Mobile technology

For years Carter Bank in Virginia had resisted technology of all kinds — even ATMs. But a leadership change, rising rates and a thirst for low-cost deposits finally led to a change in philosophy.

It may take several more months of testing before it is deployed in a payments application, but a new money transfer specification the NFC Forum has developed carries the organization's promise of becoming an alternative to QR-code technology.

As companies invest heavily in artificial intelligence and other high-tech defenses, it is becoming more apparent that criminals are investing in equally powerful technology.

Page views and sales results don't explain which customers do what, and why they do things (or don't do them), in online and mobile banking.

The rise of Uber, Lyft, Etsy, Kaggle and other forms of freelance work has sparked a new generation of specialist fintechs.

The rise of Uber, Lyft, Etsy, Kaggle and other forms of freelance work has sparked a new generation of specialist fintechs.

The Salt Lake City company, which connects small-business owners with lenders like JPMorgan and BofA, plans to use the funds to expand its partnerships and customer base.

Gatsby, which has built an app to let novice investors buy puts or calls, has received funding from Barclays, Radius Bank and others. Radius is considering offering the service to its customers.

Its savings, budgeting, spending and goal-setting tools, combined with artificial intelligence to add smart insights and advice, are a good example of how regional banks are trying to distinguish their mobile products from those of bigger banks with larger tech budgets.

One bank's push to use Ripple's XRP in cross-border payments; LendUp spins off credit card business, names new CEO; a worrisome resurgence of rivalry among the banking agencies; and more from this week's most-read stories.