Sat.May 26, 2018 - Fri.Jun 01, 2018

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Apple Expands Developer NFC Access To Boost New Use Cases

PYMNTS

Apple is reportedly gearing up to allow third-party developers to get full access to the Near-Field Communications (NFC) chip in the iPhone with iOS 12. Citing The Information, 9to5Mac reported that Apple is aiming for the iPhone to be used for more digital payments and other interactions, such as opening hotel room doors or as a virtual transit card for easier access to transportation.

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Verint Systems Invests In Military-Grade Cybersecurity Firm NSO Group

PYMNTS

U.S. software company Verint Systems, Inc. is looking to buy NSO Group, an Israeli company that sells military-grade technology, for around $1 billion. The Wall Street Journal reported that Verint has offered to pay NSO’s controlling shareholder, San Francisco-based private-equity firm Francisco Partners , with its own stock and assumed debt. If the deal is completed, Francisco Partners would become the largest Verint shareholder.

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Whose Customer Is It When Banks And FinTechs Collaborate?

PYMNTS

It’s not easy being a bank these days, and it’s often easy to overlook how many challenges traditional banking players face, on many fronts. “Banks are burdened with a lot of challenges that are not of their own making or design,” Gerhard Oosthuizen, CTO at Entersekt , said in a recent conversation. Banks, he noted, have to be compliant with a host of extremely stringent regulations, and often across multiple jurisdictions – all with different rules.

Banking 64
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Uber Raises Fares In Major US Cities

PYMNTS

To help retain drivers on its platform, Uber is raising its fares in cities such as Washington, D.C., San Francisco and Los Angeles. The increases have come to both “time and distance” rates as well as “booking fees,” Financial Times reported. “We have to make [being an Uber driver] more attractive because the alternatives are becoming more attractive,” Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi told FT.

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Planning Your Restaurants Path to Profitability

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.

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Can Alternative Data Move The Dial For Financial Inclusion?

PYMNTS

In the early 1950s, an engineer named William Fair encountered a mathematician Earl Isaac who together decided to work out an automated credit scoring system for banks. In 1954, they came-up with the first version of the Fair Isaac credit score — or the FICO. It was a huge flop. Banks didn’t trust that an automated system could do nearly as good a job as personal bankers when it came to evaluating customers and their likelihood to repay.

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PayPal Buys AI Prediction Platform

PYMNTS

PayPal announced Tuesday (May 29) that it has acquired Jetlore , the artificial intelligence-powered prediction platform. In a blog post , PayPal said Jetlore’s platform is used by some of the leading retailers around the globe. “With Jetlore’s talent and AI-powered technology, we will enhance and accelerate PayPal Marketing Solutions, adding new capabilities that continue to expand PayPal’s value proposition for merchants beyond the online checkout experience,” wrote PayPal in its blog post.

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The Cost Of A Data Breach Hits $1.23M

PYMNTS

New research from Kaspersky Lab shows that the average cost of experiencing a data breach globally is on the rise. The annual Kaspersky Lab Corporate IT Security Risks survey is a worldwide survey of IT business decision makers, which this year had a total of 6,614 respondents from 29 countries. The company found that breaches now amount to $1.23 million on average for enterprises (up 24 percent from $992K in 2017), and $120,000 on average for small and medium-sized businesses (up 36 percent fro

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How One Matchmaker CEO Is Bringing Back House Calls

PYMNTS

It’s an experience that almost every American adult can relate to: the holiday trip to an emergency room with an injured or sick child that becomes a half-day experience. It’s usually prompted by a just serious enough medical emergency that doesn’t quite require an ambulance, but does require a higher order of care than the typical urgent care clinic – and something that can’t wait for normal office hours the next day.

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Making It Work — Wherever, Whenever

PYMNTS

More than half of all drivers think they are better than average at driving — a fact that mathematical possibility cannot approve. Some of those people are certainly wrong but, though it is fun to judge, the fact is that knowing what one doesn’t know — and where to fill in the gaps — is not easy. It’s especially difficult when one is adapting to a new regulatory order , building to the API-driven future , creating a C-suite team or even underwriting a loan for a rarefied population like soldiers

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How Automation is Driving Efficiency Through the Last Mile of Reporting

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

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PEX CEO: Why Gig Workers Need Spend Management Tools

PYMNTS

If you really know the music industry , you know that many tour managers and accountants are barely a half-step removed from the glory days of the abacus. So many of them — along with their peers in other areas of show business — spend long hours counting paper receipts and going through a laborious, nearly ancient process of paying for, and recording, petty expenses.

