PYMNTS

NOVEMBER 1, 2016

Investment bankers in Hong Kong were tricked out of millions of dollars by a cash-advance business called Global Merchant Funding (GMF). According to Bloomberg , smooth-talking fraudster Avery Stone and his partners at GMF convinced bankers from prominent international banks to invest in the business to the tune of $32.5 million before disappearing. “This isn’t a deal that went bad; these guys systematically preyed off their friends,” Thomas Gallagher, a GMF investor, told Bloomberg.

Investments 100

Investments Banking Securities 100

PYMNTS

OCTOBER 31, 2016

American consumers have big plans for the holiday season when it comes to their shopping, according to a report. A new survey by Deloitte revealed that 50 percent of shoppers plan to shop online for their holiday gifts, spending roughly half (47 percent) of their budget online. More than 5,000 consumers in the U.S. were surveyed, and the research showed that physical stores are not likely to see a surge in traffic. “Retailers must cater to that digital mindset long before someone walks int

eCommerce 82

eCommerce Budgeting Retail Planning 82

PYMNTS

NOVEMBER 4, 2016

The seed of FinTech innovation often comes from a desire to do things differently. In B2B payments, that can mean discontent in the way traditional banks and FIs do business or a need for disruptive technologies to come to market faster than banks can offer. But as finance and payments tech expands, these traditional FIs are learning that perhaps the best way to meet the demands of their corporate clients isn’t to compete with FinTech innovators but to collaborate with them.

Treasury 79

Treasury B2B Leverage Reconciliations 79

PYMNTS

NOVEMBER 4, 2016

Mobile devices, apps, new technologies have given birth to new platforms that match supply and demand easier than ever before. And the ability to embed payments into those platforms is what has ignited those marketplaces. But how many people participate in the gig economy? How big is it? And what do they do? We were curious, too, and collaborated with Hyperwallet to measure and size the market.

Education 77

Education Transportation Accounting Technology 77

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PYMNTS

OCTOBER 31, 2016

At earlier moments of B2B FinTech development, the industry seemed to be following in the footsteps of the business-to-consumer space. Payments innovations would soon gain traction with consumers before they slowly made their way into the world of corporate payments. The trend seems to be reviving, though, according to Intuit Developer Group Vice President Vinay Pai, small businesses could be leading the charge this time.

B2C 77

B2C B2B Invoicing Accounting 77

PYMNTS

OCTOBER 31, 2016

Treasurers from the largest corporations are more likely to invest in newer financial technologies, found a new report from East & Partners and Contentive Media. Reports released last week said researchers found that, across the globe, treasurers at the largest corporations are investing more in financial technologies than their peers at smaller firms.

Investments 77

Investments Treasury Technology Planning 77

PYMNTS

NOVEMBER 1, 2016

Shopify’s online store platform is integrating with Sundown AI’s artificial intelligence platform named Chloe. The collaboration is expected to bring enhanced mobile commerce to online stores with the use of voice and text commands. Shopify users will be able to access immediate assistance on their mobile phones via Chloe for any inquires or requests while navigating a store.

Sales 76

Sales 76

PYMNTS

OCTOBER 31, 2016

Mobile devices will account for 75 percent of global internet use next year, according to Zenith’s new Mobile Advertising Forecasts, published last week. In a press release highlighting the results, Zenith said the mobile proportion of internet use has increased rapidly, from 40 percent in 2012 to 68 percent in 2016, and said it is forecasting for it to reach 79 percent by 2018.

Accounting 76

Accounting Concentration Forecasting Advertising 76

PYMNTS

NOVEMBER 4, 2016

With major data breaches on the rise, it’s no surprise cybercriminals have access to more than enough compromised data. From a person’s payment information to their mother’s maiden name, hackers have everything they need to pose a legitimate customers and keep perpetrating fraud. In this week’s Hacker Tracker , we look at how identity information has quickly become a critical currency — being stolen, traded and resold at an alarming rate.

