The information you need to start your day, from PaymentsSource and around the web:
Pay cut
As Google
The Google Pay app on iOS and Android will lose the ability to send or receive payments, or withdraw money,
Google's payment app has undergone many transformations over the years, and many rebrandings — from Google Wallet to Android Pay to, finally, Google Pay — and each relaunch has altered the app's functionality to some extent.
Libra launch
Facebook's controversial cryptocoin project, Libra, may finally be readying for launch.
A Libra stablecoin pegged to the U.S. dollar could launch as early as January,
Facebook's crypto wallet, called
Freaky Friday
This year's Black Friday was the second-largest online spending day in U.S. history, but was still at the low end of predictions,
U.S. consumers spent $9 billion online this year, up 21.6$% from a year earlier and behind only 2019's Cyber Monday for sales volume, the article said. The figures come from Adobe, which predicted Black Friday sales would be between $8.9 billion and $9.6 billion, the article noted.
Adobe expects Cyber Monday spending will be between $10.8 billion and $12.7 billion this year.
Game day
Just ahead of last week's Black Friday shopping event, Sezzle announced its buy now, pay later system was available for in-store shopping at GameStop.
Although the deal is focused on in-person shopping, Sezzle notes in its press release that the ongoing lockdowns are prompting more people to purchase video games and other electronic entertainment.
The deal also comes as Microsoft and Sony launch new versions of their home consoles, and Amazon and Google build momentum for their cloud-based gaming services, Luna and Stadia.
From the web
TECHCRUNCH | Sunday, November 29, 2020
Primer, the U.K. fintech that wants to help merchants consolidate their payments stack and easily support new payment methods in the future, has raised £14 million in Series A funding.
TECHCRUNCH | Monday, November 30, 2020
Food delivery apps have been a big deal this year both for consumers stuck at home and unable (or unwilling) to go to restaurants or grocery stores, and for investors who are eyeing the opportunity to back rising stars to help them grow.
REUTERS | Thursday, November 26, 2020
Cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase said on Thursday its retail and professional-focused platforms were hit by tech problems, with users reporting difficulty trading as bitcoin plunged towards its biggest one-day drop since September.
More from PaymentsSource
As the pandemic continues to expose vulnerabilities, executives need to alter and reshape their risk management strategies with purchase to pay in mind for future success, says Proactis' Jan van der Pouw.
Just months after revealing it was testing lending directly to consumers through its Cash App, Square says it is buying the tax business of Credit Karma to bring tax preparation to Cash App customers.
ATM technology provider Payment Alliance International is partnering with B4U Financial to enable users of any cryptocurrency wallets to redeem bitcoin for cash at the ATMs.
Moscow-based JSC Post Bank has established a merchant acquiring agreement with JCB International to allow JCB cardholders to withdraw cash from all of the bank's ATMs and make payments at Post Bank point-of-sale terminals in Russia.