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Amazon’s Whole Food Discounts Are Rolling Out Across Dozens Of States

PYMNTS

The Prime rewards are coming; the Prime rewards are coming. Such is the hue and cry set to go off in about a dozen states, as Amazon is starting to ramp up its discounting for Prime members in Whole Foods locations nationwide. The move, in some sense, is not much of a change in pace for Whole Foods — once known “affectionately” as Whole Paycheck — under Amazon’s ownership , where prices have come down in many ways.

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Kenya Charges Civil Servants In $100M Theft Of Public Funds

PYMNTS

The authorities in the country of Kenya have charged 54 people — most of them civil servants — with stealing close to $100 million of public funds. In what is seen as a rare move to hold officials accountable for graft, Reuters reported that, according to Kenyan’s Chief Prospector Noordin Mohamed Haji, among those “charged was the head of the National Youth Service, … senior accountants within the government agency and the chief internal auditor of the national treasury.” Durin

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Fraudsters Go Omnichannel

PYMNTS

Fraud is always evolving. Beyond the hack in its rawest form — breaking into systems or hardware to steal individuals’ personal data — criminals are using their wily ways to manipulate consumer behavior. And the weapons by which bad actors manipulate their unwitting victims into giving up personal information or handing over money outright are proving to be varied as well, stretching across email and text messages and even the old-fashioned phone call.

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Register Now: Sneak Peek Into Close Automation SkyStem Web Demo

Technology is rapidly changing the way accountants perform and manage month-end activities. Spreadsheets, email, and shared drives no longer have to slow us down. Join us as we present a "sneak peek" recorded demo of SkyStem's month-end close solution – ART. In under four weeks, your team can start reaping the benefits of month-end close automation by vastly reducing spreadsheets, cut down on reconciliation work, speed up the month-end close, and better manage your remote team.

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Estonia Shelves Plans For National Cryptocurrency

PYMNTS

Estonia has shelved plans to develop its own national cryptocurrency after the idea prompted criticism by banking authorities and Mario Draghi, the Italian economist and president of the European Central Bank. Bloomberg , citing Siim Sikkut, an official who heads up the information technology strategy for the Eastern European country, reported it had planned to peg the cryptocurrency to the euro or would offer the digital tokens to all of its citizens — but instead they will be offered to foreig

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Mastercard Send: From P2P To B2B To SMB

PYMNTS

It’s been three years since Mastercard started its Send offering for card-based push payments. In the tech world, that’s a long time, but in the banking space, things can move a bit more slowly – which means Mastercard Send is still breaking into new use cases beyond its original intent. One key area that wasn’t on the road map three years ago? B2B.

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Mastercard Taps Security Expert To Head Up Cybersecurity Solutions

PYMNTS

Mastercard announced today that Simon Hunt, a cybersecurity expert, has joined the company as executive vice president to head the cybersecurity solutions unit. In a press release , the payment company said Hunt’s role will increase Mastercard security capabilities for its credit cardholders, customers, merchant and other stakeholders. The move comes as the threat of cybercrime grows.

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Forget The House — You Are Better Served Protecting Your Identity

PYMNTS

The basic rule of personal security has changed little since ancient times: A person’s home — or hut, cottage, hovel or flat — is that person’s castle, the main location where relatives and valuables are secured from nefarious forces outside the door. Not any longer. That’s according to Tony Ball, senior vice president and general manager of identity and access management for Entrust Datacard , during an interview with Karen Webster for the PYMNTS “ Economy of Trust ” podcast series.

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Accounting Software and ERP Readiness Guide

In this white paper, we explore the factors to consider in deciding whether the time is right for your Company to consider a new ERP or accounting software, the total cost of ownership and plans necessary to make the potential leap to these systems.

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Samsung Rolls Out Babylon AI Doctor

PYMNTS

Babylon , the digital health startup out of the U.K., inked a deal with Samsung in which it will provide consumers with access to artificial intelligence-enabled doctors via smartphones. According to a report in the Financial Times , Samsung has agreed to preinstall the technology into its new devices, enabling consumers to set up a video appointment with a doctor or get a check of symptoms via Samsung’s Health app.

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Subpoenas Start To Fly In Wake Of Gig Economy Ruling

PYMNTS

And here come the subpoenas …. This week, Uber and Lyft were told by San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera to “turn over records on whether they classify drivers as employees or private contractors, as well as records on driver pay and benefits,” according to a statement from his office. The move comes as a result of the recent decision from the California Supreme Court that said gig economy companies can’t count workers as independent contractors instead of employees.

