What We Think

2018 Forecast: What’s Next in Payments and Commerce – by Payments Leader

Download the PYMNTS.com eBook to learn about Payments’ future from 39 Global Leaders. Congratulations to Jim Johnson, President of Financial Institution Payments at FIS, who was chosen as one of the 39 executives by PYMNTS.com to represent the payments space.

February 20, 2018

2019 Javelin ID Fraud Study: Targets Move with Increasingly Adverse Effects

Given the agility and tenacity demonstrated by fraudsters in 2018, financial institutions should assume that every account type will be under greater pressure going forward.

March 27, 2019

Don’t Treat SMB Credit Card Clients like Consumers

Today, banks and other financial institutions have an opportunity to create a credit card program designed for small business owners

May 10, 2018

Agile Development for the Digital Age

How a hyper-collaborative approach brings fluid flexibility to product releases.

April 06, 2017

Part 2: Alternative Data – Casting a Wider Net to Unleash Improved Credit-Scoring by Ron Whyte

As I previously explained, there is a revolution underway that will transform – and improve – how lenders obtain the data.

September 11, 2018

A Realistic Approach to Omnichannel Banking

This paper demonstrates a logical series of approaches that collectively form the basis of an omnichannel blueprint for financial institutions.

November 02, 2016

Artificial Intelligence – The New Frontier in Banking, Part 1: Machine Learning Fights Fraud

Focused on machine learning to fight fraud, this is the first article of a two-part series on the deployment of artificial intelligence in banking and questions surrounding the ethical use of data.

November 16, 2017

Artificial Intelligence – The New Frontier in Banking, Part 2: Extending Through the Payment Ecosystem – by Maria Schuld

Focused on applications beyond fighting fraud, this is the second article of a two-part series on the deployment of artificial intelligence in banking.

December 12, 2017

Rise of the Machines: Robots Enhancing Retail Experience – by Dan Peacock

The rapid evolution of artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics have now become a part of everyday life and as they become increasingly more affordable, more industry sectors are getting onboard.

March 15, 2018

Artificial Intelligence Enters the Loyalty Space

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is becoming more relevant in the financial industry every day. Now, AI is being utilized to improve customer loyalty.

May 03, 2018

Where do I…AI? AI as a Service Helps Smaller FIs Compete by Ernie Buday

Artificial Intelligence (AI) already is transforming banking for many of the country’s largest financial services organizations. Fortunately for smaller organizations, AI isn’t out of reach.

December 07, 2018

Long Live ATMs

According to recent studies, the hype behind ATMs being dead is not real. Evidence has shown that cash withdrawals from ATMs have increased over the year

April 26, 2018

Smart Technology Without a Smartphone – by Naveen Nukala

Mobile technology has the ability to ease access to EBT, simplify benefit distribution, eliminate the stigma that consumers attach to payments made with EBT cards and further reduce fraud, as we’ve discussed.

December 26, 2017

SMB Recruiting and Onboarding…for Profit!

Hiring the right people may be the single most important thing a small business owner can do. Good employees can make a business successful.

March 22, 2018

An Rx for Healthy Payments Processing – by Dan Brames

The soaring cost of healthcare in the United States has led to an increasing amount of bad debt faced by medical practices.

January 02, 2018

B2B Payments: What Magic Will It Take to Make Paper Disappear?

A 2015 Payments Leader article discussed the pros of using credit cards for business-to-business (B2B) transactions – less paper, less manual intervention, rebates for users, ability of suppliers to be paid sooner and global acceptance of major credit cards.

March 14, 2019

FIS White Paper

Want to know how your financial institution can use data to identify the opportunities that will fuel your growth trajectory? Click here to download Banking on Analytics: Why Data Is Your Secret Weapon.

January 25, 2018

Bank Portals Can Streamline Digital Charitable Giving

Fundraisers highlight the millions of dollars people digitally pledge to charity every day. But how safe is the cash, & how secure are the payment card details?

October 19, 2017

How to Disrupt the Disruptors in 2018 – by Esther Pigg

The incredible pace of change in 2017, combined with the uncertain regulatory and political environment going forward, and the acceleration of competitive pressures across the payments industry can make 2018 look like the hardest year yet.

December 19, 2017

Managing Change in 2018 – It’s Not a Spectator Sport – by Maria Schuld

With so many competing technology trends – and so many competing predictions about them coming out this time of year – it’s tempting to give in to the status quo and wait until one form of technology proves to be the leader. Unfortunately, remaining on the sidelines in the midst of rapid change is unsustainable.

January 23, 2018

Artificial Intelligence: The Good, the Red Flags and the Bottom Line – by Maria Schuld

I will take my chances against a computer-generated decision any day of the week; it doesn’t have the biases that people have in making decisions.

March 20, 2018

Blockchain: Still in the Proof of Value Stage by Esther Pigg

Last May, I wrote an article entitled, “Blockchain: Mystery or Reality for the Financial Industry?”

November 08, 2018

Blockchain: Mystery or Reality for the Financial Industry? – by Esther Pigg

Blockchain is a complicated mystery to many, but it doesn’t have to be. Here’s a simple description I find helpful: Imagine a spreadsheet (ledger) that is duplicated (distributed) thousands of times across a network of computers (nodes).

May 29, 2018

Building Market Share in a Saturated Debit Card Market

Retail financial institutions (FIs) of all sizes are faced with a saturated debit market in the U.S.

April 03, 2018

Disaster Recovery: Preparing for the Perfect Storm

In the midst of chaos created by catastrophic events such as hurricanes, earthquakes, and terrorism, financial institutions must be able to deliver critical services and provide the short-term support their customers and employees need.

October 26, 2017

Can Predicting Cardholder Behavior Help Reduce Prepaid Costs?

Using behavioral analysis to extend the life of cardholders while reducing costs

March 02, 2017

False Positives: The Unintended Consequences of Mitigating Card-Not-Present Fraud by Maria Schuld

When EMV took hold in the United States, it came as no surprise that card fraud shifted to card-not-present (CNP) transactions.

October 18, 2018

U.S. Card Networks Set Their Sights on Their Larger Competitors by Bob Woodbury

The signature-debit market has been dominated by Visa and Mastercard since its inception over 30 years ago.

October 16, 2018

Are Your Priorities Right When Choosing a Loyalty Partner?

Your loyalty program is one of the key components affecting how consumers view your brand.

November 28, 2017

The Return of the Travelling Salesman: A Retro Retail Paradigm for the Connected Home by Dan Peacock

It may seem counter-intuitive, but today’s online economy is simultaneously leading to a rise in personal consumer contact

November 06, 2018

Ongoing Software Development, Continuous Rollout and No Down Time? Say Hello to DevOps. by Barbara Morgan

To compete with increasing demands around speed and reliability, many software developers have moved toward new DevOps techniques.

October 25, 2018

Convenience, Financial Inclusion and Advocacy: Part 1

Digital payments are evolving & focusing on overcoming the obstacles that keep many unbanked markets around the world to gain more financial inclusion.

June 22, 2017

Commercial Card Value Propositions: More Than Rebates

Commercial cards are prevalent in the market, but issuers have recently lost customers. Here are innovative ways issuers can improve their service value proposition to keep customers.

June 14, 2018

Creating Your Smart Technology Future

Smart technologies – mobile apps, voice control, artificial intelligence and more – are changing the retail landscape. From greater convenience and faster service for consumers to greater operational efficiency and improved customer loyalty for merchants, technology is creating a new world

September 14, 2017

Resolve to Embrace Change

As humans, we are biologically programmed to resist change. But studies show that our aversion to change can be dangerous. After all, everything in life is dynamic. If we’re not prepared for change, we cannot easily adapt to – let alone embrace – unknowns that lie ahead.

February 01, 2018

Financial Institutions Reap Rewards with Credit Card Loyalty Programs by Bob Legters

Google “best credit card rewards” and you’ll get 387 million potential answers, including links to hundreds of websites dedicated to “hacking” reward programs to help customers earn the greatest amount with the least possible effort.

March 19, 2019

Battling Goliath Takes More than a Slingshot – Kris Carrera

Smaller financial institutions face an uphill battle against top banks in attracting young consumers entering the market for financial products, including credit cards.

May 08, 2018

Curiosity as the Driver of Culture, Career Growth and Leadership Development: Part 2 by Dondi Black

Curiosity – that urge to ask, “What if?” – can be a strong driver of innovation, as I highlighted in a recent blog. That’s far from the only benefit, however. Leaders who foster a culture of curiosity within their organizations can use it to achieve stronger growth and improvement.

June 28, 2018

Curiosity as a Driver of Innovation Part I – by Dondi Black

Global companies, such as Disney, have used their customer's curiosity to further drive engagement and grow profit. Now, banks and other financial institutions are following the same path. Learn about the "3 C's" that will help influence your consumers' expectations, and behaviors.

April 19, 2018

Customer-centric Bill Pay by Mike Kresse

Consumers shouldn’t bear the burden of figuring out complicated banking applications and jargon to pay their bills.

November 02, 2018

How Loyalty Programs Could Revolutionize Commerce in India (Part 1) – by David Johnson

Customer loyalty rewards programs are a necessity for today’s payment providers.

December 14, 2017

How Data and Analytics Tools are Reshaping Modern Retail

If merchants want to remain relevant within their industry, it is essential for them to observe, evaluate and adopt emerging trends for long-term success.

November 21, 2017

Digital Transformation: Imperative for Success

Digital banking technology transformations are reshaping the customer's experience in banking. See what every bank must consider to refine their digital experience.

