PYMNTS

DECEMBER 1, 2020

GoSite , a digital platform for small businesses, has landed $40 million in a Left Lane Capital-led Series B fundraising round. Cove Fund, Longley Capital, Ankona Capital, Stage 2 and Serra Ventures also took part in the round, according to a Tuesday (Dec. 1) announcement. The Series B infusion will power the company’s ongoing growth and build-out of offerings for small companies, in addition to bringing new talent on board.

Capital 150

Capital New York Online Management 150

PYMNTS

DECEMBER 1, 2020

European Union competition watchdogs are looking to not only rein in today’s Big Tech online platforms, but also create rules that would prevent new companies from achieving market dominance in the future, a top EU regulator says. European Union Digital Chief Margrethe Vestager had set up video talks last month with representatives of Google, Apple, Amazon and Facebook to discuss EU draft rules intended to restrict the power of tech companies.

Regulation 144

Regulation Google Video Apple 144

PYMNTS

DECEMBER 1, 2020

Kohl’s and Sephora are partnering for a long term shop-in-shop strategy to enhance the selection of available beauty products. The "Sephora at Kohl's" concept joins the Kohl's customer base and omnichannel benefits with Sephora's prestigious service and expansive array of beauty products. The fully immersive experience will take up 2,500 square feet at the front of the store. .

America 130

America Branding Examples Retail 130

PYMNTS

DECEMBER 1, 2020

The pandemic has shone a light on some glaring inefficiencies in B2B payments. To that end, Deepak Gupta , global head of PaaS at Volante Technologies , told PYMNTS that the cloud – and payments as a service (PaaS) – can help banks serve the payment needs of their corporate clients, building resiliency for both financial institutions (FIs) and the enterprises they serve.

Payments 177

Payments Technology Data Compliance 177

PYMNTS

DECEMBER 1, 2020

Legacy cross-border payment methods that may have been inconvenient but endurable in 2019 no longer serve firms’ needs in 2020. Last year saw 68 percent of companies using wire transfers to transact with international business partners, but more firms are now regarding this approach as too friction-heavy. Businesses also may find paper checks to be untenably slow and cumbersome to issue or receive from far-flung partners, and such trends are causing a growing global momentum for adopting swifter

Trends 218

Trends Tools Payments Resources 218

PYMNTS

DECEMBER 1, 2020

Supply chain intelligence company Altana AI landed a $7 million seed funding in an Amadeus Capital Partners-led round. Other entities that took part in the funding included AlleyCorp, Schematic Ventures and the Working Capital – The Supply Chain Investment Fund, according to an announcement. “We have built what we believe to be the world’s most comprehensive digital model of the global supply chain, and these funds will help us to expand that lead, covering more of the world, and more risk, as w

Capital 160

Capital Risk Management National Data 160

PYMNTS

DECEMBER 1, 2020

U.S. President-elect Joe Biden has been urged by 32 antitrust consumer advocates and labor experts not to let Big Tech influence his administration, Reuters reported. Biden's transition team contains more tech executives than those opposed to tech influences, Reuters reported. That, to analysts, could indicate the kinds of thoughts that will influence his presidency.

Groups 153

Groups Taxes Apple Google 153

PYMNTS

DECEMBER 1, 2020

Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt is among the backers of a new $111 million European early-stage venture capital fund, according to CNBC. Schmidt, whose net worth is $20 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaire Index, put an undisclosed amount into the fund, which was announced Monday (Nov. 30) by London-based venture capital firm Firstminute Capital , CNBC reported.

Google 159

Google Charlotte Capital Big Data 159

PYMNTS

NOVEMBER 30, 2020

Shopping in person has become more complex during the pandemic as consumers seek to reduce the time they spend in public. State mandates have also forced some businesses to close or limit on-premises operations, prompting such merchants to connect with consumers online instead. Fraudsters have redoubled their attacks on eCommerce channels, however, making consumers more concerned about data security.

Cards 151

Cards Security ATM Data 151

PYMNTS

NOVEMBER 30, 2020

Good solid professional advice is a valuable commodity that every business needs at some point — so valuable, in fact, that it’s often quite expensive. But trying to save some money by getting good advice on the cheap is an exercise in futility, QuickFee CEO Bruce Coombes told Karen Webster in a recent discussion. He said that’s more or less doomed to failure by one simple and almost immutable reality: “the most expensive thing you can buy is cheap advice.”.

