Cannabis could be a huge opportunity for acquirers, but the wait for a ubiquitous PayPal-of-pot option continues. When it comes to electronic payments, the legal cannabis industry is starting to grow up. Cannabis was once considered the Wild West of the payment world because of all the skullduggery that took …

Since their inception, banks have offered two categories of services: a place to put money, and a means to grow money. Banks thrived because there was no viable alternative to their offer to safeguard our cash holdings. It is still true today, but not for long. Bankers I talk to …

If data is the new oil, here’s how billers can refine that resource for the best revenue results. In 2006, mathematician Clive Humby coined the phrase, “Data is the new oil,” and that couldn’t be truer today. Like oil, data is a valuable commodity that must be refined to make …

Small businesses can take on bigger rivals and win—if they’re open to the latest technology. Small- and medium-size businesses respond differently to major shifts in how people find and purchase products and services. Some look at major changes as an opportunity to adopt new resources for getting the most bang …

A sort of disequilibrium has set in in payments mergers and acquisitions, leading to fewer deals and stretched out times to conclude the deals that do close, according to M&A experts who spoke this week at the Electronic Transactions Association’s Transact conference in Atlanta. The new dispensation contrasts sharply with …

As a new phase of real-time payments in the United States draws near, don’t expect payment cards to go away any time soon. That’s the consensus from several speakers at the Smarter Faster Payments 2023 conference sponsored by Nacha this week in Las Vegas. Each time a new payment rail …

Cryptocurrency has taken a beating in the headlines ever since the FTX scandal broke last fall. But last month it got much worse as a trio of banks known for their crypto-friendly lending collapsed, sending shock waves through the larger economy. The fate of Silicon Valley Bank was especially egregious, …

Last month, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau released an “Issue Spotlight” on government benefits that attacked the use of prepaid cards for delivering state benefits. The agency cited what it sees as a lack of choice for consumers, inadequate customer service, and, of course, fees. “In 2020, for example, issuers …

by Joshua Bennett, Vice President of Partner Business Development for Elavon Inc. As payments technology and business models continue to advance and change at a rapid pace, Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) have new opportunities to monetize their services and provide valuable tools for their customers. The concept of Embedded Finance, …

Apple Inc.’s newest financial product, a buy now, pay later service called Apple Pay Later, has finally arrived. Launched Tuesday, Apple Pay Later was announced in June, but only now is it being made available, and just to a limited set of Apple Pay users. Apple says it will offer broader …