News

Cross Border Commerce
ZilBank Streamlines Opening US Accounts for Mexican Companies
December 07, 2023

B2B banking platform ZilBank has launched a new feature that makes it easier for Mexican businesses, entrepreneurs and freelancers to pay U.S. vendors, affiliates, employees and others. The software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform now allows Mexican users to open U.S. payment accounts online with passports, a statement...

Artificial Intelligence
AI Wars: Google’s Gemini Can’t Stop Comparing Itself to OpenAI 
December 07, 2023

Has the artificial intelligence (AI) landscape overhyped itself?  Google’s long-awaited Gemini AI model was finally released on Wednesday (Dec. 6), and the model — which Google is hoping will put it at the front of an ongoing AI arms race that for much of the past year...

Loyalty & Rewards
McDonald’s Targets 250 Million Rewards Users by 2027 as QSRs Boost Personalization
December 07, 2023

With quick-service restaurants (QSRs) increasingly pushing their digital loyalty programs to gain valuable customer data, McDonald’s is aiming to add 100 million new members in the next few years. The company announced Wednesday (Dec. 6) in an investor update that it aims to grow the...

Investments
Trucking FinTech Solvento Secures $50 Million Debt Facility, Launches AP Automation
December 07, 2023

Solvento has secured a $50 million debt facility and equity to further develop and expand the use of its payment and credit infrastructure for Latin America’s trucking sector. The Mexican FinTech company has also launched an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered software solution that automates the accounts...

Social Commerce
Gen Z Tops Millennials on Social Media Shopping and Spending
December 07, 2023

Generation Z consumers are more likely to use Instagram and TikTok to search for products than other generations. They often turn to social media to browse brands before using Google. Their interaction within the social network often leads to a purchase, more so than other...

Security & Fraud
Why Lifecycle Management Matters When Fighting Payments Fraud
December 07, 2023

Brian Holbrook, director of product strategy at LSEG Risk Intelligence, told PYMNTS in an interview that financial institutions (FIs) are going to have to gird for changes in how they conduct and approach risk management. Nacha, he said, cleared more than 30 billion transactions, with...

Artificial Intelligence
77% of Retailers Rank Generative AI as the Most Impactful Emerging Technology
December 07, 2023

The rise of large language models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT has thrust generative artificial intelligence (AI) into the driver’s seat of retail technologies, prompting brands across industry subsegments to reassess their strategies. This development follows retailers’ yearslong efforts to leverage AI’s earlier iterations to support...

Faster Payments
Manufacturers Favor Digital Giants Over Banks to Deliver Real-Time Payments
December 07, 2023

The manufacturing sector is undergoing a significant transformation in its payment practices, with a growing emphasis on real-time payments. In fact, instant payments have emerged as the leading method for business-to-business (B2B) transactions in the sector, with over 99% of manufacturers already utilizing real-time payments...

Retail
Ollie’s Bargain Outlet Says It Was Built for This Economy
December 07, 2023

As prices go up and people feel the pinch in their wallets due to inflation, Ollie’s Bargain Outlet is standing out as the go-to place for discounts.  “We are built for this environment,” said John Swygert, president and CEO of Ollie’s, during the company’s latest...