PayThink

Even in a digital era, human connections still matter. That is one big disadvantage for fintech startups and increasingly for banks as customers stop making regular branch visits. So it is instructive to hear SoFi's thinking on how to overcome this challenge. It is trying some unorthodox tactics to better understand the people behind the data and to create meaningful connections with them.

Businesses, governments, universities and the Federal Reserve all struggle to adequately reflect the populations they serve. It's time to take ownership of diversity outcomes.

Consumers want to feel mobile wallets are secure and widely accessible before substantial adoption is possible.

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.

The industry doesn't want to attack the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau directly, but its push to reform the agency's leadership structure is a backdoor strike at the CFPB's very existence.

Data breaches have been proliferating over the past couple of years, but there's new technology out of the 'bot' and analytics worlds that can help.

As the banking environment demands a different skill set for those operating leaner branch networks, institutions should look at tellers as a longer-term human resource with growth potential.

Consumers, particularly younger people, are placing an importance on being able to obtain a plastic card in a branch and use it right away.

With the change in administration and more friendly economic conditions, policymakers should consider greater balance between principles- and rules-based approaches.

The new year will bring risk in marketplace lending, but progress will be made in micropayments platforms and regulators embracing innovators.