Payments 192

Payments United States Taxes Exercises 192

PYMNTS

OCTOBER 22, 2020

Social media giant Facebook is bringing its online dating tool to Europe after seeing success in the 20 countries where Facebook Dating is already offered, the company said in a statement on Thursday (Oct. 22). Facebook said there have been 1.5 billion matches so far, with people connecting “through things they have in common, like interests, events and groups.”.

social media 142

social media Tools Video Groups 142

PYMNTS

OCTOBER 22, 2020

Seattle-based Amazon has hooked up with a small business to sue 11 individuals, alleging that they counterfeited J.L. Childress ’ products — including travel bags for car seats and strollers — and then offered them for sale on the retail giant’s marketplace. A press release said the defendants violated Amazon’s sales policies and the law while infringing upon Childress’ intellectual property rights.

Seattle 145

Seattle Branding Washington California 145

PYMNTS

OCTOBER 22, 2020

In today’s top payments news around the world, Swedish peer-to-peer (P2P) lending upstart Lendify has reportedly secured $115 million of funding, while international trade platform Contour has teamed with information technology (IT) solutions firm Mphasis. Plus, Ant Group has received approval from top security regulators for its Shanghai offering. Swedish Startup Lendify Closes $115M Funding Deal.

Security 134

Security Groups Payments Regulation 134

PYMNTS

OCTOBER 22, 2020

A major provider of financial technology to banks, Mitek Systems said its digital identity verification software will now incorporate near-field communication (NFC) technology as well. Mitek, a top developer of digital identity verification and mobile check deposit technology, announced on Thursday (Oct. 22) that it will be incorporating NFC capabilities, which increase the speed and security of transactions, into its “identify verification workflow.”.

Technology 134

Technology Comparison Security Customer Experience 134

PYMNTS

OCTOBER 22, 2020

Target is pulling out all the stops — including offering to save harried shoppers a place in line — in a bid to keep all-important holiday spending season on track as the coronavirus pandemic drags on. Target on Thursday (Oct. 22) announced a spate of measures designed to ease shoppers’ coronavirus fears and entice customers back to its stores, including letting customers “make a shopping reservation.”.

America 130

America Retail Payments 130

PYMNTS

OCTOBER 22, 2020

When asked to quickly list the absolutely necessary pieces of equipment one finds in a restaurant, most people will tick off the usual suspects — an oven, a stove, a microwave oven, etc. The more technologically or health-minded among us might even note things like tablet-based POS systems or an HVAC system with disinfecting UV light built in to attack COVID-19.

New Hampshire 180

New Hampshire System Boston Operations 180

PYMNTS

OCTOBER 22, 2020

In today’s top news, Grab celebrated solid recovery in its third quarter earnings report, and PayPal has introduced wallet services for cryptocurrencies. And resale marketplace ThredUp filed for an IPO. Grab’s Earnings Bouncing Back To Pre-COVID Numbers. Singapore’s mobile tech giant Grab is seeing solid recovery, with revenue bouncing back to 95 percent of pre-pandemic levels, thanks largely to a rebounding consumer demand for food delivery services.

cryptocurrency 142

cryptocurrency Payments Bitcoin Capital 142

PYMNTS

OCTOBER 21, 2020

Akron, Ohio-based RVshare has landed more than $100 million in a fundraising round led by global investment firm KKR , with participation by existing investor Tritium Partners. RVshare’s goal is to rapidly build up the RV rental industry, noted a press release. The company said the new funding will “provide capital, as well as access to KKR’s operational resources and global network.

