During a Hectic Holiday Season, Gift Cards Continue to Be a Reliable Bet
“The holiday season is here, bringing with it a host of celebrations. From office parties to family gatherings, shoppers are navigating an evolving landscape of gift-giving traditions. In our latest podcast episode, we dive into how consumer trends, new technologies, and the timeless appeal of gift cards are shaping the way people are gifting this […]
Despite Stewart’s Shutdown, Tap-to-Pay Remains Safe for Most Consumers
Following a series of fraudulent purchases, a convenience store chain has temporarily halted its contactless payment system. Stewart’s Shops disabled its tap-to-pay technology in mid-October. However, experts suggest the decision may be an overreaction to a software glitch, emphasizing that tap-to-pay remains a secure payment method for consumers. According to Stewart’s, criminals used tap-to-pay to […]
Holiday Gift Cards Go a Long Way Toward Inspiring Employee Loyalty
Holiday gift cards have a meaningful impact on employees and their teams worldwide. In fact, a recent survey from CleverCards, which polled 600 employees in Ireland, revealed that 84% of respondents said receiving a holiday gift card from their employer would boost their engagement and make them less likely to consider switching jobs. The main […]
The Hybrid Consumer: Embracing the Best of Both Digital and Physical
It is a fact that our world continues to become an increasingly digital one, with many once ubiquitous physical objects being retired as relics of the past. Consider road maps, for example—most of us haven’t used them in years, and younger generations likely never will, thanks to digital navigation tools like Google Maps and Waze. […]
Tether to Expand Beyond Stablecoins with Tokenization Service
Tether, the producer of the highly successful USDT stablecoin, has announced the launch of its long-awaited tokenization platform. The new service, Hadron, will create digital copies of real-world assets like stocks, bonds, and commodities on blockchains. In addition, the platform could enable the conversion of assets like loyalty points or other stablecoins. Hadron will also […]
The UK’s Vision for the Future of Open Banking
The UK government recently released its National Payments Vision whitepaper, outlining key aspects of the country’s payments ecosystem, particularly the need to reduce regulatory congestion. Notably, it highlights the vital role of open banking in shaping the future of the UK’s payments landscape. “It is the government’s ambition that seamless account-to-account payments are developed as […]
Packaging Laws and Sports Betting Highlight Prepaid Regulatory Changes
Regulatory changes affecting the prepaid industry slowed both domestically and globally, with two major exceptions. In most of the country, efforts to tamp down card scams took a backseat, but Maryland passed a packaging law that could have broader ramifications for other states as well. Meanwhile, more states have legalized mobile sports betting and lotteries, […]
UK Auto Loan Controversy Could Cost Banks Billions
Some of the largest banks in the UK may have to pay billions of pounds to consumers over contentious lending practices at car dealers. In response to an October judgement by the UK’s Court of Appeal, many British banks are considering halting auto lending entirely. The court ruled it was unlawful for car dealerships to […]
Unlocking the Benefits of AI in Spend Management
Truly effective spend management goes beyond just controlling costs—it’s about enhancing efficiency and unlocking value. The advent of artificial intelligence is introducing new ways for payment processors to increase that value. John MacIlwaine and Alexander Hagerup are on complementary sides of this discussion. MacIlwaine, Co-founder and CEO of Highnote, helps companies move beyond legacy payment […]
New Tools in the Fight Against Cross-Border APP Fraud
As cross-border payments fuel an increasingly globalized economy, concerns about fraud in these transactions have also grown. Although cross-border payments make up just 11% of total card payment transactions, they account for 63% of card-related fraud. This issue is particularly acute in the UK, where losses due to authorized push payment (APP) scams reached £239 […]