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AmEx Business Survey Finds 30 Percent Of CFOs To Increase T&E Spending

PYMNTS

A new survey shows that finance executives are optimistic about the economy, and as a result expect to spend more on travel & entertainment (T&E). “Countries and businesses globally expect continued growth through 2018, with newfound confidence in Europe adding to carryover optimism from 2017 in Asia-Pacific and North America,” according to the 2018 Global Business and Spending Outlook Survey , commissioned by American Express and conducted by Institutional Investor Thought Leadership S

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Rocket Internet Eyes AI, FinTech Investments

PYMNTS

Rocket Internet , the Germany eCommerce company, is aiming to invest in financial technology and artificial intelligence startups with the $3 billion in cash it has, reports Reuters. Reuters, citing comments the company made after reporting earnings Tuesday (May 29), reported that Chief Executive Oliver Samwer wants to invest in the tech sector, but didn’t offer a time frame as to when the company will deploy its cash.

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Recruit and Retain New Blue-Collar Talent

Blue-collar jobs have a branding problem. One company, GEON, partnered with Paycor to find the solution. Learn how to attract, engage, and retain blue-collar employees, helping them build meaningful careers – and support your company’s goals.

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Tradeshift Among Leaders In B2B VC Activity

PYMNTS

Venture capital activity within the B2B realm saw a few large deals, and a subset of smaller ones. The dominant headline of the week came as Tradeshift , which serves supply chains with a focus on payments and marketplaces, said that it had raised $250 million in a Series E funding round that was led by Goldman Sachs and Public Sector Pension Investment Board (PSP Investments).

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 The Silicon Valley Coin Wants To Make Everyone A VC (Sort Of)

PYMNTS

Investing? In Uber, in Airbnb, in the big guns and the up-and-coming pistols of tech? That’s the arena in which those with the deepest pockets play, say some who stay on the sidelines. Venture capital is for the firms and the individuals with the wherewithal to commit hundreds of millions of dollars. Those investors are the ones who can afford to wait years before they get their money – hopefully with a lot of return on investment.

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Amazon Web Services Rolls Out Pay-Per-Session Pricing

PYMNTS

Amazon Web Services (AWS), the unit of Amazon , announced Thursday (May 31) that it rolled out pay-per-session pricing for Amazon QuickSight , its cloud-powered business analytics service. In a press release , AWS said QuickSight enables anyone within a company, regardless of skill, to create visualizations, perform ad hoc analysis and get business insight from the data.

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Pinterest Unveils Promoted Video Tool

PYMNTS

Advancing its advertising efforts, Pinterest said that it plans to offer a promoted video tool, which allows marketers to gain more real estate than the platform’s typical grid-style layout, TechCrunch reported. By taking up the entire screen, Pinterest is able to help better capture the attention of users. In addition, Pinterest offers advertisers a unique audience — one that comes to its platform to discover new things: The site says that 42 million U.S. users visit in search of entertainment

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PowerPoint Best Practices for Creating Stellar Presentations

Mastering data visualization in PowerPoint will help accelerate your career because it positions you as someone who can present data that drives business decisions forward. think-cell's PowerPoint Best Practices eBook was created specifically for professionals aiming to master the art and science of data-driven storytelling. What’s inside: Practical Insights: Uncover valuable tips for crafting engaging and persuasive presentations.

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Chase Dials Back Sapphire Reserve Card Perks

PYMNTS

Chase has decided to stop offering price protection as a perk on its Sapphire Reserve card. According to Market Watch , the perk — which allowed cardholders to get reimbursed for purchases they have made if they were able to find the item for cheaper at another retailer — will cease on August 26. It’s not surprising that many cardholders aren’t happy with the changes, with a few expressing their frustrations on Twitter.

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CFPB, CFTC Develop FinTech Regulatory Sandbox

PYMNTS

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has announced that it is working with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission to develop a regulatory sandbox for FinTech firms. “We are … in the process of putting together, for lack of a better word … a FinTech sandbox,” said acting CFPB Director Mick Mulvaney in a speech to the Women in Housing and Finance group, according to American Banker.

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It’s Too Early To Name GDPR Winners, But Google’s Looking Pretty Good

PYMNTS

It’s still early — hardly minute one — in the unfolding history of the General Data Protection Regulation , but a winner is emerging that is both familiar and big: Google. It hardly needs to be explained, but the GDPR is the European Union’s new privacy law. It kicked in last Friday, May 25, and promises to guide, influence and rule digital data practices, not only in the EU’s 28 member nations, but also the rest of world.