Cash

The Middle East presents a rare opportunity for digital payment innovators to access a populous and high-spending region with good levels of connectivity, writes Tom MacDonald, financial and business services practice head for Global Growth Markets.

Last month, banks submitted draft policies on the so-called application programming interfaces, or APIs, that will open up their systems to fintech firms seeking to do everything from payments and remittances to budget planning

Slowly and silently, 10,000 free-to-use ATMs are set to disappear from Britain’s high streets over the next four years — despite recent findings that at least 3 million people across the U.K. rely on cash for almost all of their day-to-day payments.

With 1.3 billion people who are mostly unbanked in an economy where 85% to 95% of all transactions are still conducted in cash, few other markets have such an opportunity to modernize payments.

Because cash remains a staple for customers at many businesses, a service like Total Armored Car cash delivery continues to be important to managing cash flow. But how companies go about ordering a cash delivery at Total Armored hasn't changed in decades — until now.

Advances in mobile technology have also permeated into other products, including point of sale hardware. With mobile point of sale devices being updated to include sophisticated software, there is more real-time capture of customer data in the store.

Walt Disney Co. is among the many companies that have aggressively pushed the limits of technology to do away with the need for cash. Its biggest test is about to begin.

Retracting an Obama administration policy that shielded banks servicing marijuana companies threatens financial firms and makes the pot industry too reliant on cash.

A crucial challenge for payment apps and cashless banking is how they adapt to provide services for the unbanked, writes Michael Kordvani, head of SEO for app development agency Fueled.

The rapid development of the Indian mobile wallet market demonstrates the importance of reactivity and adaptability. Huge opportunities await those who can successfully navigate the transformative impact of regulation, emerging technologies and shifting consumer expectations, writes Elina Mattila, executive director of the Mobey Forum.