Bakkt Stock Nears $25 Per Share After MasterCard Crypto Team-Up

Bakkt, a cryptocurrency technology provider, had a significant uptick in value on as a result of its relationship with MasterCard, which provides cryptocurrency access to its clients.

MasterCard will integrate Bakkt’s cryptocurrency capabilities throughout its banking and purchasing systems, allowing consumers to purchase cryptocurrency, merchantability cryptocurrency, and clasp cryptocurrency through their wallets. This is according to the report. MasterCard partners, which include restaurants and merchants, will be able to use cryptocurrency detection and debit cards, as well as connecting crypto arsenic loyalty program benefits, in addition to conventional cryptocurrency detection and debit cards. As of June 30, MasterCard and Maestro had 2.9 billion cardinal branded cards in successful circulation arsenic.

A 169 percent increase in the banal related the quality to $25.64 per share and a 0.9 percent increase in the share price of MasterCard.

According to the story, Bakkt Executive Vice President Nancy Gordon stated, “We’re tremendously excited to partner with MasterCard to deliver crypto loyalty programs to millions of users.” The current options correlate to an unsocial accident in order to meet the growing demand for crypto, outgo, and rewards flexibility as brands and merchants want to appeal to younger customers and their transaction habits, according to the report.

Bakkt began publicly trading on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on October 18, following the announcement of its peculiar intent acquisition institution (SPAC) acquisition plans in January, which increased Bakkt’s market capitalization to $2.1 billion and enabled the company to go public.

Bakkt CEO Gavin Michael told this week that reward programs are in desperate need of an upgrade and that integer currency is a reasonable solution to the problem.

Users of Bakkt’s level are able to use the company’s app to negotiate and walk through the process of purchasing anything from bitcoins to reward points to acquisition cards. Examples include users that convert tin person integer currency to cash, nonstop acquisition cards, crypto Oregon currency to various radical Oregon currency conversions, and users who redeem hose miles for electronics.

As part of its partnership with Finastra, Bakkt is facilitating the entry of assemblage banks and credit unions (CUs) into the bitcoin market. Bakkt users can link their virtual Bakkt debit cards to Google Pay through a partnership with the search engine giant. This allows them to bargain and transact anywhere Google Pay is accepted. Bitcoin and other integer currencies would beryllium converted to fiat currency in order to change the terms of these transactions.

Often. gift cards that have not been used gather dust or are forgotten about.

In most cases, consumers will not redeem the loyalty points they have earned from a niche store simply because the retailer is one with which they buy from sporadically, and the points are not a compelling enough incentive to encourage consumers to spend there more regularly.

Then there is the airline mileage and hotel points that have expired, rendering them virtually unusable and useless to the consumer.

Gavin Michael, CEO of Bakkt, stated that the digital age has brought a way to disrupt the inflexibility of rewards programs by taking advantage of the platform model to give incentives and transferability to customers wherever they purchase. Bakkt is a newly listed digital asset network.

Through this process, an interconnected ecosystem is created, one in which brands have a natural attraction for one another can come together to develop multi-brand loyalty propositions.

Tapping Public Markets and Forming Partnerships

In terms of news coverage, Bakkt, which was created in 2018 and went public earlier this fall, has had an eventful month. Consumers may use their app to spend and manage digital assets ranging from bitcoins to loyalty points to gift cards across a network of brands, thanks to the company’s platform.

Consumers can exchange digital assets for cash whenever they want (for example, to give cryptocurrency, gift cards, or cash to other people), as well as trade airline miles for consumer electronics.

In recent pronouncements, the company stated that it would collaborate with Finastra enabling cryptocurrency trading for credit unions and local banks, among other things. Also announced was a Google partnership, which will allow Bakkt customers to integrate their Bakkt debit card into Google Pay, allowing them to conduct transactions wherever Google Pay is accepted. In order to facilitate these payments, digital assets such as cryptocurrency would be converted into fiat currency.

Bakkt announced that it intends to grow its network to greatly exceed the 100,000+ subscribers that it had at the start of the year to a projection of 31MM by 2025. According to Michael, network effects manifest themselves when consumers are able to “pay, send, purchase, and sell assets” on an interchangeable basis.

The interchangeability and fluidity of the awards represent a significant value-add for the brands. Bakkt’s “white label” capability enables companies and financial institutions to increase consumer loyalty by allowing them to redeem their points almost anyplace. This differs from the traditional, siloed model, in which loyalty points were traditionally created and distributed in order to persuade a customer to use them at the issuing merchant’s location. According to Bakkt, fungibility fosters the development of a connected network.

The Bakkt CEO went on to explain that “many retailers are now aiming to stake an important claim early in the purchasing experience and to assist them in extending their ‘funnels’ since expansion is a main priority.” In order for merchants to consistently engage with their rewards members, they must first encourage consumers to use their rewards programs more actively.

Customers may “see their brand flourish in the course of their daily lives, giving them more opportunities to perceive that brand devotion is paying off,” according to Michael.

When it comes to figures, the company announced that it had surpassed one billion points and miles linked to its app since the program’s introduction in March.

Research confirms that customers are interested in using cryptocurrency to transact, with 18 percent of consumers stating that they would be inclined to use cryptocurrency for a purchase.

Bakkt’s B2B2C business model enables the company’s platform to be accessible from the channels and platforms of its partners.

Bakkt is merely powering transactions through connectivity via an API (application programming interface), and through a platform, their CEO said it has “taken away any sense of brand conflict,” alluding to the Finastra agreement.

In his words, the platform “helps us to express ourselves in various ways. We present ourselves as a fully branded experience or as a lightly branded experience, depending on your needs. We enable our partners success. “

He stated that there is an opportunity for merchants to re-engage with consumers as a result of this.

The merchant receives complete attribution as to where the points are being spent, as well as other information about the customers – including information about how those individuals are connecting with other brands.

According to his findings, 70 percent of customers think that the ability to exchange points for cash or another digital asset is an essential feature.

Travel and entertainment firms aiming to add value to their customer engagement are among the vertical segments that have become early adopters of the model and interchangeable rewards programs, according to the Bakkt CEO.

In addition to traditional rewards and cashback, “we believe there are a number of areas where gamification and encouraging the proper actions and customers” may be applied as businesses move beyond traditional points and cashback.