Currencies 76

Currencies Securities Retail Manufacturing 76

Speaker: James Kahler, COO of Full Course

Ever wondered where to splurge and where to safely conserve when it comes to operating and growing your restaurant? 🤔 Join James Kahler, COO of Full Course and industry visionary, in this new webinar where he'll talk all about best practices to invest in your restaurant's success! Whether you're a new business or an established restaurant, a seasoned pro or a rookie, you'll learn the keys to sustainable success in this competitive industry.

Planning

PYMNTS

OCTOBER 31, 2016

With fraud expected to hit $7.2 billion by 2020, companies — particularly eCommerce retailers — are considering mobile and online innovations in payments and IoT security technology to help thwart cyberattacks. This seems especially pertinent these days after hundreds of thousands of smart devices were recently exposed to a global distributed denial-of-service cyberattack.

Securities 76

Securities Retail eCommerce Technology 76

PYMNTS

NOVEMBER 2, 2016

For banks and retailers, there is a fine line between making people’s use of credit and debit cards as painless as possible and protecting individuals’ financial details from swindlers. Contactless credit cards have seen a slow rate of adoption in the U.S., but that may all change thanks to the continuing rollout of chip cards and new payments in terminals around the country.

Education 76

Education Securities Technology Retail 76

PYMNTS

NOVEMBER 3, 2016

Shopify , the eCommerce platform that enables small and medium-sized businesses to reach customers across channels, experienced total revenue growth of 89 percent year-over-year in Q3. The company also confirmed that the value of the goods sold through the merchant sites on its platform increased 100 percent to $3.8 billion. The Canada-based eCommerce vendor announced that its Q3 sales totaled $99.6 million, an increase of 89 percent from $52.8 million in Q3 2015.

eCommerce 75

eCommerce Sales Prioritization CFO 75

PYMNTS

NOVEMBER 3, 2016

Most people aren’t thinking about mobile payment when they head out for a night on the town. But that’s changing. “Every time I tried to close a check or tab at a bar or restaurant, I always wondered why this process could not be seamless and more efficient,” said Junaid Shams, cofounder and CEO of Rooam. Shams said the impetus for his startup sparked when he was dining at a busy hotspot in Washington, D.C., and the restaurant lost his credit card: “I kept thinking that there must be a solution

Startups 75

Startups Quantitative Data Planning Sales 75

Speaker: Jamie Eagan

As organizations strive for agility and efficiency, it's imperative for finance leaders to embrace innovative technologies and redefine traditional processes. Join us as we explore the pivotal role of digitalization and automation in reshaping what is commonly referred to as the “last mile of reporting”. We’ll deep-dive into why digitalization is no longer a choice, but a necessity for finance departments to stay competitive in a fast-paced environment touching on: 2024 trends for the Office of

Finance

PYMNTS

NOVEMBER 2, 2016

The CEO of blockchain tech startup Ripple has decided to step aside for the firm’s current COO and president. Reports Tuesday (Nov. 1) said Chris Larsen will end his position as CEO of Ripple, with COO and President Brad Garlinghouse taking his place effective Jan. 1, 2017. According to a statement from Larsen, the executive will continue to play an active role in the development of the blockchain firm.

Startups 75

Startups Technology Marketing B2B 75

PYMNTS

OCTOBER 31, 2016

From loyalty to inventory management and data to omnicommerce strategy, there’s no shortage of available features and options for retailers looking to upgrade to full-service payments solutions. But with so many different solutions and combinations of features out there, finding the right system that can fit each business’ needs is difficult. Even after a retailer does find a suitable option, integrating the system into their operations can be a challenge.

Retail 75

Retail Technology Securities 75

PYMNTS

NOVEMBER 1, 2016

Raising a glass — or rather, the purchasing of whatever goes in that glass — varies from generation to generation. This is also the case for the drinking habits of millennials vs. baby boomers. According to PYMNTS research, millennials of drinking age drank 42 percent of the wine that was drunk in 2015, with the average millennial downing just over three glasses in a sitting.

