PYMNTS

NOVEMBER 24, 2020

The implosion of major payments player Wirecard AG amid a multibillion-dollar fraud scandal has spurred an overhaul of Germany’s top stock index. Owner of the DAX-30 index, Deutsche Börse AG announced on Tuesday (Nov. 24) that all prospective members will have to pass a basic profitability standard first, The Wall Street Journal reports. In particular, potential members of Germany’s blue-chip stock index will have to demonstrate positive earning profit for two full years before joining.

Fraud 148

Fraud Exercises Taxes Report 148

PYMNTS

NOVEMBER 24, 2020

InsurTech group Hippo Enterprises has announced a capital investment of $350 million from Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Company , a press release says. Mitsui Sumitomo is a subsidiary of MS&AD Insurance Group Holdings, and Takashi Sato , managing partner for venture arm MS&AD Ventures, will be on Hippo's board of directors now, the release says.

Risk Management 174

Risk Management Capital Online Analytics 174

PYMNTS

OCTOBER 16, 2020

Several states are moving forward with their own antitrust probe into Google while the Department of Justice (DOJ) gets ready to file a federal lawsuit, according to a report in the Washington Post (WaPo) on Friday (Oct. 16). The states leading the probe include Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, Nebraska, New York, North Carolina, Tennessee and Utah. The states could decide to join the DOJ’s case and a joint statement is being drafted, four sources familiar with the states’ probe told WaPo. .

Google 151

Google North Carolina Nebraska Iowa 151

PYMNTS

OCTOBER 16, 2020

A thorough knowledge of one’s cash flow is a necessity, and lacking such transparency can hinder a company’s ability to do everything from paying rent and finalizing future quarters’ budgets to compensating employees. The ongoing pandemic is also changing the status quo regarding cash flows and placing greater emphasis on quick transactions. Treasury or cash management services that used to be fast enough may therefore no longer be adequate as businesses fight to stay afloat during the economic

Payments 191

Payments Fraud System Study 191

PYMNTS

OCTOBER 16, 2020

Many transactions made in today’s highly digital world are handled without senders or recipients ever physically touching the money. Consumers send funds by tapping or swiping payment cards, clicking a few buttons on banking websites or payment apps, or keying details into online checkout pages, which payees receive via bank accounts or digital wallets.

Payments 214

Payments Compliance Fraud Operations 214

PYMNTS

OCTOBER 16, 2020

Harnessing consumers’ digital information is critical to the success of any business, and data analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) can be especially powerful tools. Numerous quick-service restaurants (QSRs) have deployed these technologies to support their operations, tailor their customer service approaches and even boost sales, but many players, including several big names, have been reluctant to invest in such innovations.

Analytics 273

Analytics Data Fraud Tools 273

PYMNTS

OCTOBER 16, 2020

Venture capital funding landed at startups focused on accounts payable (AP) and cybersecurity this week — with one payables startup raising $23 million in funding. A managed security services provider h as also con cluded a $53 million Series B round to help accelerate research and development of its cloud security technology, among other uses.

Innovation 174

Innovation Capital Security United States 174

PYMNTS

OCTOBER 16, 2020

What is consumer experience? That’s a trick question. In the era of the great digital shift, everything is consumer experience, including vital (but invisible) functions like authentication. Going straight to the heart of the matter, PYMNTS’ October Digital Identity Tracker® , done in collaboration with Jumio , states that “consumers’ growing digital habits are prompting many digital identity solution providers to view verification as part of the consumer engagement process as well as a means to

Security 189

Security Knowledge Base Customer Experience Retail 189

PYMNTS

OCTOBER 16, 2020

When PYMNTS first asked consumers in mid-March how long they thought the COVID-19 pandemic would last, the average estimate was 138 days — about two months. After that, folks believed, we’d be going back to business as usual and a booming economy. In hindsight, “wrong” doesn’t seem to capture the magnitude of our collective wishful thinking. It’s painfully obvious that we’re not “going back” to anything.

