Mobile payments

The debate over whether NFC or QR codes is the best technology to adopt still persists today. So far, there has been plenty of room for both.

The Los Angeles bank's service, offered in partnership with the fintech Extend, enables card controls and uses tokenized account numbers to improve security.

The tech vendor allows merchants using the Clover point-of-sale platform to accept PayPal and Venmo payments, a move that serves the company's continuing focus on full omnichannel experiences for its merchants.

The quick adoption of financial technology, coupled with remote work, requires firms to focus on internal innovation as well as customer-facing advancements.

Amid success stories like Apple Pay, Google Pay and the Starbucks app, there are many wallet apps that failed to gain traction — or squandered it when they did. But there is a lot to learn from their experiences.

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

As competition becomes more about countering fintechs than beating other banks, alternative payment methods and broader services will be key, says Icon Solutions' Simon Wilson.

Both consumers and merchants are realizing the permanent benefits, says Azoya USA's Franklin Chu.

Online ordering, outdoor pickup and digital shopping features are more than emergency workarounds, and merchants need to make them a regular part of their strategies, says Signifyd's Mike Cassidy.

The move toward a cashless economy in China reveals a boom in actionable data, says Azoya USA's Franklin Chu.