PYMNTS

MARCH 4, 2019

Pharmacies and the delivery of prescription medication are both undergoing significant change, and much of the credit for that can be directly or indirectly attributed to the rise of eCommerce and digital payments. The latest development? The deployment in South Africa of what some observers are calling ATMs for medicine. A recent report from the Financial Times offers one of the better descriptions of the project, meant to ease certain pressures on the South African healthcare system and provid

Healthcare 93

Healthcare eCommerce Startups Accounting 93

CFA Institute

MARCH 5, 2019

True to his Dr. Doom moniker, Nouriel Roubini believes that vulnerabilities in the system are currently hidden and will emerge when the next economic downturn occurs.

Economics 72

Economics Investments 72

PYMNTS

MARCH 4, 2019

To help keep the prices of food and drinks low, the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta is about to become cashless. Only credit cards, debit cards and mobile payments will be accepted at the venue beginning on March 10, Bloomberg reported. With the change, the costs of working with cash, such as reconciliation and physical cash drawers, are said to be removed.

Reconciliations 90

Reconciliations Accounting Technology Retail 90

PYMNTS

MARCH 7, 2019

Lawmakers in Philadelphia have passed a ban on cashless stores, making it the first major city in the U.S. to do so, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal. The new law will take effect in July and would require most retail outlets to accept physical currency. New Jersey recently passed a similar law and New York City is on the path to doing so as well.

Currencies 85

Currencies Retail Accounting Banking 85

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

MARCH 7, 2019

The gig economy has changed — and is still changing — when we work, how we work and, of course, how we get paid. Readers of this space may recall some stats at the end of last year, where the PYMNTS Gig Economy Index found that as many as one-third of workers in the U.S. have participated in the gig economy — and 85 percent would do more work if they were paid faster.

Startups 80

Startups Accounting Banking Sales 80

PYMNTS

MARCH 7, 2019

Ant Financial Services Group and Jiangsu-based Hoperun Information Technology announced Wednesday (March 7) a new banking product aimed at financial institutions. In a press release , the companies said the new banking product dubbed Distributed Core Banking Platform (DCBP) helps financial firms move their business models to customer-oriented models and away from transaction-oriented models.

Banking 79

Banking Technology Finance Accounting 79

PYMNTS

MARCH 7, 2019

Merchants and customers are now transacting under PSD2 and GDPR in the European Union (EU) — regulations that allow a greater window into how customer data is being used. While these regulations are aimed at increasing consumer trust by allowing them more transparency, many consumers in the region are still adjusting. In fact, many still have concerns over data breaches under PSD2, especially when it comes to their relationships with banks, now required to share previously siloed data with third

Securities 79

Securities Advertising Banking Investments 79

PYMNTS

MARCH 7, 2019

It might be the case that 2019 takes shape as a watershed year for payments regulation, marked by PSD2 and GDPR. Stakeholders in the financial services and payments arenas are navigating new rules about how data is collected, stored and shared. However, the way payments innovation is pursued — and becomes reality — is changing, too. The rise of Open Banking is helping to open up payment ecosystems, encouraging collaboration between traditional financial firms and smaller, tech-focused upstarts.

Leverage 77

Leverage Healthcare Banking Technology 77

PYMNTS

MARCH 4, 2019

Allow us at PYMNTS to take a brief step back and admire the landscape — in this case, the growing, though still young, connected vehicle ecosystem. A decade or two from now, such a look will be possible only via history books, TV and magazine retrospectives, or unreliable personal memories. Now, though, one can see how this massive economic, commercial and cultural shift is taking place in real life.

Technology 77

Technology Marketing Investments Economics 77

Speaker: Amanda Adams, Fractional CFO, CPA

Are you ready to elevate your accounting processes for 2025? 🚀 Join us for an exclusive webinar led by Amanda Adams, 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

MARCH 8, 2019

Microsoft disclosed on Friday (Mar. 8) that it will acquire global cross-border money transfer company Transfast, which works with both P2P and B2B payments. Microsoft said in a press release that Transfast will “complement Mastercard’s wide range of payment solutions by increasing worldwide connectivity in the account-to-account space, enhancing compliance capabilities and offering more robust foreign exchange tools.”.

Foreign Exchange 76

Foreign Exchange B2B Compliance Accounting 76

PYMNTS

MARCH 7, 2019

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has launched a preliminary investigation into Amazon ‘s work with the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), shining a spotlight on the challenges technology companies face as governments procure products and services to digitize their own operations. The Federal News Network (FNN) reported this week that the FBI and DoD Inspector General (IG) are now probing the DoD’s dealings with Amazon Web Services (AWS), which secured a $10 billion contrac

SAP 76

SAP B2B Securities eCommerce 76

PYMNTS

MARCH 8, 2019

Consumers in the European Union (EU) are adjusting to Payments Service Directive 2 (PSD2) and General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), even though these regulations focus on bringing greater trust through transparency. At the same time, new technologies such as biometrics are emerging in the fight against fraud. And an initiative tied to a consortium of companies is looking to redefine how automated teller machine (ATM) applications are built and used.

Numbers 75

Numbers Banking Technology Securities 75

PYMNTS

MARCH 6, 2019

Blockchain is increasingly garnering headlines and attention for its use cases beyond cryptocurrencies. For instance, the ability to transfer data and various assets can help firms keep track of, and improve, operations. It’s no secret that transactions done between businesses, or across borders, can be mired in manual tasks. One area where elimination of such processes can be of benefit is treasury management — specifically, reconciliation of transactions and liquidity management.

