PaymentsJournal

Although child identity theft has received increasing attention in recent years, most parents don’t discover it—let alone take action—until after experiencing a financial loss. Among families who reported a financial loss due to identity theft, roughly 96% did not have their children included in a family protection plan until after the breach had occurred. For the past four years, Javelin St...

Although generative artificial intelligence has powerful proficiencies, its limitations have become more apparent as the technology is deployed at scale. Now, however, Visa and Mastercard have unveiled platforms aimed at giving AI an even more prominent role—AI agents will soon be able to shop and make purchases with minimal consumer input. In a recent PaymentsJournal podcast, Christopher Miller ,...

For mid-sized companies striving to compete with multinational giants, Vertical SaaS has become a game-changer, helping them bridge the gap in their software needs. One of the key factors driving this shift is outbound payments—empowering even the smallest businesses to process payments in real time, leveling the playing field. Vertical SaaS seamlessly integrates a range of essential functions, li...

As digital connections have fostered a global community, the demand for cross-border payments has surged. And yet, the cross-border payments paradigm—where correspondent and intermediary banks work with originating banks to process payments—has remained largely unchanged for the past 50 years. In a recent PaymentsJournal podcast, Gary Palmer, President and CEO of Payall Payment Systems, and James...

For the 18th year running, gift cards topped wish lists as the most requested holiday present—solidifying their role as a cornerstone of seasonal giving 1 . With more occasions to gift than ever before, demand is surging, and retailers can’t afford to miss the opportunity. Insights from the 2025 Best Digital Gift Card Programs, Consumer Experience Benchmark Report, conducted by NAPCO research in p...

When a driver misplaces their fleet card or uses it to fuel a personal vehicle, the consequences can be significant for the organization. Shifting to digital payments can help alleviate these pain points, yet many fleet managers have been hesitant due to concerns about maintaining control. In a recent PaymentsJournal podcast, Parker P ierce, Senior Product Manager at Highnote, and Ben Danner, Seni...

Financial institutions have traditionally been risk-averse, relying on tried-and-tested products and services. However, transformative innovations—such as real-time payment rails, artificial intelligence (AI), ISO 20022 adoption, and increasing demands for cybersecurity and fraud management—along with a constantly shifting regulatory backdrop—are making it critical for organizations to adopt new t...

A critical factor is often overlooked when focusing on improving the customer experience: ensuring payments go through successfully. A failed payment is more than simply a lost sale. It can lead to wider-scale revenue impacts and erode customer confidence over time. In a recent PaymentsJournal podcast, John Winstel , VP of Optimization Product at Worldpay, and Don Apgar , Director of Merchant Paym...

When customers make purchases using Apple Pay or Google Pay—or enter their card info at online checkout—their sensitive data is protected by replacing it with a token. While this safeguards consumer privacy, it has also created a challenge: because the same card can be tokenized differently across multiple merchants, businesses are losing access to vital customer insights that could drive smarter...

A cursory survey of sports venues will reveal fields sponsored by Citi, Chase, PNC, and Truist—just within Major League Baseball alone. However, the connection between payments and the arenas and stadiums that host events runs much deeper than naming rights. With a captive audience of thousands, there’s a strong opportunity to drive loyalty and revenue, which is why so many stadiums and arenas are...

Because digital payments offer such powerful use cases, many speculate that they will inevitably replace physical cards. However, this perspective overlooks several key factors—not only are physical cards highly reliable at the point of sale, but they also offer personalization options that create a tangible connection between consumers and their payment method, something digital payments can’t re...

Reconciliation has traditionally been seen as a back-office function, but modern technology has made it a priority. Automation, real-time data, and embedded finance solutions are transforming cash flow management, risk mitigation, and operational efficiency, enabling businesses to take a more strategic approach to maintaining their books. Penny Townsend , Chief Product Officer at Qualpay, explored...

