PREMIUM – More U.S. banks are awaking to the idea that supporting realtime payments (RTP) could add value not just to their customers, but to their revenues. MORE

Bank of America launched three months ago what it calls the first widely available AI-driven virtual assistant of its kind in financial services MORE

As consumers become more conscious about which companies they share sensitive information with, a Cleveland-based company has launched a mobile person-to-person app that adds a level of anonymity its co-founder and CEO believes is missing from the market MORE

PREMIUM – Every year Bank Innovation assembles a list of 44 innovators that caught our attention in digital banking and fintech. These are the people Bank Innovation believes to be this year’s movers and shakers in the industry, paving the way with forward-thinking technologies and ideas. This year the list contains a variety of innovators […]. MORE

Emerging markets payments platform PayU is building an in-house data science team. The company’s latest rounds of investment and acquisitions pointed to something big, and this seems to be part of it. MORE

Square , the payments company founded by Jack Dorsey, has received a license to enable residents in New York state to buy and sell bitcoin via its Cash App. In a press release , the New York State Department of Financial Services Superintendent Maria T. Vullo said the agency approved Square ‘s application for a virtual currency license. The payments company has a money-transmitter license from the Department of Financial Services (DFS). MORE

We know that there are lots of new bank start-ups out there, particularly in Europe where names like N26, Bunq, Fidor and Monzo stand out. In particular, the UK’s Monzo bank is notable. It is notable for a variety of reasons – the fastest crowdfunding of a new bank, the … The post How new banks differ to traditional banks appeared first on Chris Skinner's blog. Digital Bank Grid Innovation MORE

Discover how Pret A Manger increased orders per store, guest frequency and customer acquisition with the launch of their new Level-Up powered app and digital engagement program MORE

Facebook announced that it is testing out subscriptions with a small number of groups to support group admins who lead the communities. Group admins build safe and supportive communities that people come back to every day,” wrote Alex Deve, Product Director, Groups, at Facebook. “We We know that admins invest their time and energy to maintain their groups, and some have told us that they would like tools to help them continue to invest in their community and offer more to members.”. MORE

INV Fintech, this site’s sister accelerator, announced today a comprehensive rebrand and the launch of an online community. INV’s brand has been completely reimagined with a new logo, color scheme, and website layout that realigns the brand with its profound passion for innovation. MORE

South Africa is an advanced market with a higher level of financial inclusion than other middle income-countries in Sub-Saharan African MORE

After the alleged Facebook – Cambridge Analytica scandal, people are getting increasingly concerned regarding the malicious use of their personal data. MORE

Walmart has been awarded three patents for blockchain-backed technology, according to a report Monday (June 18) in Cryptovest. One of the patents covers a system that would let households manage their electricity bills through cryptocurrency, and would be operated with a public blockchain. Currently, energy providers deliver energy to locations that inefficiently use the energy, which leads to increased energy costs for consumers,” the Walmart patent filing said. MORE

How many systems, both digital and manual, do your members and employees have to navigate before booking a loan? The answer may surprise you, and provide some critical insight if your credit union isn’t meeting its loan growth goals. What is Technology Sprawl? MORE

From planning for a worst-case scenario in the line of duty to buying new uniforms, law enforcement officers face financial stresses that aren’t always well-served by the typical civilian-focused bank. And with approximately 900,000 sworn officers active in the U.S. MORE

Sweden's apparent move toward becoming the planet's first cashless state is clearly neither accidental nor simply the outcome of choices made by the Swedish public MORE

IBM RegTech Innovations. With the launch of OpenPages with Watson v8 , IBM is continuing to build on its legacy of industry-leading technologies for the financial sector. MORE

I sometimes think I’m too harsh on the financial community, with my continual banter about core systems change, lack of digital leadership, inability to see how critical digital is to their future and the impact FinTech is making on global financial structures. I sound like a broken record and rarely … The post Thawing the frozen middle (how to change the bank) appeared first on Chris Skinner's blog. Case Studies Digital Bank Grid Innovation MORE

2018 was a big year for Robinhood. The trading app crossed 4 million users, saw its valuation grow fourfold to $5.6B, and added cryptocurrency trading. What is Robinhood offering that traditional brokerages aren’t? The most important differentiator is price. MORE

