Merchant

The revenue that banks earn from these loyalty programs provides a substantial offset to potentially shrinking interchange fees.

Banks that embraced their role as a conduit for Paycheck Protection Program loans were likelier to take more risk elsewhere, according to new research by three accounting professors. “Anytime you have that amount of money flowing through the bank, it’s going to affect behavior,” one of the authors said.

The startup Digits has developed a search engine that combs the books of small companies to size up their finances. But to give clients a real-time snapshot, it seeks bank partners that will provide checking and credit card account information.

The creators hope CU Offers, which lists discounts at local and national businesses, will attract new members and strengthen ties with existing ones. But observers are skeptical that it will drive real growth or inspire frequent use.

The agency proposed reporting standards for any institution that originates 25 or more small-business loans a year. The measure would be especially burdensome for very small lenders and could limit credit access in underserved communities, critics say.

The shift away from human contact increased the popularity of kiosks, ATMs and other technologies that allow for more flexibility in payment methods.

The partnership pits the buy now/pay later company against the e-commerce company's issuer partners, JPMorgan Chase and Synchrony Financial, and adds to the fintech's allure as an alternative to payment cards.

There's still a month left in the federal government's fiscal year, and the Small Business Administration's 504 program is perilously close to hitting its congressionally mandated funding limit for new loans.

Chief executives from across the business world are set to join President Biden for a discussion Wednesday on how industry and the federal government can partner to improve cybersecurity in the face of debilitating ransomware and cyberattacks.

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated income inequality in America, and that has implications for banks and other lenders. Among those suffering most: renters, front-line workers and minority small-business owners.