PayThink

The U.S. Postal Service, well positioned to compete with payday lenders, could redirect the $7.4 billion Americans annually spend on these types of loans back into the U.S. economy. But it would have to become a proper bank to do so.

Google has made an attempt to bolster its mobile wallet by opening it to more consumers and incentivizing them to use it, but it is unlikely that these changes will help the in-store payment component.

Being persistent and relentlessly reasonable can succeed over expressions of outrage, however justified that may be.

International banks and other global private firms need to ensure that they do more than pay lip service to the privacy laws of sovereign states. In fact, the penalties for failure to comply with privacy laws in many countries can be very serious indeed.

There are a number of definitions included in the Volcker Rule that do not fully align to the definitions contained in the Federal Reserve Board’s market risk capital rule.

Action by federal lawmakers, not guidance from the Justice Department, is what’s needed to give banks comfort in providing services to marijuana businesses in states where pot is legal.

While waiting for regulators to fully understand the effects, small banks should proactively take measures to prepare themselves from the Volcker rule, just like their larger counterparts.

The U.S. Postal Service offering financial services to the underserved would be a great idea. If the U.S. Postal Service weren't, you know, the U.S. Postal Service.

Every couple weeks a new group of mainstream merchants and payments providers begins accepting Bitcoin, the popular and often controversial digital currency.

A recap of the informed opinions (and the discussions they generated) on BankThink this week.