Sat.Jan 12, 2019 - Fri.Jan 18, 2019

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Credit Unions Step Up During Government Shutdown

PYMNTS

There is no shortage of headlines about the partial government shutdown that is now on its 27th day, and no shortage of articles speculating how long it will go on, what will be affected and (most often) what it will take to finally bring it to an end. There is, yet, one simple takeaway from all of them: So far, there is no end in sight. While that can — and hopefully will — change any day now, the reality is that the longer the government remains partially closed for business, the longer 800,00

Nonprofit 105
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ESG Investing: Too Good to Be True?

CFA Institute

The notion that companies that care about the environment, look after their employees, and exhibit good governance outperform is likely a mirage, says Nicolas Rabener.

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Create a cash flow friendly business

Creative CFP

The term "Cash is King" rings true and is crucial for the survival of any business. Statistics have shown that 80% of businesses fail in their first three years due to a lack of support. Poor cash flow management is at the top of the list of issues that require support. What is cash flow management? In theory and simply put, cash flow management is: Cash coming into the business as early as possible, Cash exiting the business as late as possible, Keeping an eye on the future and planning accord

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Why Africa Is eCommerce’s Next Great Frontier

PYMNTS

Africa as next great eCommerce frontier? The ingredients for a revolution in payments across the region, fueled by demographics and technology, seem to be there. In an interview with PYMNTs’ Karen Webster, Saqib Nazir, managing director of Africa at Emergent Technology delved into the ways the payments landscape across Africa is ripe for digital and mobile conduits, and a “cash light” mentality that focuses on the needs and desires of a burgeoning and youthful population.

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The Human Side of Finance: The Intersectionality of People, Culture, Adaptability, and Resilience

Speaker: Melissa Hurrington

Finance isn’t just about the numbers. It’s about the people behind them. In a world of constant disruption, resilient finance teams aren’t just operationally efficient. They are adaptable, engaged, and deeply connected to a strong organizational culture. Success lies at the intersection of people, culture, adaptability, and resilience. Finance leaders who master this balance will build teams that thrive through uncertainty and drive long-term business impact.

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Blockchain Makes Inroads Into Banking

PYMNTS

In Asia, blockchain continues to get a boost from government and regulatory efforts, especially in the realm of trade finance done across borders. In one example from the past several days, the China Banking Association (CBA) — the regulatory agency tied to the sector — has launched a new blockchain-underpinned initiative focused on trade finance.

Banking 82

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Deep Dive: Why Smart Cities Should Get Smart About Digital ID

PYMNTS

The rapid rise of smart cities promises to connect citizens with a wide range of municipal services. By some accounts , approximately 70 percent of the world’s population will reside in smart cities by 2050. Citizens in this type of environment will find a host of connected devices designed to enhance their daily routines, such as smart parking meters that help drivers find and pay for parking.

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Warehouse Robots Pave The Way For More AI Logistics

PYMNTS

Robots have taken their place inside eCommerce and other commerce-related warehouses, and will in the coming years take even larger roles in fulfillment, according to estimates. Hot on their trail are machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) technology — the software and algorithms promising to reduce the risks of overstocking and understocking, and providing other benefits that can boost retailers’ revenue.

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Fresh Holiday eCommerce Data: Another Nail In Physical Retail’s Coffin?

PYMNTS

Online retail and mobile commerce had their shining moments over the 2018 holiday shopping season — the latest evidence of that comes from Adobe Analytics , which said that U.S. consumers spent a record $126 billion online during that period, above the company’s earlier projection. The new figure comes amid fresh questions coming out of that holiday season about the viability of brick-and-mortar retail sales.

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Apple Pay Users In Australia Can Now Choose Visa Or EFTPOS

PYMNTS

Apple Pay, in a move that will let users in Australia skip credit card fees at places that support EFTPOS (electronic funds transfer), now has support for dual-network debit cards, according to reports. Previously, the default Visa payment option had users pay a fee they otherwise wouldn’t have had to fork out if they were using a physical card. The feature, called “Choose Payment Option,” allows an Apple Pay user to decide whether they want to use Visa or EFTPOS on a dual-network card.

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Maximizing Profit and Productivity: The New Era of AI-Powered Accounting

Speaker: Yohan Lobo

In the accounting world, staying ahead means embracing the tools that allow you to work smarter, not harder. Outdated processes and disconnected systems can hold your organization back, but the right technologies can help you streamline operations, boost productivity, and improve client delivery. Dive into the strategies and innovations transforming accounting practices.

