Technology

In announcing its plan to offer a deposit account and debit card in partnership with SoFi, the mobile phone maker suggested that the coronavirus pandemic will accelerate consumers’ adoption of contactless payments.

The failure to bring decades-old processes into the digital era not only continues to cost companies dearly but has become increasingly disruptive in the current COVID-19 environment.

U.S. card issuers aren’t getting the full benefit of the contactless phenomenon because of their slower contactless card rollout strategies.

Late approval and delayed access to the Fed’s liquidity facility have forced fintechs to play catch-up in the Paycheck Protection Program. A strong finish could bolster their case for becoming full-fledged Small Business Administration lenders.

Mortgage lenders impose steep pricing adjustments for cash-out refinancing; bankers fear massive borrower fraud in the Paycheck Protection Program; some worry the coronavirus is giving banks an excuse to spy on employees; and more from this week's most-read stories.

When Fiserv purchased First Data in 2019, it was part of an industrywide push to combine bank and merchant technology under one roof. A year later, a key piece of First Data’s technology — and its top executive — have become Fiserv’s path through the coronavirus crisis.

Stilt, which had already been offering unsecured loans to newcomers to the U.S., is working with technology and banking partners to offer them deposit accounts and debit cards.

Trends in China such as mobile payments, omnichannel shopping and social commerce show us what a post-coronavirus world could look like for brands and retailers in the U.S., says Azoya International's Franklin Chu.

A mix of consumer debt and economic anxiety is shining a light on firms that offer alternatives to revolving credit. This, in turn, creates a chance to further tie financing directly to checkout.

One of the selling points behind multi-account payment cards is the ability to shift spending on the fly or shortly after shopping, such as to fund a recent purchase with loyalty points. During the pandemic, this feature may become a key financial management tool.