John Adams

From China to the Bahamas, central banks are rushing to create digital currencies that could be used for everything from attending the Olympics to helping the unbanked. Here are some notable initiatives.

Nearly 90% of central banks are considering or deploying digital currencies to speed transactions and reach underserved communities. But the larger the economy, the more difficult these projects are to implement.

Users of the Goldman Sachs-issued card found themselves unable to make payments or view account details.

The initiative would standardize and expand security, but marketing restrictions weigh against the business case for adoption.

When people stopped using Wag's core business during the pandemic, the company added multiple technologies to allow it to sell pet food, offer digital training and provide other services. Those same upgrades will stay in place as former clients come back.

Development and regulatory costs would be so high that the largest firms would need significantly more scale to justify the investment, according to new research from the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond.

Ahead of its U.S. launch, the London-based payments card aggregator has raised $14 million from 12,000 individual investors that it hopes to convert to customers.

The technology giant is looking for a negotiator with experience in buy now/pay later, faster payments and cryptocurrency.

The Australian bank's stakes in technology firms Little Birdie and Amber add price shopping for point of sale credit and bill pay.

The bank anticipates strong demand from businesses that want to settle invoices faster. It also wants to get ahead of competition from fintechs offering similar services.