Education 75

Education Finance Sales Investments 75

PYMNTS

NOVEMBER 4, 2016

Not every week can be a home run for B2B startups. This time, the industry saw modest gains — a couple million in funding here, another million there — with just three venture capital funding rounds. Software-as-a-Service earned some surprising investor attention, but it was small business financing that earned the biggest round of the week. Find out who secured how much below.

B2B 74

B2B Finance Startups Investments 74

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Reconciliations

PYMNTS

NOVEMBER 2, 2016

The U.K.’s bank referral scheme has officially kicked off. Reports by Financial Times on Tuesday (Nov. 1) said the program that requires traditional banks to refer small businesses to alternative lenders if they’re rejected for a loan has begun. “A refusal from a big bank should not be the end of the line for a small business and, thanks to the finance platforms being launched today, now it won’t be,” said Chancellor Philip Hammond in a statement.

Banking 74

Banking Finance Treasury Marketing 74

PYMNTS

NOVEMBER 2, 2016

Waiting on an insurance payment, for those in a tough spot, can be like watching grass grow while face-down in the grass. When lives need rebuilding, receiving funds quickly is more than nice-to-have. Whether it’s someone who has lived through a storm like Hurricane Matthew and needing to repair their home or someone needing their car back on the road after an accident, policyholders want and need fast resolutions and payouts from their insurance companies.

Technology 74

Technology Banking Accounting 74

PYMNTS

NOVEMBER 3, 2016

Zcash, the anonymous new bitcoin alternative that was just launched, found a bug that may stop private transactions from being mined. According to a blog post on Zcash’s website, the company said there is one known bug that causes private transactions to not get mined. “We’re going to release v1.0.1 shortly to fix it,” the company said.

Currencies 74

Currencies Banking Securities Numbers 74

PYMNTS

OCTOBER 31, 2016

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) disclosed it was hacked in September, reported The Wall Street Journal last week. According to the report, the banking regulator said the data breach had to do with a former employee at the agency removing more than 10,000 records without receiving authorization to do so. The incident occurred in Nov. 2015 when the ex-employee downloaded a large number of files onto two thumb drives.

Currencies 74

Currencies Treasury Banking Numbers 74

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Accounting

PYMNTS

NOVEMBER 3, 2016

With data analytics now a paramount process of cash flow management, developers are tasked with making their most innovative B2B payments and finance technologies seamlessly integrate with ERP and accounting platforms. The issue, said U.S. Bank Senior Vice President of Corporate Payments Robert Kaufman, is that there are so many versions of these accounting platforms and so many ways to customize them that ensuring B2B payments tools integrate properly isn’t a sure bet. “What weR

Accounts Payable 73

Accounts Payable Reconciliations B2B Accounting 73

PYMNTS

NOVEMBER 2, 2016

If you ask the owners of small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), they’ll tell you that they are relatively tech-friendly and even tech-savvy. But they may not be telling it exactly as it is. On a scale from one to 10, the average SMB scored themselves just above a six when it comes to adopting new payment technology, according to the latest data from the SMB Technology Adoption Index™.

Technology 73

Technology B2B Securities Retail 73

PYMNTS

OCTOBER 31, 2016

Singapore is amping up their productivity, specifically in the food scene. Using automation and unattended retail in certain food courts, the Country is proving that this could indeed be the way of the future, especially the food and hospitality industry. Similar to the recently launched Eatsa automated restaurant concept based out of San Francisco , the “no human interaction needed,” unattended retail concept of paying for and accessing food with the touch of a button is already happening at a

Retail 73

Retail Communication Economics Planning 73

PYMNTS

NOVEMBER 2, 2016

Could it be a happy one-year anniversary for Square? Since its debut on the public markets last year, the payments firm headed by the ubiquitous Jack Dorsey has had a rough go of it, at least as the stock price has been concerned, bowing at $12 and change, heading to nearly $16, crashing to $8 and round-tripping to a recent $11. And all that time, the firm has been bleeding red ink.

CFO 73

CFO Forecasting Sales Numbers 73

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