He told Webster that brands might become “innovative and current” by utilizing the market for digital assets and offering rewards.

Walmart to offer Bitcoin ATM withdrawals

Customers of the popular US retail chain will be able to buy Bitcoins (BTC) at its storefronts starting this week, according to the company. For the time being, the Coinstar company’s service will only be available at a few chosen Walmart locations across the United States and Canada.

A partnership between the Coinme cryptocurrency exchange and the ATM operator was formed for this Bitcoin initiative. The Coinme exchange is a service that allows customers to buy and store bitcoins. Immediately following the announcement of the partnership, Coinstar stated that its clients would be capable of converting US dollars (USD) to Bitcoin.

For over two decades, the organization has been well-known for allowing consumers to swap actual pennies for gift cards.

In the case of Coinstar gift cards, they serve as virtual wallets from where you can withdraw cash or make purchases. The corporation receives and handles approximately $43 billion in payments each year for this service.

Approximately 4,700 of the 20,000 Coinstar ATMs that have been installed across the world are placed in Walmart stores. This Bitcoin pilot operation will start with 200 ATMs, which will be expanded over time.

Despite the fact that Bitcoin ATMs are nothing new, even in supermarkets, according to Sam Doctor, the significance of the Coinstar and Coinme announcement is that “Walmart broadens access to Bitcoin to more people that give it more legitimacy among skeptics, should they choose to implement it beyond an initial pilot.”

The introduction of two Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) coincided with the cryptocurrency’s reaching a new all-time high. As a result, the cryptocurrency has earned widespread praise on Wall Street and in Washington.

If the trial is successful and Walmart consumers begin to use Coinstar ATMs to convert their cash into Bitcoin, the number of Coinstar ATMs will expand to approximately 8,000 in total, according to the company.

Despite the fact that the number of ATMs that accept Bitcoin transactions continues to expand on a daily basis, the number of ATMs has already more than doubled in the last two years alone.

Why Should You Be Concerned?

Regardless of the fact that some other cryptocurrencies, such as Ethereum and Tether, rank higher than Bitcoin in terms of payment acceptance, the use of Bitcoin as a payment instrument is growing.

The adoption of bitcoin (BTC) in the United States market is moving forward without interruption as regulators and investors assess its merits.

Bitcoin ATMs are becoming increasingly popular.

In part as a result of the COVID epidemic, the bitcoin ATM sector is growing at a quick pace. Coinstar planned in 2020 to greatly expand its existing network of 3500 Coinme BTMs in response to a surge in demand.

Recent developments include the addition of 300 bitcoin ATMs at Fresco y Más, Harveys, Winn-Dixie and other grocery chains around Florida by Coinstar, which began offering bitcoin-buying services in partnership with Coinme in early 2019.

Walmart, on the other hand, has long been regarded as the key establishment in the effort to bring cryptocurrency financial services into the mainstream – even if the 200 machine experiment is pocket change for a corporation that has 4,700 shops and boasts a market capitalization in excess of $409 billion.

Concerns about conformity

As Seth Sattler, regulatory director of BTM provider DigitalMint, points out, while large-scale BTM implementations could be beneficial for adoption, there are worries regarding money laundering.

He believes this is due to the fact that some crypto ATM operators turn a blind eye to the relatively high degree of unlawful activity attracted by the machines, according to him. Money mules, human traffickers, and other types of scammers are included in this category.

“DigitalMint has rejected and returned $5 million in fraudulent transactions to victims over the past 18 months,” said Sattler, who is also the main contributor to the Cryptocurrency Compliance Cooperative, which was recently convened. “DigitalMint accounts for only 5 percent of total BTM transaction volume,” he added.

According to Sattler, “large retailers need to completely comprehend the vendor they’re getting into a partnership with and what that organization is doing to manage risk before they commit.”

Pros of Crypto ATMs

Fast Processing Speed: Do you like to send or receive coins in a shorter amount of time? If you answered yes, these ATMs might be able to assist you with the same. Almost every transaction may be completed in a few minutes or less. Many consumers frequently express dissatisfaction with the pace at which cryptocurrency transactions are completed. Because of verification and other factors, the entire procedure takes a significant amount of time. You can avoid this by using automated teller machines (ATMs) that are specifically built for this coin. One of the most major benefits of utilizing them is the incredible speed that it delivers to their consumers.

Various countries have distinct versions of this product: You don’t have to be concerned about whether or not these automatic vending machines are located in your geographic location. It is likely that they are already in use in more than 60 nations, with the number expected to grow in the future. As the number of bitcoin installations continues to expand, more people will become interested in making bitcoin investments. As a result, their popularity will continue to expand over time throughout the world.

Getting Money Out of the Country is Simple: When going to a different country or region, one of the challenges people confront is translating their own currency into a foreign currency. You won’t have to go to a currency exchange to convert your bitcoins into other currencies, and the only thing you have to do is hunt for these ATMs and use them to exchange your digital currencies for real money.

Increased security: High security is provided by the fact that there is no involvement of a third party while using ATM machines. Your digital currencies are therefore safer with them, and no one can take full advantage of you in this manner. A greater number of people will get interested in dealing with them when there is outstanding security.

Easy-to-Use: ATMs are comfortable to use, even if you are new to the world of virtual money and are not familiar with how to buy and sell them. You do not need to visit cryptocurrency exchanges in order to begin the trading procedure in cryptocurrencies. In addition, there is a lengthy process to go through, such as authentication of the owner and other procedures. Automated teller machines, on the other hand, are more familiar and comfortable for most people.

Cons of Crypto ATMs

High transaction fees: Although bitcoin ATMs are convenient, you must pay transaction fees to the operators in order to use them. It is possible that the amount is greater than usual, and you could think it’s a lot of money. The easiest answer to this problem is to conduct an extensive study before selecting an automated teller machine. Otherwise, you may end up squandering your hard-earned money in this manner.

There are several areas where this service is not available: Indeed, the number of ATMs being installed is expanding on a daily basis. However, it’s likely that they aren’t available in your particular location, and as a result, you won’t be able to use them in the end.