June 07, 2018

The Rise of Digital Cards for Instant Rewards and Incentives by Jerry Uffner

The on-going digitization of payments isn’t just about eliminating checks and cash, or even about the rise of digital cards and wallets.

October 11, 2018

Preparing for Payments Perfect Storm

Millennials have a growing need for digital payments and self-service banking. Learn how to get ready for the digital banking transformation here.

June 21, 2018

The Death of Cash and Checks? by Leah Middlebrook

Computers and smartphones have forever changed the way we make payments and manage finances. But their biggest change may be our expectations.

August 03, 2018

Grab the Wheel Before Connected Cars Drive Off by Dan Peacock

Big data and the Internet of Things are enhancing driver safety, car diagnostics and the delivery of new services through connected cars.

September 05, 2018

Cracking the eCommerce Checkout Code by Sri Kothur

Preference for online shopping is growing – particularly amongst younger consumers – and merchants must adapt. The digital experience must be at least on par and in sync with the in-store experience or retailers risk losing sales.

August 10, 2018

Driving B2B Electronic Payment Automation for Accounts Payable and Receivable

Accounts payable & receivable can be a long process, but B2B electronic payment automation can help. Here are payment solutions to improve these processes.

June 26, 2018

‘Alexa, Open EBT’ – by Naveen Nukala

Developed by FIS, this new skill will ease access for disabled and elderly recipients of government assistance, especially those who are housebound or lack family support.

February 15, 2018

EBT Payments Evolve to Enable Recipients

EBT recipients have faced problems in paying their bills & shopping, especially shopping online. Now, new technologies will solve many EBT recipients' problems.

August 10, 2017

Flipping the Model for EBT Transactions with QR Codes by Naveen Nukala

It can be hard for EBT recipients to buy fresh produce because farmer's markets usually only take cash. Find out how QR codes could help make this easier!

July 05, 2018

Time for a Smart EBT Upgrade to Improve the User Experience (UX) By David Johnson

All aspects of the financial world – from international cross-border payments to the distribution of federal benefits to low-income families – are digitizing.

July 10, 2018

The State of EMV: Card Not Present Fraud Escalates Globally Comments

Currently, 97 percent of FIS' credit issuers are issuing EMV cards, while just under 70 percent of debit issuers are issuing EMV cards.

August 08, 2017

Are You Ready for Contactless Payments?

“Get ready, get set for the contactless reboot” was the essence of a recent Payments Leader blog advising all issuers to prepare for enabling contactless payments.

July 17, 2018

EMV Phase Two: Contactless Payments

With EMV migration still ongoing, is the U.S. ready for dual-interface cards?

April 14, 2017

Enable a New Launch Mode for Product Adoption

FIS is driving the revolution in how financial institutions are launching new products & services. Learn about these new strategies that help drive fintechs toward success.

May 24, 2018

Energizing Communities in Declining Markets

Bringing the financially underserved into mainstream banking.

March 30, 2017

Enhancing the Customer Experience through Geolocation-based Engagement by Trevor Mast

The customer experience can be further personalized by utilizing geolocation targeting. Find out how this technology can help improve overall brand experience.

July 24, 2018

Making the Most of Your Investment in Fighting Cyber Fraud

A recent Krebs report of how employees at a regional community bank fell victim to phishing emails serves as a $2.4 million reminder of the difficulty in fighting cyber fraud.

August 07, 2018

Financial Inclusion – Learning Lessons from Emerging Markets

With mobile phone penetration in emerging economies at a higher rate than bank accounts, telecommunications companies have offered phone-based payment services

June 08, 2017

Bringing a Digital Smile to the Customer Experience

Banks and other financial institutions have been working to strike a balance in customer service between digital and physical channels.

March 27, 2018

Finding the Hidden Value of Your Loyalty Program’s Indirect Benefits

To make sure your loyalty program truly meets all the needs of your financial institution, it’s vital that you measure its direct benefits as well as its indirect ones.

March 14, 2017

Faster, Smarter, Cheaper: How Innovation Labs are Catalysts for Accelerated Hyper-growth by Leah Middlebrook

Fintech innovation labs are an effective part of creating value during product R & D. See how this strategy has inspired the payments technology we use today.

December 18, 2018

Javelin and FIS White Paper

Over the past several of years, credit card fraud has been on the rise making financial institutions and issuers more vulnerable.

April 24, 2018

FIS Success Guide: Now is the Time for Faster Payments

In 2017, the Federal Reserve’s Faster Payments Task Force set a goal to make faster payments an option for every customer and business transaction by 2020.

July 26, 2018

A Look Ahead to 2018: Grab the Handrail

From every direction, you can see the tremendous transformation that’s happening in payments. But blink for one moment, and you’ve missed another technology change in the payments ecosystem.

January 09, 2018

Four Pointers for Building a Purpose-Driven Institution by Ellyn Raftery

“Let purpose be your driving force.” FIS Chief Marketing and Strategy Officer Ellyn Raftery talks with Financial Brand readers about the need for brands to align with societal causes that are important to younger generations to differentiate themselves.

March 21, 2019

From Global to Local: Nine Ways That Payments Are Shrinking the World

As we see payments technologies evolve, the boundaries between nations are starting to quickly disappear. It will continue to be an amazing transition.

October 12, 2017

Financial Institutions Must Connect with Millennials and Gen Z Now

Their youth, coupled with the potential for deep student loan debt, makes it easy for financial institutions to consider postponing active pursuits of millennials and Generation Z.

July 12, 2018

Gauging Product Profitability: Don’t Let Intuition Stand in the Way of the Truth

Without a robust profitability model, companies have nothing but sales, margin and intuition to gauge product performance. The trouble is that sales and margins don’t tell the whole story and intuition often fails us. Data is what tells the truth.

March 12, 2019

Go-faster B2C Payments Dropping Checks and Cash

Automated Clearing House (ACH) payments reconcile faster than checks, they provide transparency, & their security and fraud protection is greater than paper.

July 25, 2017

Growing Loyalty Through Co-branded and Affinity Credit Cards

The interest in affinity & co-branding of credit cards is fast becoming a central pillar of customer loyalty, & cross-sell opportunities for merchants.

July 13, 2017

Good Bye Expedited Payments. Hello Real Time. by Mike Kresse

Real-time payments are poised to become part of financial institutions

January 17, 2019

Helping Your Customers Save by Rounding Up

New tools are launching that roundup payments to the next dollar to support saving and giving:when a payment is made, these tools take the money between the actual cost of the bill and the next dollar and deposit the difference in a savings account.

May 23, 2017

How to Painlessly Modernize and Renovate ACH Processing for Decades

As the world continues towards real-time payments, ACH payments could soon be outdated. See what banks are doing to renovate & modernize their ACH payment processing.

May 31, 2018

Identity Fraud: The Battle Continues

In today’s world of digital commerce, consumers expect to be able to bank and shop anytime, anywhere, but as we migrate to online and mobile channels, the potential for fraud and identity theft grows exponentially.

October 17, 2017

Implications of Europe’s GDPR & PSD2 on the United States

GDPR imposes new rules on organizations that store information on European citizens, & stipulates that they need customer consent before sharing data.

June 27, 2017

Improve your B2B payment with e-invoicing

The world of B2B payments has historically been slow to embrace the digital revolution. Electronic invoicing is still haphazard between small & large business

September 21, 2017

How Loyalty Programs Could Revolutionize Commerce in India (Part II) – by David Johnson with Kyle Lulofs

Happy New Year and welcome to the continuation of our discussion on India and the potential influence loyalty can have on consumers migrating toward digital commerce.

January 16, 2018

Embracing the New Payments Normal: Instant, Intelligent and Secure

The way people make payments is changing faster than any other area of financial services. Whether it’s that last Uber or Lyft ride, or the first trip to the Amazon Go store, your customers’ experiences in industries outside of financial services are driving new expectations when it comes to making payments.

February 27, 2018

Investing in Relationships – Using Resources Wisely

Recently, FIS launched its inaugural Retail Payments Summit as part of our annual FIS Connect client conference. Listening to so many clients discuss their successes, I was struck by how important it is for companies to invest in building relationships, not just solutions.

May 18, 2017

Maintaining Brand Identity as Payments Become Invisible by Kris Carrera

Contactless payments – widely used around the globe – are coming in full force to the United States. Tapping will replace dipping and swiping – a seemingly simple change for cardholders, many of whom are already tapping their phones at contactless-enabled terminals.

July 19, 2018

Is Loyalty the New Currency?

For over a hundred years, loyalty programs have changed the way consumers interact with the companies from which they purchase products and services.

June 29, 2017

ISVs Integrate Payments to Achieve a Holistic View by Sri Kothur

Today’s independent software vendor (ISV) market resembles the Wild

January 15, 2019

Loyalty Innovation Provides a Competitive Edge

What could other types of retail outlets use a real-time, POS-based customer rewards program to improve engagement? Immediate response and gratification are the expectation of almost every modern consumer. In the world of Amazon Prime, a survey by A.T. Kearney last year found that only seven percent of people reported that they were willing to wait six or more days for a delivery.

June 01, 2017

Loyalty Programs Evolve to Meet Changing Consumer Preferences – by Mladen Vladic

Loyalty programs remain an important tool for merchants to attract and retain top consumers. However, traditional programs – those where currency comes in the form of points or cashback – no longer work the way they once did. To motivate modern consumers, you must integrate with their lifestyles and that’s where technology can help.

