• RIM is Dead? Long Live The BlackBerry

    Updated: 2012-03-30 17:15:58
    Before I get into any detail here, let me confess. I’m a Canadian and a very happy iPhone and iPad user. I’m here to state some facts about why the BlackBerry isn’t going away anytime soon. Sorry Apple fan boys! Last December, I  published the report, Corporate Mobile Banking: Revolutionizing Cash Management. The report goes into a [...]

  • Reflections on the Commercial Payments Conference

    Updated: 2012-03-30 17:06:12
    I was lucky enough to speak at the Commercial Cards & Payments Conference in New York last week. May I congratulate Joanne, the organiser, on a great event. I spoke about a topic dear to heart - SEPA, and gave a snapshot of my recent report The SEPA Ripple Effect - Impacting a Non-European Country [...]

  • Use your face and thumb to pay

    Updated: 2012-03-30 15:02:53

  • Things worth reading: 30th March 2012

    Updated: 2012-03-30 10:20:10

  • Why Wholesale Lockbox Belongs in the Headlines

    Updated: 2012-03-29 15:30:14
    The American Banker published an unlikely article this morning. In its article written by Jackie Stuart, Maryland Bank to Use Wausau Lockbox Service, the article waxed eloquent about the benefits Sandy Spring Bank will realize with its outsourced wholesale lockbox solution. Really – wholesale lockbox making headlines? A 50 year-old product? I was encouraged to see [...]

  • Tax Rebates Lead to Bankruptcy Filings

    Updated: 2012-03-29 15:28:05
    Jialan Wang has a blog post up summarizing her and her co-authors very interesting NBER paper estimating that at least 30,000 to 60,000 liquidity constrained households this will be priced out of bankruptcy because of the increased costs that came...

  • If you are cashless, can you survive?

    Updated: 2012-03-29 13:06:00

  • Is Loaning Money at a 350% APR Evil?

    Updated: 2012-03-29 12:25:00
    In the early part of this year, a new start-up called ZestCash launched. Founded by former Google CIO, Douglas Merrill, it appears to be an attempt at short-term consumer lending with a Google-like "don't be evil" approach and markets itself...

  • How Do You PayATrader?

    Updated: 2012-03-29 12:19:08
    Earlier this week, Payatrader announced launching a card processing service aimed at the UK small businesss across a broad range of trades, including builders, carpet cleaners, locksmiths, pest control, window cleaners, mobile mechanics and decorators. The home service providers and traders market has been underserved by the payments community in the past and is often quoted as an [...]

  • Things worth reading: 29th March 2012

    Updated: 2012-03-28 23:08:21

  • New Panel Data!

    Updated: 2012-03-28 19:35:37
    The Fed has just released their data from the 2007-2009 panel Survey of Consumer Finances. The SCF, conducted every three years, includes hundreds of variables on the assets, liabilities, income, and financial product shopping and utilization of American consumers. Some...

  • A Wall Street Crash through a cyberattack ... could it ever happen?

    Updated: 2012-03-28 10:07:00

  • Things worth reading: 28th March 2012

    Updated: 2012-03-27 23:24:16

  • Marketing $25 Billion AG Settlement to Consumers is Key to Getting Money

    Updated: 2012-03-27 21:37:07
    Principal Reduction and Strategic Default Main Marketing 25 Billion AG Settlement to Consumers is Key to Getting Money posted by Nathalie Martin Our local AG's office just held a meeting for people who serve homeowners in foreclosure , to explain what the settlement means to consumers . In this blog , I share what I learned . nbsp Homeowners in each state that is a part of the settlement sorry Oklahoma will receive tens of millions of dollars for forgiving principal on loans , refinancing for borrowers who are current but under water , and direct payments to those whose homes were foreclosed between January 1, 2008 and December 31, 2011. KEY FACT : Because people need to apply for these funds , education and outreach is essential . Please circulate this information as far and wide as you

  • Which Way for Debit in Europe?

    Updated: 2012-03-27 10:28:06
    I recently published a report titled “In Search of a Third European Card Scheme: Time to Move On,” in which I claimed that most of the initiatives aimed at establishing an alternative to Visa and MasterCard were unlikely to deliver a viable solution any time soon. I also said that the arguments for having such a scheme [...]

