Top technology innovations in digital banking you need to see

The mobile point of sale market has grown far beyond its roots as an off-the-shelf dongle for smartphones. The category is now driving major acquisitions, collaborations and international deployments.

Readers react to BofA defending reverse mortgage borrowers, support the Federal Reserve creating a real-time payments system, advocate for consolidating federal bank agencies and more.

Giant Eagle’s supermarkets go back a century, literally, making the Pittsburgh chain one of the best tests yet for how the supermarket experience can adapt to mobile technology and the de-emphasizing of traditional checkout.

The brokerage expects customers will use conversational tech to check accounts and perform other financial transactions while stuck in traffic.

One year out from hosting the Summer Olympics, Japan’s merchant base has a low ratio of contactless acceptance compared with other major markets.

Increased connectivity and speed could mean shorter transaction times for consumers, quicker and more stable connectivity between merchants and acquirers and even an end to offline payments, writes James Daniels, vice president and head of Asia Pacific at FIME.

If the Federal Reserve doesn't maintain an active role, Wall Street megabanks could take over the payments system.

Starbucks is looking to reclaim its role as the global leader in streamlined, intuitive order-and-pay systems through machine learning technology it’s developing in-house and through a deal with restaurant-tech startup Brightloom, its new equity investment partner.

WeChat Pay and Alipay have huge markets, but China's lack of openness makes a Facebook Libra-style move unlikely, argues Utrust's Filipe Castro

U.S. Bank has purchased BMW’s cobranded Visa credit card portfolio and will issue a new version of the card under the Mastercard brand early next year.

Commercial entities could harm the dollar's value, causing harm to the economy. A government backed cryptocurrency would add balance, argues Madeline Aufseeser, a payments industry veteran.

For business payments, financial institutions have the trust advantage over fintechs but are not offering an easier experience, argues Steve Robert, co-founder and CEO of Autobooks.

Ever since PayPal took control of Venmo as part of its 2013 purchase of Braintree, it has woven Venmo into more and more of its products. Even other acquisitions aren't immune to the spread of Venmo.

The developer of the internet-connected card Dynamics Inc. will use Sprint’s Curiosity internet-of-things service to power the over-the-air device management and intelligent data capabilities of its Wallet Card.

Optimizing web sites to be able to accommodate more traffic must be a long-term goal, not only the special days, writes Lex Boost, CEO of Leaseweb USA.

In the 25 years since eBay launched, various rival online selling platforms have emerged, and those focused on local deals like OfferUp have mostly stayed out of transactions, leaving users to work out payments in cash on their own.

The system has made it easier for mobile wallets and other technology providers to enter India's payments market, and will push the next steps toward real-time payments and cash reduction, says Somya Patnaik, senior product manager at ACI Worldwide.

Transit systems are attracting contactless payment technology, but there are other options on the horizon that could make boarding easier than tapping a card or smartphone — provided riders are comfortable with an experience like something out of Minority Report.

Card issuers are accustomed to a world in which consumers choose which card to use at the moment they make a purchase. But in the Amazon Go model that more retailers want to emulate, that choice is made long before the shopper enters the store.