February 06, 2018

Machines Are Key to Creating, Growing and Maintaining eCommerce Relationships by Sri Kothur

While ecommerce only accounts for about 10 percent of total retail sales

September 11, 2018

Making Payments Pay for Your Business – by Ernie Buday

Payments are the most relationship-oriented and offer the most frequent interactions with customers of all products offered by financial institutions. This is especially true as we continue the migration to fully digital payments. Yet, many financial institutions are leaving money on the table when it comes to payments.

April 12, 2018

Managing Card Compromises – Not One Size for All by Jennifer Gardner

It is a familiar story: a merchant database is attacked; an unknown number of cards are compromised and all cards are reissued. No one wins – the cardholders are inconvenienced and the card issuer pays the price – but the fraud, at least, is mitigated.

July 03, 2018

The 5 Unavoidable Market Forces Driving Convergence in the Evolving Payments Ecosystem by Serena Smith

Payments convergence is presenting payment providers with new opportunities and pressures. Revenue is shrinking for many, but payment speed, volumes and processing complexity continue to increase.

October 30, 2018

Market Segmentation: The First Step in Achieving Product Profitability by Sandra Blair

Market segmentation is based on the premise that companies don’t have sufficient resources to be everything to everyone.

July 31, 2018

Members Love Their Credit Unions, But Still Look to Banks and Other Financials…Why? by Maria Schuld

How a hyper-collaborative approach brings fluid flexibility to product releases.

November 27, 2018

Minimizing Risk to Maximize Return on Your Product Rollout

Financial institutions must work to understand how a product could fail, proactively address those risks and fully consider the needs of the customers for whom the product should have been designed.

March 21, 2017

Mobile Apps Give Instant Gratification in an On-Demand World: Part 1

The new, on-demand economy in the United States relies on a broad and highly engaged base of consumers attracted by mobile app technology, seamless payment transactions, customer convenience, and immediacy.

September 26, 2017

Mobile Wallets to Boost Convenience for EBT Recipients

Mobile wallets for EBT will support more convenient access to benefits for people who often have accessibility problems and help people optimize the limited funds they receive.

May 11, 2017

Highlights from the Best Retail Conference of the Year – The 2018 NRF Big Show! – by Dan Peacock

This year’s National Retail Federation (NRF) Big Show was particularly strong when it came to discussing how to shift your future to meet the needs of your customers. Here are some highlights of the event I thought were particularly interesting.

January 30, 2018

New Types of Loyalty Rewards Boost Cardholder Acquisition and Retention – by Mladen Vladic

Competition for credit card customers is heating up. To stay ahead of the pack, issuers are reinvigorating their programs with new loyalty rewards that reduce friction in communications, engagement and redemption experience.

March 06, 2018

Shed the Prepaid Stereotypes for New Possibilities – by Ernie Buday

Convenience and the ability to limit risk have dramatically expanded the draw for prepaid products.

January 04, 2018

Omnichannel at the Core of the Digital Bank Target Operating Model – by Kris Carrera

The environment in which banks operate today is increasingly complex, where fundamental definitions of how customers interact and experience a bank are being totally rewritten.

January 11, 2018

Easing the Path to Purchase with Customer Journey Mapping – by Dan Peacock

In a competitive environment where market share is driven directly by the customer, improving customer engagement is vital to develop lasting relationships.

December 21, 2017

Omnichannel Strategies For Merchants

Payments don’t deliver omnichannel strategy, but the ease with which they can be made is key to omnichannel success. So how can payments support a seamless omnichannel strategy and frictionless customer experience?

May 04, 2017

Open Up to Stay Relevant by Bruce Jennings

Today’s banking customers no longer compare financial institutions themselves. They compare experiences.

October 23, 2018

Optimize Your Return on Customer Loyalty

Four out of five consumers state they are more likely to do work with brands that offer loyalty programs. But poor communication leads many programs to failure

September 19, 2017

A Path to P2P Revenue by Mike Kresse

Person-to-person (P2P) payments are growing in popularity. While that’s driving financial institutions to compete and offer it, P2P comes at a significant expense.

October 04, 2018

Payment Processors & the “Nines”

As a payment processor, we've assumed that any cash equivalent payment – debit cards, prepaid cards & EBT cards – should be as reliable and immediate as cash.

August 01, 2017

The Year in Review: How the Payments Ecosystem Evolved – by Jim Johnson

This year was predicted to be a time of focused transition in the payments arena. FIS’ EVP of payments, Bruce Lowthers, said he expected companies would change direction from chasing the latest technology trend to focusing on connecting innovation to consumer value propositions.

December 28, 2017

Re-engineering for Consumer Expectations – by Jim Johnson

Two important shifts recently occurred in the United States: Gen X surpassed baby boomers in spending power and Millennials became the largest segment of the workforce.

March 13, 2018

Payments Summit 2018 – Empowered Success!

This past week in Orlando, FL was a whirlwind of client meetings, breakout sessions, special speakers and events, and an overall great time at the 2018 Payments Summit at FIS Connect!

April 17, 2018

2019 Look Forward: Payment Transformation Keeps Up the Record Pace by Jim Johnson

As a runner and history buff, I’ve considered how it took decades

January 08, 2019

Line-Busting Technology: The Waiting Is Over

Consumers in a hurry often avoid restaurants where they’ve experienced a long wait when paying their bill.

November 07, 2017

Personalization and Credit Cards are Changing the Face of Credit Unions – by Kris Carrera

Once regarded as the preserve of lower-paid families who would otherwise struggle to obtain a mortgage or bank account, the credit union market is booming.

February 22, 2018

Prepaid NOW: The New Bank Account – Webinar with FIS and Aite – by Payments Leader

Watch the Prepaid Now: The New Bank Account webinar and use the password FISrecording2018 when promoted.

March 01, 2018

Rethinking Easy Money Through Prepaid by Jerry Uffner

Despite years of predictions about its demise, prepaid continues to gain momentum. Increasingly, millennials, Gen-Xers and those in new markets are turning to prepaid as a frictionless way

August 17, 2018

The QR Code Resurgence: How Street Vendors in Asia Lead the Digital Payment Revolution

Asian economies have surpassed supposedly more advanced markets in the number and value of mobile transactions and it’s all thanks to QR codes.

October 02, 2018

Beyond Instant P2P – Real-time Payments for Retailers, SMEs and Businesses

Real-time payments – systems that transfer and settle transactions almost instantly – are becoming the norm worldwide. Numerous countries already offer well-established services, and more are under development.

July 05, 2018

Reinvigorating Your Digital Strategy

Get your digital game face on – added-value marketing with a sense of fun

March 16, 2017

Differentiate Your Brand and Reward Your Customers with Financial Education by Maria Schuld

Consumers’ financial aspirations do not meet reality, as the 2018 FIS PACE™ report firmly demonstrated.

August 21, 2018

Retailers Combat the “Amazon Effect” with New Technologies by Dan Brames

Amazon has quickened the pace of retail evolution and redefined the retail landscape, just as Walmart did decades ago when it moved onto Main Street.

November 14, 2018

Is POS Headed to the Graveyard? – by Dan Brames

Large sums of money have been applied to securing and speeding up payments at the point of sale – implementation of EMV and investment in NFC, for example. Juniper Research predicts that more than half of global transactions and one-third of U.S. transactions will be contactless by 2022, requiring more investment in POS technology.

February 13, 2018

Contactless Payments Reboot: Get Ready, Get Set

From retail stores to mass transit systems, the use of contactless payments is on the rise, but there are still many merchants and card issuers that have yet to adapt.

May 17, 2018

Augmenting the Retail Reality In-store and Online – by Dan Peacock

Retailers don’t have to sit back and watch as their customers leave their stores to buy online or via digital channels.

May 01, 2018

Revolutionizing Retail with Wearables

New wearable technology represents the POS frontline

May 25, 2017

Reinvigorating Education Through Rewards – by Trevor Mast

On the surface, the growing number of reward schemes being introduced into educational establishments may seem somewhat trivial. While you may be tempted to ask if students will start receiving medals simply for showing up, these schemes are intended to improve the entire educational ecosystem

February 08, 2018

Tokenization for Frictionless and Secure Card Payments

The dangers of cyber fraud are well known, as are many of the largest hacks.

November 02, 2017

Serena Smith Named One of the Most Influential Women of the Year

Serena Smith has been named one of PaymentsSource’s Most Influential Women of the Year!

March 07, 2017

Sharing Funds Across Families, Groups and Small Business with Prepaid & Mobile

Companies of all sizes have daily needs for which employees must purchase goods and services. But transferring the funds so that expenses reconcile quickly and efficiently has been anything but easy.

August 03, 2017

Shopping in the Moment with Contextual Me-commerce

Retailers put their efforts to compete against the e-commerce giants, their survival may depend on using online & mobile to better know who their customer.

July 20, 2017

Six Steps to Enable A Successful Product Launch by Sandra Blair

Across industries, one-quarter of revenues and profits come from launching new products and services, according to McKinsey & Company. However, failures rates of launches remain high – around 40 percent – regardless of product complexity or the amount of money spent on introducing a new product.

November 29, 2018

Why Are Card Based Authentication Technologies Not Gaining Traction? – by Bastian Knoppers

While EMV chip cards were designed to reduce card-present fraud, combatting card not present (CNP) fraud remains a problem for merchants and issuers.