Treasury 75

Treasury Auditing Foreign Exchange Pharmaceutical 75

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

MARCH 5, 2019

Credit card debt in the U.S. reached $870 billion at the end of last year, setting a record. Bloomberg , citing data from the Federal Reserve, reported credit card balances in the third quarter were $26 billion less. While spending tends to increase in the fourth quarter because of the holiday selling season, the Federal Reserve said it’s the first time credit card balances reached “the 2008 nominal peak,” the report said.

Accounting 74

Accounting Finance 74

PYMNTS

MARCH 6, 2019

Product debuts from FinTech firms sometimes come out of an evolution: Modo has been facilitating interoperability for banks for a few years. As part of those efforts, the company has worked with large FinTechs or banks to help connect their secure technology to the marketplace of payment methods. And, while the company still works with banks, Modo recently unveiled a new product dubbed /Checkout that is geared toward eCommerce merchants.

eCommerce 72

eCommerce Banking Technology Securities 72

PYMNTS

MARCH 8, 2019

Bank-FinTech collaborations have emerged as a viable, lucrative growth path for both sides of these partnerships. For traditional financial institutions (FIs), working with a would-be competitor means integrating technologies for customers without having to build solutions from scratch. For FinTechs, the deals mean access to a broader range of customers through well-established industry names.

B2B 72

B2B Banking Startups Investments 72

PYMNTS

MARCH 4, 2019

Shopping on a traditional, narrowly focused eCommerce site is one thing. Consumers are dealing with a single merchant, and the working assumption is that the retailer is vetting suppliers and products, and has invested the time and money to provide a secure environment in which consumers can operate without excessive worry. But online marketplaces are different creatures.

B2C 72

B2C Communication eCommerce Transportation 72

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

PYMNTS

MARCH 6, 2019

On Friday (March 8), the world will recognize International Women’s Day — celebrated globally since 1975, when it was adopted as a holiday by the United Nations. In the 44 years since, much has changed for women all over the world. More women have finished college and started businesses, as well as work outside the home and fill management or supervisory blue-collar positions, than at any previous point in U.S. history.

Startups 71

Startups Leadership Communication Leverage 71

PYMNTS

MARCH 7, 2019

Data privacy and security is becoming a popular political issue, and the latest proof of that came Thursday (March 7) on Capitol Hill. During a hearing for the U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Subcommittee on Investigations, executives from Equifax and Marriott were called out on their companies’ recent data breaches , while other witnesses helped describe the current landscape when it comes to online privacy and data security.

Securities 71

Securities Manufacturing Accounting 71

PYMNTS

MARCH 4, 2019

In London, LEGO and Snapchat are partnering on a pop-up shop that combines many concepts that, if not opposite, are not normally associated with each other. It’s a shop, but doesn’t have any merchandise in it – from a quick glance, it’s a blank white room with a single snap code for scanning. The goods for sale, despite the LEGO branding, aren’t building sets or toys, but a line of streetwear themed around LEGO in general – and, specifically, around the new LEGO movie.

Sales 69

Sales Retail Technology Marketing 69

PYMNTS

MARCH 4, 2019

Comcast announced Monday (March 4) that it has acquired BluVector, a company that uses advanced artificial intelligence and machine learning to provide cybersecurity protection to companies and government agencies. In a press release , Comcast said that using a proprietary machine-learning engine, BluVector can detect, analyze and contain cyberthreats, including fileless malware, zero-day malware and ransomware.

Leverage 69

Leverage Securities Technology 69

Speaker: David Warren and Kevin O’Neill Stoll

Transitioning to a usage-based business model offers powerful growth opportunities but comes with unique challenges. How do you validate strategies, reduce risks, and ensure alignment with customer value? Join us for a deep dive into designing effective pilots that test the waters and drive success in usage-based revenue. Discover how to develop a pilot that captures real customer feedback, aligns internal teams with usage metrics, and rethinks sales incentives to prioritize lasting customer eng

Sales

PYMNTS

MARCH 5, 2019

The Mexican central bank and Amazon are in talks to introduce a government-approved mobile payment system, according to reports. The system would involve users paying for online purchases using QR codes, and it would be the first time Amazon offered the technology in the country. In Mexico, half of the population is unbanked, so the move could eventually provide Amazon with a new customer base.

Banking 69

Banking Retail Technology Sales 69

PYMNTS

MARCH 7, 2019

New technologies keep emerging in the fight against fraud — biometrics, for instance — but they are not the only part of pushing back against criminals and preventing them from stealing data and money. The process tied to fraud prevention matters significantly, too. And that includes combining ID verification and authentication. That was made clear by Reinhard Hochrieser, director of product management at Jumio , during a recent interview with PYMNTS.

Securities 69

Securities Technology 69

PYMNTS

MARCH 7, 2019

Barclays has divested its portfolio of physical prepaid cards in the U.K., selling the assets to Prepaid Financial Services (PFS), PFS said in a press release Wednesday (March 6). PFS took on the corporate and payroll prepaid card assets from Barclays and integrated the portfolio into its own platform earlier this year, the company noted. In a statement, PFS CEO Noel Moran said the acquisition will enable the company to enhance its offering to corporate customers using corporate prepaid cards an

Securities 68

Securities Marketing B2B 68

PYMNTS

MARCH 8, 2019

It’s one of the main clichés of the early 21 st century, but that doesn’t mean it’s wrong: Data is the new oil. The saying reflects the value of payment, commerce and personal information in the growing digital economy, and the fact that those organizations that know how to collect and harness tend to have an edge over competitors and the best prospects for growth.

Banking 68

Banking Compliance Technology 68

Speaker: Mark Stovel

When it comes to automating, many firms focus on finding the latest tech, believing that efficiency is something achieved through new tools. Yet true efficiency is achieved by delivering real value to clients, not merely by upgraded systems. Without a clear approach, no level of automation can overcome the complexities of serving every client’s needs.

Marketing