Blog Posts

COVID-19 and the World of Work: How being apart has fostered togetherness

The coronavirus pandemic – which has hit the big metaphorical ‘pause’ button on the world – has seen routines upended, travelling coming to a grinding halt in order to curb the spread of the virus, and the world of work flipped on its head.

With governments around the world advising or mandating that people remain at home, commutes to the office have gone from a 90-minute balancing act on a crowded train amongst throngs of commuters, to a 10-minute shuffle from the bed to the kitchen table.

So how has GPS helped our staff navigate this strange “new normal” and what lessons might there be for the future?

August 17, 2020

Trust Payments opens Harrogate office, bringing new jobs to the area

Trust Payments has established a new UK operations hub in Harrogate, with the opening of a new office on Station Parade which will create 10-15 new jobs in Harrogate by the end of the year.

August 17, 2020

EML’s change for good initiative will eliminate 25 Million Pieces of Plastic from FinTech

Payments Giant EML is Creating a Better Tomorrow Through its Commitment to Reducing the Use of Plastic Cards in the Communities it Serves Worldwide by 50%.

August 17, 2020

Fintech scene in Hungary at the time of coronavirus

The COVID-19 pandemic and the expected economic downturn will definitely shape the global fintech landscape. The fintech scene in Hungary is still in its early days but it has been growing rapidly over the last few years. We hopped on a Zoom call with some of them to learn how they deal with the current situation and hear their thoughts and predictions about the upcoming trends, challenges, and potential opportunities.

August 17, 2020

Managing refunds exposure & merchant creditworthiness during COVID-19

COVID-19 continues to spread rapidly and the economic crisis escalates globally every day in the face of the pandemic. The humanitarian cost and stress on health systems and infrastructure induces fear and uncertainty, affecting lives and livelihoods on a daily basis. One area of great significance is the threat of illiquidity among partners and cashflow crises that damage or destroy once stable businesses. Cybertonica is building a new feature for Acquirers that predicts cash flow impacts and liquidity problems Merchants may face so that the payments operator can react appropriately, maybe vary conditions or seek to terminate a relationship if there is a risk of bankruptcy or fraud.

August 17, 2020

Cybertonica: moving forward on the path to gender parity

At Cybertonica, we believe that the success of our business depends on our diverse and multinational teams. We decided consciously focus on building both a more diverse management team and engineering group back in 2016.

Recently we’ve been lucky to be able to grow our team and bring nine new people aboard. Cybertonica now comprises 12 nationalities and more than 40% of our workforce are women. We’re pleased with the progress that we’ve made since the start of our business and want to thank all our partners and supporters!

In this blog post we tell our journey towards the gender parity in our organisation and compare it to the fintech industry average.

August 17, 2020

Cash has been dethroned!

Since the pandemic has started, cash is considered filthy, and it is capable of transmitting disease. Online Payments mitigate against the risk of disease transfer, but also open up new threats and vulnerabilities.

August 17, 2020

B2B eCommerce Models – Growth Challenges and Opportunities

As brick-and-mortar firms come under increasing market pressure, eCommerce business models are starting to appeal to a larger segment of the global population and it is so for solid reasons. For one, they’re not only more nimble and agile firms when it comes to meeting customer demands and adapting to the market but also they are the first to take advantage of the latest innovations in B2B eCommerce solutions like virtual IBANs.

August 17, 2020

How to build a better bank: Modulr’s step-by-step guide

~70% of consumers have considered switching to technology-led banking products. Whether you’re an incumbent or a challenger how do you stack up against cutting edge technology and design? Well that’s where our new 5-week audio/eBook series comes in – sign up today to learn How to Build a Better Bank.

August 17, 2020

How to Manage a Development Team During Lockdown

With much of the planet currently under lockdown, the chances are good that if you manage a development team, you’re currently doing so remotely. If the team you manage usually sits in the same office as you, it can be difficult to make the adjustment to working remotely while keeping the same level of productivity and, just as importantly, wellbeing among your team.

August 11, 2020

How to Manage the Performance of Your Remote Development Team

While most businesses are still operating remotely, CTOs and Product Managers are facing the increasing difficulty that making the shift to remote working brings. While it may be straightforward to scrape through on Slack and Zoom calls for a couple of weeks, as enforced remote working continues and temporary measures start to show their cracks, more permanent solutions may be called for.

August 11, 2020

Fintech scene in Hungary at the time of coronavirus

How Hungarian key players adapt to changing market conditions?

