Technology

PayPal has joined a funding round for startup Cambridge Blockchain, reportedly the first investment the online payments giant has made in distributed ledger technology.

Randal Quarles, a senior Fed official and chair of the Financial Stability Board, sparked debate with a speech about the risks and rewards of companies like Amazon, Facebook and Apple entering the financial system.

The rally that sent Bitcoin to its highest level since November lasted 60 minutes and may have started with an April Fool’s joke.

Business payments software provider Bill.com will offer Mastercard virtual cards as part of its automated accounts payable platform for small and midsize businesses.

Financial startups are becoming important partners for community banks and credit unions, despite lobbying efforts to limit their growth.

The executive is leaving after two years of coast-to-coast commuting; the interest rate on the loan declines as the borrower achieves technology goals.

The FIS-Worldpay and Fiserv-First Data combos do provide notable scale, but the even-larger companies still won't produce the same pace of growth that younger nimble fintechs enjoy, says Eric Grover, a principal at Intrepid Ventures.

As N26 schedules its launch for midyear, it will face off against other startups and mobile-only spinoffs from incumbent financial institutions.

Jumia Technologies AG said Mastercard Inc. has agreed to invest 50 million euros ($56 million) in a private placement ahead of the Africa-focused online retailer’s planned initial public offering in New York.

Lining up leadership and securing staff support are important building blocks for banks eager to become more tech savvy.