June 05, 2018

NEXT ARTICLE Merchant Service Hubs: The One-stop Shop for Small Business Owners

From managing the books to social media marketing, small business owners have a lot on their plate. Learn how merchant services hubs can benefit small business owners.

May 22, 2018

Smart Card Alliance Features FIS Senior VP, Bob Woodbury

In this first issue of 2017, Smart Card Talk spoke with Bob Woodbury, senior vice president of FIS.

February 13, 2017

Smart Payments: An Imperative for IoT Lifestyles

The tasks consumers can ask voice assistants to perform continues to grow as manufacturers & service companies integrate skills into a wide range of products.

April 10, 2018

The Changing Face of Retail Marketing in a Digital Marketplace

The digital marketplace has created a new breed of retail consumers and merchants have never been more challenged to reach them.

November 09, 2017

Revisiting Streamlined Expense Management with Prepaid Cards

We turned out to be correct when we described opportunities available in the market for prepaid as an expense management solution, last year

October 10, 2017

The Path to Collaboration by Brian O’Neill

When collaboration works well, companies win big through improved client experiences, engaged workforces, higher productivity, faster decisions and more agile product development.

June 19, 2018

Target Operating Models to Get Your House in Order – by Kris Carrera

A solid foundation is as important to your house as it is to your financial institution.

November 30, 2017

Delivering a Frictionless, End-to-End Consumer Experience – by Dan Brames

Creating a frictionless consumer experience requires more than ease of payment at the point-of-sale.

December 07, 2017

The Art of the Invisible Payment

Invisible payments are quickly becoming mainstream, with a variety of approaches designed to make paying invisible and effortless.

February 16, 2017

The Future of POS – From Payment Origination to Business Management Tool

Modern POS systems have changed radically from simple card readers to a vital piece of the in-store retail experience.

June 20, 2018

Three Big Drivers of the Payments Revolution: Lean In or Lose Out by Dondi Black

From global markets to Mainstreet U.S.A., the payments ecosystem transformation is happening at a quickening pace driven by a variety of factors including changes in regulations, emerging technologies, and shifts – sometimes subtle, sometimes dramatic – in consumers’ attitudes and behaviors.

December 04, 2018

EBT Eligibility: Three Steps to Fight Fraud from the Get Go

Although the number of cases continues to drop, fraud among supplemental nutritional assistance program (SNAP) beneficiaries, there are still challenges when it comes to verifying EBT eligibility. Learn about these three helpful steps on how EBT processors can fight against EBT eligibility fraud.

May 15, 2018

To Beacon or Not to Beacon

Beacons allow merchants to send deals, & advertisements to a customer's smartphone based on their location. They also help collect consumer shopping data.

July 11, 2017

Tokenization Makes Digital Payments Frictionless

The move toward tokenization is underway. It increases protection across all channels & reduces friction for consumers thereby making transactions simpler

September 19, 2017

Thoughtful Leadership: Top Banks Do the Right Thing for EBT Recipients

Did you know the average EBT cardholder only receives about $125 monthly in supplemental food benefits – about $1.40 per meal? Or that the average ATM surcharge is about $3 – two meals worth?

February 21, 2019

Where to Start to Transform and Modernize? Revisit Your Strategy

Among the many discussions about how to modernize and transform companies in response to disruptive forces, Dell EMC CTO John Roese states that the IT industry faces a critical transitional phase:

March 07, 2019

Convergence in the New World of Unified Payments by Bruce Jennings

Old payment mechanisms may never die. But the digital revolution has created ever-increasing numbers of mechanisms.

August 15, 2018

A Unique Loyalty Promotion to Differentiate Your Brand

Customer loyalty is important to any brand, but the soft benefits of some customer loyalty programs & promotions leave lasting advocacy and positive word of mouth.

June 12, 2018

Upselling Through Prepaid

Encouraging prepaid customers into a lifelong banking relationship

April 25, 2017

Welcome aboard! Navigating leadership

Ships come in all shapes and sizes and serve many different purposes. That said, there is only one ship that you build, operate and most importantly, navigate – that is your leadership.

May 02, 2017

What’s Up with Your Social Media Presence That You Don’t Know About?

How do you keep track of your company’s social media presence?

June 15, 2018

Why Your Gift Card Program Needs a Christmas in July

Most merchants don't start their holiday gift card program until the after school rush. To truly take advantage of this opportunity, merchants should start now!

July 18, 2017

The Fast-Closing Window for Going Digital – by Bob Legters

Almost half of the banking customers already can be considered digital-only, according to The Financial Brand.

March 08, 2018

Want to Retain Valuable Women in Your Company? Start at the Grassroots

Women are exiting the financial services industry faster than men, & faster than they leave other industries. What is being done to stop this trend?

August 15, 2017

Is Zelle the Payment Platform to Keep Banking Providers in the Game? by Mike Kresse

Growth of person-to-person (P2P) payments shows no signs of slowing.

August 30, 2018

Financial Institutions Go Open with API Hubs

An Open Application Program Interfaces (APIs) Hub is key to delivering exceptional customer experiences. Learn why this is the foundation for better customer service.

May 23, 2019

Three New Reasons Direct Banks Are Dominating

New data shows that direct banks outpace competitors when it comes to customer satisfaction -- but what makes that customer relationship so unique?

May 16, 2019

Multi-layered and Interlaced Digital ID’s are an Easy, Secure Way to Identify Customers by Matt Collicoat

Multi-layered and interlaced digital ID's are an easy, secure way to identify customers. Learn how this technology is shaping the new world of payment technology.

May 02, 2019

How New Data Control Changes Will Impact Banks and Consumers By Bob Legters

In the past year, topics surrounding consumer controls and how data can be used came front and center.

April 23, 2019

Latest Trends in Retail Payments Puts Consumers in the Driver’s Seat by Ernie Buday

To stay competitive, retailers are shifting their investment strategies from growth via new stores to big investments in new digital-first sales models.

April 11, 2019

Client Enablement Onboards with Agility by Michael Tostrud, FIS SVP, General Manager of Client Enablement

Innovations from fintechs have greatly expanded the array of choices for both consumers and businesses.

April 09, 2019

Artificial Intelligence & the Fight Against Card Fraud

Machine learning and artificial intelligence are two tools being harnessed in the financial world to protect consumers from fraud. See how fraud prevention is changing.

June 13, 2019

FIS Connect 2018 and Payments Summit: How FIS is helping to empower our clients’ success

In case you could not attend FIS Connect 2018 and The Payments Summit, you missed one of the financial industry’s most informative learning and networking events. If attendance is one measure of success, this year’s Connect set a record with more than 3000 clients, partners and FIS employees congregated during the week of April 9 at the Swan and Dolphin Resorts in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. Client attendance increased from 2017 by 31.2% and overall it is up by more than 150% since 2016.

April 30, 2018

FIS experts address fraud trends, best practices for prevention at FIS Connect

As the payments ecosystem becomes faster, smarter and more open, financial institutions must be armed with a predictive, proactive and accurate fraud prevention strategy. At FIS Connect 2018, our experts shared the many risks financial institutions must be prepared to protect against, based on the latest fraud trends, including:

April 09, 2018

FIS Merchant Solutions Business Research Report: Seizing opportunities to satisfy unmet business needs

Small to midsize businesses (SMBs) are a critical part of the global economy. But to remain competitive with larger corporations and direct peers, they need cost-effective merchant processing solutions that arm them to securely process customer payments, streamline accounts receivables and payables, and drive repeat business.

April 23, 2018

Five tactics for credit unions to include in their fight against fraud

A successful fraud-fighting strategy requires credit unions to develop a holistic playbook to mitigate risk. As predicted with the transition to EMV chip cards in the United States, card present fraud is on the ropes but, card not present (CNP) fraud continues to rise as more consumers shop online. A new study by Juniper predicts that retailers will lose around $130 billion in digital CNP fraud between 2018 and 2023.

January 28, 2019

Flavors of fast 2017: where payments meet life

The world of real time payments is here, for consumers, SME and corporate clients. It is no longer a question of whether to embrace immediate payments, but, more imminently, when and how. Now in its fourth edition, the Flavors of Fast report examines how payments are evolving, with local-eye views of innovations emerging in various countries around the world.

September 11, 2017

For Thai banking customers, aspirations more important than transactions

Our FIS PACE research shows that there is a great deal of opportunity for Thai banks to help consumers plan and save for life events and realize their financial aspirations.

September 20, 2017

Four key questions to help shape your successful direct bank strategy

We’ve shared the five business reasons direct banks are popping up everywhere. We’ve told you that direct banks are forecasted to attract more than 50 million new deposit customers by 2020. But how do you make the leap from thinking you could benefit from a direct bank model, to bringing a successful one to market?

November 26, 2018

From the Jetsons to Alexa: The future is now

Remember that TV show, The Jetsons? It was this fun, quirky show full of all these tools and technologies that seemed like science fiction. Fast forward a few decades and many of those imaginative items are a reality. Hello, Rosie the Robot – who is now Roomba!

May 27, 2019

FRTB: A sheep in wolf’s clothing or a catalyst for a Risk IT transformation?

It might be tempting to dismiss the Fundamental Review of Trading Book (FRTB) capital rules as just another regulatory burden. It will certainly be a costly one: Celent has estimated that the total implementation will cost a tier one bank between

November 12, 2018

General Data Protection Regulation: What does it mean for you?

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) has been adopted by the EU and will come into force for all companies serving EU citizens in May 2018.

