BankThink

Alipay's fast growth is partly attributed to the huge size of the Chinese market, but it also deploys strategies that can serve as an example for mobile wallets in other parts of the world.

The appeal of information pathways such as the internet were seen as possibly bringing about a "comeback" for artificial intelligence in financial services — in the 1990s.

One step the government can take is to create a unified office dedicated to housing finance and policy to streamline existing agencies and programs and make them more efficient.

Receiving Wide Coverage ...Still in charge: Almost forgotten in last week's senior management shakeup at Goldman Sachs is that the man who fills the corner office is still there and not going anywhere. "While Goldman [last] week underwent its most dramatic management reshuffling in a decade, Lloyd Blankfein remains firmly ensconced as chief executive — and appears likely to stay, having outlasted an impatient deputy and effectively restarted the clock on his new successors-in-waiting," the Wall Street Journal reports. "That means Goldman's strategy isn't likely to change much from the course set out in recent years: cautiously expanding into new areas while hawkishly defending its turf in the core businesses of trading and corporate banking."

As retailers, banks and technology companies continue to suffer data breaches, issuers and merchants need to take extra care when selecting payment vendors.

American Banker is pleased to bring you Breaking Banks, hosted by Brett King, and featuring the editors of American Banker.

To act like a startup — as many banks say they want to do — institutions must employ a nontechnical strategy: build services based on customers say they want.

Borrowers served by the FHA program, particularly first-time buyers and minorities, have benefited from nonbanks' increase in lending. Those independent lenders should be commended for filling a gap.

Wall Street JournalIncentives dropped: Wells Fargo said it will stop offering bonuses to its securities brokers for urging customers to take out loans, including mortgages, securities-backed loans and other consumer lines of credit. "Such bonuses usually come in the form of deferred compensation and can add several thousand dollars to a broker's annual pay," the Journal said. Erik Karanik, a managing director at Wells Fargo Advisors, said the move brings the brokerage unit in line with the rest of the bank, which has changed its sales incentives in the wake of the phony accounts scandal.

The chip card migration is drawing more attention to card not present fraud. Account takeover risk is also on the rise.