There are numerous technical difficulties: One further drawback of using automated teller machines for cryptocurrency transactions is that technical difficulties are frequently encountered. It is possible that you will be unable to complete processes as a result of these issues. Additionally, there is a significant probability that your transactions and personal data will be compromised. It’s important to remember that this technology is quite new, and it will improve with time, but for the time being, it is still not great as of now.

What Is the Security of Bitcoin ATMs?

Because of the anonymous character of cryptocurrency transactions, the nefarious activities with which they are affiliated, and the widespread hacking, one has to doubt the security of Bitcoin ATMs.

Is it possible to be cryptojacked while purchasing or selling cryptocurrency? Is it possible to hack into the unit? To address your question, a major goal of installing ATM machines is to enable the unbanked and other cryptocurrency enthusiasts to buy cryptocurrencies and accept transactions in a secure manner. As a result, you’re more likely to encounter them districts and shops that are frequented by people who can benefit from a decentralized currency that is difficult to track. Consequently, if the crime rate in those regions is high, ATM users should have good reason to be concerned about their safety.

Walmart+ Offers Cash-Back Promo for New Members [2023 Update]

Walmart recently announced that customers who join Walmart+ would receive $9.95 in cashback that may be used towards the cost of their next online purchase with the retailer.

Walmart+ offers the incentive coinciding with the day that Amazon’s Whole Foods delivery service from began charging $9.95 for delivery, according to the company.

Customers who signed up for a Walmart+ and paid the yearly membership fee of $98 received a $9.95 credit toward their purchase. In addition to no-cost grocery delivery from local supermarkets at in-person rates, unlimited free shipping, and reduced costs on prescriptions and gas, the membership also includes other benefits such as a rewards program.

According to an exclusive poll of more than 15,500 U.S. consumers conducted between November 11, 2020, and April 1, 2021, Walmart+ was able to re-engage members who had left following the initial free trial period earlier this year.

As the holiday season gets into full swing and more customers seek early purchases as a result of supply chain bottlenecks, Walmart plans to extend its delivery hours through 10 p.m. to accommodate demand. The retailing behemoth has also increased the locations that offer alcohol delivery and pickup to 1500 from 3000 previously.

An SVP at Walmart, Tom Ward, recently stated in a recent Walmart blog post that buyers would also receive extended delivery timeframes for local deliveries and the ability to have larger items delivered, such as TV’s and artificial Christmas trees.

As Ward explained in the essay, “Ultimately, we’re providing customers with more… greater time, greater availability, and greater selection – so that they can spend their time on what they want – greater celebration, greater joy, and greater opportunities to live better lives.”

Is it Worthwhile to Become a Member?

During the epidemic, online grocery shopping and curbside pickup have seen significant increases since many people prefer to avoid going to the store in person. In response to the ongoing need for a safe alternative to in-person grocery shopping, additional offers and services have been developed, including Walmart+, a subscription option for Walmart customers. Among other benefits, the subscription provides free delivery on orders of $35 or more, and it takes the place of Delivery Unlimited.

For some consumers, Walmart+, like many other subscription services, can be a good deal, but it is not the best option for everyone.

Is Walmart+ a good fit for you and your family? Continue reading to find out how it works and what benefits it can give.

The Walmart+ program’s operation

When you sign up for Walmart+, you’ll receive unlimited delivery on orders of $35 or more in eligible areas. In order to sign up for the membership online, you must provide your address (in order to check availability in your area) as well as your Walmart account information (if you do not already have one). After that, you’ll be able to select a plan, and your 15-day free trial will begin immediately after that.

Please keep in mind that eligibility appears to be relatively limited at this moment. It is still possible to sign up even if your area is not currently qualified for unlimited free delivery; however, the primary benefit of the membership will not be available to you. Walmart+ comes with a number of additional benefits, but they are insufficient to justify the additional premium.

Depending on whether your neighborhood qualifies, you can place online orders for groceries, electronics, and other items for pickup or delivery using the Walmart app once your subscription is active. Simply add items to your shopping basket, select a one-hour pickup window, and your order will be delivered or picked up when it is scheduled.

What Other Advantages Does Walmart+ Have to Offer?

Along with unlimited free delivery and one-hour service windows, Walmart+ members can save 5 cents per gallon at partner gas stations, such as Murphy USA and Murphy Express, as well as at Walmart stores nationwide. Customers shopping in-store can also take advantage of Scan & Go, which allows them to scan things on their phone and check out on their own using Walmart Pay, rather than having to go through a cashier.

A Walmart+ branded credit card is also said to be in the pipeline, according to some reports. Capital One Walmart Rewards® Mastercard® currently offers 5 percent cash back on purchases made on Walmart.com (including grocery pickup and delivery orders), 5 percent cash back on in-store purchases made using Walmart Pay for the first 12 months (2 percent after that), 2 percent cash back on dining, travel, and gift cards purchased at Walmart and 1 percent cash back on all other purchases (including gas stations).

For the first 12 months after approval, the card also offers rewards that are only available to Walmart+ members, such as • 5 percent cash back on Free Unlimited Delivery orders; • 5 percent cash back on in-store purchases made by scanning the card with Scan and Go in the Walmart app; and • 2 percent cashback on fuel purchases at Walmart and Murphy USA fuel stations, on top of the $0.05 fuel discount that comes with a Walmart+ membership.

What is the difference between Walmart+ and Amazon Prime?

Overall, Amazon Prime is a better value than Walmart+, despite the fact that the subscription is more expensive — $119 per year compared to $98 per year for Walmart+. You may be able to get more bang for your buck with Amazon if you take advantage of the several benefits that come with Prime membership, which include video streaming, free eBooks, and unlimited photo storage.

Furthermore, while Prime members must also meet the $35 requirement to receive free delivery on Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods orders, same-day and two-day delivery on standard Prime orders are included at no additional cost, and some shelf-stable food items are included as well.

Should you Become a Member of Walmart+?

If you currently buy at Walmart on a regular basis, the new subscription service may make your grocery shopping experience even more convenient for you. In the case of a grocery store, for example, if you frequently utilize the curbside pickup option because it’s convenient and free, you may find it more convenient to have your groceries delivered directly to your door – especially now that you won’t have to pay a high delivery fee.