February 26, 2018

Getting closer to your customers with conversational banking

Online and mobile banking may have introduced amazing convenience for the customer, but they also removed much of the personalization from the banking experience. Conversational banking, which relies on chatbots and/or voice and text applications, has the potential to right this wrong and evolve digital banking beyond a purely transactional experience.

December 3, 2018

Racing towards the faster payments game

The Federal Reserve Faster Payments Task Force designated 2020 as the year that business and consumer payments in the United States should transition to real-time processing. However, there have already been several significant shifts towards adapting to this new payments ecosystem in the U.S.

June 4, 2018

Good news, credit card rewards lovers: Financial institutions are upping their loyalty game

Google “best credit card rewards” and you’ll get 387 million potential answers, including links to hundreds of websites dedicated to “hacking” reward programs to help customers earn the greatest amount with the least possible effort.

March 11, 2019

Goodbye legacy tech, hello ecosystems

Capital markets is a diverse and highly customized industry, and its technology is no exception. Even after decades of efforts to modernize, the typical capital markets firm’s infrastructure is still a patchwork of systems rife with duplicative data, diverse processes and varied technologies. These tangled webs of code are expensive to maintain, difficult to change and over time pose a real threat to both growth and sustainable profit margins for many market participants.

June 10, 2019

Have you met the modern prepaid user?

The prepaid user has evolved to include thriving millennials, dual-income families, business owners and young consumers. Prepaid solutions now feature the digital and mobile capabilities that are key to customer engagement, while empowering customers to manage their budgets, business demands and financial goals, on their terms.

January 29, 2018

Helping FinTech ideas come to life

With innovative technology so key to success in the FinTech industry, accelerator programs are helping promising startups connect with others, share ideas and bring their technology to market.

January 8, 2018

Hope, empowered

The 2018 InnovateIN48 Finals wrapped up on September 13 as teams competed against the clock with hopes of emerging as this year’s winners. The challenge? Use emerging technology to develop an innovative solution aimed at solving a social problem in the world today. This year’s challenge paved the way for an exploration into social issues that personally and emotionally hit home for our competitors. Focusing on solutions to do good for their communities enabled competitors to integrate their expertise into a development for social betterment.

October 1, 2018

How AI is Making Investing Smarter – and Richer

They say trading and investing is an art, not a science. Well, that could be changing. On a typical trading day, computers account for 50% to 60% of market trades.

July 15, 2019

How banks can attract millennials away from fringe alternatives

Millennials (18-36) are the most likely to turn to alternative financial services, notably person-to-person payments like Venmo but also high-fee services like check-cashing and short-term lending.

November 13, 2017

How banks can win in the age of the customer experience

In the age of the customer experience, bank modernization is critical. But bank transformation is complex, slow and expensive. In practice, it is more akin to a journey than a destination: banks are at different stages and each has individual objectives. But all banks agree that a flexible, digital architecture is fundamental to business success.

December 17, 2018

How Can Cards Stay Relevant as Payments Become Invisible?

Consumers have never had more options when it comes to payment methods, thanks to innovations like mobile wallets, wearables, QR code-initiated payments, and account to account payment options. But what impact do these new payment types have on card issuers and acquirers? How might they need to reconsider their current offering to ensure they continue to be perceived as a relevant, valuable and convenient payment type?

July 22, 2019

How Challenger and de Novo banks will drive the next wave of disruption

Recently, FIS published its UK-specific 2018 Performance Against Customer Expectations (PACE) study, showing that digital-first challenger banks and mobile only banks are handily outperforming other banks, with a 3.2 (out of 4) satisfaction rating among UK consumers. In the U.S., mobile only banks were second only to credit unions in consumer satisfaction with a 3.3 rating.

June 18, 2018

How creating a purpose-driven brand can empower your clients

“Let purpose be your driving force.” FIS Chief Marketing and Strategy Officer Ellyn Raftery talks with Financial Brand readers about the need for brands to align with societal causes that are important to younger generations to differentiate themselves.

March 4, 2019

How credit unions can benefit from AI in the loyalty space

Propelled by the need for speed, the desire to enhance customer experiences and mandates to reduce operating expenses, artificial intelligence (AI) is benefitting companies around the world. Financial institutions are no exception. Community banks and credit unions that embrace AI can increase market share and drive more cross selling of products and services within their existing customer bases.

January 21, 2019

How more than a billion people got access to financial services in less than a decade

About 1.2 billion adults gained access to financial services between 2011 and last year, the World Bank said Thursday, as the internet and mobile phones increasingly connected far-flung communities to the global financial grid.

July 16, 2018

How overlays and APIs are transforming the relevance of real-time payments

Whether they realize or not, most people have grown so accustomed to using APIs that they’re a fact of life to the modern digital user. The use of APIS has made the apps so many people rely on to find directions, transportation or communicate with other people and companies seamless, and simple.

September 24, 2018

How to Drive Growth in Your Industry

While market conditions vary across the buy side, sell side, insurance and banking, there is at least one clear commonality: a subset of firms that are growing significantly faster. What are these Readiness Leaders doing differently to set themselves apart from the competition?

July 29, 2019

How to learn to love Machine Learning

As automation moves to robotics, and robotics to machine learning – and eventually artificial intelligence (AI), the pace of change is challenging firms on multiple levels. Leadership is wondering which technologies will have the biggest impact; managers are rethinking how to organize their teams; and individuals are worried about whether these changes are a threat to their careers.

October 15, 2018

Ignorance may not be bliss when it comes to inheriting money

Just one in 10 U.S. consumers expect to receive an inheritance or wealth transfer in the next 10 years, according to the 2018 FIS Performance Against Customer Expectations (PACE) study. Specifically, just 9 percent of U.S. consumers aged 27-52 reported that they expect to receive an inheritance in that period. This is despite the nearly $9 trillion of household wealth and assets expected to transfer from Baby Boomers to Gen X and millennial Americans by 2028.

June 4, 2018

Immediate payments. Deeper customer relationships.

As consumers, our expectations around banking and payments are increasingly informed by the way we engage with other industries and digital services. Speed, context and openness need one another to create the relevant instant service and experience customers expect from a modern financial services organization.

September 18, 2017

InfoShare 2018: Empowering success

The conference, May 14 – 17 at the Walt Disney World Swan & Dolphin Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, is a perfect blend of education and networking opportunities in an ideal forum to mingle with your business acquaintances and the FIS team.

May 7, 2018

InnovateIN48: Driving innovation from within

At FIS, we weave innovation into our cultural fabric. Continuous improvement is how we work daily. Innovation happens organically through evolving our products and services, through market-leading research investment, and through internal platforms and programs that challenge employees. We encourage our employees to be bold and innovative in everything they do, and nowhere is that more evident than in our competition.

April 29, 2019

Innovation empowering hope

FIS kicked off its annual global coding competition, FIS | InnovateIN48 in May and this year’s theme is one that speaks to the heart of our culture at FIS. In fact, it’s aligned with one of our five guiding principles. This year, our InnovateIN48 finals will focus on giving back: Empowering hope through innovation.

July 9, 2018

Investing in technology propels firms forward

Amid slim margins and changing trading ecosystems, tech is a competitive differentiator for buy-side firms. Investing in emerging technologies like AI, machine learning and automation empowers firms to rethink existing models, reduce risk and manage shrinking yields and margins.

December 4, 2017

Is distributed ledger technology right for me?

Distributed ledger technology (DLT), commonly known as blockchain, has attracted a lot of hype. But while it has many potential benefits, from efficiency to security, there are seven questions to ask before assuming it’s the right answer to your problem.

May 21, 2018

Is your institution prepared to fight the newest and emerging card fraud trends?

EMV (Europay, Mastercard and Visa) was officially introduced to consumers and merchants in the United States in 2015. It was created to combat payments-related fraud and enhance security measures for all parties involved in a card-based transaction before, during and after processing.

April 23, 2018

Keeping it clean: The power of clean data

Today’s tech-savvy consumers expect highly engaging experiences across all platforms and at every touchpoint. And delivering on their growing demands starts with clean data. It’s at the foundation of everything from chatbots and analytical reports to targeted marketing and alerts. If the data isn’t clean, chatbots can’t answer even the most basic of questions, analytics dashboards aren’t useful, digital marketing isn’t personalized, and alerts are inaccurate.

August 6, 2018

Keeping machine learning, artificial intelligence ethical for customers

Financial institutions can use machine learning applications to build a data strategy that becomes smarter and more robust over time. When used correctly, AI can reduce payment fraud, personalize customer experience, boost the relevance and profitability of rewards and loyalty offers, and determine credit worthiness and risk.

February 26, 2018

Keeping up with digital disruption in the small business market

In today’s digital-first world, there’s an app or online channel for just about everything. And in the lending world, we’re seeing this digital disruption out-compete traditional financial institutions (FIs).

August 13, 2018

Lessons in real-time payments from around the world

For the U.S., being late to the real-time payments game has some tactical advantages, namely the ability to learn from other countries' successes and failures.

May 7, 2018

Leveraging customer loyalty

Relevant, real-time rewards presented at the point of the sale boost consumer engagement and usage and improve the ROI of loyalty programs. Leveraging loyalty as a currency has a huge pay-off for both retailers and financial institutions. See how one millennial customer who uses multiple credit cards to maximize loyalty rewards changes his purchase decisions when presented with unexpected offers. Take his journey here.

