Sat.Jun 02, 2018 - Fri.Jun 08, 2018

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Blockchain Will Test Investors’ Patience, Experts Say

PYMNTS

Blockchain has issued many promises in the financial services space, vowing improved efficiency, heightened transparency and unmatched security. The debate continues over whether distributed ledger technology can fulfill those promises, but analysts today say that, whether these benefits are actualized or not, markets will have to be patient to find out.

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For FinTech And FIs, APIs Everywhere (It Seems)

PYMNTS

Payments are getting ever faster and global in nature. Real-time payments are becoming part of the landscape. PSD2 is reality and open banking is fostering demand for open APIs. To that end, collaborative efforts between banks and FinTechs are on the rise, where joint programs seek to hasten the availability of technology that dovetails with open banking.

Banking 74
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Housing Supply And Demand Imbalance Drives Home Improvement Store Sales

PYMNTS

Millennials are finally moving out of mom and dad’s house and creating their own households, which has increased demand in the housing market. At the same time, supply has taken a hit due to a shortage of skilled labor. Rising mortgage rates and lumber prices are only compounding the problem. This imbalance of supply and demand is proving to be a perfect storm for home improvement chains.

Sales 71
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AID:Tech And PharmAccess Deliver World’s First Blockchain Baby

PYMNTS

The first baby born on the blockchain is expected to enter the world at a small clinic in rural Tanzania this week. What does that mean – to be born on the blockchain? Has the world finally gone too far with its distributed ledger obsession? Just the opposite, Niall Dennehy, COO of AID:Tech would argue – more like it’s finally found a use case that is more practical and more noble than cryptocurrencies.

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From Start to Scale: Driving Growth Through Seamless Payments Implementation

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

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Asian Banks Want Regulators To Allow More FinTech Solutions

PYMNTS

As financial institutions grapple with compliance costs, a finance industry organization in Asia wants regulators to allow new technologies that could help them fight money laundering. For example, the Asia Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (ASIFMA) would like to see more use of know your client ( KYC ) checks to help reduce costs, Reuters reported.

Banking 64

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Can’t Navigate The Moral And Ethical Implications Of AI? There’s An App For That

PYMNTS

Bank of America and Harvard University have collaborated on a new initiative designed to make the complex technologies behind artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) more universally beneficial and accessible to the global workforce. The mission of the newly formed Council on the Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence is to address issues of policy and ethics, thereby enabling industries and the individuals who drive them to keep pace with the rapidly evolving interface betwe

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ICBA: Building Bridges For The Next Generation Of Community Banks

PYMNTS

Community banking can be one of the most rewarding and most challenging areas of financial services in which to work — that’s the view, anyway, of Rebeca Romero Rainey, president and CEO of Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) , who recently joined the nation’s leading advocacy organization that exclusively represents community banks. Rainey is a third-generation community banker who spent her entire career at all levels of the industry — literally: She grew up in her family bank, sta

Banking 62
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IBM Targets Corporate Banking With The Cloud

PYMNTS

IBM is teaming up with Intellect Design Arena to deliver new solutions for corporate banks, according to a press release on Thursday (June 7). The technology conglomerate is deploying its IBM Cloud solution in conjunction with Intellect Global Transaction Banking (iGTB), a provider of corporate banking technology. The two companies will jointly develop applications, cloud services and infrastructure for financial institutions (FIs), while iGTB’s CBX S-18 corporate banking platform will be

Banking 62
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FIS: Blockchain Transformation Must Be Deliberate

PYMNTS

Blockchain probably won’t solve all the world’s financial problems, as devoutly as innovators and enthusiasts may hope and believe that it can. At any rate, it’s not going to solve all of them at once with the technology available today. Esther Pigg, SVP Product Strategy of FIS , says blockchain’s potential benefits will instead be discovered gradually, and will change the industry even more gradually.

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Less Stress, More Success: Accounting Best Practices & Processes for 2025

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.

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Citi Expands Treasury Service API Solution

PYMNTS

After launching its CitiConnect application programming interfaces (APIs) last year, Citi ‘s Treasury and Trade Solutions (TTS) continues to expand the platform. Since its rollout, Citi has processed more than 18 million API calls for account balance inquiries, payment initiation and payment status, the company said in an announcement. Through the API, CitiConnect offers information on account statements, direct debits and FX rates, among other data.

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The Importance Of Cyber War Games For Digital Businesses

PYMNTS

Sun Tzu might approve. As every general and C-suite pseudo-warrior knows, the ancient Chinese military theorist advised that every battle is won before it is ever fought — a saying that highlights the importance of preparation prior to any fight. The recent news that Goldman Sachs is the first financial institution (FI) to sign up with U.K.-based Immersive Labs for its cyber security war games demonstrates the enduring appeal of that adage.

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Clarity Pursues $50 Million Via ICO For SMB Data Platform

PYMNTS

Clarity , a startup that offers small businesses (SMBs) a way to manage their data , announced plans for a token sale before its official launch. Reports in Cointelegraph on Thursday (June 7) said Clarity will sell $50 million worth of its tokens to raise funds before its debut on the market. The company provides a platform for SMBs to manage their own data with added analytics, file sharing, benchmarking and third-party verification services.

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Multinational’s Next Data Challenge: Know Your Vendor

PYMNTS

Automation may be transforming the procurement department, but when it comes to the buyer-supplier relationship, human interaction is critical. In a survey of B2B buying organizations conducted by SnapApp and Heinz Marketing last year, researchers found that millennial corporate buyers rank their personal relationships with suppliers as the most effective way to evaluate products and services that vendors offer.

