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Curated industry news and original merchant playbooks.
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general
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Western Union adds stablecoin card as banks push digital assets
Western Union and Rain launch a Visa credit card backed by stablecoins, bridging the gap between digital assets and everyday retail spending.
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Visa and Corpay expand partnership to accelerate mobility innovation across Europe
Visa and Corpay partner to digitize fleet payments, making it easier for automotive merchants to handle commercial vehicle transactions.
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How Has the Data Discussion Evolved Since the Proliferation of AI?
AI is transforming consumer data into faster financing decisions, but maintaining accuracy and trust remains the top priority for retailers.
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Amex Ventures invests in SMB growth platform Pie
Amex Ventures invests in AI platform Pie to help small businesses automate growth and better manage operational data.
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Fiserv and Mastercard deepen global partnership
Fiserv and Mastercard team up to integrate Open Banking and advanced fraud tools into a unified platform for global retailers.
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Sumsub and Sumvin enalbe AI agents to transact using verified human identity
Sumsub and Sumvin launch a secure framework allowing AI assistants to handle payments and financing applications for verified human users.
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Why banks can’t policy their way out of shadow AI
Unsanctioned AI use is creating massive data security risks for financial institutions and the merchants who rely on them.
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It will take more than an AI wand to dislodge bank core providers
Legacy banking infrastructure remains a major roadblock for modern consumer financing innovation despite the hype surrounding AI.
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Real-Time Payments Help Banks Win the Whole Commercial Relationship
Real-time payment tech is transforming how quickly merchants get paid, turning slow bank settlements into instant cash flow.
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Agentic Payments Turn Proof Into Competitive Advantage
AI agents are moving beyond chat to actively handle payments and financing, promising a frictionless checkout for high-ticket retail.
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Bretton AI CEO Wants Banks to Kick the AI Tool Habit
Lenders face a regulatory balancing act as AI tool adoption outpaces their ability to explain credit decisions to auditors.
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BBVA call centre staff develop and deploy AI agents to speed up response times
BBVA slashes customer wait times by 15% using AI agents, signaling a faster future for consumer financing support.
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Google in India embeds AI into Google Pay
Google integrates Gemini AI into its payment platform to provide users with instant, natural-language insights into their spending habits.
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AI Voice Agents Take Over the Retail Sales Floor
Next-gen AI voice agents are now capable of handling complex retail sales conversations and financing objections without human intervention.
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Earnings Show Banks Chasing Mid-Market With Payments Platforms
Big banks are simplifying enterprise-grade payment tech for mid-market retailers, aiming to become all-in-one financial hubs.
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What Visa's $2.4B BioCatch deal means for your bank
Visa’s $2.4B acquisition of BioCatch will use behavioral biometrics to slash fraud and improve approval rates for consumer financing.
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LendingTree: “Using AI as a Communications Tool With the Consumer is Very Exciting.”
LendingTree pivots to AI-first communication to qualify financing leads and eliminate aggressive broker cold-calling.
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Mariner's massive AI bet splits the firm into 'experience' and 'execution'
Mariner Finance restructures to leverage AI, aiming to speed up loan execution and improve the consumer financing experience.
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Anthropic's model breakout another wake-up call for banks
Anthropic's AI 'breakout' highlights urgent security risks for retailers using automated financing and credit tools.
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Mastercard adds BVNK to hone its bank stablecoin pitch
Mastercard’s $1.8B deal signals a major shift toward using stablecoins for everyday retail payments and merchant settlements.
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Plaid Gives Sierra’s AI Agents Live Access to Bank Accounts
New Plaid and Sierra integration allows AI agents to access real-time banking data to streamline consumer financing and loan applications.
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New fintech Maximum aims to take on the core banking cabal
New $30 million fintech Maximum aims to replace outdated banking cores, promising faster innovation for consumer lenders and their merchant partners.
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Patelco Credit Union invests in Payfinia CUSO
Patelco Credit Union's investment in Payfinia signals a shift toward faster, tech-forward lending options for merchants and their customers.
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Mastercard closes acquisition of BVNK
Mastercard acquires BVNK to bridge the gap between traditional banking and digital currency for global merchant payments.
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Infinios goes live with Mastercard on stablecoin settlement
Mastercard's move into stablecoin settlement signals faster, lower-cost payment processing is coming to the global merchant ecosystem.
