Charlie Shrem wouldn't let prison stop him from chatting with his online fans. Even after becoming the first person ever convicted of a Bitcoin-related crime, Shrem continues to cultivate a following among Bitcoin loyalists, some of whom paint him as a sort of martyr for the digital currency.

October saw the three main card networks invest in bitcoin-related companies, which comes on the heels of major banks exploring the use of bitcoin and blockchain technology to solve some industry pain points.

October saw the three main card networks invest in bitcoin-related companies, which comes on the heels of major banks exploring the use of bitcoin and blockchain technology to solve some industry pain points.

The RushCard debacle should lead to consumer improvements, but it should not undercut the progress prepaid has made in helping consumers manage their finances.

Eastern Bank's 18-month-old innovation unit, run by startup veterans, is preparing to release its first product as the industry continues to allocate resources to internal tech labs while wondering when and how such efforts will pay off.

The founder of an IPO services company that was sold this month to Nasdaq has lined up several investors for his new company, which will invest in bitcoin and blockchain developers.

JPMorgan Chase entered the digital wallet wars in announcing Chase Pay, a product that will launch next year. Although mobile payments have been more bark than bite so far, the company says that its product plans to use loyalty programs to lure reluctant consumers.

Customers Bancorp in Wyomissing, Pa., is building an online borrowing experience for its small-business clients.

From mobile wallets to machine learning, from biometrics to Bitcoin, many examples of what the industry calls "emerging technology" have finally emerged. But change is happening slowly, as is usual in the complex financial services space.

The degree of success Starling Bank achieves could foreshadow how similar digital banking entrants in the United States might perform given a narrower product selection, a commitment to mobile, and a focus on collecting and analyzing data.