With the advances in technology and digitization, and evolving security threats, it’s time for smarter, more robust authentication methods, says Entersekt's Dewald Nolte.

Several government agencies have made deeper moves into crypto oversight, leaving a trail of angry executives and unresolved political questions. And there's still no sign of a central bank digital currency, leaving the U.S. at risk of falling behind other countries in the race to support faster payment processing.

The digital currency and related distributed-ledger technologies could "enhance the efficiency, effectiveness and stability of the provision of payments," according to an interpretive letter issued by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency.

2020 has shown that the payment industry is flexible and resilient, and if 2021 throws our plans out the window, we'd better be equipped to adapt on the fly, says IDEMIA's Megan Heinze.

Silvergate and Avanti are among the banks pioneering the incorporation of smart contracts, cryptocurrencies and other cutting-edge instruments into mainstream financial services.

The next administration must halt the practice of allowing new entrants into the banking system to forgo a full Community Reinvestment Act exam.

The final outcome of the November election will be decided on Jan. 5 in Georgia, with the balance of power in the Senate at stake, as well as at least two years of financial services and technology policy.

Challenger banks aimed at Blacks, Hispanics, immigrants and other underserved groups are offering financial education and support for charities in addition to basic banking services.

With many impacted businesses still not ready to comply with the now enforceable CCPA, CPRA affected payment processors should start preparing for this new piece of legislation, says Abine CEO Rob Shavell.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is giving the credit card issuer and the fintech firm some regulatory latitude to develop specific new products.

Several consumer advocacy organizations have urged the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency to deny the online lender's application for a national bank charter, citing concerns about its lending and debt-collection practices.

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

The latest cyberattacks pointing to the Russian government show that U.S. federal agencies and banks still lack a clear, collaborative game plan.

There's a wide open market with plenty of opportunity not just for challenger banks but for financial technology as an industry to set themselves apart from incumbents and gain market share, says Veem's Marwan Forzley.

A Biden-appointed comptroller could refocus resources and attention to these issues and put less effort into fighting the ongoing fintech charter battle.

Fallout from the coronavirus pandemic consumed the industry this year, but other events, including a scandal at the National Credit Union Administration and a credit union under fire for lack of board diversity, also made waves.

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.

Coastal Community in Washington is an investor in and the first client of Synctera, a software company that aims to help community banks manage their fintech relationships, including regulatory obligations.

It's important to consider difference uses and types of blockchains based on need and project management strategy for financial and payment technology, says Worldline's Hubert Marteau.

With Microsoft, Equifax and others acknowledging that the SolarWinds hack of U.S. government entities had affected their holdings, security teams and vendors have put the holiday aside while continuing around-the-clock surveillance to ensure no financial services or payments networks have been hacked.