Germany is preparing to continue its nationwide lockdowns through the end of January, a report from Financial Times (FT) says. Governments all across Europe are fighting to maintain control over mutating strains of the coronavirus which are more contagious. Markus Söder, the premier of Bavaria and leader of the CSU, one of Germany’s governing parties, […]
Continue ReadingBitcoin rose above $34,000 on Sunday (Jan. 3), after crossing the $30,000 milestone for the first time ever the day before. It hit $34,544.94 Sunday morning, CoinDesk reported, before declining slightly, sitting at $32,854.16 as of 7:09 pm ET. The “digital gold” saw gains of over 300 percent throughout the year of 2020, according to […]
Continue ReadingThe U.K. might up its amount for contactless payments from £45 to £100 in one of its first actions after officially leaving the European Union (EU), a report from The Daily Mail says. This update would mean more convenience for shoppers, but would also symbolize a step away from the EU’s rules. It could also […]
Continue ReadingThe Central Bank of Jamaica (BOJ) is looking to regulate the burgeoning eCommerce retail industry in the country, a report from the Jamaica Gleaner says. In the recently-ended year, the bank reported over 134 million transactions in the eCommerce retail space, worth over $4 billion. The report notes that electronic payment firms have “mushroomed” to […]
Continue ReadingPrivate insurer ICICI Lombard has rolled out its new website for small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Mumbai to buy or renew insurance, a press release says. “The new interface will serve as a convenient platform for SME owners to buy or renew insurance products, endorse their insurance policies, and register claims. Through this platform, […]
Continue ReadingThe digital-first economy was the story of 2020, but for many successful companies it wasn’t a complete surprise. It was an acceleration. It was a business evolution that they were prepared for regardless of the verticals they operate in. One of the companies that fits into that category is 7-Eleven. The pandemic had an effect […]
Continue ReadingFor digital currencies, as goes China, so will go the world? China, as is well-known, is in the midst of pilot programs tied to its digital yuan — offering both roadmap and competitive blueprint, of sorts, for other nations in the midst of their own central bank digital currency rollouts, including the United States. As reported […]
Continue ReadingSay the words “Wall Street.” Odds are you pictured the male-dominated, “Wolf of Wall Street” memes. Perhaps you liken investing to gambling. Stock markets are at record highs despite the pandemic, and expensive share prices might seem out of reach for the masses at large. But Leif Abraham, co-CEO of Public.com, believes the platform model — […]
Continue ReadingLibra may be a shadow of what some proponents promised it would be back in 2019 — namely, a seismic shift for the monetary system itself. What once was billed as a “new” currency, via global stablecoin to be composed of a “basket” of multiple fiat currencies, will instead be backed one to one by […]
Continue ReadingThe demand for digital services and payments that COVID-19 has carried in its wake is turning digitization from an aspiration to a necessity for health systems. So creating a digital front door for patients to access their healthcare plans is getting more attention as a way to streamline the entire consumer experience, from scheduling all […]
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