How Many People Know They Can Use a Digital ID?
Digital IDs are quietly reshaping how we pay, prove, and protect—but most people don’t even know they exist. As governments and financial institutions push ahead with digital identity systems to streamline payments and combat fraud, a surprising gap is emerging: public awareness. In a world where verifying who you are is as important as what’s […]
Uber’s Prepaid Passes Are About More Than Loyalty
Uber’s new prepaid passes—offering riders reduced rates on frequently traveled routes—are designed to appeal to those who consider the rideshare’s services too expensive. Beyond encouraging loyalty among Uber riders, the program also helps the company manage its overall costs. Unveiled this week, the prepaid passes are sold in bundles of 5 to 20 rides, with […]
Bolt Makes Bid for Super App Dominance
As more fintechs expand their digital offerings, Bolt is preparing to launch a platform positioned as an all-in-one super app. Originally founded as a checkout solution for merchants, the company has faced shortfalls and leadership changes. Now, it is pivoting into the digital wallet space, where it will face stiff competition from leading financial services […]
Swift Develops Rules for Retail Cross-Border Payments
The Swift messaging system has long been a central player in improving international transactions, and the network now has its sights set on streamlining retail payments. This retail push marks a shift for Swift, which has traditionally been used for larger intrabank or business-to-business payments. After collaborating with roughly 30 banks across 17 countries, Swift […]
Split-Tender Scam Exploits Retail Software Glitch
A glitch in split-tender payment processing allowed a group of criminals based in Miami to steal more than $1.5 million, according to the Justice Department. The scheme exploited a flaw in a retailer’s specific payment processing software rather than a vulnerability anyone could easily use. According to the DOJ, the men purchased expensive merchandise and […]
Is There Room for Stablecoins and Tokenized Deposits?
Stablecoins are having a moment, growing to multiple hundreds of billions in circulation, with national governments, crypto entities, and traditional financial institutions all testing the waters. As such, stablecoins have been entered into a sort of competition with tokenized deposits, which are digital tokens representing deposit claims on the bank, recorded on a programmable ledger. […]
Why Is the Digital Euro Taking So Long to Develop?
The digital euro, first proposed in 2020, is now looking at a potential launch date of mid-2029. “The middle of 2029 could be a fair assessment,” European Central Bank Executive Board member Piero Cipollone said this week. “We should arrive at a general approach, as they call it, an agreement among member-states by the end […]
UPI Strengthens Global Payments Dominance
The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) handles almost half of the world’s digital transactions, primarily through its Unified Payments Interface (UPI) platform, and its reach continues to expand. According to India Today, there were just over 20 billion UPI transactions in August alone—far surpassing Brazil’s formidable real-time payments system, Pix, which processed roughly 6 […]
Left to Their Own Devices: How Digital Services Drive Banks’ Revenue Growth
Is the banking industry facing a digital revolution, or has it already happened? Research shows that 60% of bank customers prefer digital-first interactions, yet many banks have not made enough of their services available digitally. This gap leaves the door open for fintechs to engage customers and prospects directly on their mobile devices. There are […]
Holiday Research 2025: Why Gift Cards Continue to Rule the Season
WEBINAR Holiday Research 2025: Why Gift Cards Continue to Rule the Season October 9, 2025 1:00 pm EDT [contact-form-7] As the holiday season approaches, gift cards remain the most requested gift for 18 years running—but what’s driving their enduring popularity? Join our panel of experts as they share insights from BHN’s 2025 holiday research, exploring […]