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Visa agrees $2.4 billion deal to acquire BioCatch
Visa’s $2.4B acquisition of BioCatch will use behavioral biometrics to reduce fraud and friction in the consumer lending process.
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Visa to buy BioCatch for $2.4B
Visa’s $2.4B deal for BioCatch aims to use behavioral biometrics to slash fraud and streamline customer credit approvals.
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Regions Bank chose a modern core. Here’s what that journey looks like.
Regions Bank’s move to a modern technology core promises faster, more flexible financing tools for merchants and their customers.
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Egypt's One Zero Bank opens up to AIagents
AI agents are moving into the banking space, potentially automating how consumers manage credit and finance purchases through chat.
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AutoRek acquires Grath
AutoRek's acquisition of Grath signals a move toward AI-driven automation for financial reconciliation and regulatory compliance in the lending space.
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Teya unveils new payments card machine
Teya launches high-speed payment terminal featuring 1.7-second transaction times and instant fund settlements for merchants.
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Toppan develops dual-interface smart card featuring post-quantum cryptography
Toppan launches the first smart card designed to thwart future quantum computing hacks for secure contact and contactless payments.
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The AI performance question retail isn’t asking
Retailers must ensure their consumer financing programs are discoverable by AI engines, or risk being left out of the modern customer journey.
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From POS provider to fintech platform: Epos Now’s embedded finance journey
Modern POS systems are evolving into all-in-one financial hubs to simplify payments and cash flow management for retailers.
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When AI overwhelms the human in the loop
As lenders lean on AI to speed up approvals, the struggle to keep humans in the loop could impact your customer's experience and compliance.
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Cards Make Their Case in an Agentic World
Visa and Mastercard are retooling their networks to support a future where AI assistants, not humans, make the final purchasing and financing decisions.
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Nine Out of Ten Firms Struggle to Manage Bot Traffic
High bot traffic is driving a surge in fraudulent credit applications, forcing retailers to rethink how they verify digital customers.
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Visa Says the Agentic Enterprise Starts With Better Controls
Visa outlines the need for strict data controls as autonomous AI agents begin to handle consumer payments and financing decisions.
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Retail’s new operating model centers on leaner teams, smarter data and physical community
Retail leaders are shifting AI focus toward operational efficiency while doubling down on physical storefronts to drive community-led growth.
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Partior and OpenAssets PoC proves stablecoins and tokenised deposits can settle atomically
New tech proves digital currencies and bank deposits can settle instantly, promising faster funding and lower risks for merchants.
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Treasury and Liquidity: How Do Traditional Corporates and Modern Platforms Differ?
Learn why modern retail platforms are integrating treasury into strategic planning to drive growth and optimize consumer payment flows.
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Why AI has eclipsed cyberattacks as firms' top compliance problem
AI compliance is now the top priority for financial firms, signaling a shift in how consumer lending technology is regulated and managed.
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The lessons Chime and Visa's layoffs have for banks
Chime and Visa layoffs signal a major pivot toward AI-driven lending that will speed up customer approvals but reduce human oversight.
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Ex-Stripe employee debuts converted community bank
Former Stripe leader launches Increase Bank to provide high-speed, programmable infrastructure for the next generation of consumer financing tools.
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Appli signs Connect Credit Union
Connect Credit Union adopts AI-driven loan calculators, highlighting a growing consumer demand for interactive affordability tools during the shopping process.
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UniCredit, Accenture, and IBM join forces for pan-European banking expansion
UniCredit partners with IBM and Accenture to modernize its banking core, paving the way for faster, cloud-based consumer financing across Europe.
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Adding AI to money-laundering compliance introduces new risks
AI is transforming fraud detection, but retailers must understand the risks of automated compliance failures in their financing programs.
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AI Agents Need Rules Before They Can Run Payments
Autonomous AI agents are preparing to take over payment execution, requiring retailers to establish new guardrails for financial automation.
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Banks Move Credit Decisions to the Transaction Level
New AI-driven banking tech moves credit approvals from the account level to the specific purchase, boosting checkout success for high-ticket retailers.
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49% of Credit Unions See AI as an Acquisition Tool
Credit unions are turning to AI to speed up loan approvals and provide small businesses with better cash flow tools.
