Mobile technology

The military-focused bank and insurance company has added more personalization and a search tool.

Through its partnership with Visa, the California credit union lets members receive digital replacements for lost cards almost instantly and add digital cards to mobile wallets like Apple Pay.

Acquiring the company, which has a namesake savings app, would allow the Silicon Valley lender to accelerate its plan to offer more consumer banking services. The deal comes less than six weeks after Oportun withdrew its application for a bank charter, which it plans to refile.

The company’s Tap to Phone technology exists in 30 countries. Visa is piloting the program in the U.S. with a six-city campaign that brings discounts, offers and grants to Black-owned small businesses.

The urgency to streamline processes during the pandemic accentuated how digitization can also drive diversity, fairness and better environmental outcomes, says Microsoft’s Bill Borden.

The Baltimore community bank is experimenting with fee-based checking accounts that bundle cellphone protection, roadside assistance and other perks with an app that makes such services easier to use. Early returns are promising.

Remote online notarization helped originators close loans amid social distancing measures, but complex local laws remain a barrier to its widespread use.

The Boston community bank and a fintech called Monit have developed an app that helps small-business owners forecast their cash flow and how certain events could affect them.