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Push-back on PSD2-style rules
Spurred by the European
The effort is hitting a snag in Australia, as the country's large banks are pushing back against open banking, reports
The Australian government has recommended more than 50 changes to the financial system to accommodate the relationship between digital payments and the banking industry.
Break the budget
The town of Lafayette, La. hopes to solve a budget crunch by creating its own currency.
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The cryptocurrency that results could help the town pay its debts, fund public works or position the city as a technology hub, according to Robideaux.
No more bitcoin bubble?
The fervor that boosted bitcoin to record heights in 2017 has likely cooled off as the currency becomes mainstream, reports
That means it may be a long time before bitcoin, which is currently trading at around $7,000, returns to its highs of near $20,000 from December.
But it also clears the way to diversify use cases and find avenues to use bitcoin and other virtual currencies for payments, since the quick returns from treating it as a trading asset are likely gone.
World wallet to launch in Russia
A central bank-affiliated mobile payment system called World, or Mir, plans to launch in Russia, and is speaking with different technology companies about support.
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From the Web
USA Today | Sun Apr 15, 2018 - Tender Greens, with 28 restaurants on the East and West coasts, is one of a growing number of eateries that are either shunning cash and only accepting credit and debit cards and contactless payment systems, like Apple Pay, or experimenting with the strategy.
The Hill | Sun Apr 15, 2018 - Government oversight of cryptocurrencies is a complicated solution, and the United States is still developing its approach. The Congressional Blockchain Caucus is currently pressing for a hands-off regulatory approach to blockchain — a key underlying technology that has many uses and in the case of bitcoin is in effect a digital ledger which records chronologically and publicly all transactions — so that industry and government can collaborate and ensure U.S. global competitiveness.
Financial Times | Mon Apr 16, 2018 - ANA, Japan’s largest carrier, is aiming to launch a digital payments business as it seeks a cushion against the volatility in the airline industry’s profits. The plan is part of a broader digital push by ANA, which hopes to build on data collected from the 31m users of its airline miles to provide a range of services including real estate, insurance and health to consumers across Japan.
More from PaymentsSource
Global policy makers are all over the map when it comes to regulating cryptocurrencies. But industry participants are eager to have some direction — and soon.
The cashierless Amazon Go concept is inspiring fear in traditional U.S. retailers, but the idea is already mainstream in China — with one chain opening 300 locations in just two years.
Financial institutions in the U.S. are not only under tremendous pressure to determine how they’ll become a part of the new Federal Reserve-driven faster payments ecosystem, but also what the shift to immediacy will mean to their current operating model, long-term strategy, and future relevance to consumers and corporates, writes Bruce Lowthers, COO at FIS.
Whether the threat stems from technology or human nature, fraudsters are exploiting any opening they can.