Retail 169

Retail Payments Examples Online 169

PYMNTS

SEPTEMBER 9, 2020

The social distancing and stay-at-home orders intended to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 outbreak have been devastating to small- to medium-sized businesses ( SMBs ), with tens of thousands expected to close by year's end. The virus itself is not the only factor in play, however, with the devastating economic downturn and record-high unemployment rates also sharply reducing consumers’ purchasing power and their willingness to make retail purchases.

Retail 169

Retail Report How To New Jersey 169

PYMNTS

SEPTEMBER 9, 2020

The year 2020 has been an unexpected one, to say the least — not least of all for the payments ecosystem. This year was supposed to be a tipping point for real-time payments adoption in the U.S., yet progress hasn't been as advanced as many in the industry would have liked. Interestingly, said Manish Gurukula , CEO of Alacriti , it's not the pandemic that has slowed the country's path toward faster payments.

Payments 242

Payments Examples Technology Marketing 242

PYMNTS

SEPTEMBER 9, 2020

Bringing a brand directly to consumers over digital channels was an option to consider in the pre-pandemic world — but the question for brands today in our radically digitized world is not if, but when, according to sticky.io Chief Operating Officer Ro Bhatia. “What brands should be thinking about now is basically how to double down — triple down — on their direct-to-consumer offerings,” Bhatia told PYMNTS.

Branding 230

Branding Online Retail Data 230

PYMNTS

SEPTEMBER 9, 2020

There are many ways to mark the massive shift to digital that’s happened in the past six months, from baby boomers who’ve moved online after favoring real-world shopping to merchants who’ve made a hard shift toward digital and omnichannel. But the challenge for retailers now is deciding what to do next, Amazon Pay Chief Marketing Officer Kelly Wenzel told Karen Webster in a recent conversation.

Branding 220

Branding Online Retail social media 220

PYMNTS

SEPTEMBER 9, 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic is shaking up shopping behavior. Consumers who previously paid for purchases by swiping or inserting their cards at in-store point-of-sale (POS) terminals are now turning to contactless cards and online shopping to safely and easily obtain needed goods. Shoppers are also more reluctant to take out credit lines as ongoing economic uncertainties make it difficult for them to determine whether they will be able to repay their debts on time.

Cards 162

Cards Fraud Retail Security 162

PYMNTS

SEPTEMBER 8, 2020

European crypto exchange Eterbase has announced a hack, affecting hot wallets for six of its listed cryptocurrencies and allowing hackers to make off with $1.6 billion in assorted cryptocurrencies, CoinDesk reported. The coins affected included bitcoin, ether, XRP, tezos, algorand and TRON, and the hackers transferred their stolen items into public wallets that have since been emptied, according to CoinDesk.

Bitcoin 141

Bitcoin Fintech cryptocurrency Software 141

PYMNTS

SEPTEMBER 8, 2020

Lyft said it saw a 7.3 percent jump in ride operations in August from the month prior, according to Reuters. Operations in Canada seemed to be recovering faster than those in the U.S., comparing the only two countries in which the rideshare company operates. Lyft said on Tuesday (Sept. 8) that it had used less driver incentives in August as more drivers returned to work, according to Reuters.

Marketing 160

Marketing California Operations Trends 160

PYMNTS

JULY 20, 2020

Walmart is looking to take advantage of a booming grocery market to restart efforts to sell a stake in its British supermarket arm. A Walmart spokesman on Monday confirmed to Reuters that the world’s largest brick-and-mortar retailer has resumed sales talks with “a small number of third-party investors” interest in buying a stake in Asda. “Walmart and Asda have restarted conversations with a small number of third-party investors who are interested in acquiring a stake in Asda and partnering with

Retail 131

Retail Strategy Regulation Marketing 131

PYMNTS

JULY 20, 2020

Toronto’s population may be flat, but that hasn’t stopped the region’s developers from building apartments in the country’s financial capital at near record levels. Bloomberg News reported 13,358 units were under construction in the Toronto area in the second quarter, a nearly 40-year high, according to research from Urbanation Inc. , the Toronto-based real estate consulting firm.

