Internet of things

During the pandemic, consumers have become more willing to do their food shopping remotely. Companies like LG and Blue Apron are building on that interest through the addition of networked technology, mobile apps or card rewards.

Persistent coronavirus fears have accelerated consumer interest in checkout-free retail options like Amazon Go, just as new technologies like 5G make such concepts more practical to implement.

The card network and telco are designing systems that use 5G to support more payment processes hosted in the cloud rather than on local hardware. The goal is to make services such as autonomous checkout available to small businesses.

Building on renewed consumer interest in digital payments, companies such as linked2pay and Pax are making it easier for retailers to add options like ACH and to import shopper data into back-office systems.

The nine-year-old service predates the payments-oriented fintechs that have become popular in recent years.

User experience and efficiency matter. Consumers aren't going to do something more difficult just for the technology, says Computop's Jed Danbury.

Linking a variety of services to a payment account opens a new more flexible world of financial services, says Tribe Payments' Alex Ressish.

The interior of a car or truck is a fintech frontier — one that is undergoing a trial by fire during the pandemic, including as a point of sale venue for small merchants.

After 18 years heading the U.S. Payments Forum and Secure Technology Alliance, Randy Vanderhoof will retire at the end of the year.

The concept marries digital ID to the trend toward making the car’s internet connectivity an e-commerce lane.