Ohio 150

Ohio Capital Resources America 150

PYMNTS

OCTOBER 21, 2020

PayPal has announced that it is jumping into the wild world of cryptocurrency , making it possible for wallet holders to buy, sell and hold cryptocurrencies like bitcoin, ethereum, bitcoin cash and litecoin in their PayPal accounts. And starting in 2021, they will be able to spend their crypto caches with any of the 26 million merchants currently accepting PayPal.

cryptocurrency 329

cryptocurrency Bitcoin blockchain Payments 329

PYMNTS

OCTOBER 21, 2020

In today’s top news, J. P. Morgan launches a no-fee instant payment option for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) and Visa expands Tap To Phone to 15 countries. Plus, Amazon introduces free one-hour grocery pickup at Whole Foods. JPMorgan Takes On Square And PayPal At The Point Of Sale. J.P. Morgan Chase is launching no-fee instant payments for SMBs with QuickAccept to edge out FinTech rivals Square and PayPal.

Payments 130

Payments United States Apple Google 130

PYMNTS

OCTOBER 21, 2020

Swedish peer-to-peer (P2P) lending startup Lendify has secured $115 million in funding from Insight Investment, according to a Bloomberg report on Wednesday (Oct. 21). Last year Insight Investment supported the digital lender with a 1.5 billion kronor infusion. Past investors have also included Hakan Roos, Martin Gren, Richard Goransso. Lendify Co-Founder John-Christian de Champs also assisted with funding.

Lending 258

Lending Customer Experience US Capital 258

PYMNTS

OCTOBER 21, 2020

Decentralized international trade platform Contour has teamed with information technology (IT) solutions provider Mphasis to speed up the digital transformation of global trade finance, according to a Wednesday (Oct. 21) announcement. Mphasis will harness its Front2Back TM Transformation approach and its next-generation IT in addition to operations functions to help speed up the installation and use of the Contour network through a collection of businesses, financial institutions (FIs) and partn

blockchain 298

blockchain Technology Capital Payments 298

PYMNTS

OCTOBER 21, 2020

"With so many of us working from home, the ability to monitor and approve spend becomes far more difficult," says David Wood, Conferma Pay's director of hotel products. "When so much is changing so fast, it’s essential to know that you have the master controls on as many moving pieces as possible." Wood shares his thoughts on how the pandemic is forcing us to pay attention to lingering problems more urgently than ever before.

Payments 166

Payments US Mobile Cards 166

PYMNTS

OCTOBER 21, 2020

In today’s top payments news around the world, Visa is expanding its touch-free Tap To Phone (TTP) systems, while the hotel industry in China is registering year-over-year revenue growth. Plus, artificial intelligence (AI)-powered food carts have begun providing lunch to office workers in Beijing. Visa Expands Tap To Phone To 15 Countries. Visa announced that it is expanding its touch-free Tap To Phone (TTP) payment systems to over 15 markets throughout the globe, with intentions to bring the mo

Payments 138

Payments Apple America System 138

PYMNTS

SEPTEMBER 14, 2020

U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin declined to provide much detail on Oracle Corp.’s winning bid for TikTok’s U.S. operations. The secretary failed to answer questions about the terms of the Sunday (Sept. 13) deal on CNBC’s “ Squawk Box ” Monday (Sept. 14). “I want to be careful what I say,” Mnuchin said. “But I will confirm we did get a proposal over the weekend that includes Oracle as the trusted technology partner …”.

Video 131

Video National Security California 131

PYMNTS

SEPTEMBER 14, 2020

TikTok announced on Monday (Sept. 14) that it has surpassed passed 100 million users in Europe, news that comes amid rising uncertainty over the fate of its operations in the United States. The video-sharing app, owned by Chinese tech giant ByteDance, said it now has 1,600 employees in Europe. The majority of them, 1,300, are based in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Operations 131

Operations US United States California 131

PYMNTS

SEPTEMBER 14, 2020

GoodRx Holdings Inc. , the discount prescription marketplace startup, announced the launch of its initial public offering (IPO) Monday (Sept. 14). The sale will include 34.6 million shares of its Class A common stock. It is expected to be priced between $24 and $28 per share. If approved, GoodRx will be listed on the NASDAQ Global Select Market, under the ticker symbol “GDRX.”.