Arizona 130

Arizona Maine Online Marketing 130

PYMNTS

JULY 20, 2020

In today’s top news, eBay is near a sale of its classified ad division to Adevinta, and Lollapalooza’s co-founder said live concerts won’t be back until 2022. Plus, Mastercard is expanding its crypto card partner program. eBay Nears Deal To Sell Classified Ad Division To Adevinta. eBay is reportedly close to selling its classified ads unit to Adevinta ASA, the Norwegian online marketplace, for about $8 billion or more.

Payments 141

Payments Cards cryptocurrency Technology 141

PYMNTS

JULY 20, 2020

COVID-19 has caused many businesses to struggle for survival, but it’s actually turned out to be a boon for others. Consider meal kit company Blue Apron. Blue Apron was a pioneer in an industry that analysts initially predicted would change the face of grocery shopping. But as recently as late last year, the company was struggling to stand out in the crowded meal kit market that it had helped create , and was widely viewed in early 2020 as a strong takeover or merger target.

Chicago 146

Chicago Industry California Company 146

PYMNTS

JULY 20, 2020

To automate the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) forgiveness procedure for small- to medium-sized business (SMB) owners, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and CPA.com rolled out the PPPForgivenessTool.com website. The Biz2Credit -fueled technology uses the PPP forgiveness calculator the AICPA made in the spring and can be used by companies that have received the green light for a PPP loan, according to an announcement.

Tools 144

Tools Lending Policies Technology 144

PYMNTS

JULY 20, 2020

U.K. small and medium-sized business (SMB)-focused bank Tide said it has a new relationship with Mastercard that makes Tide one of the card company’s principal issuers, Finextra reported Monday (July 20). “Entering a strategic partnership with Mastercard and becoming a principal card issuer is an extremely exciting step for Tide,” Tide CEO Oliver Prill said in a prepared statement, according to the report.

Cards 229

Cards Innovation Fintech Payments 229

PYMNTS

JULY 20, 2020

A group of Uber drivers in England have filed suit against the ride-hailing company for its alleged failure to provide access to data and an explanation of algorithmic management. The lawsuit by the App Drivers and Couriers Union (ADCU), a U.K.-based group, was filed in the District Court of Amsterdam, where Uber’s European headquarters is located.

Los Angeles 167

Los Angeles California Data Regulation 167

PYMNTS

JULY 20, 2020

As small- to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) keep contending with the effects of the pandemic, Verizon Business rolled out its inaugural SMB resource hub, according to an announcement. The “one-stop destination” combines Verizon’s different pandemic SMB relief offerings along with important information to assist small companies. Verizon Business CEO Tami Erwin said in the announcement, “Post-pandemic recovery for small businesses will require much more than just financial assist

Resources 198

Resources Video Mobile Tools 198

PYMNTS

JULY 20, 2020

As the pandemic continues to disrupt everyday life the world over, many consumers want refunds on things they paid for but aren’t able to use. Some organizations are refunding a portion of monthly auto premiums. The Automobile Club of Southern California intends to give back approximately $59 million in premium reimbursements to those who have policies as the coronavirus ongoing effects occur, the Orange County Business Journal reported.

California 143

California Policies National Report 143

PYMNTS

JULY 20, 2020

Conduent has launched its new solution called Contract Analytics, which will automate the contracts process and help diminish risk and revenue loss between buyers and suppliers, according to a press release. “Contract Analytics represents a game changer for buy- and sell-side contract management,” Brent MacLean , global head of commercial at Conduent, said in the release.

Tools 175

Tools Management Analytics Compliance 175

PYMNTS

JUNE 12, 2020

If restaurants, bars and cafes come roaring back after months of being shuttered worldwide, LG Electronics could be one of the big winners. The South Korean global electronics company headquartered in Seoul has partnered with online food delivery platform operator Woowa Brothers and the Korea Institute for Robot Industry Advancement (KIRIA), an incubator for robot startups, to develop robot waiters, LG announced Friday (June 12).