August 11, 2020

7 tips on how to be productive during home office

Read our survival guide for working at home (quarantined or not)

August 11, 2020

Battling social distancing? Bear with Life app is here

An application that helps to deal with social distancing. Winning idea from Hack the Crisis Hackathon, Slovakia

August 11, 2020

How to connect people during times of isolation?

Tips for a temporary remote life

August 11, 2020

How Electronic Money Institutions are Reshaping the Business World

As the collapse of the Wirecard empire is making us all too aware, relying upon one banking provider for your business is not only a disaster waiting to happen but also it could be terminal for your business. The fintech company which is one of the biggest European payment processors and financial service providers is now in the spotlight.

We will now analyze the facts behind why is that so and what are the potential market consequences.

August 6, 2020

What the Future Holds for the Skill Games Industry?

Recent trends in the online skill games industry bode well for its future and that’s not just because of the wider acceptance of online gaming.

The growth in the skill games business can primarily be attributed to virtual IBAN advancements and the ease with which international transactions take place. Not to mention last the recent shift en masse to online entertainment because of the novel coronavirus.

August 2, 2020

The Future of B2B eCommerce

What are the Top 2020 Trends? B2B eCommerce is projected to be the area of the largest eCommerce growth from 2020 to 2025. In 2020 the global revenue in B2B eCommerce is anticipated to be two times bigger than the one from B2C sales.

August 2, 2020

How will the COVID-19 Crisis Impact the eCommerce Industry?

COVID-19 has a far-reaching effect on the global economy. It’s a fact. Companies are struggling to understand the full impact on businesses and how best to react to the new reality. ECommerce is one of the few areas currently showing signs of growth despite the overall economic breakdown.

August 2, 2020

Brexit 2020: What Is the Global Business Response?

In light of recent developments, we now have more questions than ever about the impact Brexit will have on businesses in terms of future development, certainty, and stability.

It may become harder to do business with long-standing partners, both for UK and EU businesses, with new barriers to trade and finance looking set to come into place.

August 2, 2020

A Data Readiness Manifesto in the times of COVID

As ‘data’ continues to systemically restructure our society, our economy, and our institutions in ways unseen since the industrial revolution two and a half centuries earlier, businesses have to accept that data lies at the structural sweet spot between technology, process and people.

July 24, 2020

Are we heading towards a ‘new normal’ or a better normal?

2020 has been a year of much change and as a society, we are clearly heading towards a ‘new normal’ in terms of how we live our lives – from

July 15, 2020

Response from the Payments Association to the request for Trade Association Member Input into Economic Stimulus and Recovery

The Payments Association, who represent 130+ members from across the payments industry, wishes to thank the CBI for inviting it to contribute to its research into Economic Stimulus policies to

July 10, 2020

The Industries That Will Triumph in the Post-Pandemic Economy

The novel coronavirus outbreak that originated in Wuhan, China, in November of last year has since ignited a global pandemic that could permanently change the way business is conducted.

Not only that but, as with every economic crisis, there will be definitive winners from the aftermath of the economic fallout and these companies will help shape the future of e-Commerce in the USA/EU.

July 9, 2020

How Digital Banking Solutions Help Businesses in Turbulent Times: Trends for 2020

While many analysts could never have anticipated the impact of the novel coronavirus pandemic on the world economy, there is a general consensus about what firms can do now and moving forward to build resilience against future “black swan” events such as the one currently roiling world markets.

When it comes to the future of banking and finance, forward-thinking firms are exploring the benefits of digital innovations, such as virtual IBANs and digital banking services.

July 9, 2020

How Online Merchants Can Prosper in 2020?

The new Dos and Don’ts for any business looking to attract and keep new international customers.

Standing still is going backwards. That’s true for every business at all times, but especially in the harsh economic realities of 2020. A long-predicted downturn hit, ignited by the coronavirus pandemic, and no sector is free from its impact. But there are still opportunities out there, especially for online merchants looking to grow.

July 9, 2020

Payments, Payments, Payments by Mike Chambers at Northey Point

Payments, Payments, Payments newsletter providing informed insights into the UK’s payment landscape – read, subscribe and share at: www.northeypoint.substack.com/welcome

July 9, 2020

Banking reimagined – How to prepare for the period after COVID-19?

