Why the U.S. Trails the World in Faster Payments
While faster payments have gained some popularity in the United States, many other countries have surged ahead in adoption. China, Brazil, and the UK have all benefited from proactive measures to promote instant payments. In contrast, the U.S. market, led by RTP and FedNow, holds a smaller share, making steady but slow progress. What needs […]
After Surpassing Credit Cards, Brazil’s Pix Is Taking on BNPL
The Pix instant payments system has become one of the most successful real-time payment implementations worldwide, and it will soon support buy now, pay later (BNPL) installment loans. In just five years, Pix has emerged as the preferred payment method in Brazil, Latin America’s largest economy. Now, the system plans to introduce BNPL for its […]
As Tech Takes Center Stage for Financial Institutions, Talent Becomes Key
For years, banks and credit unions have been urged to upgrade their tech and infrastructure to support the next generation of financial services. However, with so many vendors and an overwhelming amount of information on emerging solutions, many institutions struggle to map the way forward. In their report, 2025 Tech & Infrastructure Trends, James Wester, […]
NSA Warns Fast Flux Technique Makes Cybercriminals a National Security Threat
The United States National Security Administration (NSA) has issued a cybersecurity advisory about fast flux, a technique commonly used by cybercriminals to avoid detection. Fast flux allows bad actors to rapidly change the IP address associated with a domain name. The NSA said that because fast flux allows cybercriminals and nation-state actors to create highly […]
Mastercard Signs MoneyGram Onto Its Move Platform as the “Land Rush” Continues
Mastercard Move has partnered with MoneyGram International to use its cross-border platform for sending payments to 38 markets worldwide. It’s merely the latest in a series of alliances between payment networks and remittance providers working to strengthen their burgeoning cross-border payment networks. The MoneyGram network already spans 450,000 retail locations globally, but Mastercard Move aims […]
Building Cyber Resiliency into Financial Institutions
As cyberattacks grow more sophisticated, organizations are increasingly worried not just about data theft but also about threats to their critical infrastructure. With hackers backed by rogue nation-states, the risk landscape has expanded exponentially—affecting consumers, employees, and even supply chains. A report from Javelin Strategy & Research, New Stakes of Cyber Resiliency in the Era […]
No Buyers for the Apple Card, but the Technology Is Hot
The WSJ reported that Visa is considering a $100 million bid to shift the Apple Card’s network alignment from Mastercard to Visa. While this change will not help Goldman Sachs navigate its way out of its troubled consumer lending issue—which Goldman announced it wanted to shutter back in 2022—the deal illustrates the importance of Apple’s […]
South Korea to Pilot CBDC at Retailers, Including 7-Eleven
Over the next three months, South Korea will conduct a trial run of its newly launched central bank digital currency (CBDC), the digital won. During this period, up to 100,000 citizens—ages 19 or older and holding an account at a participating bank—can convert their deposits into the CBDC. These consumers can use digital won to […]
The Easiest Route to Modernizing Payments? PaaS.
Many banks rely on legacy systems, often built 15 or 20 years ago—sometimes on IBM mainframes. The original developers have likely retired, and there’s minimal documentation on the system’s architecture. These systems are black boxes—any change risks unintended disruptions, making banks hesitant to make any modifications. As a result, banks are increasingly looking for modern […]
Two Key Factors Driving Credit Card Rates Higher
Credit card rates remain high for two main reasons, according to a new study from the New York Fed: steep operating costs and undiversifiable risks. An economic downturn could threaten an issuer’s entire portfolio, making risk management a key factor in pricing. Although the average credit card interest rate currently sits at a lofty 20.09%, […]