Mobile payments

Most retailers still don't want to accept bitcoin, but that doesn't mean they want to be left out of the cryptocurrency craze.

San Francisco-based Arxan Technologies, which got its start in 2001 providing security tools to protect gaming and medical-device applications, says financial services companies are one of the fastest-growing sectors seeking help in barricading their mobile apps from hackers.

As much as any new trend in 2018, the advancement of the Smart Cities concept will have a lasting effect on payments.

The use of QR codes for mobile payments and coupon redemption will surge more than 300% over the next five years, as more merchants rely on the technology, according to a new Juniper Research report.

The debit card is growing in popularity in the U.S. for retail transactions, and consequently FIs are making debit a top priority. However, the strength of debit is a double-edged sword.

Banks of all sizes continue to invest in mobile technology — but in order to see stronger growth, they must also invest in education to overcome consumer unease with the product.

While interest from the West has so far been tepid in the region, this is an opportune time for fintech investors to look at participation in the Southeast Asian market, writes Alexander Koles, CEO and founder of Evolve Capital Partners.

People are spending more time in messaging applications, and merchants need to be visible in that venue, writes David Nunn, head of Braintree Europe.

With so much uncertainty, the only thing that's clear is how different the sector may look a year from now. Here's an overview of the leading trends in technology that will impact payments and banking in 2018.

China's central bank has put the brakes on mobile and e-commerce payment schemes in the past, mostly from the standpoint of having a wary eye on third-party players elbowing their way into financial services.