129

PYMNTS

DECEMBER 23, 2020

We’ve all heard the horror stories. The 6-year-old who get his hands on Mom’s iPad and manages to rack up $16,000 worth of credit charges for online gaming. The teenager with a Fortnite habit who manages to clean out Dad’s checking account via the debit card linked to the gaming account. These aren’t bad kids necessarily so much as they’re kids that simply don’t know the damage they’re doing at the time.

Banking 128

Banking Education Construction Accounting 128

Speaker: Abdi Ali, Sr. Lease Accounting Consultant

Join this insightful webinar with industry expert Abdi Ali, who will discuss the challenges that can arise from managing lease accounting with spreadsheets! He will share real-world examples of errors, compliance issues, and risks that may be present within your spreadsheets. Learn how these tools, while useful, can sometimes lead to inefficiencies that affect your time, resources, and peace of mind.

Accounting

PYMNTS

DECEMBER 18, 2020

Katapult Holding, Inc. and special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) FinServ Acquisition Corp. said on Friday (Dec. 18) that they have entered into a definitive merger deal. The arrangement will create a combined firm that will run as Katapult and is intended to trade on the Nasdaq with the “KPLT” ticker symbol upon closing, according to an announcement.

eCommerce 128

eCommerce Securities Sales Technology 128

PYMNTS

DECEMBER 28, 2020

As the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine continues to roll out to medical workers and high-risk populations, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) is asking financial institutions to be extra vigilant when it comes to cybersecurity. . “Already, fraudsters have offered, for a fee, to provide potential victims with the vaccine sooner than permitted under the applicable vaccine distribution plan,” FinCEN said in a statement on Monday (Dec. 28).

B2B 127

B2B Compliance Sales Numbers 127

PYMNTS

DECEMBER 21, 2020

When a customer walks into a physical location to transact, a whole host of behavioral data becomes available to whatever entity is serving them. Are they acting interested, engaged and prepared? Or do they appear to be casing the joint and attempting to memorize the location of the security cameras? That behavioral data can then be used to inform how the customer is treated and what kind of interaction they are going to be offered.

Securities 126

Securities Numbers Technology Retail 126

PYMNTS

DECEMBER 23, 2020

Burger King has launched a new promotion called the "$1 Your Way Menu" and in conjunction will put $1 in some Venmo users' accounts through Dec. 28, the day the new menu takes effect, the company announced in a press release. "Unlike other value menus, all items on Burger King’s newly unveiled menu are $1 a piece — that’s it,” the release stated. “The big question now becomes, what to get?”.

Advertising 125

Advertising Budgeting Accounting Marketing 125

Advertisement

Join us in this webinar, where we share best practices on how to think about the reconciliation work each month, when best to do reconciliations, how they should be prepared, and some common pitfalls to avoid. Learning Objectives: This course objective is to understand how to properly prepare and review balance sheet reconciliations and its impact on the financial statements.

Reconciliations