Walmart+ is probably not the greatest option for you if you’re looking for additional bonuses on top of free delivery. While the gas savings and the additional in-store shopping convenience provided by Scan & Go are welcome additions, they pale in comparison to the benefits provided by the competitors. To make things even more complicated, free delivery is only accessible in certain places, and so far, those areas are pretty limited.

At the same time, it’s a good bet that Walmart will continue to improve its subscription service in the years to come. It could make sense to hold off on signing up for Walmart+ until we know what further incentives will be offered in the coming months. However, if you’d want to test it out right away, you can take advantage of a 15-day free trial period that comes with the membership to see if it’s the right fit for you before making a decision.

Bank of America Unveils Account Validation for Public Sector & Corporate Clients [2023 Update]

Bank of America –one of the leading financial institutions in the world, has launched the concept of Account Validation for assisting public sector and corporate clients in the United States of America with solutions related to fraud prevention.

The total number of attempts related to digital fraud in the United States of America has gone up by as much as 25.07 per cent during the first four months of 2021. This is in comparison to the previous four months of 2020. It is according to a report from TransUnion. In the study report, it was found that when specific industries were analyzed, the number of attacks related to digital frauds against financial service organizations has increased as much as 109 per cent in the United States of America during the same time. Across the globe, fraud attempts in the given industry were high by as much as 149 per cent.

How can Account Validation Help with Fraud Prevention?

Before the initiation of debit or electronic credit payment, a client who makes use of Account Validation will be capable of verifying the status of the account while authenticating the account owner.

With frauds on the rise, organizations will no longer be able to ensure assumptions about whether or not an entity or the person on the payment’s other end of the payment is who exactly they claim to be. David Kertz –head of Global Payments at Global Transaction Services, Bank of America, revealed that account validation along with other tools for fraud prevention is necessary for modern treasury teams.

A major component of Account Validation is its capability of responding to inquiries of the clients in real time. Organizations across the globe can make use of the existing services before ensuring payments to the respective clients with the help of ACH, real-time payments, or wire transfers. Moreover, account validation can also be helpful to the organizations in complying with the rule of NACHA WEB Debit Account Validation.

Account Validation can also be helpful in assisting the clients in the prevention of misdirected payments. These could take place when the payee will inadvertently offer access to incorrect account number. Stephanie Wolf –Head of Financial Institutions Sales & Head of Business Banking Sales at Global Transaction Services, Bank of America, further revealed that Account Validation can help organizations in preventing fraud-related payments without making any compromise on the overall speed of ensuring valid payments to contractors and vendors. Through the reduction of misdirected payments, organizations will also have a significant amount of money as well as time it will take for attempting the retrieval of misdirected payments.

Account Validation serves to be one of the latest payment innovations introduced into the market by the leading Bank of America. Some of the other payment innovations that have been introduced previously are Complete AP, VAM 2.0 or Virtual Account Management, the Executive Explorer travel card, and Intelligent Receivables. The given technology innovation is supported by EWS or Early Warning Services, LLC. It is a leading fintech company offering risk, identity, and payment solutions to the financial institutions. Early Warning Services, LLC is owned by as many as 7 financial institutions in the United States of America, along with the Bank of America.

As the scenario of global e-commerce continues growing (upward at an estimated rate of 15 per cent than the previous year), fraudsters are, therefore, seeking newer and innovative ways of striking larger targets. However, they tend to strike less often. Still, they have become increasingly alert and sophisticated when it comes to targeting high-end digital channels. As per the reports of ACI, it is estimated that mobile-based frauds have increased by around 1.22 per cent. At the same time, pick-up in store and theft while buying online have increased by over 6 per cent during the first quarter of 2021. The average value of transaction-specific frauds has only increased by around 4.7 per cent. On the other hand, the overall occurrences have dropped by around 3.2 per cent.

Bank of America

Bank of America is one of the leading financial institutions of the world that is committed to serving small, mid-sized businesses, individual consumers, and larger corporations with a comprehensive range of investing, banking, asset management, and other types of risk and financial management products as well as services. The company is known to deliver access to unparalleled convenience to its consumers and clients across the United States of America. Moreover, it is also known to serve more than 66 million small business clients and consumers.

There are around 4200 retail financial centers of the Bank of America with as many as 17,000 ATMs all around the country. The bank also offers access to award-winning digital banking services to around 41 million active users. Moreover, there are over 32 million mobile users of the products and services of the bank.

Bank of America serves to be a global leader in the fields of investment banking, corporate banking, wealth management, and trading through a wide range of asset classes. Moreover, it is also responsible for serving institutions, governments, individuals, and corporations all around the globe. With Bank of America, you can expect industry-leading support to around 3 million small businesses and households with its impressive suite of easy-to-use and innovative online products as well as services.

The company is also responsible for serving clients through its high-end operations across the United States of America. Bank of America Corporation stock has also been listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Bank of America is also regarded as the leading market name that is utilized by specific Global Markets and Global Banking businesses of Bank of America Corporation. Trading, lending, and other commercial banking activities in specific financial instruments are performed across the globe by banking affiliates of the leading bank.

PayU Token Hub Will Help Card Networks and Banks With Tokenization [2023 Update]

PayU –a leading online payment service provider, had made the announcement of launching its own tokenization solution –referred to as ‘PayU Token Hub.’ The given tokenization solution will be aimed at helping businesses to comply with the latest guidelines of RBI (Reserve Bank of India) with respect to online card data-centric storage. At the same time, the solution will also be helping issuing banks to generate the respective tokens effectively.

The solution has been designed by Wibmo and PayU. Wibmo is a full stack global-level PayTech company owned by PayU. Moreover, the service has also been designed with the help of partnerships with major card networks including MasterCard and Visa and famous issuing banks. The solution is committed to offering both issuer tokens and network tokens under a single hub.

Manas Mishra –Chief Product Officer at PayU India explains that the company welcomes the all-new guidelines by RBI. This is because the guidelines are helpful in empowering the customers while ensuring safer transactions. PayU is known to have the most innovative as well as robust solution with respect to managing easy compliance with the given set of guidelines for all players in the given ecosystem.

An Insight into PayU Token Hub

PayU Token Hub serves to be fully interoperable. It helps in offering access to the best-available networks as well as issuer tokens for user cases related to card-on-file that can be extended to device-tap-and-pay functionality. It will deliver the assurance that famous payments use cases like subscriptions, EMIs, and instant refunds. Moreover, they also help with providing engines relying on card numbers to ensure seamless transactions.