January 22, 2018

“Must-haves” to win over SMBs

According to the recently published 2018 FIS PACE study on SMB banking, it’s clients of the top 50 global banks

September 3, 2018

4 considerations FIs should make before jumping on the AI bandwagon

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has transformative potential in financial services as it relates to both better business practices for providers and creating more personalized

July 30, 2018

4 mistakes to avoid when implementing robotic process automation

Robotic process automation (RPA) is the newest buzzword in the world of machine learning and AI. It delivers quick ROI and is non-invasive from an IT perspective.

October 23, 2017

AI helps restore time to the defender's advantage

Behind many cyber breaches is a common tool of the bad guy tradecraft: Malware. A play on words of Malicious Software, malware is commonly referred to as virus, worms or trojans.

December 10, 2018

Anxious about the Cloud? Don’t be

As I talk to our customers, I’ve noticed that many of them are more open to using the cloud for mission critical activity. This is borne out by the findings of this year’s

August 20, 2018

APIs aren’t supposed to solve financial institutions’ problems…

Compared to the U.K. and elsewhere, U.S. banking providers’ adoption and use of APIs has been advancing far more slowly. While some of the largest financial institutions are rolling out partnerships and developer kits, most FIs remain on the sidelines.

June 11, 2018

Are cybersecurity risks holding back digital innovation and growth?

As the financial services industry continues to embrace digital disruption, cybersecurity risks continue to be a rising concern. In fact, our

December 24, 2018

Artificial intelligence can save issuers' customer relationships

When it comes to money, customers want easy access. With 90% of transactions already taking place online, customer demand is shifting toward convenience.

April 16, 2018

Automation key first step in moving towards AI and emerging technologies

Driven by a growing number of partnerships between financial institutions and fintech providers, revolutionary robotics software and advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) are helping front, middle,

July 16, 2018

Banco Popular

FIS recognized Banco Popular North America as one of its winners of the company’s inaugural FIS Impact Awards.

October 16, 2017

Banking on analytics: Why data is your secret weapon

“Most financial institutions know they have useful information housed somewhere in their data – but don’t know how to find it,” says Gautam Vyas, Group Executive, FIS Payments. In our latest position paper

February 19, 2018

Banking on cybersecurity

Cybercriminals are targeting financial institutions (FIs) with increasingly sophisticated methods and that could be costly for banks and financial institutions. Victims of fraud are almost

October 29, 2018

Beyond data sharing, open banking boosts omnichannel payments

In Europe the move to open banking has been driven by regulations such as the revised Payment Services Directive PSD2 and General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which compel banks to open their core systems to allow customers to control and release their data to third parties delivering added-value services.

June 25, 2018

Big tech vs. fintech

Big tech companies such as Amazon, Apple and Google have enormous capabilities to deal with individual consumers and process vast amounts of information. They have already transformed consumer purchases and payments, and appear to be on the cusp of a broader expansion into consumer finance – potentially disrupting consumer banking and shifting the landscape for technology providers in that space. FIS is actively engaged in this change. In 2015, for example, we marshalled our scale to mass enable mobile payments for more than 200 financial institutions.

May 28, 2018

Blockchain: Coming soon to a function near you

Last month, my colleague Tony Warren blogged about the five technologies that are reshaping financial services

December 11, 2017

Branches are alive and kicking

Banks may be closing branches in developed countries, but in emerging markets they are opening new ones, writes Brian Caplen.

March 12, 2018

Breaking down cybersecurity barriers

Banks may be closing branches in developed countries, but in emerging markets they are opening new ones, writes Brian Caplen.

February 19, 2018

Collaboration & creativity fuel innovative solutions at FIS|InnovateIN48

On September 14, I had the privilege of working with a distinguished group of IT professionals to determine which of the teams competing in the finals of FIS’ global development competition, FIS

October 2, 2017

Community banks can meet digital banking needs with open banking APIs

To compete with large national banks and maintain a competitive advantage, community banks need to collaborate with fintech partners who can help integrate new technologies that result in greater efficiencies

July 2, 2018

Complex corporate cash management can be made simple

Disparate accounts and disjointed processes cost corporates directly and indirectly. They limit visibility into cash management and inherently lead to greater risk of payments fraud—especially as the payments ecosystem becomes faster and more open. Yet, nearly 60% of corporate finance and treasury professionals surveyed by FIS have more than 100 bank accounts.

February 12, 2018

Could a full-service IT/AI bank devoid of human interaction be in our future?

The promise of total digitalization in banking is fast becoming a reality thanks to artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning solutions designed to better serve clients

October 29, 2018

Cybercrime: It could happen to you

Organizations dismiss the danger of cybercrime for a number of reasons. They think no one would bother to target them since they’re not big enough. Others may feel that they’re protected because their cybersecurity practices pass the annual audit or assessment.

May 13, 2019

Dana Inc. recognized as Impact Award winner

Dana Incorporated, a world supplier of drivetrain, sealing and thermal-management technologies, was recognized for its successful implementation of FIS’ corporate liquidity credit and collections solution in its Accounts Receivable Department. The solution has allowed the department to reduce

November 6, 2017

Data analytics: The gold mine of customer information

Financial institutions are increasingly mining their own data to capture actionable insights from their customers. However, the challenge to manage the tremendous flow of data they have available remains.

February 5, 2018

Data control changes are in the air. What does it mean for banks and consumers?

In the past year, topics surrounding consumer controls and how data can be used came front and center. First there was

April 8, 2019

Determining the case for a two-speed IT architecture

In today’s digital world, traditional banks must find new ways to compete while controlling costs. Digital business models have become essential to offer a truly personalised service, provide

November 5, 2018

Digital a priority for UK banking consumers

UK bank scores are generally improving against expectations, there is increasing demand for a new level of digital service. Consumers across all generations want to better connect with their banks at their convenience, at any time and from anywhere. Millennials are leading the way

September 25, 2017

Digital options a priority for Australian consumers

Australian consumers across all generations want to connect with their bank providers at any time and from anywhere. And while millennials are leading the way with digital, Gen Xers and baby boomers are fast followers. In fact, more than 45% of all users in Australia are using mobile devices

September 4, 2017

Digital tools are coming for high-net-worth clients

High-net-worth clients tend to want more of a hands-on experience from their advisers and bankers, which has historically limited the development of digital tools for those customers.

August 6, 2018

Digital transformation should be key initiative for banks

It is now a clear business directive and essential for bringing new products and services to this digital-first world. At the heart of any digital transformation is the revitalization or replacement of legacy core systems. All other emerging technologies and IT priorities—analytics, digital, the cloud—are dependent on the underlying data and processes of the banking core.

March 19, 2018

Digital-first, on demand solutions drive direct banking growth

Squeezed by megabanks on one end of the spectrum and nonbanks on the other end, community banks look for ways to compete for new revenue streams and new customers.

April 15, 2019

Discover the Benefits of Blockchain

In what is being heralded as the biggest generational wealth transfer ever, an estimated 45 million U.S. households will pass down $68 trillion to their children over the next 25 years. And Gen Xers and millennials are expected to gain the largest part of that share, making them a crucial segment for banks and financial institutions (FIs) to attract and retain.

January 04, 2019

Drive growth in your commercial portfolio with an automated, integrated receivables solution

Optimizing liquidity has become increasingly important to commercial clients to improve operational efficiency, realize cost savings, improve risk controls and manage the challenges presented by the disparate systems many companies still struggle to maintain.

April 2, 2018

Embracing blockchain: A differentiator for readiness leaders

The FIS Readiness Leaders are adopting emerging technologies ,like blockchain, to accelerate growth. Learn more in our

August 22, 2017

Financial Inclusion Requires More than Being Banked

The good news about financial inclusion is the steady decline in unbanked adults in the United States (U.S.) to only 6.5 percent of households in 2017, according to the

July 1, 2019

FinTech propels small business banking into the future

As the preference for digital is becoming more prevalent, especially among small and midsize businesses, financial institutions are turning to cutting-edge digital tools to build closer relationships with SMB customers.

November 20, 2017

First Citizens National Bank

FIS recognized First Citizens National Bank as one of its winners of the company’s inaugural FIS Impact Awards.

September 4, 2017

First national bank of granbury

FIS recognized First National Bank of Granbury as one of its winners of the company’s inaugural FIS Impact Awards.

September 25, 2017

Machine learning powers new insights for financial services industry

If you have not heard, for the last 20-30 years, the Financial Services industry has been analyzing data using Machine Learning (ML), Artificial Intelligence (AI), Deep Learning, and Data Science. We as an industry invented and improved training techniques and models that have helped us understand the types of problems

September 11, 2017

Making the case for contactless payments

When it comes to contactless payments, research shows that consumers, issuers and merchants all benefit from their use. Consumers enjoy added convenience, speed and ease of use of “tap-to-pay,”; while issuers and merchants enjoy faster transaction times, increased spending per transaction, lower operational costs and penetration into the cash payment market.

August 20, 2018

Millennials look to banks for help improving their financial health

Just as they look to the hardware store for help learning to use a hammer, millennials now expect their banks to help educate them about financial matters. The FIS 2017 PACE Report found that throughout the world, millennials want a more advisory and less transactional relationship with their banks.

October 30, 2017

Millennials really want financial advice. So, give it to them.

Millennials, after a slow start, are now accumulating wealth and entering more complex life stages, and that’s reflected in their growing interest in financial planning. According to a new survey by Guardian, 87% of millennials say if they knew more about financial products and services, they would feel more confident about reaching their financial goals.

