PayThink

Payments startups may be fast and smart, but banks have compliance know-how, an established customer base and physical branches that will help them hook customers on new products.

Like the Internet of the 1980s, today's payment systems are a mishmash of disparate, closed networks that cannot communicate with one another effectively. Distributed ledger technologies can solve this problem.

The NFC tattoo is far different from the inked lettering and designs many people have. It's even a stretch to call it a "tattoo" – despite the branding, it's really more of an adhesive bandage with a high-tech spin.

Studies of whether big banks enjoy implicit funding subsidies should take into account the effect of post-Dodd-Frank legislation and regulation, write Aaron Klein and Peter Ryan of the Bipartisan Policy Center.

The solar industry is still developing, but Mercatus CEO Haresh Patel has suggestions for banks that want to get in on it now.

More consumers are skipping the mall and buying online instead. Many traditional retailers have already moved online to maximize their sales among customers who either don’t have access to their physical shops due to distance, or for whom shopping online is simply more convenient.

Airbnb’s recent rebranding featured personal narratives from employees and customers as well as stories that emphasized the company’s local roots. Banks can apply these lessons to their own marketing and product development, according to consultant Sam Maule.

Everyone these days is chasing Apple and Amazon.com. But are the strengths of these brands applicable to the banking industry?

Credit Union Journal has always had a strong digital presence but even I was surprised to see the growth numbers for the first half of 2014. During this period, pageviews at www.cujournal.com grew by almost 20%.

American employees continue to face financial struggles as they work to recover from the great recession.