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Amazon Puts AI Agents to Work as Sales Top $200 Billion
Amazon’s push into AI agents signals a new era where automated assistants drive sales and handle complex customer financial inquiries.
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NatWest appoints LSEG's Triona O’Keeffe chief data and analytics officer
NatWest's new data chief signals a shift toward AI-driven lending that could streamline point-of-sale approvals for retailers.
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ICE highlights AI clout amid rising mortgage competition
ICE's return to profit via AI-driven automation signals faster, friction-free loan processing is becoming the new industry standard.
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How Mastercard plans to compete in agentic commerce
Mastercard maps out its strategy for 'agentic commerce,' where AI bots handle shopping and financing decisions for consumers.
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Digital money can be a fraud-fighting tool
New digital currency features could virtually eliminate permanent theft by allowing stolen funds to be 'burned' and reminted for the rightful owners.
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Founder of fintech Increase buys a bank in Washington state
Fintech provider Increase acquires a community bank to streamline embedded finance and improve reliability for merchant platforms.
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Ecommpay brings full stack acquiring to PayControl
Ecommpay and PayControl partner to streamline payment orchestration and global credit options for online merchants.
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Method unveils Portfolio Intelligence for lenders
Method's new real-time debt monitoring tool gives lenders a continuous view of borrower health, potentially stabilizing credit access for retailers.
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MiFinity taps BVNK for global stablecoin payouts
MiFinity and BVNK launch a stablecoin payout service to speed up global merchant settlements and reduce cross-border transaction fees.
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It's time for community banks to break free of 'core' limitations
Community banks are leveraging AI to bypass legacy software hurdles, potentially offering retailers more agile and modern local financing options.
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Lloyds aims for a further £2 billion in cost savings with AI to the fore
Lloyds Banking Group bets on AI to drive £2 billion in savings and modernize consumer lending speed.
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AccountsIQ rolls out Paraglide AI agents to automate collections
AccountsIQ partners with Paraglide to bring AI-driven automated collections to mid-market businesses, streamlining the way merchants get paid.
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Agentic Payments Start With the Right Foundation
AI is evolving from simple tools to autonomous agents that can manage payments and financing workflows for your business.
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Real-Time Payments Move Into More Markets and More Workflows
Real-time payment networks like FedNow are moving to the checkout counter, offering merchants instant settlement and lower processing costs.
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Agentic commerce has a payment tech opening for banks
AI agents are starting to handle shopping and payments, forcing a shift toward digital wallets and automated financing integration.
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MoonPay opens PayBox for AI agent transactions
MoonPay launches a payment vault for AI agents, enabling automated shopping and transactions without manual human intervention.
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How Circle's IBM patent deal shakes up stablecoins
Circle secures IBM patents to solidify USDC as the lead digital dollar for banks, signaling a shift toward faster, blockchain-backed payment options.
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ACI Worldwide and dLocal bring Latin American payment rails to global merchants
Global retailers can now easily offer local installment plans and regional payment methods to shoppers across Brazil and Mexico.
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‘We use prompts that have been tuned through GEPA, so the LLM isn’t freelancing’: Intuit Credit Karma’s Gurpreet Singh on pairing financial modeling with Gen AI
Credit Karma is pairing generative AI with strict financial modeling to provide customers with more accurate, data-driven debt management tools.
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Oxane Partners secures strategic growth investment from TA Associates
A major growth investment in Oxane Partners signals faster, more automated backend technology for the lenders supporting your consumer financing programs.
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Singapore's central bank convenes AI-Driven Cyber and Technology Risk Taskforce
Singapore's new taskforce signals a global push for stricter AI security standards in the consumer lending and financial sectors.
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Specialist Hub selects OMS as CRM provider
Specialist Hub adopts OMS to streamline loan origination, signaling faster processing and better tracking for high-ticket financing intermediaries.
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When the Tech Stack Becomes the Tech Problem
New data reveals how bloated payment technology is causing transaction failures and losing sales for retailers.
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Thredd’s McCarthy Says Payments Will Govern the Agentic Enterprise
AI is moving from chatbots to autonomous payment agents, requiring retailers to rethink transaction governance and security.
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medical
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Hospitals Can’t Outsource AI Accountability
Healthcare providers face rising legal risks as AI takes over billing and claims; accountability stays with the clinic, not the vendor.