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HSBC Readies Blockchain FX Tool For Corporates

PYMNTS

HSBC is increasingly relying on blockchain technology to facilitate its foreign exchange trading services, reports in Financial Times said Monday (Jan. 14), with more than three million FX transactions having already been processed by the bank in the past year via blockchain. Now, the bank is reportedly planning to allow its own corporate customers to use its blockchain tool.

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How Shopgoodwill.com Authenticates Luxury Goods With AI Tech

PYMNTS

Traditional eCommerce and brick-and-mortar merchants aren’t the only organizations that market luxury goods like handbags. ShopGoodwill.com , an eCommerce auction platform that was created by Goodwill of Orange County and is still operated by the organization, offers the same kinds of items on its site. Over 120 Goodwill organizations nationwide put items on the site.

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YES BANK On Developing APIs For Speedy, Scalable Service

PYMNTS

For corporations that want to stay ahead of the competition, innovation is a must, but developing and supporting a payment solution can prove challenging. Instead, many rely on their FIs to create this kind of technology, which presents these institutions with a number of hurdles. Assisting corporate clients — especially those with legacy infrastructures — can require tailored solutions, which can be costly and time-consuming. .

Banking 75
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For Visa, She’s Next Is What’s Next

PYMNTS

If knowledge is power, then shared knowledge is … shared power. To that end, Visa said on Tuesday (Jan. 15) that it has launched a global initiative, She’s Next, Empowered by Visa, which seeks to support the advancement of women-owned small businesses around the world through shared research, experience and technologies. The announcement comes as, since 2014, more than 163 million women have launched businesses across the globe, at a rate that outpaces that of businesses launched by men.

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Smarter Card Solutions: Meeting the Challenges of Mid-Market Travel & Expense

Our 2025 Center Travel Survey is clear: as corporate travel increases, so does corporate credit cards distribution, and a rise in off-platform travel booking. This 61% rise causes various challenges: compliance, spend control, reporting problems, and a lack of visibility across organizations. To evolve with the ever-changing needs of travelers, decision-makers need a better solution.

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Indian eCommerce Sellers To Appeal Ruling In Favor Of Flipkart

PYMNTS

All India Online Vendors Association, a trade group representing online merchants in India, vowed to appeal a ruling by the Competition Commission of India that favored Flipkart , the eCommerce company owned by Walmart. According to a report in Reuters citing the association that speaks for more than 3,500 Internet merchants, the group contended Flipkart was using its leading position to favor some merchants over others.

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The Payments And Commerce Game Of The Super Bowl

PYMNTS

For certain sports fans, it’s one of best times of the year, a weeks-long period of anticipation, anxiety and hope. That’s because after a long fall, and after enduring what winter has thrown at us so far, the big day is approaching — Major League Baseball pitchers and catchers report to spring training in less than a month. Ha! Just kidding. The big sports news for the new few weeks is professional (U.S.) football, of course, and that means big news for payments and commerce as the Feb. 3 Supe

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With Nod To Retail’s Golden Age, Department Stores Reach Back To Restaurants

PYMNTS

Luxury department stores are borrowing from the past to bring customers into their stores in the digital age. That is, retailers are taking a page out of a playbook set by retailers like the now-closed B. Altman, which served tea sandwiches in its Charleston Garden, and opening their own restaurants. Saks Fifth Avenue is one of the retailers falling into this trend with a new eatery called L’Avenue at Saks in New York City, which is the same locale where Lord & Taylor is closing to make way

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Apple CEO Wants FTC To Let Consumers Control Their Data

PYMNTS

Tim Cook, Apple’s chief executive who has emerged as a powerful privacy advocate, has called on the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to put in place a new framework to increase the transparency of companies that handle user data. According to a report in CNBC , in an op-ed piece for Time Magazine published Wednesday (Jan. 17), Cook said consumers should be able to track where their data is going and delete any information on demand.

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Bringing AI to Finance: How to Leverage Technology for Efficiency and Control

Finance teams are balancing more than ever, but manual processes shouldn’t slow you down. In this ebook from BILL, discover how AI is transforming finance—automating AP, expense tracking, and document management to reduce errors, increase efficiency, and improve financial control. Learn how real companies are using AI-powered automation to streamline workflows, detect anomalies, and gain deeper insights.

