This post grew out of watching demos at Finovate Fall 2023, in New York. Given that 2023 is the year of AI, it was no surprise that AI played some role in most of the demos and many of the panels. The main essence I noticed in the demos was their focus on applications that connect to banks to supplement their clients' financial needs. Many of the FinTech firms seek to … [Read more...] about Toward Connected Finance
cryptocurrency
The Evolution of Payment Systems: Bridging the Gap Between Technology and User Engagement
A panel of payment industry experts recently convened to discuss the significant shifts occurring as businesses of all sizes adopt technology like faster payment methods, such as automated clearing house (ACH) and real-time (or instant) payments. These advances aim to transform transaction speeds and address the varied strategic demands of the financial sector's … [Read more...] about The Evolution of Payment Systems: Bridging the Gap Between Technology and User Engagement
Cryptocurrency and Its Potential Impact on Cross-Border Payments
Last week at Finovate Fall 2023, MoneyGram CEO Alex Holmes was interviewed by a Forbes reporter, Leo Schwartz, about cryptocurrency and its potential impact on cross-border payments and remittances. The discussion shed light on the complexities and challenges surrounding the adoption of cryptocurrencies in the payments industry. Holmes began by acknowledging the allure of … [Read more...] about Cryptocurrency and Its Potential Impact on Cross-Border Payments
Disentangling the Crypto Crash of 2022
A reckoning in the digital asset industry that started in June after the collapse of improperly collateralized investment assets gained new urgency in November. Following the professional and possibly legal improprieties that led to bankruptcy and chaos at the FTX cryptocurrency exchange, the industry is regrouping and putting distance between legitimate market participants and … [Read more...] about Disentangling the Crypto Crash of 2022
Cryptocurrency & ISO 2022 Compliance
When discussing cryptocurrency, the Achilles’ heel for financial institutions and the banking industry is regulatory compliance. ISO 20022 is an internationally recognized standard, developed and maintained by the International Organization for Standards (ISO), for financial industry messaging in payments, securities, trader services, cards, and foreign exchange domains. The … [Read more...] about Cryptocurrency & ISO 2022 Compliance
A U.S. CBDC: Disaster or an Idea Whose Time Has Come?
The notion of a digital dollar for the United States has been increasingly in the news in recent months. Research by the Federal Reserve into a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) has been ongoing, and it’s easy to see why: between efforts from China to use digital currency in apps, to the increasing adoption rate of cryptocurrencies, and other faster payments technologies, … [Read more...] about A U.S. CBDC: Disaster or an Idea Whose Time Has Come?