Faster Payments Are Coming to U.S. – Are You Ready?

For the first time in more than 40 years, the United States will welcome a new payment network: real-time payments (RTP).

The Bank of the Future: 2040 and the Reality of AR and VR

Mark, when I envision the bank of the future, I imagine Twiki and Buck Rogers at a casino. Or maybe I once dreamed that—I’m old and my mind is going. So what are we talking about and what can we envision when it comes to the bank of the future? And by future, I’m talking about 2040, before certain cities might be flooded (by water). But I digress, as this isn’t a post about climate change.

Oh payment trends, oh payment trends….

As the first flakes start to fall and the smells in the air start to change (as my esteemed colleague Seth mentioned in his recent post), my favorite sign of the holiday season begins to appear—the trends to watch in the coming year. 

Four Customer Experience Golden Rules for Real-Time Bill Payments

Faster. Instant. Real-time. Immediate. Whatever you call it, Real-Time Payments are transforming how we pay for goods and services on a global scale. And, The Clearing House just announced the US real-time pilot is now live!

Beyond the Bargains: How China Singles Day Became Unstoppable

Another year, another China Singles Day. After the clock struck midnight and November 11^th got underway, the records fell fast – and frequently – with sales eventually reaching USD $25.3 billion. This represents a 39% rise over 2016, which was in turn 24.4% higher than 2015. The growth trend is as predictable as it is impressive.

The Seasons Are Changing (And So Are Fraud and Regulations)

If you smell the air, you can sense the seasons changing; a little crispy cold moving in suddenly, the leaves are reddening and the winds of Faster Payments and PSD2 are kicking up. Smooth transition, right? So, yeah, seasons change, and so do regulatory regimes. In the US, we’ve been largely left to our own discretions about how to run our fraud shops, with some regulatory oversight regarding disputes handling. Historically, financial institution processes around authentication and fraud monitoring (including analytics and strategy) could be anything or nothing, depending on an institution’s risk appetite. Like the seasons, this might be in transition.

Dumbing Down Payments and Fintech Jargon… Just in Time for the Holidays!

Mark, is there a slightly less insulting phrase for “dumbing down” something? I ask because there are some terms and topics making bigly waves today and many/most consumers outside of payments/banking/fintech/tech might not understand their significance and why they should care. With that, can we take a moment to simplify these terms and topics, while also conveying their importance to the masses—from your mother-in-law to your daughter’s daycare provider to “the old man sitting next to me making love to his tonic and gin” (I’m a sucker for Billy Joel).

The Art of Open Banking, Part 2: On the March

In the first part of my talk with @digitalbankguru (aka Mark Ranta) and @Lui_Zurawski (aka Lu Zurawski), we discussed plans that best prepare an organization for Open Banking, and in this second chapter, we explore some use cases for delivering value.

What Makes Latin America An Attractive Market for Cryptocurrencies? [¿Qué Hace a Latinoamérica un Mercado Atractivo para Las Criptomonedas?]

Cryptocurrencies are one of today’s hottest topics – seemingly in every corner of the globe. Bitcoin continues to be the most popular – and certainly the most well-known – though digital currencies have been blossoming at an unprecedented pace recently. There are currently more than 16 million Bitcoins in existence, and it is expected that there will be more than 22 million by 2022. Worldwide acceptance is growing, with over 9,800 businesses registered on the Coinmap website, compared to 2013 when there were only 133 businesses registered.

Apple iPhone X: Could it Drive Consumers to Use Mobile as Their Primary Payment Method?

Apple’s new iPhone X is set to arrive in stores globally this Friday. As with every new iPhone launch, experts have been debating the ins and outs of the Apple X for weeks, while fans are expected to queue overnight to get their hands on one.

Face ID is one of the hallmark features of the new device – the primary way to unlock the new phone is with the face scanner. More importantly, the new iPhone X will use the technology not only to unlock the phone, but also to authorize mobile payments.