Be at the forefront of the digital revolution
By the time the world recovers from the aftermath of COVID-19, banking institutions would have seen a vast transformation in their systems, processes, and customer relationships. New future-ready, digital banking solutions will offer as secure, as easy, and as welcoming customer experiences as the brick-and-mortar ones provide. At Maveric, we help banks accelerate their transformation initiatives by integrating domain, UX design, technology, strategy, and execution. We have been enabling banks to achieve their customer satisfaction goals and accelerate their digitization journeys with modern technology solutions. A calculated and well-thought plan and collaboration with the right fintech solution providers will help get you ready for this dynamic and ever-evolving journey of going digital and help you to rise above such extreme situations, now as well as in the future.

July 9, 2020

Does your business deal in crypto? Priority cryptoasset registration applications deadline fast approaching

In this blog, fscom Senior Manager Colin Sloan outlines the application process for priority cryptoasset registration.

July 9, 2020

Everything you need to know about drafting a winddown plan

In this blog, fscom’s Alison Donnelly comments on the FCA’s increased focus on winddown plans.

July 9, 2020

Digital Banking – The New Power Business Tool

The future is coming at us a lot more quickly than anyone anticipated. In light of the novel coronavirus and the pandemic it caused, keeping up with the technological advancement seems to be a top priority in most industries.

While many market analysts fingered digital banking as the wave of the future, nearly everyone is shocked at how fast these trends have accelerated in the past couple of months.

July 9, 2020

Impacts of Wirecard and Covid-19 on the FinTech landscape

Opinion blog by Peter Cox, CEO and Founder of Contis Group. Analysis on the impact of Covid-19 and Wirecard on the payments industry, and what it’ll take for companies to survive.

July 2, 2020

Surviving Furlough

A personal account of the experience of being furloughed and 7 top tips to help come out the other side in a more positive place.

July 2, 2020

How to fight back against COVID-19 scams

Online crime gangs have used the coronavirus pandemic to scam consumers and businesses across the globe. So, this blog examines 4 key types of Covid19-related fraud to help keep you and your business safe.

July 2, 2020

Open Letter to the FCA from the The Payments Association

The Payments Association and its members strongly urge the FCA to unfreeze Wirecard Card Services accounts, or facilitate a solution to enable safe access to e-money by e-money holders affected, as soon as it can, for the sake of cardholders, companies and their employees, and the UK fintech industry. Without this freezing being removed rapidly, we believe there will be significant and lasting damage to individuals, companies and the UK’s current and future prospects as leaders in fintech.

June 29, 2020

Overall impact of the covid-crisis on the Payment Industry… and Reasons for hope

Businesses in payments are still operating effectively while organising themselves for the new reality. From early April the question becomes, ‘What now?’ as companies in the payments industry and financial

April 23, 2020

What’s really going on in payments?

Seven themes shaping the future of payments in the year ahead By Tony Craddock, Director General, The Payments Association To do your job well, you need to know what’s going

December 19, 2019

Payments Association Response to the FCA’s announcement on SCA

On Tuesday 13th August, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) agreed a plan that gives the payments and e-commerce industry extra time to implement Strong Customer Authentication (SCA). Tony Craddock, Director

August 14, 2019

Friction versus Fraud

Project Transaction Insights is supported by our Benefactor, The Chargeback Company Fraud exists – has always existed. Whatever the method of payment or the value attached, there is a way

July 9, 2019

Women in PayTech: A Year in Review

By Anne Pieckielon, Project Lead of Women in PayTech Background The Payments Association AGM gave me an opportunity to reflect on what the Women in PayTech (WiP) initiative has achieved

May 29, 2019

Brexit and Tax – issues for the payments industry

At the time of writing, Brexit has been postponed until 12 April 2019 and may be postponed again. With a Brexit outcome imminent in one form or another and Brexit

April 12, 2019

Diversity is not only the right thing to do, it is the smart thing to do

By Andrea Dunlop, CEO Merchant Acquiring Europe at Paysafe, and Payments Association Advisory Board Chair In 2018, we celebrated 100 years in the UK since women were allowed to vote,

March 8, 2019

Calling all FinTechs: Don’t Miss Out on Mexico

By Norah Prida Bay, Member of Project International Trade & Digital Business Deployment Manager at HSBC In a recent speech, our President, Enrique Pena Nieto said: “Mexico is a

August 13, 2018

Action for Financial Inclusion by Neil Harris

By Neil Harris (Advisory Board member at The Payments Association & CCO at Global Processing Services) Declining real wages, increased income volatility, the squeeze on benefit payments, along with the

April 10, 2018

Will GDPR and PSD2 exacerbate financial exclusion?

[vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ width=”1/1″ tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default”][vc_column_text] By Tony Craddock, Director General, The Payments Association Or, ‘What the Facebook data breaches really mean’

April 10, 2018