Aldi’s No-Checkout Stores May Not Be Ready for Prime Time
Aldi’s Shop and Go stores, an attempt at a cashierless grocery chain in the UK, are facing criticism for requiring a £10 deposit from each entering shopper. Many customers are unaware of the deposit amount, and if they spend less than £10, the refund can take several days to process. To enter, shoppers must either […]
Transforming Economies: The Global Impact of Real-Time Payments
Beyond accelerating settlement and clearing times or giving merchants a pathway to better liquidity, real-time payments hold transformative power on a global scale. According to ACI Worldwide’s Real-Time Payments: Economic Impact and Financial Inclusion report, real-time payments are bringing millions of people into the financial ecosystem, opening new markets for financial institutions, and bringing lower […]
Tether to Bring the World’s Largest Stablecoin to Bitcoin, Lightning Network
Tether will launch its flagship stablecoin, USDT, on the Bitcoin blockchain and the Lightning Network, making it available on the infrastructure that powers the world’s largest cryptocurrency. This move expands the reach of the world’s most dominant stablecoin, which holds nearly $140 billion in market share. Tether processed $10 trillion worth of transactions last year, […]
An International Marketplace for Hacking Tools Gets Shut Down
The Justice Department has shut down a Pakistan-based network that had been openly selling hacking and other cyber fraud tools online. The group, known as Saim Raza or HeartSender, had been in operation since at least 2020, controlling 39 domains and their associated servers, and was responsible for at least $3 million in victim losses […]
Canadians Have Adopted Instant Payments, but Fraud Concerns Linger
Most consumers in Canada use instant payments and will continue to do so, but fraud remains a top concern. A recent FICO report found that 91% of Canadians have sent a real-time payment, with 87% planning to maintain or increase usage over the next year. However, more than two-thirds would feel reassured if banks could […]
Young Travelers Are Turning Toward Digital Wallets
Travel payments continue to shift toward digital wallets, especially among younger travelers. More than half of Gen Z and millennial travelers booked their most recent trip on a mobile device, while a third used a laptop or desktop computer. In contrast, less than half of Gen Xers booked their last trip via mobile, and only […]
ACH Has Best Year on Record, Driven By Accelerating Same Day ACH Adoption
Amid constant speculation about the future of payments technology, the ACH Network had its best year yet. The ACH Network processed more transactions, moved higher dollar values, and established more use cases for businesses and consumers. With new initiatives on the way designed to increase security and foster innovation, the ACH Network’s impressive growth could […]
New AI-Powered Apps Are Built to Disrupt the Wealth Management Status Quo
Fintechs worldwide are launching apps that leverage artificial intelligence to provide wealth management services to high-net-worth individuals. Singapore has a significant concentration of high and ultra-high-net-worth individuals, with investible assets exceeding $1 million and $50 million, respectively. To cater to this niche, firms like U.S.-based fintech Arta Finance have entered the market. In October, Arta […]
6 Business Payments Trends to Watch in 2025
The way businesses pay and get paid is still evolving. Complex, manual systems continue to be replaced by smarter, more automated and integrated tools that save time, generate cash back, cut costs, and improve security. As we turn the page on another year, I want to delve deeper and explore several key trends reshaping business […]
Alipay Gears Up for Travel Surge at Chinese New Year
As the Year of the Snake begins, merchants in China are optimistic about a prosperous Chinese New Year. Payments giant Alipay+ is partnering with merchants to make sure the holiday is both smooth and profitable through special promotions. The holiday is a prime time for tourists to visit China or for émigrés to return home. […]