B2B 57
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Avoiding Lease Accounting Pitfalls in 2025: Lessons Learned from Spreadsheet Errors

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.

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Mastercard Seeks Blockchain-Based Payment Verification Patent

PYMNTS

To verify payment cards at the point of sale (POS), Mastercard is looking into blockchain technology. In a filing with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), the company said it has devised a process to send and retrieve payment credentials through a “publicly accessible blockchain,” CoinDesk reported. Through a two-way method, the system encodes an encrypted payment card image that is stored on the blockchain with a private and public key.

B2B 57
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How Financial Services Can Prevent Bias In AI

PYMNTS

It won’t be medicine — or manufacturing, human resources, commerce or logistics. No, when it comes to the biggest immediate impact that artificial intelligence (AI) will have upon the world, financial services will likely take that honor — a looming prize that provides fresh opportunity to consider how machines will overcome bias. Anyone who reads the news or follows science fiction knows how important AI is becoming to business, and how much change it will almost certainly bring to civilization

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Not A Joke: IHOP To Change Name To IHOb

PYMNTS

IHOP is dead. Long live IHOb. As of this morning (June 6), the news came over the wires and rendered today as “a day that will live in infamy.” It is the day that the International House of Pancakes was no more. Instead, it will IHOb. What is the B? We don’t know. Only the executive team of IHOP knows — and they are not saying anything until Monday.

Retail 56
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Mastercard Send Debuts In The UK With Real-Time Payments To Bank Accounts

PYMNTS

In the first service offered by Mastercard after integrating Vocalink last year, and with an eye on real-time payments, Mastercard Send is launching in the United Kingdom. Mastercard said in a release on Wednesday (June 6) that the payments service will make it possible for various stakeholders in the financial realm — ranging from financial institutions, digital customers, FinTech companies and various enterprises — to send real-time payments to U.K.

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Back to Basics with Reconciliations

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.

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B2B’s Mission To Replicate B2C’s Point-of-Purchase Financing Success

PYMNTS

The Amazon -effect is back at it again in the B2B world. With eCommerce now a mainstay for consumers, B2B eCommerce is quickly coming into the fold, too. There is a lot of money to be earned. Statistics estimates that retail eCommerce sales will hit $4.5 trillion by 2021, a more than 246 percent increase from 2014. B2B eCommerce, on the other hand, is already estimated to enable $7.7 trillion in online sales — about 235 percent more than B2C’s current sales volume.

B2C 55
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Microsoft’s Underwater Data Centers Could Power Future IoT

PYMNTS

Everyone has heard of storing data in the cloud, but what about in the briny depths? On Wednesday (June 6), Microsoft lowered a submarine-like data center into the ocean off the coast of Orkney — a group of islands near Scotland — as part of its efforts to boost internet speeds in coastal regions and support the world’s growing reliance on connected technologies, for both business and leisure purposes.

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Fiserv: How FIs Can Stay Ahead Of The Credit Card Pack

PYMNTS

Spending on credit cards will continue to grow, but any issuer that decides to take a breath, instead of crafting creative rewards and going after young consumers, runs the risk of being left behind. That’s according to Chad Peck, vice president of credit product strategy at Fiserv. He recently sat for a discussion with Karen Webster about trends in credit card spending and rewards, for the latest edition of the PYMNTS’ “Walk to the Elevator” podcast series.

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Arro Money Debuts Account For Sole Traders

PYMNTS

U.K. challenger bank Arro Money , which launched its small business bank account service last December, has debuted its newest product designed for sole traders. In an announcement sent to PYMNTS on Wednesday (June 6), Arro Money said it has rolled out its account designed for entrepreneurs that operate independently. According to Arro, sole traders are an underserved demographic in the financial services market, often forced to rely on personal account services with inadequate cash management,

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Usage-Based Monetization Musts: A Roadmap for Sustainable Revenue Growth

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

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BlueVine Keeps Alt-Lending Momentum Alive With $60 Million Funding

PYMNTS

Alternative lending platform BlueVine has announced its latest investment to the tune of $60 million. A press release issued by the company said Menlo Ventures led the Series E equity funding round for BlueVine, which also saw backing from SVB Capital and other investors. BlueVine said it will use the funds to expand its invoice factoring and business line of credit products, as well as to explore new products for small- and medium-sized business (SMB) borrowers.

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Reddit Drives Artificial Intelligence To Constant Murderous Thoughts

PYMNTS

Since the dawn of the age of computers, human beings have wondered what will happen when the machines eventually learn how to “think” like humans do. The consensus among science fiction writers is “nothing good.” Whether they rise and destroy humanity outright, or insert our consciousness into a giant simulation of the late 1990’s to turn us into biomechanical batteries, depends on the creative imaginations and special effects budget of whoever’s telling the s

Math 52
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OCC Report Uncovers Problems With Sales Practices At Banks

PYMNTS

After reviewing sales practices at more than 40 large and mid-sized banks, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) found multiple systemic issues, along with hundreds of problems at individual banks. With the review, the office found examples of banks opening accounts without proof that consumers gave them permission to do so, American Banker reported.

Sales 52
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For True Story On The Gig Economy, Details, Along With Data, Matter

PYMNTS

Dueling headlines show that when it comes to the gig economy, differing data tell different stories. Citing findings from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), The Washington Post noted that the share of U.S. workers in the gig economy has fallen to 6.9 percent of workers at the end of last year from 7.4 percent in 2005. Based largely on that headline, the assumption is that firms in the gig economy, namely marquee names such as Uber and Lyft, have not rendered the sea change that had been expec

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Solve Your Firm's Automation Complexities Once and For All

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.