August 27, 2018

Mobile, digital and customer satisfaction: An international snapshot of PACE results

For the fifth year running, we surveyed consumers in the UK, Germany and India to discover how banking providers should adjust their strategic plans and tactical investments to better attract and serve retail customers, from millennials to baby-boomers.

April 29, 2019

The five technologies shaking up financial services

Only 24 percent of financial services executives see emerging technologies as an opportunity, while a further 18 percent see it as a threat, according to FIS’ research into the growth readiness of buy- and sell-side firms. But these technologies are being adopted more quickly than many may realize, and we can’t stop them.

October 16, 2017

The fast track to faster payment ecosystems

The Federal Reserve Faster Payments Task Force aims to bring faster payments to consumers and businesses in the United States by the year 2020. Though our 2017 Flavors of Fast report counted 25 live global faster payments schemes, and 11 firmly in development, the arrival of a faster payments scheme in the U.S. marks a significant change for how consumers, corporates and financial institutions will experience money movement in the future.

May 14, 2018

The critical pursuit for innovation in fintech

All companies need to innovate to stay relevant and competitive, and to manage industry disruptions. Just look at Ford Motors; Ford used to be ‘just an automotive company,’ now they are looking to be a mobility company. The latter needs new core competencies, acquiring new skills and delivery models never seen before for an automotive company.

May 21, 2018

The coming year will mark the rise of frictionless card payments

Contactless payments were meant to be the second phase of the ongoing migration to EMV-chip cards in the United States, but the move to mass EMV adoption has been challenging for both financial institutions and merchants.

March 12, 2018

The boomer influence: Turning your best customers into your strongest advocates

In what is being heralded as the biggest generational wealth transfer ever, an estimated 45 million U.S. households will pass down $68 trillion to their children over the next 25 years. And Gen Xers and millennials are expected to gain the largest part of that share, making them a crucial segment for banks and financial institutions (FIs) to attract and retain.

June 24, 2019

The 5 unavoidable market forces driving convergence in the evolving payments ecosystem

Payments convergence is presenting payment providers with new opportunities and pressures. Revenue is shrinking for many, but payment speed, volumes and processing complexity continue to increase.

October 22, 2018

Surprise! Millennials are terrible with money.

More than half of millennials identify as being financially unhealthy. But when they turn to their primary banking provider for help, it often does not go well. Young millennials (ages 18-25) especially have difficulty finding time to visit a bank branch and, when they do make it in the door, they can’t find someone knowledgeable to answer their questions.

November 6, 2017

Solving the Operational Puzzle: The 2019 Readiness Leaders Show the Way

The 2019 Readiness Report finds that certain firms are staying ahead of their competition, growing their revenues twice as fast as their rivals – even as the industry overall has improved its performance across six pillars of growth. So, what sets these Readiness Leaders apart?

July 1, 2019

Solving problems with the cloud

One of the recurring challenges for CFOs and CIOs is how to get to get more efficiency from their teams and infrastructure and deliver ongoing cost improvements. A great example of this is how to be smarter with the peaks and troughs of computing activity.

February 25, 2019

SMBs lead the charge for digital payments

The FIS 2017 PACE Report found that small-to-midsized businesses (SMBs) are adopting person-to-person (P2P) payments at more than three times the rate of everyday consumers. According to PACE, 40% of SMBs reported using P2P payments to pay a vendor or supplier in the past 30 days.

October 23, 2017

Seven New Year resolutions for FinTech success in 2018

As we jumpstart 2018 with new business goals and priorities, establishing a clear line to growth and success in the FinTech industry remains a top priority. Here are seven resolutions that can help you stay ahead of the curve and have a successful 2018.

January 1, 2018

Separating the best from the rest in asset management

The asset management industry is seeing a significant shift in focus, as asset managers have reduced their focus on operating margins in favor of growth initiatives. Our 2018 FIS Readiness Report found that 57% of asset managers say that acquiring new clients is among their top three growth objectives for the next 12 months

July 23, 2018

Robotics: Future-proofing productivity for asset managers

Emerging technologies like robotic process automation (RPA) and artificial intelligence (AI) are changing how asset managers operate and provide value to investors. Wayne Riches, director of strategy and solution management at FIS, shares his view on how these innovative technologies can be applied in asset managers

March 26, 2018

Robotics: The new wave of digital labor

“Today we have people working like robots. Tomorrow we will have robots working like people.” John Cryan, CEO Deutsche Bank. In a world where machine learning and AI are driving innovative solutions in the fintech industry, robotics is a logical component.

October 9, 2017

Retail payments put consumers in the driver’s seat

Retailers are reacting to rising consumer expectations about getting what they want and getting it on their own timeline. Recently, Amazon announced its plan to invest $800 million in Q:2 to begin cutting two-day Prime delivery in half with hopes of expanding the range of product consumers will buy online.

May 20, 2019

Reimagining the role of banking in a micro-business economy

A robust banking industry needs a thriving small business community, and vice versa. In the U.S. today, sole proprietorships and micro-businesses make up 92% of all businesses in the private sector. Still, this group remains underserved by their financial services providers.

October 15, 2018

Reality bites: Is your confidence misplaced?

Do you feel more confident about your growth prospects than you did last year? If you said yes, then you’re not alone. When we surveyed more than 1,500 decision makers across the buy side, sell side and insurance for the 2018 FIS™ Readiness Report

July 9, 2018

Putting bots to work in the world of finance

Artificial intelligence and robotic process automation (RPA) are moving from experimentation to real-world application, helping financial institutions cut costs and transform customer service models.

February 12, 2018

Private equity firms are betting on tech in 2019

At least 25 percent of private equity firms plan to enter or launch new business lines or products within the next 12 months. General partners (GPs) who want to grow in what is already a hypercompetitive market are focusing on two things: talent management and providing the best client experience.

March 18, 2019

Payments modernization simplifies cash management

Payments modernization creates new opportunities for corporations to use open, instant and agile financial platforms to reduce the complexity and inefficiency associated with critical tasks like payroll

February 5, 2018

PACE 2018: The next phase of mobile banking

FIS is gearing up to publish the findings of its 2018 PACE (Performance Against Customer Expectations) research next month and one thing is clear: Banks need to evolve their thinking about mobile banking.

April 30, 2018

Overcoming the barriers to effective real-time payments

It is fair to say that real-time payments have come of age. Worldwide, the number of real-time payments programs has grown exponentially over recent years, rising from 14 in 2014 to 40 in 2018 with a further 16 programs expected to go live soon. It is increasingly apparent that we live in an age where instant gratification is king.

January 14, 2019

Open APIs: The latest in the open-banking ecosystem

Banks and financial institutions are embracing open application programming interfaces (APIs) to increase the pace of customer-focused financial innovation and to better compete with alternative fintech providers.

January 15, 2018

Omnichannel will define future banking leaders

Digital continues to drive customer expectations, and omnichannel will be a key differentiator for financial institutions. Yet, the complexity of omnichannel delivery combined with the state of legacy systems in most financial institutions

July 9, 2019

New regulatory rollbacks fuel growth opportunities for U.S. financial institutions

The Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief and Consumer Protection Act (S. 2155), more commonly referred to as the Act, or EGRRCPA, is considered by most in our industry as a winning legislation for credit unions and community banks.

September 10, 2018

Move over digital. Customer experience now a key differentiator

In 2018, mobile eclipsed online as the primary banking channel for consumers. In fact, in 2019 the gap widened. Today, 73% of all consumer banking interactions are digital. The point? Digital banking is no longer a trend.

April 22, 2019

The many dimensions of blockchain

Distributed ledger technology (DLT) – generally referred to as blockchain – is picking up steam in terms of both enthusiasm and potential adoption. As discussed in my last blog, there are a number of areas where it can be quickly implemented and quickly show results.

January 29, 2018

The next evolution of the broker-dealer

Just as the retail space has shifted from brick and mortar stores to online storefronts, consumers today are being presented with an increasing array of options when it comes to investing.

April 8, 2019

The only resolution banks and credit unions need to make in 2019

Tis the season for New Year’s resolutions--and that’s just as true for banks and credit unions as it is for their consumers. While most financial institutions will start 2019 with a laundry list of key initiatives and goals to pursue in the coming year, there’s just one resolution they need to make to lay the groundwork for success: commit to growth.

February 11, 2019

The Readiness Leaders maintain their edge

Our second annual FIS™ Readiness Report reveals that financial services firms have improved their scores against six key pillars of growth. Yet the Readiness Leaders are still growing nearly twice as fast as their peers. How are they doing it?

June 25, 2018

The road map to accelerating growth

Our survey of more than 1,500 senior decision-makers from around the world reveals that the top performing firms – the Readiness Leaders – are not just growing twice as fast as their peers. They’re also more likely to be reaping tangible benefits from their investments.

October 1, 2018

The robots are coming

Senior leaders who take a longer-term outlook on embracing emerging technologies such as blockchain, robotics process automation and artificial intelligence (AI) can create a compelling new value proposition for their customers.

October 9, 2017

The surprising forces driving growth in prepaid

In a recent webinar hosted in partnership with FIS and Aite Group, we explored why prepaid has become the payment utility of choice for use cases that span consumer, business, corporate, healthcare, e-commerce and technology segments—and how they’ll collectively fuel continued growth in the prepaid segment beyond the year 2020.

April 16, 2018

The tantalizing promise of technology versus the terror of modernization

Many firms put aside the tantalizing promise of digital strategies and AI, reluctantly admitting that without modernizing foundational platforms, there is no groundwork for more transformative change.