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Goldman Eyes FinTech As Investment — And As Strategy

PYMNTS

Goldman Sachs as FinTech player? Goldman Sachs has been around since 1869, and may exist in the mind’s eye with pile carpeting, wood paneling and being among the more entrenched players in traditional wealth management and on Wall Street. The digital age is upon us, though, and the bank is proving nimbler than perhaps some might think. News came Wednesday (Jan. 16) that growth in Marcus continues apace, and that the online lending and savings offering had logged $35 billion in deposits last year

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Goldman-Backed Vietnam Mobile Wallet Momo Snaps Up New Funds

PYMNTS

Momo, a Vietnam-based FinTech company that provides users with digital payment options, has reportedly received a very large Series C investment from American private equity firm Warburg Pincus. The exact size of the investment isn’t being released, but Pham Thanh Duc, CEO of M-Service, which is Momo’s parent company, said the amount sets a new record for funding.

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Google Buys Fossil Smartwatch Tech For $40M

PYMNTS

Fossil Group has announced that it is selling $40 million of intellectual property (IP) related to smartwatch technology to Google. As a result of the news, Fossil’s shares jumped about 8 percent on Thursday (January 17), according to CNBC. In recent years, smartwatches have become Fossil’s fastest growing category — it launched smartwatches across 14 of its owned and licensed brands.

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Many Bitcoin Investors Don’t Plan To Deduct Losses On Tax Returns

PYMNTS

Bitcoin investors took a massive hit in 2018 – and, according to personal finance company Credit Karma, most of them don’t realize they can write off the losses on their tax returns. According to a report in MarketWatch , citing Jagjit Chawla, general manager of tax at Credit Karma, U.S. investors lost $1.7 billion in bitcoin investments last year and had unrealized losses of more than $5 billion.

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Say ‘Goodbye’ to Clunky Spreadsheets and Say ‘Hello’ to Month-End Automation

Technology is rapidly changing the way accountants perform and manage month-end activities. Spreadsheets, emails, and shared drives no longer need to slow you down. In under four weeks, your team can start reaping the benefits of month-end close automation by vastly reducing spreadsheets, cut down on reconciliation work, speed up the month-end close, and better manage your remote team.

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Bots And Outside-The-Bots, CES 2019: Payments And Commerce Highlights

PYMNTS

There was a lot about CES in Las Vegas last week that was predictable. Google and Amazon competed for voice-activated mindshare. There seemed to be as many new smart devices as show attendees. Robots were everywhere. Then, there was the eccentric. Last year, the world met the its first talking toilet – and this year, the Numi 2.0 Intelligent Toilet promised not just to talk, but to listen.

Retail 71
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Are Consumers Ready To Buy And Sell Homes Online?

PYMNTS

Way back in the day (which, in 21st century digital economy terms, probably means a decade or so), smart and important people used to express well-informed skepticism about the prospect of selling clothes, cars and even groceries via online or mobile channels. The concerns were reasonable and varied (logistical hurdles, perhaps, or just long-standing consumer habits), but, clearly, those views turned out to be wrong.

Sales 70
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Square Card Delivers Instant Funds To Square SMBs

PYMNTS

You know your stature by the enemies you make, right? That’s the old saying at least. Well, “enemy” might be too strong a term — business is not war — but Square this week found itself a target of First Data and Fiserv , two big payments players merging in a $22 billion deal that will result in a consolidated organization called Fiserv. When talking about the deal, Fiserv CEO Jeffery Yabuki described Square as a threat to traditional banks.

Sales 70
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More Than Just Tech: Connected Cars Rely On Payment Experiences

PYMNTS

It’s almost burnt rubber time. The ecosystem for connected cars and trucks — and the retail and payment tasks they do and will support — is rapidly taking shape. Just look at the recent CES conference in Las Vegas. Among the announcements was a new partnership between Visa and SiriusXM Connected Vehicle Services, a subsidiary of Sirius XM Holdings, to launch an in-vehicle payment solution.

Retail 69
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Outsourcing Vs. In-House: The Ultimate Battle For Better Collections

Speaker: Susan Richards

Your past-due accounts are growing, cash flow is tightening, and the pressure is on. The big question: Do you handle the collections internally or outsource to experts? Both strategies come with advantages and risks - but which one delivers the best impact for your business? In this session we’ll dive deep into the in-house vs. outsourcing debate, examining cost-effectiveness, efficiency, compliance risks, and overall recovery success rates.