The card network is testing two artificial intelligence-powered programs that it says give banks some of the benefits of faster payments without requiring the immediate movement of funds.

The application process was a mess in the first rounds of the Paycheck Protection Program. Fintechs say their efforts will make it go smoothly in the latest iteration.

The most likely picks for comptroller of the currency have pushed tech-driven approaches to financial inclusion and anti-money-laundering, and would bring new perspective to regulating cryptocurrencies.

The card brand is betting on homebound consumers' eagerness to get out, but restrictions will need to ease. And corporate spending will take much longer to come back.

U.S. banks and payment companies are looking to Europe's example to see how open banking can push the market beyond its reliance on credit and debit cards.

The fast-growing buy now/pay later industry is drawing scrutiny from legislators and regulators who fear it could become predatory.

The 46th president's agenda for financial regulation is already moving ahead, based on the people he's chosen to put in key roles.

The pandemic has made for strange bedfellows. Case in point: Western Union and MoneyGram will soon share Walmart as a landlord.

Some companies cut off the flow of cash to insurrectionists, while others put a halt to their political spending. Their actions came quickly after the events of Jan. 6.

Most consumers expect to be offered a variety of digital payment options in stores in a post-COVID-19 world, and small and midsize business believe that change will be permanent, a Visa study finds.

After calling off its bid to buy the data aggregator Plaid, the card network is shifting its focus back to its role as an enabler of digital payments and related services.

Visa and Plaid have terminated their tie-up and reached an agreement with the Department of Justice to dismiss the litigation brought against them when the deal raised antitrust questions.

Synchrony wasn’t unscathed by the pandemic — consumer spending slowed during the first half of the year — but its mix of private-label and cobranded cards for everyday items suffered far less than other issuers' cards that emphasized luxury and travel.

Walmart's fintech venture with Ribbit Capital allows it to influence more technological developments in the retail industry.

Citizens Financial Group has branded its point of sale lending software as Citizens Pay, saying it wants to more clearly define it as a merchant tool for "budget-friendly payment options" for customers who want a transparent and predictable way to finance purchases.

Silicon Valley's largest companies are rapidly distancing themselves from outgoing President Donald Trump, following last week's right wing domestic terrorist attack on the Capitol.

The COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 saw some businesses become big winners — such as Zoom, Home Depot and payments companies like PayPal — while other businesses suffered heavily, most notably the travel and hospitality industries. Credit card issuers also suffered, as demand lagged heavily for new cards and their overall spending dropped considerably during the year.

The year — and the coronavirus pandemic — caused a dramatic shift in attitude. Many consumers and merchants now saw contactless cards and mobile payments as a way to move ahead without the germ fears that come with touching cash and PIN pads. And even after those fears subsided, the new habits stuck around.

The motivation behind JPMorgan Chase's purchase of rewards company cxLoyalty is clear — travel spending and rewards have suffered greatly during the pandemic — but another problem Chase is tackling with this acquisition is the need to wean people off cash rewards.

The year 2020 was disruptive and chaotic. And while it derailed or delayed some companies' plans for growth, it also created opportunities for new combinations — or, at the very least, didn't slow them down.