Technology

Security firm Intezer Labs is warning consumers using cryptocurrency wallet apps that a new malware strain is attacking and draining those wallets of crypto assets.

With people shopping online more than ever before, and a new group of consumers joining the online retail space, it’s become increasingly important for brands to connect their sales channels and embrace e-commerce, says Hatch founder and CEO Joris Kroese.

Even early in the pandemic, it was apparent that acquirers needed digital onboarding, electronic payments and automated chargeback solutions to keep their footing in an acquiring landscape already facing disruption.

With the advances in technology and digitization, and evolving security threats, it’s time for smarter, more robust authentication methods, says Entersekt's Dewald Nolte.

The Trump administration's cantankerous relationship with China has lasted the president's entire term, often shaking up the payments and financial services landscape. With a new executive order, Trump has announced bans on more than a half dozen software firms — including payment apps affiliated with Tencent and Alibaba/Ant Group.

Felix Todd, formerly of Regions Financial, says "the excitement is authentic" at the New York community development bank, which has a reputation for being both innovative and purpose-driven.

Several government agencies have made deeper moves into crypto oversight, leaving a trail of angry executives and unresolved political questions. And there's still no sign of a central bank digital currency, leaving the U.S. at risk of falling behind other countries in the race to support faster payment processing.

The digital currency and related distributed-ledger technologies could "enhance the efficiency, effectiveness and stability of the provision of payments," according to an interpretive letter issued by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency.

2020 has shown that the payment industry is flexible and resilient, and if 2021 throws our plans out the window, we'd better be equipped to adapt on the fly, says IDEMIA's Megan Heinze.

The year — and the coronavirus pandemic — caused a dramatic shift in attitude. Many consumers and merchants now saw contactless cards and mobile payments as a way to move ahead without the germ fears that come with touching cash and PIN pads. And even after those fears subsided, the new habits stuck around.