Powered with the help of Wibmo, PayU Token Hub has been developed to serve as the interoperable plug-and-pay solution. It helps in enabling card-on-file along with device tokenization with the help of just one integration point. The characteristic two-pronged service is made available for all merchants. It even includes the 3.5 lakh merchants of PayU along with 65 issuers that are supported by Wibmo.

Businesses can look forward to easily enabling PayU Token Hub with minimal technical modifications while continuing to provide the best-available payment experiences to the customers. Moreover, businesses can also ensure that the payments remain compliant with the latest guidelines.

PayU Token Hub and Wibmo

Wibmo is known to power some of the large issuer ecosystem of more than 65 banks across the country for the respective payment security and authentication services. In the given scenario, PayU Token Hub will be helping the issuers in supporting the latest tokenization guidelines in a quick and seamless fashion for complying with the latest RBI mandate. It will also help in supporting the RBI vision of the protection of the consumers’ interests. It is difficult to come across any other player in the market having such a robust combination of issuer and network tokens.

RBI has mandated that only networks and banks will be given allowance to store customer-centric card data. It is to be in effect from 1^st January 2022. This implies that businesses will no longer be able to store information related to customer cards. Storage of credit card details remains at the core of the payment experiences of the consumers. As customers are not expected to enter card detail every time they shop online, it only speeds up the online shopping process. However, now, online growth of businesses might get hampered.

While the ongoing guidelines are with respect to card data storage, PayU Token Hub aims at expanding soon enough to allow customers to safely store as well as create tokens through different payment modes including Net Banking, contactless device-based payments, and UPI.

Importance of Tokenization for Merchants and Retailers

As the digital payment ecosystem in India continues advancing in different forms of technologies –from cards to mobile banking, internet services, wallets, POS (Point of Sale), and UPIs, the concept of tokenization is becoming increasingly popular in recent times.

For the beginners, tokenization can be regarded as the replacement of traditional card details of the customers with some alternate code –referred to as a token. The token remains unique to every card. The token requestor (the entity like the merchant who is accepting customer requests for tokenization while sharing the same with the concerned card networks like Visa, MasterCard, and so more) to issue the given token.

Card networks feature customers and banks on the issuing end. Moreover, banks & payment gateways or even aggregators remain on the acquiring end. Acquiring end is known to function with retailers and merchants. In case the bank or payment gateway on the acquiring end wish to process a transaction, they will send it back to the card network. The network will then check with the bank on the issuing end for the availability of credit in the account of the customer for debiting the same. The amount is then transferred to the acquiring end. The given end-to-end transaction will only take around less than a second to implement.

In the given scenario, tokenization request is initiated by the owner of the card. The network will be then issuing the token after receiving consent from the card issuer or the bank. The RBI (Reserve Bank of India) had earlier put restrictions on tokenization to tablets and mobile phones. However, the same restrictions have been expanded to desktops, laptops, wearable IoT (Internet of Things) devices, and so more.

In September, the Reserve Bank of India had extended the overall scope of tokenization from the concept of device-based to the card credentials of the customers. It is referred to as the CoF or Card-on-File tokenization service. The central bank had also given allowance to banks or credit card issuers to provide tokenization services with proper customer consent along with AFA or Additional Factor of Authentication. Earlier, only specific card networks were given allowance.

The main reason for the given two modifications as cited by the Reserve Bank of India was the overall risk to the security of card-centric data.

How Banks Use API to Fulfill Commercial Banking, Payment Expectations?

As banks all around are making their ways into the field of digitization, the overall customer expectations are rising day by day. The given digital transformation has been accelerated due to several restrictions imposed during the COVID-19 era. Post-pandemic, study reports reveal what financial and banking institutions can do along with explaining the importance of a well-formulated digital plan.

The advent of the technology of API or Application Programming Interfaces has resulted in major changes with respect to how financial operations are being implemented. Recently, we have observed the emergence of a number of fintech innovations for simplifying the process of money movement.

What is API Banking?

API or Application Programming Interface conventionally refers to the technology interface between different software programs. The given interfacing ability helps in facilitating the use of some third-party application for synchronizing and connecting to the tools and services of the bank.

API Banking can be referred to as the specific set of protocols making the services of a bank available to third-party organizations with the help of APIs. This helps both the third-party organization and the bank augment the additional offerings and specialties significantly than they are capable of delivering to the customers individually.

Impact of APIs in the Banking Sector

For meeting the ever-rising expectations of the customers, companies all around are looking for innovative ways to deliver value-added propositions. These could include scam alerts, alerts on wearable devices, improved payment options (like digital wallets), and so more.

A number of financial and banking institutions have already started experimenting with APIs and its monetization along with the standardization of the possibilities of Open Banking APIs. A number of financial institutions are taking up the given course of action. This is because of the immense range of Fintech capabilities that are being offered for transforming the entire industry and enhancing the experience of users and bankers alike.

When financial institutions will continue adopting the revolutionary API technology, the entire industry will start observing the way in which users are handling data along with ensuring the integration of multiple services. Eventually, it will lead to efficient and cost-effective banking solutions.

As far as the banks and financial institutions are concerned, APIs open up an entirely new segment of advanced services to be made seamlessly available for the third-party entities. The concept helps both third-party companies as well as banks to enhance the overall offerings and specialties to the end customers. APIs in the banking and finance sector can allow organizations in the given industry seamlessly connect with end customers and other businesses. With APIs, a banking institution can easily look forward to transferring information at a highly convenient speed.

APIs – How is the Technology Making Banks Future-ready?

Customers in the modern era face the overall ‘ease of use’ in almost everything. The facilities that are provided to the customers by other industries have made them expect more from the finance and banking sector as well. The customers, therefore, expect the overall ease of almost every service or offering. In the finance sector, this represents the universal expectations for ensuring quick as well as simple transactions, payments with ease, and instant access to detailed financial statements.

There is no denying the role of APIs in the initiatives related to Open Banking. In the modern ecosystem of Open Banking, APIs help in providing the way for executing business. In a recent study report, it was revealed that through the acceptance and implementation of APIs, banking and financial institutions are capable of extending as well as improving the native offerings and services.

