Bank technology

The cryptocurrency ecosystem operates on the fringes of tradition, with "initial coin offerings" announced, discussed and carried out largely via online forums and without regulation. The phenomenon is high-risk and should be treated as such.

Credit scores are useful in predicting the likelihood of whether someone will repay a loan. However, banks and others need to provide customers with another number that more accurately assesses their financial health.

The credit card industry's switch to microchips has improved security, but fraudulent online purchases remain a big vulnerability. A new credit card company called Final, which launches Wednesday, is aiming to fix that problem.

The question of whether bitcoin is actually money is at the heart of a case of a man charged with selling $30,000 worth of the virtual currency to an undercover police officer.

Chief Technology Officer David Reilly has had to make major reductions in traditional expenses so Bank of America can afford to collaborate with fintech firms that are developing innovative products the bank craves.

Bankers, fintech entrepreneurs, regulators and other financial services players gathered in New Orleans last week to discuss the future of the industry at American Banker's Digital Banking 2016 conference. Here are some of the highlights of the conference. For more, check out the hashtag #digibank16 on Twitter.

Federal regulations — including the FFIEC's recent mobile security guidelines — have not kept pace with mobile innovation and the security risks users face from smartphone banking platforms.

Even though cybersecurity jobs can offer six-figure salaries, generous signing bonuses and other perks, banks are struggling to find people to hire.

Kroger is suing Visa, alleging the network threatened to raise fees and cut off the supermarket chain from accepting its debit cards.

Citizens Bank's largely millennial student loan applicants were not responding to email and phone communications. So it created a messaging service that mimics the social media they know and love.