Capital 168

Capital Security Marketing Management 168

PYMNTS

SEPTEMBER 14, 2020

Standard Chartered has announced the completion of the first cross-bank Letter of Credit (LC) transaction over blockchain, between Vietnam and Thailand, according to a report from FinanceFeeds. The transaction was accomplished with the help of a partnership with Asian Development Bank (ADB), Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam and Thailand's Standard Chartered Bank, according to the report.

blockchain 302

blockchain Report Operations Innovation 302

PYMNTS

SEPTEMBER 14, 2020

New Chinese finance rules will force Ant Group to comply with regulations to back up any payments, lending or other finances with substantial capital, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal (WSJ). According to new rules passed down from the Peoples' Bank of China (PBOC), firms operating two or more financial businesses in China will be classified as financial holding companies as of Nov. 1, and will have to apply for a license to do so.

Groups 161

Groups Company Regulation Lending 161

PYMNTS

SEPTEMBER 14, 2020

The United States may have some of the world's best cryptographers working for the National Security Agency and other spy shops, but the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is crowdsourcing at least part of its effort to beat the algorithms that cloak information about certain cryptocurrencies. The agency recently issued a request for proposals from anyone who can help track payments using the Monoro or Lightning protocols and similar approaches to hiding tracks.

blockchain 160

blockchain cryptocurrency Bitcoin Compliance 160

PYMNTS

SEPTEMBER 14, 2020

Oracle Corp. beat Microsoft Corp. in a bid to take over TikTok’s video-sharing app’s U.S. operations Sunday (Sept. 13) days before President Donald Trump threatened to shut it down, The Wall Street Journal reported. China-based ByteDance Ltd., TikTok’s parent company, rejected Microsoft’s offer, the newspaper reported based on anonymous sources. The terms of the deal are unclear.

Report 189

Report Video Seattle Washington 189

PYMNTS

SEPTEMBER 14, 2020

Deloitte will be the first of the “Big Four” auditors to break up its business after selecting a new auditing board to undertake the task, according to a report from The Telegraph. The company, along with fellow Big Four members EY , KPMG and PwC , had been warned by watchdogs that their businesses needed to break off their profitable consultancy arms from audit divisions.

Groups 362

Groups Company Report Operations 362

PYMNTS

JULY 28, 2020

The bank-FinTech collaboration model is often about wielding digital-native FinTech solutions to fit within bank offerings. Yet this week’s look at the latest tie-ups reveals new models of collaboration, including FinTechs expanding their footprint within banking, and wielding banks to fit within their own tech solutions. Kabbage Steps Into Banking.

Fintech 279

Fintech Lending Digital Banking Technology 279

PYMNTS

JULY 28, 2020

Fraudsters and financial institutions (FIs) are constantly evolving to best each other, and growth in synthetic ID fraud is revealing that many banks must enhance their security measures to stay in the lead. Traditional fraud-fighting methods can fail to detect this subtle form of deception, in which criminals cobble together details from numerous consumers to create unique identities.

Fraud 132

Fraud Data Examples Security 132

PYMNTS

JULY 28, 2020

Payments choice is akin to a streaming music service: If you don’t like one selection, skip to a better one. It’s utterly consumer-centric – which, along with spend management, explains the core appeal of buy now, pay later (BNPL) alternative credit apps in any economy. In a wrecked economy, however, the appeal of BNPL multiplies, as evidenced by the surge of new customers attracted to the various BNPL apps during the lockdowns.

Retail 130

Retail Trends Payments Study 130

PYMNTS

JULY 27, 2020

NFL teams pay athletes millions of dollars a year to risk crushing hits from 285-pound defensive tackles, but under a new policy, any player who risks exposing himself to the microscopic virus that causes COVID-19 faces potential fines and discipline. Specifically, ESPN’s Dan Graziano reports : “Players were told weeks ago on a conference call with NFLPA leadership that they could face discipline, including fines, for conduct detrimental to the team if they are found to have contracted COVID-19

Leadership 161

Leadership Conference Policies National 161

PYMNTS

JULY 27, 2020

Payment systems provider REPAY Holdings Corp. acquired accounts-payable automation system cPayPlus LLC for up to $16 million, the buyer announced Thursday. Atlanta-based REPAY said terms included $8 million in cash and $8 million in further payments that will be triggered if cPayPlus meets performance milestones. REPAY says it handled $3.8 billion in card payments for the quarter that ended May 31 and generated gross profit of $28.7 million on revenue of $39.5 million for the period.

Atlanta 130

Atlanta Leadership System Resources 130