Danny Meyer, Union Square Hospitality Group CEO, recently penned a blog post about why his restaurants will continue to go cashless. But is that really what consumers want MORE

Some important financial technologies are changing the way the world is doing business and that change is now reaching the securities industry. MORE

Wealthfront wants to automate all of your finances and make it so effortless that you don’t have to worry about it. President & CEO Andy Rachleff discussed where he sees the company going and its unique role in the financial technology space at the CB Insights Future of Fintech conference. MORE

Learn why data is essential to your restaurant's customer engagement program and how to make it work for you MORE

In the quest to make payments smarter, speeding up transaction times isn’t always enough. Payments must also be made safe from fraud and other cybercrimes. . MORE

Understand the key criteria you should consider when choosing a partner to launch your restaurant digital engagement program MORE

There’s lots of friction around these days. Banks that get digital and banks that don’t; fintechs that want to change everything and fintechs that don’t; digital currencies to replace fiat currencies and fiat currencies that are going digital; destruction, disruption and disappointment; and more. It just shows the world of … The post The difference between FinTech and TechFin appeared first on Chris Skinner's blog. Digital Bank Fintech Grid MORE

Things we’re reading today include … Driver of City PR chief Roland Rudd quizzed by insider dealing watchdog The Rich Column: why private bankers need to appeal to millennials US banks pass financial stress tests Bank of England to get sweeping new powers as Chancellor says UK will not be … The post Things worth reading: 22nd June 2018 appeared first on Chris Skinner's blog. Reading MORE

Last week, our good friend Dave Birch posted a great blog about the Amazonisation of Banking, most of which I agreed with. So I asked Dave if I could repost it here and he said “yes, of course” Thanks Dave. Enjoy! The Amazonisation of Banking… …is very different from Amazon being … The post The Amazonisation of Banking appeared first on Chris Skinner's blog. Case Studies Digital Bank Grid Technology MORE

PREMIUM – BBVA-backed Azlo has created a way for small business owners and gig economy workers to access the ACH payment network, which banks have traditionally monopolized. And now it will add cross-border payments to its offerings. MORE

PayPal announced Thursday (June 21) that, following on the heels of its acquisition of Hyperwallet earlier this week, it is acquiring Simility , which is a fraud prevention and risk management platform. In a company blog post, PayPal said that — like with the acquisition of Hyperwallet and the others previously announced during the past 12 months — it is part of an effort to enhance and strengthen the suite of services it can provide so it can provide one-stop solutions for merchants. . MORE

In today’s global marketplace, financial services firms must grapple with competition, increasing regulation and market volatility while also maintaining profitability and growth in a world disrupted by emerging technologies and fintechs. One significant challenge lies in how firms manage risk. MORE

The Bank for International Settlements (BIS), the guys who are responsible for Basel regulations and act as the global central bank to all the central banks, caught global headlines yesterday by saying that bitcoin will break the internet. Wowser. I couldn’t ignore this and neither should you so here’s a … The post Cryptocurrencies Fail The BIS Test (bitcoinistas aren’t going to like this) appeared first on Chris Skinner's blog. Blockchain Future Grid MORE

Smart vending machines and self-service kiosks are becoming a sure sign of restaurant innovation – and, if recent developments are any indication, the space is undergoing a veritable unattended retail revolution. MORE

For a long time, expensive underwriting kept banks away from small business lending. But not anymore. The most recent example of a bank taking note of this area is KeyBank’s acquisition of Bolstr’s SMB-focused digital lending platform, which it announced this week. MORE

Originally published on CUInsight.com This post exceeds normal length expectations. Estimated reading time is 5-7 minutes. It’s worth it. The future of banking looks bright! New possibilities, new technologies, all while serving an ever-expanding portion of the population! Oh, you’re from a credit union. That introduction wasn’t meant for you. I was talking to the […]. The post Big Tech Firms Have A Plan…Do You? appeared first on Credit Union Geek. MORE

From QSRs to casual dining operations, restaurants are tapping into mobile ordering to capture busy customers with no time to dine in. MORE

PayPal made a strong move into the group payments space with the announcement it will purchase Hyperwallet for $400 million. The deal is expected to close in the fourth quarter. MORE