Moreover, the concept of fintech application development is on a rapid rise. As such, there is no possibility of the trend of implementing APIs in the banking sector fading away any sooner. Moreover, the overall customer demand remains in abundance for financial businesses towards offering improved services through the integration of APIs.

Meeting Customer Expectations

Modern consumers tend to be ardent tech enthusiasts. Therefore, with increasing expectations of the overall online experiences, customers also seek advanced banking products & services in a highly swift fashion.

With the concept of open APIs, financial institutions can look forward to leveraging the products as well as functionalities designed by the third parties.

Improving Customer Engagement with APIs

The concept of APIs has enabled banking institutions to meet the diverse expectations and demands of existing customers. Moreover, it also helps banks in positioning themselves as relevant to meet the banking needs of the upcoming generations. The APIs are also capable of working as a unique way towards enhancing customer engagement while addressing the unique needs in an agile, future-proof, and safe manner.

The given form of customer engagement is crucial –especially when new entrants and upstarts aim at disrupting the modern financial services. Moreover, new devices, services, and offerings continue emerging in the markets every now & then. This leads to modifying the overall customer expectations along with the generation of a highly competitive landscape for conventional banks. The presence of a competitive landscape tends to pose immense challenges for conventional banks while compelling them to innovate for retaining and drawing customers.

Traditional Banks Leveraging APIs

The traditional banking and finance sector has been quite gradual when it comes to the adoption and integration of new, revolutionary technologies. However, in the modern era, the concept of digital banking is increasingly becoming an emerging trend due to altering and enhanced customer expectations.

Through the introduction of APIs to such financial firms, conventional banking institutions can retain existing customers through the provision of innovative products & services. It also allows banks to attract prospective clients and customers through its advanced technology offering. The use of APIs is indeed an added appeal to the image of the bank. Moreover, it also allows customers to engage with in-depth financial data in lucrative ways. It also leads to improved brand loyalty –further leading to improved customer interactions and satisfaction.

American Express Introduces Debit Card, Digital Checking Account for Small Busines

American Express – the famous card issuing company for small businesses in the United States, has unveiled the fully digital form of Business Checking Account for SMBs.

The Business Checking Account by American Express will be offering small business enterprises a highly secure, low-fee, and top-yield experience of digital banking. The account is available with the APY or Annual Percentage Yield of 1.1 per cent on the overall balances that remain around $500,000. The all-new Business Checking Account is also responsible for connecting with the existing credit cards by American Express. Moreover, small businesses are also issued with a dedicated Business Debit Card.

American Express Unveils Business Checking Account and Debit Cards for Small Businesses

Business accounts that are dedicated to small businesses with the help of the all-new Business Checking Account by American Express can help business enterprises (SMBs) look into as well as operate at a highly professional level. The digitization of such accounts only takes the process one step higher as it helps in streamlining as well as simplifying the overall process of cash management.

It is also quite profitable to earn interest rates of high yield at the moment when small business organizations are still going through the struggles of the pandemic.

Full-service, Customer-First Digital Business Account

Dean Henry –Executive Vice President (Global Commercial Services) at American Express, delivered comments on the launch of the all-new and fully digital Business Checking Account for small business enterprises in the United States of America.

We have come up with the revolutionary American Express Business Checking scenario from scratch. This is because small businesses revealed that they want to obtain more out of the existing business checking account services. The all-new version of Digital Business Account by American Express features a full-service, customer-first type of business checking account for ensuring the overall ease of cash management. Moreover, the account is also responsible for processing a wide range of payment types while earning high-yield interests upon balanced of the amount $500,000. Moreover, with this business account, customers will also be capable of earning and redeeming the exclusive membership reward points.

Henry added that it can be regarded as business checking with the best services of American Express. Businesses can look forward to receiving rewards, security, and high-end services while being capable of investing back into the respective businesses.

Membership Reward Points

During the start of 2022, customers of Business Checking accounts can easily earn points of Membership Rewards. They can easily redeem the same for ensuring deposits into the account of Business Checking.

Another major benefit that can be enjoyed by small businesses can enjoy the all-new account of Business Checking while earning the welcome deposit of amount $300 in the form of welcome bonus. Account holders are not expected to pay any amount of monthly fees. Moreover, there is no requirement of any minimum balance as well.

To top it all, small businesses having access to Business Checking accounts will also be capable of getting access to the network of as much as 37,000 ATMs that remain free of fees. This service is provided as American Express entered into the partnership with MoneyPass for providing such a service. Customers will also get access to one-stop and full-feature application that features the ability to ensure mobile-based check deposits.

When businesses have access to Business Checking accounts coming with a myriad of benefits along with reliable customer support services, it serves to be a valuable asset for small businesses. This also helps in freeing up the time of small businesses from banking-specific commitments such that they can continue with running their business seamlessly.

Features of Business Checking Accounts by American Express

Both small as well as mid-sized businesses in the United States of America can easily apply for the Business Checking account facility in a matter of 10 minutes. Once your application is approved, businesses can receive access to the following set of features:

ATM Access Through MoneyPass: American Express has put forth its partnership with MoneyPass for offering access to an extensive network of as many as 37,000 ATMs that are fee-free to the customers of Business Checking accounts for balance enquiries and ATM cash withdrawals.

Welcome Bonus: New customers of Business Checking accounts will be earning as much as $300 deposit amount in the form of welcome bonus for opening the account.

No Monthly Fees: Businesses can enjoy $0 monthly maintenance fee without any requirement of maintaining a minimum balance.

Competitive APY: Businesses can leverage the benefits of APY of a high yield of 1.1 per cent on the balances of around $500,000.

Connected Membership Features: You can go through the American Express cards and the entire Business Checking account in a single place. With effect from 2022, customers of Business Checking accounts will also be earning points of Membership Rewards while redeeming the same for making deposits in to the account of Business Checking.

Support for Multiple Transaction Types: Businesses can access a full spectrum of payment options for receiving as well as transferring funds –including Bill Pay, Debit Card, Check, Wire Transfers, and ACH.

Intuitive and Simple App Functionality; You can easily manage the Business Checking accounts with the help of a one-stop, full-feature iOS application with the help of the mobile check deposit benefit.

