Despite controversy surrounding Ripple’s digital token, one bank is pushing forward to use it in cross-border payments.

Mastercard is counting on its logo to do the talking. It plans to drop its name from the Mastercard symbol in some physical and digital marketing and advertising situations.

Cashierless tech startup Standard Cognition has acquired the robotic mapping startup, Explorer.ai, to accelerate the rollout of its autonomous checkout solutions to retailers.

The coming year will bring a wave of data-sharing deals between banks and fintechs, increased bank use of automated advice, marked changes to financial jobs as a result of automation, and much more.

Sell-offs are happening all over, bitcoin has shown strength in the past and is attracting partnerships, argues Ken Gary, vice president of corporate strategy and development at Stafford Communications.

The payments process isn’t about just checking a box or signing a check anymore; it’s about cultivating genuinely beneficial relationships for all involved that build trust and drive growth, writes Ravi Thakur, senior vice president of business acceleration at Coupa.

Banks, retailers and technology companies have spent years relentlessly working to replace cash with plastic, digital or mobile alternatives. And cash has hit back hard.

Leveraging the trust relationship the bank already enjoys with its customers, based on robust security, engagements can go beyond run-of-the-mill transactions, writes Sherif Samy, senior vice president of North America at Entersekt.

Facebook’s WhatsApp unit has been testing its payments app in India since May; investors price in an almost a 90% probability of no Fed hikes this year.

A partnership between the mobile carrier and BankMobile could help stripped-down banking and deposit transfer services find a footing among U.S. customers.