Can Digital Payments Be Kind?

There is no doubt that the era of less (or minimal) cash is truly upon us. According to the Access to Cash Review, cash could fall to just 10 percent of all payments in the UK within the next 15 years.

Other countries, such as Sweden, have already seen significant changes – cashless payments have grown so quickly that only 10 percent of the 20 SEB banks in Stockholm now hold cash. Beyond Europe, China is leading the way with USD$12.8 trillion in mobile payment transactions in 2018.

Survey Shows Millennials Aren’t as ‘Digitally Savvy’ When it Comes to Tax Refunds

It was not so long ago that checks, stamps and envelopes occupied more than the junk drawer in most American households. But as electronic payments and text messaging grew, asking, “Do you have a stamp?” was more likely to be met with a confused look than an actual stamp.

And yet, a recent online survey by YouGov and ACI indicates that there’s still a place for checks when it comes to paying taxes or – at least for Millennials – receiving refunds.

Knowing New Customers – And How Shared Data Helps in Fighting Fraud

As the eCommerce industry continues its rapid growth, the lines between physical and digital shopping are becoming increasingly blurred. These changes are creating a number of challenges for merchants, not least around customer visibility and fraud prevention.

University Payments Made Simple for Students and Parents

According to Sallie Mae, a significant portion of tuition revenue for higher educational institutions comes from students (27%) and parents (44%), with students struggling more to pay their bills on time. As our team gets ready to head to New Orleans for Ellucian Live 2019, we looked at what’s new in the payments realm for higher education institutions, and what students and parents need to ensure their payments are made on time and with less friction. A recent survey from Aite Group, “U.S. Consumer Payments Experience: A Blueprint for Creating Positive Behaviors,” which surveyed 2,425 U.S. consumers, sheds some light on this topic.

SWIFT gpi: Leveraging Cross-Border Payments for the Real-Time World

SWIFT gpi represents the evolution of business done over the SWIFT network, bringing correspondent banking into the digital era.

I’ve covered this topic before, but with gpi now reaching the two-year milestone, it’s a good chance to reassess the progress that has been made – and what is needed to drive further adoption.

Reducing Fraud and Improving Customer Experience with Machine Learning

Julie Conroy is research director for Aite Group’s Retail Banking practice and covers fraud, data security, anti-money laundering, and compliance issues. Recently, Julie teamed up with ACI’s Marc Trepanier for a webinar, Key Trends in Payments Intelligence – Machine Learning for Fraud Prevention. I sat down with Julie to get her take on the topic.

Why Non-Functional Requirements Should be a Few of Your Favorite Things

It’s not unusual for me to be questioned by retailers as to why some payment solutions are priced differently or more expensively than others – in fact, it would be unusual not to be asked those questions when dealing daily with procurement and finance teams of major multi-national multi-channel merchants!

The Race to Real-Time Payments in Europe

Instant payments have quickly morphed into the new norm, and as individual European nations forge a real-time, digital-first payments environment, they raise the bar for all financial institutions conducting business in the Eurozone. It’s no longer a question of “what’s the business case?” but a matter of how instant payments players can take advantage of the opportunities now being created.

Keeping Up With Fraudsters: A Month Isn’t Enough

As the Government of Canada campaigns for improved fraud prevention and awareness this month, I’d like to do my part as a fellow Canadian, and shed some light on why payments need to stay a step (or more) ahead of fraudsters, today more than ever.

Local Perspectives: Real-Time Realities Across Asia-Pacific in 2019

Money20/20 Asia returns to Singapore this week, attracting payments professionals from around the vast APAC region – and beyond. The real-time and open imperative is one of the reasons why all eyes are on Asia-Pacific when it comes to payments, so I caught up with ACI payments experts representing three of the key countries within the region, to take the pulse of real-time schemes that are in varying stages of maturity.