Faster Onboarding Process: Businesses can consider applying and getting a decision within a span of 10 minutes –without the requirement of stepping foot into the physical bank branch.

Trusted Customer Service: You can get access to round-the-clock support services along with assistance from specialists of American Express –just a call or click away.

View-based Access: The account is also known to provide members on the team with reliable access for viewing the account of Business Checking. Some additional role-based features will be available from 2022.

American Express is a leading integrated payment service provider across the globe. It helps customers with reliable access to its products, experiences, and insights for enriching the overall journey.

Lemonade Launches Car Insurance Platform in Illinois

The third quarter is the earning season for most industries, but the digital insurance provider – Lemonade, is focusing more on its service expansion instead of earning announcements. It has been less than a year since Lemonade turned into a publicly-traded company. Earlier, its products included only renters and homeowners insurance, but it started expanding gradually. Today, it has become a credible digital insurance company with the latest insurance product added to its category.

Lemonade is an Israeli company, operated by Artificial Intelligence, and known for offering insurance products. The company has announced to bring car insurance for drivers in the United States. They have recently introduced the Lemonade cars in Illinois and the service will soon be available for drivers across the nation.

Operating in New York. Seven months ago, they had made an announcement of expanding its operations to the car insurance markets, a promise they fulfilled recently with a car insurance announcement on Wednesday. The news is already attracting tons of traffic, especially after they have revealed their earnings for the third quarter on 8th November.

Starting with Illinois, Lemonade allows drivers to subscribe to its cars. It has focused on eco-friendly, sustainable, low-mileage, and low-priced cars.

The Auto Insurance Product

The insurance is available at an affordable rate for low-mileage drivers, including those using hybrid and electric cars. In addition, the drivers can use the company’s official mobile app to get 24/7 roadside assistance, emergency services, and other perks. It also features a telematics app that records the distance covered and how safely people drive the car. Not only that, but this app will report the total CO2 emission produced by the car. Lemonade will plant trees to compensate for the car emission, which is one of the best eco-friendly practices by an insurance company.

The CEO of Lemonade, Shai Wininger, said that they had built a whole team for auto repairing, towing, emergency services, and roadside assistance. The goal is to provide a seamless car claim experience to their clients. America’s most popular insurance company has made the insurance filing and claim process a lot easier.

Clients can now file car insurance claims in minutes. They have also introduced peripheral auto services that cover emergency operations. Lemonade uses Blender, its digital insurance claim system, which makes it possible for the advocates to manage tons of insurance claims as fast as possible. Besides, these claims are managed with better efficiency as compared to the traditional insurance claim management approach. Blender is designed to streamline and automate the hectic manual processing, saving time on processing claims manually.

Special Rewards for those Bundling Products with Car Insurance

Lemonade has also used a promotional deal to market its new insurance products. They said that every customer who buys insurance with other Lemonade products can receive a discount on the insurance premium. In fact, it claims that people can save hundreds of dollars on insurance premiums in the long run if they bundle vehicle insurance with other products.

For those who aren’t already familiar with lemonade, this digital insurance provider covers pets, life, families, renters, and other insurance. The insurance is available for all car owners in Illinois for now, but a special reward is for the low-mileage drivers and those operating environment-friendly vehicles, such as hybrid cars. They will soon expand the services to Tennessee and the entire country.

The discount on low-mileage cars is part of the company’s commitment to avoiding fossil fuels and other products that cause excess CO2 emissions. These perks will encourage people to invest in cars that cause no harm to the environment. The CEO mentioned that the company’s objective was to introduce an insurance platform where people could file claims, make a premium payments, manage their insurance policy, explore different insurance products, and buy auto insurance digitally.

Lemonade’s Car Insurance Market

The car insurance market is expected to be a lot bigger and better in terms of revenue than the company’s entire market combined. It will be worth $300 billion. The biggest competitor of Lemonade in the car insurance industry is Root, which is another insurance provider using telematics to track the car’s emission and overall performance.

There are many reasons to believe that Lemonade’s new product will perform incredibly well in the market. For starters, the company has over 1 million customers that have subscribed to Lemonade’s insurance policies. Lemonade is using its reward program efficiently. By bundling its products, the company is inviting people to subscribe to its car insurance to save money. Considering the customer satisfaction rate, a large number of customers will gladly invest in the car insurance policy.

Now that the entire operation is executed virtually, it has proven to be an efficient model for Lemonade and American drivers. They have also decided to fund reforestation to contribute to the environment. They believe the least they can do is compensate for the CO2 emissions. Lemonade has received high customer satisfaction for its new product launch, which shows the company will capture a good market shade for its vehicle insurance. In fact, the company’s auto insurance shares also surged by 5% after the news was released to the public. Although it is a short-term gain for now, the growth is expected to continue.

In the second quarter of this year, Lemonade reported 1.2 million subscribers. Currently, Lemonade operates in the US, Netherlands, France, and Germany. But, it will soon expand on a global level.

Allbirds Makes Public Debut; Nike Links Loyalty Program With Dick’s Sporting Goods

The shares of Allbirds, the famous shoemaker, have seen a surge of 90%, as the company’s valuation has reached $4.1 billion. Allbirds is popular for its woolen sneakers, as well as, slip-on. Nike and Dick’s Sporting Goods, on the other hand, have decided to collaborate to expand Nike’s footwear and apparel collection.

Allbirds Make a Debut on NASDAQ

On 3rd November, Allbirds made a debut on Nasdaq, a footwear company that is all set to turn into a public company. They had set the rate of $15 per share for its initial public offering (late Tuesday), which was higher than the expected $12 to $14 per piece they had decided earlier. The company’s debut was successful with over 20.2 million shares sold in the initial public offering, generating approx $300 million from the sales.

They raised the price per share after selling 19.2 million shares of $12-$14 before the public offering. At the end of the day, the prices went up to $28.64 per share. Allbirds has made it to the Nasdaq Exchange. The company’s goal is to draw the attention of the investors willing to work with companies that focus on sustainability and eco-friendly offerings. They have decided to go global to promote sustainability.

