Connected Economy

The innovations in technology, connected devices, software, payments and cellular technology make it possible for people and businesses to connect with each other and do business via any device, an in any digital or physical location safely, securely, and in real time. This integration of the digital and physical worlds will transform the economy across the ten pillars that today represent its key cornerstones – pillars that are already experiencing the impact of disruptive innovation as new blended, digital-first experience-driven ecosystems are now taking shape.

Cheer Up America, You Get Some of the Most Happy Awards, Too
Cheer Up America, You Get Some of the Most Happy Awards, Too
April 11, 2025  |  Opinion

The World Happiness Report was released on March 20, which, in case you didn’t know, was the UN’s International Day of Happiness.  The big reveal...

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Beyond Credit Cards: How ‘Pay Later’ Momentum Is Reshaping the Payments Ecosystem
Beyond Credit Cards: How ‘Pay Later’ Momentum Is Reshaping the Payments Ecosystem
April 08, 2025  |  BNPL

Buy now, pay later (BNPL) isn’t just a niche payment option anymore — it’s rapidly becoming a permanent fixture in how consumers budget, shop and...

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Uncertainty Overload: Tariffs Cast Shadow on FinTech Funding and Growth
Uncertainty Overload: Tariffs Cast Shadow on FinTech Funding and Growth
April 07, 2025  |  Opinion

So far, there have been 10 Mondays in the Trump administration, each possessing its own variety of manic behavior. “Manic Mondays,” we’ve been calling them....

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What Pinball Tells Us About Spending in the Post-Tariff World
What Pinball Tells Us About Spending in the Post-Tariff World
April 07, 2025  |  Consumer Finance

It takes a lot to get most people to agree on anything. Even members of the same family have a hard time deciding what movie...

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CE 100 Index Sinks 9.9% on Tariff Worries and Payment Names Plunge
CE 100 Index Sinks 9.9% on Tariff Worries and Payment Names Plunge
April 07, 2025  |  Connected Economy

In a week of historic stock trading, where we haven’t seen plunges of this magnitude in five years, it’s easy to count the number of...

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Stripe Applies for US Banking License to Expand Merchant Acquiring Capabilities
Stripe Applies for US Banking License to Expand Merchant Acquiring Capabilities
April 04, 2025  |  Digital-First Banking

Stripe’s application for a Merchant Acquirer Limited Purpose Bank (MALPB) charter has been accepted by the state of Georgia’s Department of Banking and Finance, bringing...

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Mobile Phones Overtake Desktops as Consumers’ Preferred Travel Booking Tool
Mobile Phones Overtake Desktops as Consumers’ Preferred Travel Booking Tool
April 04, 2025  |  Travel Payments

Travel agents have long gone the way of video store clerks, and consumers haven’t walked into an airport or hotel to make a flight or...

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Plaid: Bank Account Connectivity Underpins ‘Data Revolution’ in Financial Services
Plaid: Bank Account Connectivity Underpins ‘Data Revolution’ in Financial Services
April 03, 2025  |  Payments Innovation

For Plaid, the connectivity — tying bank accounts to a broad range of providers across financial systems — lays the groundwork for double-digit growth. And while...

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Uber and OpenTable to Roll Out Connected Dining Offerings
Uber and OpenTable to Roll Out Connected Dining Offerings
April 01, 2025  |  Partnerships

Uber and OpenTable have partnered to create a connected dining experience that will include access to dining reservations, transportation and membership benefits. The offerings, which will be rolled...

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