NotFinancialAdvice

After regulators in the European Union forced Apple to scale back its App Store payment rules, could Japan be next?
Apple recently announced changes to its app distribution rules and payment options in Japan, ostensibly to comply with the country’s Mobile

A single purchase request now triggers a web of approvals, data exchanges, and funding decisions that stretch far beyond traditional accounts payable and receivable processes. As AR/AP workflows grow more complex, banks and networks face a critical question: where d

As financial fraud continues to accelerate, its impact on victims goes far beyond monetary loss. The emotional and behavioral effects are long-lasting, shaping future decisions and sometimes undermining trust in their financial institutions.
Substantial progress ha

Banks are racing to modernize their payments systems, as real-time payments surge and artificial intelligence begins to reshape every corner of the industry. What once seemed like a back-office upgrade is now a critical priority—one that can define customer

Visa has been the sole card provider for the Olympic Games for roughly 40 years, but its dominant positioning has become a point of concern at this year’s Winter Olympics.
The main issue is that all official souvenir stores at the Milano Cortina games only accept V

More than a decade after the Dodd-Frank Act redrew the regulatory boundaries of the banking industry, two Republican senators are seeking to revisit one if its key thresholds—a move that could steer millions in additional debit card revenue to community banks,

ClearBank, the enabler of real-time clearing and embedded banking, has announced a collaboration with PhotonPay, an AI-powered global digital financial infrastructure provider offering payment solutions to businesses worldwide. Through this collaboration, PhotonPay’

Once the domain of luxury cardholders, metal cards have evolved into a global phenomenon. Ironically, one of the driving forces behind this momentum has been the rise of digital payments—prompting more consumers to seek out a tangible payment device that conveys

Paying a supplier is a fundamental function for businesses, yet it’s often encumbered by a complex billing cycle. When the supplier is in a different jurisdiction, this complexity skyrockets, forcing organizations to navigate foreign exchange rates, bank

Over the past two decades, payment systems in most developed markets have moved from slow, multi-day processes—like checks—to near-instant transfers between counterparties.  Yet, while buyers can now move funds in real time, many still delay payments, often to

All indications are that 2026 credit card growth is upward, healthy, and under control, but watch out for rapid growth in unsecured installment loans. The good news is that these loans transfer high-risk credit card receivables to installment lenders. The bad news i

The G20 aims to enhance cross-border payments, but challenges persist due to outdated systems and the correspondent banking model. Swift's new rules improve efficiency, targeting consumer and small business needs, with hopes to meet G20 efficiency goals by 2027.

Late payments are more than just a headache for businesses—they contribute to thousands of closures each year.
Data from UK fintech Funding Circle estimates that roughly 14,000 businesses in the UK fail annually due to the knock-on effects of delayed payments—the e

The gig economy is expanding globally, with many Filipino freelancers facing challenges in cross-border payments. Stablecoins offer faster, cost-effective solutions, attracting users amid easing regulatory concerns and meeting demand for quick transactions.

The essay discusses the first fully agentic payment made by an AI in Spain through Banco Santander, highlighting its significance in regulated banking. It details Mastercard's expansion of its Agent Pay platform, ongoing pilot tests, and emphasizes the need for strong controls to mitigate risks as AI agents take on greater roles in commerce.

Robinhood is jumping into an already crowded premium credit card market with the invite-only Robinhood Platinum Card. With a $695 annual fee and a range of perks, the card will compete with established offerings such as Chase’s Sapphire Reserve and the American

Daiso has become South Korea’s leading discount retailer by offering a wide array of goods, many priced at an attractive 1,000 won (approximately $0.69). This approach has made the chain a mainstay for millennial and Gen Z consumers, as well as a popular tourist

Fintechs didn’t just build better products over the past decade, they built better ways for developers to access them. Developer portals became a key growth lever, helping fintechs scale faster and attract top talent. Today, as banks modernize legacy systems and

More than half of organizations now rank generative artificial intelligence as their biggest security threat, surpassing stolen credentials. The rise of AI-driven attacks—from deepfakes to hyper-personalized phishing—is upending cybersecurity, with speed and scale o

Six years after the Group of 20 (G20) introduced an ambitious roadmap to address long-standing inefficiencies in cross-border payments, global regulators say progress has been made—but many of the most persistent problems remain unsolved. In a recent keynote address