Joey Zwillinger, the co-founder and co-CEO of the company mentioned that the reason why they received a high demand for the shares is the investors’ growing concern about the planet. He believed that Allbirds’ sustainability campaign gave investors a golden opportunity to contribute to the environment.

Allbirds has 27 land-based stores currently, a number they are expecting to increase by hundreds. Zwillinger added that the company’s motive is to make and sell the best and trending shoes to customers. They are hoping that the financial part will be taken care of by the investors. They have also expanded their product line recently, adding socks and other sustainable accessories (in addition to the woolen sneakers).

Dick’s Sporting Goods and Nike’s Collaboration

Dick’s shares value surged after the company announced a partnership with Nike. This collaboration will give customers access to exclusive products and a seamless shopping experience. Now, customers can buy Nike’s shoes and clothes on Dick’s official website. This partnership will turn into a long-term relationship between the two apparel and footwear stores. They have also hinted at another major advantage of this collaboration. Hopefully, customers can now drop off and pick up their Nike’s online orders at Dick’s store.

Apparently, Nike does not want to continue working with the wholesalers, as the company has decided to sell more footwear to the customers directly. Like Adidas and Under Armor, Nike has also taken this step so it can keep maximum profits, selling its products at a higher price.

The company also sees it as a way to build a healthy and long-term relationship with its customers and understand their needs. The latest financial reports of Nike show that the wholesale stores accounted for around 61% of the company’s total footwear sales in 2021, down from 65% in 2020. The figures suggest that customers are now buying Nike’s footwear either from the land-based store or Nike’s website, instead of the wholesalers. While it is relying less on wholesalers, Nike is still counting on the retailers for ramping up its sales.

How Will the Nike’s and Dick’s Partnership Work?

Nike is also Dick’s largest seller accounting for 19% of the sales for Dick Sporting Goods. This partnership will open up many opportunities for Dick’s Sporting Goods as well. They can have a wide selection of footwear, not only the sports shoes but in other categories as well. Dick’s hope to become the customers’ one-stop destination for the latest sports gear and accessories. Dick has opened a new location in Rochester, New York to provide Nike a place to showcase its products. The company is planning to organize the events for the Nike members in its new location along with a sports shop in Tennessee. The CEO said that the company would employ an additional 9,000 workers to cater to the rising demand for sports footwear.

Lauren Hobart, the CEO of Dick, said that the company’s relationship with Nike has been a successful one for years. In fact, they have been working together for more than half a century now. The goals of both companies are to deliver a seamless user experience through their extensive collection of athlete apparel and footwear. Dick’s Sporting Good Inc. reported a 4.1% surge in its shares on Wednesday. Nike’s share also jumped 1.8% higher after this announcement. The companies call it a “connected partnership”, which will not only strengthen the bond between the two athlete companies but make a vast range of athlete products available to the public.

Google to Start Requiring 2 Factor Authentication (2FA) on Accounts

Google had announced that it would enroll as many Google users to the two-factor authentication security as possible by the end of this year. They decided to make it a default program.

In October 2021, it stated that the plan was to get more than 150 million users protected by the 2FA, reminding people of Google’s security goals since it is Cybersecurity Awareness Month. Within the next two months, a vast majority of Google users will be automatically enrolled in this new security program. In fact, Android Police has got reports that suggest Google has already started working on its new security campaign and is enrolling people in the two-factor authentication service automatically.

The 2FA system was in place much before Google’s announcement of making it a default setting. Earlier, it was a choice. People were allowed to sign up for 2FA, but it was not compulsory. However, people did not sign up for this system voluntarily. A 2018 report showed that only 10% of Google’s active users had the two-factor authentication system activated on their accounts. Since then Google has been requesting its users to enable the 2FA for the best protection.

Out of 150 million accounts, Google has deployed the auto-enrolling system for only those accounts with a backup. Only users with a backup email address of a phone number that can be used for recovering a forgotten password will be auto-enrolled in the two-factor authentication.

The 2FA System: What is it and How Does it Protect Your Google Account?

The two-factor authentication is a safety program that asks users to submit additional information to confirm their identity before they are logged into their Google accounts. The 2FA security model is implemented by many social networking sites and other eCommerce stores to prevent hackers from getting unauthorized access to someone’s Google account.

Users can enter their mobile number where a confirmation for a sign-in attempt is sent. The user has to enter their login details, including password and the confirmation code from their mobile to access their Google account. A USB stick can also be used for 2FA. This means the login data will not be enough to sign in to your Google account anymore.

Details on the Google Support Page

You can find the details of the auto-enrollment process on the Google support page. The company has mentioned that each user flagged for the two-factor authentication will receive a notification a week before the rule is enforced. The notification will be sent via email. This, however, does not include companies that have purchased Google Workspace account. It is up to the administrator of the organization to decide if they should enable this security system for their Google accounts.

YouTube had also made the two-factor authentication system compulsory for the partner-level content creators recently. The support page also states that Google has currently allowed auto-enrollment for two-factor authentication, but it will become a two-step verification soon, making it mandatory for every user to verify their identity with additional details.

Google has teamed up with many IT companies to launch over 10,000 hardware keys annually. Another security tool that helps Google users remember their passwords is the Password Manager. The tool is designed to verify more than a billion passwords every day. The company has confirmed that this password manager will soon allow people to get passwords for other mobile apps too. It will be easier for people to get passwords for every mobile app from the Google App Menu.

On Android devices, the two-factor authentication system is integrated into the devices using Google Prompt. When you try to sign in to a Google account, a pop-up menu with “yes” or “no” appears on your screen. It saves you the time and hassle of entering the code every time you log into your Google account. The iOS users can use the physical security key or get a prompt request via their Gmail app or Google Smart Lock app.

Why is it Necessary?

More and more online channels are embracing the two-factor authentication protocols to guarantee maximum protection to their users. Google has also taken the initiative to make this search engine a safe place for individuals and businesses.

Two-factor authentication offers a way to protect your accounts from hacking and phishing attempts. Even if your password is leaked or a hacker finds out your login credentials, you can rest assured that they will never get access to your Google accounts until they use the physical key or the security code sent to your mobile.

Google had also launched the latest Chrome version earlier, which came with 19 security updates. One of these features was the payment confirmation option. Hopefully, by the end of 2021, we will see millions of Google accounts secured with the 2FA security system.