Technology

While digital pay innovation was once seen as a “nice-to-have” benefit, it's quickly becoming integral to business survival, says LendingFront's Jorge Sun.

In 2017 the creators adapted the technology into a touchless restaurant order-and-pay system that’s seen exponential demand during the pandemic, as dining establishments race to replace paper menus and card payment devices with contactless alternatives.

Bankers must identify money launderers and traffickers, and yet although not precluded, the current legal framework actually limits the sharing of data about potential suspicious activity and customers between institutions, says Giant Oak's Gary Schiffman.

In addition to monitoring the spike in contactless payments because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Verizon Business has also cited the expected decrease in foot traffic at the largest malls in the U.S. through its mobile data metrics.

Companies like Affirm and Klarna have been a beacon for investors, leading to at least one multibillion-dollar planned IPO in support of a point-of-purchase lending model that could set the stage for use cases well beyond credit.

More lending regulation and interchange restrictions are on tap, says Intrepid Ventures' Eric Grover.

Software developers and ISOs must go into payment partnerships with a full understanding of what capabilities their merchants are seeking, including flexibility and choice, says NMI's Nick Starai.

Within the payments industry, Wirecard as a brand has become almost like Enron — but an exec at Railsbank says the German processor's fall from grace masks talent and innovation that can thrive elsewhere and help forge new paths to financial services.

The success of some fintechs in getting bank charters this year only underscores how onerous the process remains for many others. That’s unlikely to change unless policymakers reconsider what it means to be a bank.

The complaint charges the fintech startup with misleading customers about the interest they'd receive on deposits and the level of access to their money. It seeks an unspecified amount of consumer relief in addition to other remedies.