Last year, a breach of cloud storage company Snowflake resulted in data stolen from more than 150 companies , with more than $2 million extorted from victims. The attack was carried out by an infostealer, a type of malware that didn’t directly infiltrate Snowflake but instead entered through a client with weak security measures. The growing market for financial data stolen by hackers has made thes...

Across industries and companies—from small businesses to large enterprises—organizations are constantly searching for ways to improve corporate culture and boost employee engagement. However, in large, dispersed companies, providing employees with the personal touch needed to maintain motivation can be particularly challenging. In a PaymentsJournal podcast, Julie Gu , Vice President of Sales and M...

When Academy Bank first considered outsourcing its item processing, it anticipated a challenging and uncertain journey. However, partnering with Fiserv transformed the experience, delivering both anticipated and unexpected benefits—ranging from a streamlined training process to a significant reduction in client impact errors. In a PaymentsJournal podcast, several members of the Academy team—includ...

Many organizations still rely on paper checks, with no immediate plans to phase them out. However, one of the key issues with checks is that criminals favor them as well. Last year’s AFP Payments Fraud and Control report found that checks are the most frequently targeted payment method for attempted payments fraud—nearly twice as much as ACH transactions. In a recent PaymentsJournal podcast, U.S....

Many businesses are familiar with payments optimization, which focuses on enhancing the outcome of individual transactions. However, the growing field of payments orchestration takes a broader approach. It addresses larger issues, such as deploying the latest payment methods and technologies faster than competitors and improving payment performance at scale. The goal is to deliver the most secure,...

E-commerce giants such as Amazon and Shopify use data to create highly personalized customer experiences. Yet, bill payment remains largely untouched by this transformation, leading to friction, higher costs, and customer frustration. Despite the wealth of payments data available, many organizations fail to leverage it to enhance customer interactions and reduce costs. This gap presents a major op...

Just as organizations are implementing artificial intelligence and machine learning in novel ways, cybercriminals are continually looking to incorporate AI into their attacks. The disruptive technology allows criminals to find targets more effectively, scale their efforts, and forge better attacks that are increasingly harder to detect. In a PaymentsJournal podcast, Alex Cox , Director of Threat I...

Imagine a world where payments are seamless, customer data is secure, and merchants can easily manage a multitude of payment options while still providing the best customer experience. That’s the goal of unifying payment credentials. Payment tokenization is a crucial technology that is no longer a luxury but a necessity for merchants looking to thrive in today’s digital economy. In a PaymentsJourn...

Many financial institutions are feeling the urgency to make headway on payments modernization and digital transformation initiatives. However, all the factors involved in outsourcing an essential function like item processing might make a migration project seem like a daunting task. In a recent PaymentsJournal podcast, Candace Burleson , Senior Implementation Analyst at Fiserv, Amina Moyer , SVP o...

For more than 15 years, PayNearMe has helped billers optimize the payment experience. In a PaymentsJournal podcast, John Minor , PayNearMe’s Chief Product Officer, joined Brian Riley , Co-Head of Payments at Javelin Strategy & Research, to discuss how poor payment experiences contribute to rising operational costs and drive up the total cost of acceptance. Lowering the Total Cost of Acceptance...

Last year, PSCU and Co-op Solutions combined and rebranded as Velera. As part of this transformation, Velera seized the opportunity to assess its product journey and modernize its products and solutions to meet the rapidly evolving needs of credit unions and their members. This meant a commitment to developing new solutions and services, while at the same time improving its existing solution portf...

Back in 2011, a group of Iranian hackers launched a series of distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks against nearly 50 U.S financial institutions. The attacks were alarming enough, disabling bank websites and preventing customers from accessing their online accounts. However, the situation became even more troubling when it was revealed that these attacks were sponsored and directed by the I...

Commercial solutions offered by banks have typically been tailored to larger corporations, with a one-size-fits-all approach that often doesn’t meet the unique needs of small businesses. As a result, many small business owners have turned to consumer-focused products, which lack many of the key functions they need. The lack of compelling options available have driven many to seek financial solutio...