  • Things worth reading: 27th March 2012

    Updated: 2012-03-27 09:24:19

  • Principal Reduction and Strategic Default

    Updated: 2012-03-27 01:19:04
    Moral hazard, moral hazard, moral hazard.... How often have we heard that as a reason for why principal reductions can't be done. As if it were the worst thing in the world. As an initial matter, we don't have to...

  • The next major financial crisis will be in 2045 (presentation)

    Updated: 2012-03-26 23:01:00

  • Calling DeMarco's Bluff? Use the GSEs' Market Power to Force 2d Lien Write Downs

    Updated: 2012-03-26 21:27:42
    There's been mounting pressure on the acting head of the FHFA, Ed DeMarco to order Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to undertake principal reductions. DeMarco's pushed back, arguing that it's not fair for the GSEs to write-down principal when there...

  • Things worth reading: 26th March 2012

    Updated: 2012-03-26 08:44:53

  • The Finanser's Week: 19th March - 25th March 2012

    Updated: 2012-03-25 06:06:33

  • FireDogLake Book Salon on BROKE

    Updated: 2012-03-25 05:12:15
    On Sunday, March 25, from 5-7pm Eastern/2-4pm Pacific, I am live-blogging about Broke: How Debt Bankrupts the Middle Class at FireDogLake's Book Salon. My host is Edwin Walker, a retired bankruptcy practitioner with over twenty five years of experience. I...

  • Things worth reading: 23rd March 2012

    Updated: 2012-03-23 03:25:00

  • When It Pays to Pay Your Investment Banker

    Updated: 2012-03-22 10:12:22

  • Things worth reading: 22nd March 2012

    Updated: 2012-03-22 07:35:39

  • A Must Read on the Financial Crisis

    Updated: 2012-03-22 02:37:40
    Bethany McLean has a must-read article on Reuters about the role of the SEC's 2004 change in broker-dealer leverage requirements in the financial crisis. The article thoroughly debunks the argument that "the SEC did it" by loosening broker-dealer deregulation. I'm...

  • Things worth reading, the European view

    Updated: 2012-03-21 08:39:00

  • Things worth reading: 21st March 2012

    Updated: 2012-03-21 06:42:37

  • The Battle For Transaction Rewards

    Updated: 2012-03-20 20:44:08
    Last week Zil Bareisis posted a great blog entry regarding American Express’ Tweet Your Way to Savings Program. It’s a mighty interesting concept and provides quick cash back rewards to cardholders. It raises a few relevant questions for me: Are social rewards a passing fad? While this Amex/Twitter hookup received a fair bit of attention is [...]

  • Mobile payments is so hot right now, it burns

    Updated: 2012-03-20 11:45:31

  • A New Player in Small Business Online Banking. What The Intuit/Bottomline Deal Really Means

    Updated: 2012-03-19 15:56:55
    On March 5th, Bottomline Technologies and Intuit announced an interesting deal. There are two components to the deal: Bottomline acquires Intuit Financial Services commercial banking business for $20 million The two firms have formed a partnership and will work together “through cross promotions, referrals and joint sales efforts to deliver innovative solutions for financial institutions of all sizes.” Several [...]

  • Breaking News…..

    Updated: 2012-03-16 00:12:25
    ….Gareth Lodge will NOT be launching a mobile payment, mobile wallet or alternative payment scheme! It sometimes feels though that everyone else is. PayPal Here is the latest development in the market. Some early comments are suggesting that its too little, too late. I think it would be rash to write it off quite yet. Square has [...]

  • 6.13.12: Celent Banking Event: Fifth Annual Banking Innovation & Insight Day

    Updated: 2012-03-12 07:28:55
    Celent senior analysts, Banking Group This event is free for Celent clients and the media. Non-clients can attend for a fee of USD $495. Space is limited, so pre-registration is required. Please click here for more information.

  • Merchant Rewards and Cards

    Updated: 2012-03-12 00:02:17
    Last week American Express announced that it would be offering its cardholders the ability to sync their plastic cards to Twitter. When the customers tweet using special offer hashtags, couponless savings are loaded directly to their cards. This seems to be the latest in a number of developments by established players as well as new companies, all aimed [...]

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