February 18, 2019

Three new reasons direct banks are dominating

Direct banks have existed for decades but are quickly growing in popularity. From the higher-than-average deposit interest rates, fee-free accounts and convenience of a digital, self-service experience, there are plenty of reasons why consumers are attracted to this type of banking experience.

May 6, 2019

Time flies: See the difference less than one year makes in global faster payments

Five years ago, we created the first edition of Flavors of Fast, our annual industry report on the state of global faster payments. There were only 14 faster payments schemes in the world at that time, but we sensed it was the start of what would be a seismic shift in the payments ecosystem.

September 17, 2018

Transform your treasury: Corporate treasury rising to the cloud

FIS conducted a global survey of more than 100 treasury and finance professionals to ascertain cloud adoption rates, patterns and perceptions. Survey respondents represented companies from a variety of industries, sizes and geographic locations.

November 13, 2017

Using the dark web to your (cyber) advantage

The dark web is the part of the World Wide Web that is only accessible by means of special software, allowing users and website operators to remain anonymous or untraceable, so they can’t be found by search engines or using traditional browsers.

March 25, 2019

Welcome to the Age of APIs

Two of the hottest topics in global banking are Application Program Interfaces (APIs) and the Payment Services Directive II (PSD2), as they’re central to the Open Banking agenda and enable banks to innovate using their current systems.

April 2, 2018

What difference three decades make: The evolution of direct banks

The digital capabilities, customer experience and technology sophistication direct banks offer has changed significantly since the first iteration of direct banking—a telephone banking model that allowed customers to bank from home, outside of traditional banking hours--was introduced in the late 1980s.

February 18, 2019

What does the future hold for faster payments?

Over the past few weeks, we’ve demonstrated what a difference just one year makes in the world of faster payments. We’ve also explained how value-added overlay services and the use of APIs on real-time rails are driving the contextual relevance of faster payments, and inviting new use cases for consumers, corporates, governments, and the providers attached to the scheme.

October 8, 2018

What to expect (and not expect) from fintech in 2019

When it comes to fintech, there is no shortage of big bets on which new technologies will come to fruition. Over the years, fintech has transformed the financial services industry and shows no signs of slowing down in 2019. But change takes time.

January 28, 2019

What women's growing wealth means for banks

While I’ve witnessed myriad innovations in the financial services industry throughout my career, there is one area where banking has been slower to evolve: investing in women.

November 27, 2017

When did retail banking become the hare and treasury the tortoise?

Last night, while you were sleeping, billions in cash moved instantly from one bank account to another thanks to dozens of new payment schemes emerging throughout the world (see our in-depth Flavors of Fast research on the topic).

January 7, 2019

Flavors of fast 2017: where payments meet life

The world of real time payments is here, for consumers, SME and corporate clients. It is no longer a question of whether to embrace immediate payments, but, more imminently, when and how. Now in its fourth edition, the Flavors of Fast report examines how payments are evolving, with local-eye views of innovations emerging in various countries around the world.

September 11, 2017

Why banks should outsource IT

There was a time not long ago that the idea of outsourcing a bank’s IT department was a non-starter. The perception across the industry was that outsourcing was too costly, unreliable and unresponsive to emergencies.

April 1, 2019

Why being experience-obsessed is vital for banks and financial institutions

The early days of digital, when focus was simply on providing digital channels for customers, are long gone. Today’s customers want personalized interactions, simplified banking and access to their accounts through digital technology.

May 27, 2019

Why SMBs are eager to accept digital payments

Small-to-midsized businesses (SMBs) are eager to accept digital payments—and they’re more than willing to invest to offer such options, according to the FIS 2018 PACE (Performance Against Customer Expectations) research.

May 14, 2018

Why some omnichannel initiatives fail (at first)

Delivering a seamless, consistent user experience across banking channels—a.k.a. omnichannel banking—has been a goal for retail banks in recent years. But for many, the result of these initiatives is an experience that is still fractured and uneven for both consumers and bankers.

November 26, 2018

Why technology is determining the winners and losers in the volatility game

From Twitter trends to trade wars, in today’s global economy everything has a knock-on effect. In a volatile market like 2019, where are the opportunities for firms?

May 6, 2019

Will you disrupt or be disrupted?

Leaders from institutions across banking, insurance and investment management agree: Financial services firms need to innovate for the digital age.

December 18, 2017

Will you unlock the potential of ISO20022?

Changes to financial market infrastructures for high-value payments and real-time gross settlement systems (RTGS) have already taken place in Switzerland, Japan, China and India; similar deadlines to adopt ISO 20022 as the new standard for exchanging payments in the United States, Europe, United Kingdom, Australia, Hong Kong and Canada are fast approaching.

June 03, 2019

With proper planning it’s possible to monetize your modernization investment

Among the many discussions about how to modernize and transform companies in response to disruptive forces, Dell EMC CTO John Roese states that the IT industry faces a critical transitional phase:

March 4, 2019

Women in FinTech: Bridging the gender gap

Not a surprising revelation when only about 20 percent of medium and large firm managers worldwide and only two percent of bank CEOs are women.

March 5, 2018

Seven Actions to Becoming a Revenue-driven Bank

Seven actions bankers can take to sustain a focus on revenue growth.

August 16, 2019

Locking in the Small Business Relationship

Small business financial solutions that accelerate accounts receivable processing, manage outbound payments and save owners time will lock in banks’ small business relationships.

August 19, 2019

Foundational Elements for Community Bank CRM Success

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) has evolved to add significant value community banks and executives must engage for CRM initiatives to achieve intended results.

August 19, 2019

Solving the Liquidity Challenge in Community Banks

Community banks need core deposits to fund profitable loan growth, a challenge that can be addressed by rapidly standing up a direct bank.

August 16, 2019

How a Data-driven Approach Drives Results, Engagement and Sustainable Growth

A glimpse into the best practices of a data-driven approach to financial services – how to transform, realign and get addicted to data.

August 28, 2019

Excel When Opportunity Knocks

Banks need to obtain the expertise required to consolidate acquisitions successfully.

September 10, 2019

Tired of Shiny Objects Losing their Luster? Try Following the TPC Framework

The TPC framework helps bankers avoid a never-ending loop of disappointing process reengineering initiatives and, instead, benefit from new technologies.

September 05, 2019

Why the Digital Banking Experience Needs to Rediscover Personalization across All Channels

Banks need to obtain the expertise required to consolidate acquisitions successfully.

September 12, 2019

The X Factor in SMBs and Banking

There’s no denying, small-to-mid-size businesses (SMBs) are big business. They drive local economies, generate two-thirds of net new jobs, and make up 98% of exporters and 97% of importers in the U.S. And according to the 2018 Mercator report, Small Business Banking: A Captive Audience, 61% of bank executives believe that SMBs represent their greatest growth potential.

September 16, 2019

The boomer influence: Turning your best customers into your strongest advocates

In what is being heralded as the biggest generational wealth transfer ever, an estimated 45 million U.S. households will pass down $68 trillion to their children over the next 25 years. And Gen Xers and millennials are expected to gain the largest part of that share, making them a crucial segment for banks and financial institutions (FIs) to attract and retain.

June 24, 2019

Banking Modernization: Is It A Communication Breakdown?

The famous line "What we've got here is failure to communicate" from Cool Hand Luke (1967) serves as a warning shot in the current blitzkrieg of Digital Transformation for banks.

May 08, 2019

Technology Transformation: Seek the Best of Both Worlds

Core providers that combine traditional strengths with agility, creativity and innovation will best serve financial institutions as long-term partners.

September 19, 2019

New PSD2 Regulation Rings in a New Open World

Financial institutions are entering an era of new regulations that puts consumers in charge of their own data to improve privacy and drive innovation in banking.

September 23, 2019

Why Security By Design Is Essential for Every Financial Services Provider

Security breaches are a concern across industries, and no organization is immune to the impact of a breach, regardless of its size. Financial institutions, fintechs, card issuers and similar organizations that repeatedly and consistently handle a breadth of sensitive information are in a particularly precarious situation when it comes to security.

September 23, 2019

Payments Leader

Merchants Can Now Deliver Faster CLO Payback to Customers

Card-linked offers with faster payback on benefits boost debit cardholder engagement with merchants processing their debit payments through the NYCE network.

September 10, 2019

Building a Business Case for Core Banking Targeted Modernization

Before a bank embarks on Core Banking Targeted Modernization, it needs to build a strong business case to justify the investment.

September 26, 2019

The Four Payoffs of the RegTech Approach

Regulatory change is about more than compliance; discover the four payoffs of taking the RegTech approach.

September 30, 2019

Are You Buying into These Cashless Payment Myths?

Learn how changes in payment technology now means some old financial beliefs no longer apply.

September 30, 2019

How Gen X and Small Business Banking Needs Converge

Gen Xers and SMBs share many attitudes and pain points about banking – how can banks can leverage this insight?

October 4, 2019

Why Small Banks Need Big Data Too

Learn how community banks can leverage their core transaction data and AI to acquire new customers.

October 7, 2019

Taming Digital Risk with Managed Services

Financial service providers invest to improve customers experiences through engagement on social media and digital platforms to promote solutions, extend new services, provide servicing and more. But along with increased digital engagement come new risks as fraudsters shift their attacks to digital theft of customer data

October 10, 2019

What Will 5G Mean for Banks?

It may be a few more years until 5G wireless technology becomes truly ubiquitous, but when it does, 5G will redefine our expectations for “normal” with all things wireless – including banking.

October 14, 2019