Open APIs, PSD2, Blockchain and Marmite…The Deliciousness of Payments

As we quickly approach the new year, I thought it prudent to sit down with my esteemed colleague (as well as cyclist, oenophile, Arsenal fan and Kraftwerk fan) Lu Zurawski, who’s been at the forefront of some major industry initiatives that will ripple into 2017 and beyond.

Delivering True Omni-channel Through Payments

It’s quite common to hear about the difficulty retailers have with their omni-channel strategy. But this should be yesterday’s issue. I can put something in my Amazon basket using my phone app and then checkout on my PC later. I can buy my coffee when I get in my car and then pick it up at the server point when I arrive at the Starbucks store. And I can order a delivery of clothes from John Lewis and then take back what I don’t want back to a Waitrose store for a refund. Omni-channel retailing is increasingly commonplace.

Payment Trends of 2016 (Plus A Little Eggnog, Bells and Tinsel)

The tinsel is up, the snowflakes have started flying, the skis are waxed and sharpened, and the shopping season is in full swing. This can mean only one thing….it’s just about time for our 2017 predictions (and a  few mulled ciders). But, before one can pivot to 2017, it’s important that we reflect on the year that was in the payments world, and what a year it’s been.

Cryptocurrency and the Cross-border Opportunity

Payment21 provides AML-Compliant bitcoin processing and exchange services to eCommerce merchants and online payment aggregators around the globe. The service offerings focus on regulated businesses that have a need for effective compliance procedures. The target group includes publicly-listed eCommerce merchants, licensed gaming enterprises, concessionary wireless network providers, and their banking partners. We spoke to Bernhard Kaufmann, General Manager, Payment21, to find out how their solution for cryptocurrency processing can drive cross-border growth.

eCommerce in Mexico: Insights and Facts

More often than not, it is Brazil that takes center stage when payment providers and online merchants discuss nascent opportunities in the Latin American (LATAM) region. And perhaps no surprise, given that Brazil is the seventh largest economy in the world, with a rising middle class that is the driving force behind increasing smartphone penetration (29% and rising) and eCommerce growth (17% CAGR 2012-14). Mexico, the second largest eCommerce market in the LATAM region, also presents opportunities for both payment businesses and online merchants seeking to expand internationally and grow their revenues.

Six Steps To Optimizing Fraud Management During Peak Trading

A well planned and thought out fraud management strategy can increase revenue by more than 20 percent, so with the holiday shopping season – including traditional peak days Black Friday and Cyber Monday – we encourage merchants to consider the following practical steps in order to maximize their success.

Sweeping (and Overnight) Changes in Indian Banking Sector—and Why the Demand for Managed Services is Increasing

In August, 2015, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) approved 11 Payment and Savings Bank licenses to firms across India, which will be allowed to accept deposits, provide payments services and distribute third-party financial products, but not to lend or issue credit cards. Ranging from nascent FinTechs to established stalwarts like the Department of Posts (the mail delivery system of India), the progressive introduction of payment banks will make way for new entrants serving hundreds of millions of banking customers in India—and these new banks won’t require all of the formalities of traditional banks to bring competition to the marketplace.

Connecting European Merchants and Chinese Shoppers with Alipay

Despite its size and reach, Alipay is still an emerging player outside its home country, China. Launched in 2004 as part of the Alibaba Group, its e-wallet is the world’s leading third party payment platform. Part of its success stems from the fact it is embedded in many of the Alibaba Group’s merchant services; including Taobao, an online consumer-to-consumer shopping platform; AliExpress, an online retail service for small Chinese merchants selling outside China; and TMall, an online platform for global brands selling to affluent Chinese shoppers.

Risky Business? Open Invoice Payments In Germany

PayProtect is used by merchants and payment service providers to manage the risk around 'purchase on account' – a payment method that is a must when operating in the large German eCommerce marketplace. Jens Kühle, MD of GPP, a company of the GFKL-Lowell Group, sat down with us to explain the specifics of eCommerce risk management in the German market.

Cross-Border Payments: The Next Big Frontier

It is no secret that the majority of European banks and financial institutions are currently faced with making big and strategic decisions: The pan-European instant payment initiative is due to go live in 2017, new regulations such as PSD2 will come into effect soon and the digitalisation of the sector is well under way, with customers demanding new services and payments methods.

Defining ‘Openness’ in the Context of eCommerce Payments

Open payments is a relatively new idea that lacks an agreed-upon definition within the payments industry. The “Openness” trend emerged from outside the industry, but disruptors and forward-thinking established players have brought it to the fore in payments.

China Singles Day: Does 11.11 Have Legs?

Black Friday and Cyber Monday are just around the corner, and while sales are likely to exceed the records set in 2014, what is certain is that the biggest single day of the year for eCommerce will once again be China Singles Day. Alibaba reported USD $14.3 billion in online sales on 11.11 in 2015, a 60% increase on the same day in 2014. In fact, the previous year’s total of USD $9.3 billion was eclipsed within 14 hours of trading, so Alibaba beat its own record without so much as breaking a sweat.