Winter 2020 Issue

Turning Risks into Opportunities

By Daniela DeTommaso Real estate is one of the most unpredictable and ever-changing industries, dictated by the push-and-pull of housing supply and demand. Yet, if there is one constant, it is that the industry is able to withstand significant economic uncertainty and volatility in the market. This remains true in …

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Winter 2020 Issue

Are North American Banks Ready for the Digital Identity Challenge?

By Liz Lasher With COVID-19 restricting people’s ability or willingness to engage in face to face interactions banks are looking to their digital channels for continued growth. Key to delivering great customer experiences (CX) is the way in which banks verify that applicants are who they say they are. This …

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Winter 2020 Issue

How COVID-19 Accelerated Global Payments

By Christian Spaltenstein The impact of COVID-19 has been significant and widespread across all business sectors globally. From displaced workforces to new regulatory barriers, businesses have been faced with unexpected challenges affecting their profitability and in many cases survival. While the struggle to pivot from the existing model is still …

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Winter 2020 Issue

Changing SMB Finance

By Ian Duffy The front-page headlines of news media business sections tell of big companies going under — and since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic the list of casualties keeps getting longer — with bankruptcies up 50 percent since last year. Household names such as Le Château, Geox, Cirque …

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Winter 2020 Issue

2021 Predictions

1. The digital customer experience becomes a priority for financial services as consumer demographics and behaviors evolve. Millennials, the largest segment of the workforce, and Gen Z, the largest population today, are driving more tech-savvy activities than ever before. These generations tend to be more challenging to satisfy and want …

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Winter 2020 Issue

Tackling Debt Remains Canadians’ Number One Financial Priority for 11th Year in a Row

TORONTO, ON—Despite a global pandemic and financial uncertainties, a new CIBC study finds that for the 11th straight year, paying down debt remains the number one financial priority for Canadians heading into the new year (20 percent), followed closely by keeping up with bills/getting by at 18 percent. Optimism for …

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PaymentsPre Paid

KABN Unveils Challenger Banking Program for Verified Self Sovereign Identity Users

KABN North America’s prepaid Visa Card to support Liquid Avatar users and provides online banking solutions Toronto, ON–KABN Systems NA Holdings Corp., a North American Fintech solutions company specializing in empowering individuals to manage, control and generate value from their biometrically-verified Self Sovereign Identity (“SSI”) through its Liquid Avatar platform, …

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Corporate AcquisitionsPayments

IBM Acquires Expertus Technologies to Expand Hybrid Cloud Digital Payment Solutions

Canadian Fintech Solutions Provider Gives Financial Institutions the Flexibility and Security to Rapidly Innovate and Compete; Advances IBM’s Hybrid Cloud and AI Strategy ARMONK, N.Y–IBM has acquired Montreal-based fintech company, Expertus Technologies Inc. The acquisition strengthens IBM’s portfolio as an end-to-end digital payments solution provider and further advances IBM’s hybrid …

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Pre Paid

Membership Growth Underscores Role of Prepaid in Digital Banking Ecosystem

TORONTO, ON–The Canadian Prepaid Payments Organization (CPPO), the voice of the prepaid payments industry in Canada, today announced that it has added 10 new companies to its membership list. ATB, Carta Worldwide/Mogo, daVinci Payments, EML, Fintech Growth Syndicate, FIS, I2c and Marqeta SightSpan have joined as general members and EQ …

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Business BankingPayment Processing

Scotiabank 1st to Offer Real-Time Payments in Canada through Interac e-Transfer for Business

Business service allows the ability to send & receive real-time payments using a recipient’s account number or email address TORONTO, ON–Scotiabank is the 1st financial institution in Canada to offer real-time payments for all business banking customers using flexible routing options like an account number or email address, using Interac …

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