The U.S. Treasury is talking to digital payments providers about quick ways to disburse funds to recipients of stimulus checks within a couple of weeks, but payments industry experts foresee troubling security issues even with most of the obvious options.

Mastercard has increased the contactless payment limit to CA$250 across Canada to provide consumers with a safer way to pay during the coronavirus pandemic.

Analytical technology will be key for firms looking to appeal to the next generation of customers. Having come of age in the midst of the 2008 financial crisis, secure personal finance is extremely important to this generation, says Axis Communications' Stephen Joseph.

Admitting it "may be professional suicide" to take the reins in the midst of a global health crisis, Brady Harris says his role atop Dwolla's management chain will be "a real test of my leadership abilities."

ISO 20022 allows banks to generate greater amounts of standardized data to provide targeted insight, says Icon Solutions' Lauren Jones.

Payments infrastructure integrations create the backbone for front-of-house retail, back-of-house inventory, supply chain, and warehousing, says Global Payments' Frank T. Young.

While much of the world is sheltering at home to deter the spread of coronavirus, there's still a need for essential workers to travel — and an opportunity for the development of in-car payments technology, which could allow consumers to pay for gas or food without handling cash or other potentially infected surfaces.

With access to comprehensive and accurate financial data delivered through advanced APIs, financial services providers no longer have to develop personalized experiences themselves, argues Envestnet's Brandon Rembe.

Japanese digital wallet provider Kyash has raised $45 million in a fundraiser to expand its mobile offerings to help Japan convert to a cashless society during the coronavirus outbreak.

The trend toward cashless is inevitable, and could be accelerated by current events. But a gradual transition is key to avoid alienating those people who depend on cash as their primary payment method.