Software 220

Software Operations Online Industry 220

PYMNTS

JUNE 12, 2020

To assist small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) in expanding their operations, Mastercard and Octet Europe rolled out a new trade system throughout the European Economic Area (EEA). The Mastercard Trade Solution, which is fueled by Octet, helps firms trade domestically and internationally by allowing for safe payments, a credible value chain, streamlining of back office work and handling of cash flows per a Thursday (June 11) announcement.

Technology 174

Technology Cards System Payments 174

PYMNTS

JUNE 13, 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic has shut down bars and nightclubs nationwide, leaving Americans without their favorite watering holes to socialize in. But creative consumers have found ways to recreate virtual bar life with “Zoom cocktail parties,” “quarantinis” and a new outlook on social drinking. Digital drinking might not replace the traditional bar scene, but it’s at least finding new ways to put money into bartenders’ pockets while they await a return to their normal jobs.

Innovation 214

Innovation Millennials Groups US 214

PYMNTS

JUNE 12, 2020

In today’s top news, the FBI warns users to beware of cyberattacks, and DoorDash is expected to receive new funding that will value the company at $15 billion. Plus, Quicken Loans may be preparing an IPO. FBI Issues Warning To Bank Mobile App Users. As the use of mobile banking apps surges due to the limited access to banks amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the FBI is warning users to beware of cyberattacks.

Mobile 130

Mobile Company San Francisco United States 130

PYMNTS

JUNE 12, 2020

Take that, Sonos. Five months after getting hit with a patent infringement case by Sonos, Google is fighting back. Google has fired off a lawsuit in federal court in blaming the pioneering wireless speaker company for the same behavior the tech giant stands accused of. The two erstwhile business partners had been working together on a deal that would incorporate Google Play Music onto the Sonos platform.

Google 130

Google Software California Technology 130

PYMNTS

JUNE 12, 2020

There is nothing new under the sun – just new ways to get away with it. Many people are familiar with the term “Ponzi scheme” even if they may not know the original story or the mechanics through which bad guys make off with money using those schemes. But say the word “Ponzi” and may people’s minds will conjure up visions of slick-talking charmers taking victims’ hard-earned funds by promising stellar returns — but then disappearing into the night.

Regulation 160

Regulation Fraud Report Course 160

PYMNTS

JUNE 12, 2020

British Airways is preparing to jettison its multimillion-dollar art collection as it scrambles to stay aloft amid ongoing coronavirus restrictions and a sharp economic downturn, according to a London newspaper. Sotheby’s is working with the beleaguered airline to value its collection of art, which features mainly British artists, reports the Evening Standard.

Maine 131

Maine Report Retail 131

PYMNTS

JUNE 12, 2020

It’s the end of the work week, and the PYMNTS Weekender is here to make sure you didn’t miss anything with the latest in payments and commerce news. We have deep dives into remote notary services, digital shift shopping personas, and Capgemini ’s alliance with BlackLine Inc. Top News. Capgemini Teams With BlackLine To Help Organizations Streamline F&A.

Apple 130

Apple Cards Online National 130

PYMNTS

JUNE 12, 2020

As the coronavirus pandemic continues to disrupt everyday life the world over, many consumers want compensation for things they paid for but aren’t able to use. Airlines, in one case, are letting flyers request vouchers or refunds for flights that have been canceled. KLM and Air France have further refined their rules for flight cancellations, according to an announcement.

Online 130

Online Company 130

PYMNTS

JUNE 12, 2020

A surprising improvement in the jobs market and states reopening for business are combining to lift the spirits of U.S. consumers, according to data from a University of Michigan consumer survey released Friday (June 12). The widely-watched gauge of consumer sentiment posted its biggest gains in four years, showing a jump of 9.1 percent in June over May, hitting 78.9.

Michigan 145

Michigan Survey Study National 145

PYMNTS

JUNE 12, 2020

While few industries haven’t been hit hard in some way by the global pandemic and the economic slowdown it has carried in its wake, the cruise industry has seen its fortunes uniquely sunk by COVID-19’s effects on the travel industry. Cruise ships had the unfortunate status of being the site of several early outbreaks, replete with tales of travelers marooned at sea and stuck in their staterooms.

Industry 152

Industry Alaska New York Data 152