News

B2B Payments
How Buyers and Suppliers Rewrote the Rules of B2B Payments in 2024
December 27, 2024

As the dust settles on a transformative year in B2B, 2024’s advancements hint at a future where B2B payments become more seamless, intelligent and integrated. Digital innovation rewrote the rules of enterprise-level commerce this year, as businesses embraced technology to streamline workflows, enhance security and...

Fintech Investments
FinTech IPO Index’s 3.9% Rally Spreads Some Cheer in Holiday-Shortened Trading Week
December 27, 2024

The new year looms, and for the FinTech IPO Index, with a year-to-date performance that tops a 64% return, 2024 has been kind, to put it mildly. December alone, as of Thursday’s close, marked an 18.4% gain. In the past several sessions, it was the...

Retail
The Year in Amazon vs Walmart, and a Look Into 2025
December 27, 2024

As 2024 comes to a close, the retail sector remains defined by the intense rivalry between Amazon and Walmart. Over the course of the year, these industry titans fiercely competed for consumer loyalty, market dominance and innovation leadership. Here’s a recap of the major moments...

Artificial Intelligence
OpenAI Weighs For-Profit Move Amid Talks With Microsoft
December 26, 2024

OpenAI is reportedly planning to become a for-profit company and is discussing the details of that transition with major investor Microsoft. According to a Thursday (Dec. 26) report from The Information, the two companies have been in talks since October about how to restructure the...

Security & Fraud
Digital IDs and Financial Services Collaboration Strengthen Proactive Fraud Prevention
December 26, 2024

As payments become faster, fraudsters hide behind anonymity or concoct identities that seem legitimate, and then scam banks, merchants and individuals out of their money. Among the most effective ways of stopping would-be criminals in their tracks is using advanced technologies and collaboration to spot...

Retail
Boxing Day Gives UK Retailers Little Reason to Celebrate
December 26, 2024

Boxing Day appears to be a muted affair for Great Britain’s merchants and shopping centers. Morning footfall on U.K. high streets was down 10.1% compared to last year, with shopping center traffic down 6.1%, the BBC reported Thursday (Dec. 26), citing data from MRI Software....

Retail
Retail Returns Have Reportedly Jumped 60% Since 2012
December 26, 2024

There’s good news and bad news for online retailers this year. The good is consumers are expected to spend almost $241 billion on eCommerce purchases during the holiday season, the Financial Times (FT) reported Thursday (Dec. 26), citing data from Adobe Analytics. The bad news?...

Regulation
What to Watch as the Debit Interchange Fee Battle Heats Up in 2025
December 26, 2024

Sweeping changes to debit card interchange fees — and the ways debit transactions are facilitated — may come in 2025. As a result, the economics of debit payments may also change, with ripple effects that impact issuing banks, merchants and consumers. The Fed in Focus...

Retail
Open Air Mall Vacancies Hit Lowest Level on Record
December 26, 2024

Was the threat of an eCommerce-driven retail real estate apocalypse just a mirage? Vacancies at open-air shopping centers have fallen to historic lows, while new steep building costs and high interest rates have dampened new construction, the Financial Times (FT) reported Thursday (Dec. 26). Just...