Banks plan to spend more on blockchain and AI in the coming year, and appear willing to explore new technology partnerships.

Banks plan to spend more on blockchain and AI in the coming year, and appear willing to explore new technology partnerships.

BankMobile, the digital-only subsidiary of Customers Bank in Wyomissing, Pa., is planning to use software by Upstart to offer its first credit product to graduates and other young consumers with little to no credit history.

Key efforts for banks include developing AI applications, adding fintech allies and strengthening cyberdefenses.

In a move designed to strengthen its capabilities for integrated payments, processor and technology provider Total System Services has agreed to acquire Cayan for $1.05 billion. The news shortly follows another deal valued in the billions — Thales agreeing to buy the chip maker Gemalto for $5.4 billion.

Readers react to the change in tone at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the launch of voice-command banking on Amazon’s Alexa, how regulation affects financial innovation and more.

Alternative data can be beneficial for individuals locked out of the financial system’s more conventional data types, but such data is open to manipulation or biased interpretation.

During a sit-down interview, Bruce Van Saun, the CEO at Citizens Financial, explained how Washington policy changes could boost lending, why cyber threats keep him up nights and how fintechs and AI are changing the industry for the better.

Virtual assistants at banks in Israel, Canada and Hong Kong are getting smarter thanks to artificial intelligence.

The right platform can detect unusual behaviors and block fraudulent transactions as they occur, while still allowing real customers to make legitimate transactions without interruptions, writes Dave Excell, CTO and co-founder of Featurespace.