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Banks Bet on Open AI After OpenAI’s Own Hack
AI security breaches at OpenAI raise concerns for retailers relying on automated lending and credit decision tools.
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Unpacked: How agentic AI is reshaping the consumer journey
AI agents are starting to manage the end-to-end shopping journey, requiring retailers to make financing and rewards 'agent-ready.'
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Ebanx and Pagaleve Use Pix to Offer BNPL in Brazil
Ebanx and Pagaleve launch 'Pix 4x', allowing Brazilian consumers to pay in installments via instant bank transfers instead of credit cards.
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Fenergo launches Fen-AI to bring governed AI to client lifecycle management
New AI platform streamlines identity checks and compliance, promising faster approvals and less friction for consumer financing applications.
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Connexus Credit Union partners Alacriti for real-time payments
Connexus Credit Union integrates FedNow and RTP, signaling a shift toward instant merchant funding and real-time consumer loan disbursements.
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Why Verification Is a Critical Bridge Against Fraud, but Not a Silver Bullet
Learn why identity verification is just one piece of the fraud puzzle and how to balance security with a smooth customer checkout.
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X Money starts US rollout
Elon Musk’s X launches payment services in the US, laying the groundwork for integrated social commerce and merchant processing.
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3 Data points that are resetting expectations for AI, treasury, and payments
AI tools still struggle with complex tasks while total payments strategy moves to the forefront of business growth.
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Real-Time Payments Expose the Cost of Legacy Technology
Real-time payment adoption is accelerating, forcing merchants to upgrade legacy systems to keep cash flowing and stay competitive.
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$349 Billion Could Move Through a Much Smarter Checkout
A new report reveals that retailers are losing billions by failing to present the right financing offers during the checkout process.
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When AI Agents Get It Wrong, Who Takes the Call?
As payments move from assisted AI to autonomous agents, merchants must decide where automation ends and human oversight begins.
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Fraud and Disputes Rank as a Top Cost for 42% of Issuers
Rising fraud and dispute costs are forcing lenders to overhaul verification, potentially impacting merchant approval rates and checkout friction.
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Need Capital for Your Funding or Lending Company? 3Jane Does it On Blockchain
A new blockchain-based credit provider aims to streamline how consumer lenders get funded, potentially expanding financing options for retailers.
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Oportun Deploys AI to Help Consumers Save for Recurring Expenses
Oportun’s new AI feature automates savings for recurring bills, helping consumers avoid defaults and ensuring more reliable payments for providers.
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Circle buys IBM's blockchain patent portfolio
Circle acquires IBM's blockchain patents, signaling a shift toward faster, lower-cost stablecoin payments for retailers.
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Outage leaves UK bank customers unable to make payments
Recent UK banking outages highlight the critical need for retailers to maintain redundant payment systems to prevent lost sales during technical failures.
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Mastercard bolsters scam defense
Mastercard and Visa are introducing new rules that require merchants to adopt advanced fraud detection to combat rising payment scams.
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HSBC to open Singapore AI centre of excellence
HSBC's new AI center signals a shift toward faster, more automated consumer credit approvals and smarter risk management.
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'Tokenized dollars will obviate the ACH': Caitlin Long
Custodia Bank CEO predicts tokenized deposits will replace traditional ACH, promising instant payment settlement for merchants.
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Everyone’s using AI. So where does the advantage come from?
As AI becomes a standard tool in fintech, the real value for retailers lies in how it boosts approval rates and speeds up the customer journey.
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Keeping pace with the next era of commerce payments
Modernizing your checkout with integrated financing and omnichannel payments is essential to converting high-intent shoppers.
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APIs Now Decide Who Gets Served and How Fast
Modern API technology is transforming consumer financing from a clunky backend process into a seamless checkout experience for retailers.
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FIS Links Digital Money to Smarter Bank Networks
FIS is bridging the gap between digital assets and traditional banking to speed up payments and reduce merchant friction.
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The Best Enterprise AI Knows Its Limits
Retailers should focus on narrow AI agents with strict guardrails to safely automate payment and financing workflows.
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This Week in Stablecoins: Visa, Goldman and Samsung Raise the Stakes
Visa and Goldman Sachs are leading a push to bring stablecoins into mainstream retail payments, promising faster and cheaper settlement.