Tanaya Macheel

Bigger isn't always better; as card issuers compete to bring in more spending, many are rethinking the way they offer rewards. Some of their approaches focus on streamlining redemption, while others dabble with cutting-edge technology such as virtual reality.

Vantiv Integrated Payments has launched triPOS Cloud, which allows independent software vendors to manage payments hardware from the cloud.

Mobile payments company Net Element has partnered with the Russia's Airbnb-like short-term accommodation company Sutochno.ru.

Larry Mazza, MVB’s chief executive, joined the board at BillGO.

Fifth Third Bancorp in Cincinnati has added Android Pay and Microsoft Wallet to its mobile payment offerings, supporting a total of five mobile wallets.

Simple innovations -- such as those that would bring the underbanked into the financial mainstream -- are often stymied by regulation, says Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan.

Valley National Bancorp in Wayne, N.J., has promoted Dianne Grenz to become its chief consumer banking officer.

Eastern Bank in Boston has hired a former Citi Cards executive to oversee its consumer-lending business.

Los Angeles fintech firm InvestCloud has acquired London-based Babel Systems for $20 million.

Cardtronics has completed its acquisition of Canadian ATM operator DirectCash Payments.

Samsung has launched a $150 million venture capital investment fund to expand its partnerships and collaborations with fintech startups.

One of the designers who worked on Kasisto's chatbot Kai argues that technologists are perpetuating female stereotypes; SoFi has some unusual ideas about how to get to know its customers better; and Fidelity gives in to the ETF trend. Also, Cathy Engelbert, Barbara Boxer and Megyn Kelly.

Wells Fargo's innovation group has appointed Peggy Mangot for the newly created position of senior vice president of its design and delivery leadership team.

Wells Fargo's innovation group has appointed Peggy Mangot for the newly created position of senior vice president of its design and delivery leadership team.

So much of the blockchain hype has dwelt on the efficiency it could bring to the financial system, but finding ways it could make money would excite more bankers about the nascent technology.

Online lenders could be opening doors for female entrepreneurs; the San Francisco Fed's Mary Daly talks about closing the gender gap in the research department; Barclays' UK diversity chief shares mentor-mentee relationship tips; Centric's Patti Husic creates a millennial advisory board. Carver Bancorp's former CEO is joining Citi's board and we take a look at Mary Jo White's possible successor. Plus, a look back at the year for Mary Mack, Carrie Tolstedt, Kathie Andrade and Nandita Bakhshi.

Online casino Vera&John now offers the Swedish mobile payment app to its users to recharge their accounts and register as new users through the SEQR app.

Volkswagen Financial Services has acquired PayByPhone, a Canadian parking payment provider, for an undisclosed amount.

Two clients of French bank BNP Paribas processed and cleared several live payments over the bank’s Cash Without Borders product.

The blockchain startup Axoni has raised $18 million in a Series A funding round led by Wells Fargo and Euclid Opportunities, the fintech investment business of the interdealer brokerage ICAP.