The average Verizon internet household now manages 18 connected devices and consumes 656 GB of data monthly, up 6% YoY, according to the latest Verizon Consumer Connections Report. Verizon is offering an industry-first 3-year price lock guarantee on all myPlan (mobile) and myHome (home internet) network plans, available to both new and existing customers. The offer meets a growing consumer demand for financial stability, control and simplicity — especially as families weigh technology investments alongside everyday priorities. Verizon is also now offering a free phone to new and existing wireless customers on any myPlan when they trade in a device — regardless of its condition. Plus, get even more immediate savings when bundling home internet, taking $15 off the total monthly bill. Families can stay confidently connected — with steady rates on core services like calling, data and texting. Customers can also save over 40% on five of the most popular subscription services Plus, free satellite messaging on qualifying devices. Verizon’s 3-year price lock guarantee offers predictable, multi-year stability across connectivity costs. As families upgrade their homes and devices, Verizon’s price lock guarantee offers something rare in tech: predictability.
Visa’s push to embed its tokenization-based payment network into AI systems, including chatbots and agents could transform ecommerce by letting online shoppers use natural conversation with an AI agent to make purchases
Soon online shoppers will be able to make purchases straight from their chatbots, which could drive the biggest shift in shopping since Amazon or the iPhone. Visa on announced a push to embed its payment network into AI systems, including chatbots and agents. The effort is in the early testing stage, with Visa listing OpenAI, Anthropic, Microsoft, Mistral and Perplexity among its partners.”We think the shift could rival the level of impact that e-commerce and mobile commerce themselves have [had],” Visa chief product and strategy officer Jack Forestell said. Visa demoed how a user can enter their payment information into a chatbot, just once, and use natural conversation with an AI agent to purchase a range of goods and services. Under the hood, Visa is incorporating the tokenization technology it has used to secure mobile and online commerce, combined with mechanisms for communicating authentication, payment intent and instructions. “We could give AI agents payment tools today, and they’d be able to go out, access your credentials, your cards, your money, and go spend it,” Forestell said on stage Wednesday. “That would just uncover a bunch of other really important problems that we need to get solved before we take step one.” Forestell is “hopeful that within the next 12 months” people have the option to use autonomous agent payments, at least within certain use cases. Separately, OpenAI said that ChatGPT search will begin including direct product links in its results, starting with categories including fashion, beauty, home goods and electronics. Experts say retailers need to start rethinking their e-commerce strategy to prepare for chatbots to play a significant role. The shift could allow companies to spend less on search advertising, but having the most up-to-date information on products and their availability will become more important, Pimberly CEO Martin Balaam told.
Capgemini unveils perpetual ‘Know-Your-Customer’ real-time continuous compliance sandbox automatically alerting firms to changes in a customer’s circumstances that could affect their risk profile, enabling them to re-assess their risk exposure to the customer
Capgemini has launched a technology sandbox to help financial institutions transition from static Know-Your-Customer (KYC) processes to perpetual KYC (pKYC) and event-based reviews. The sandbox, a first of its kind, provides a secure environment for firms to test and demonstrate the effectiveness of pKYC processes. It allows firms to automatically alert firms to changes in a customer’s circumstances that could affect their risk profile, enabling them to re-assess their risk exposure to the customer. Capgemini’s sandbox model is flexible and modular, allowing organizations to implement it across their cloud platforms and technologies. The sandbox is designed to meet regulatory requirements and demonstrate how financial institutions are mitigating inherent risk exposure more effectively. It also demonstrates the industry’s ability to demonstrate excellence in achieving real-time KYC requirements. Key benefits of Capgemini’s new pKYC sandbox include: A safe testing environment: a secure environment where new KYC processes, policies, or technologies can be tested without risking real customer data leakage or compliance failures. Best-of-breed solutions: integration of key components from best-of-breed RegTech solutions and accelerators. Real-time visualization: ability to visualize pKYC in action to gauge benefits and showcase the framework to regulators. Quantifiable business impact: rapid end-to-end testing of the tech stack and processes leading to much faster feasibility of the pKYC operating model and creation of the associated business case. Operational readiness: identifies operational bottlenecks and optimizes workflows to enable full-scale deployment with confidence.
BuyerTwin creates AI interactive “twins” of ideal buyer personas, providing businesses with direct, unfiltered feedback on their marketing, sales, and product strategies
BuyerTwin launched its groundbreaking AI-powered platform that creates interactive “twins” of ideal buyer personas, providing businesses with direct, unfiltered feedback on their marketing, sales, and product strategies. The platform allows teams to test messaging, content, website usability, and more, receiving instant, honest insights as if talking directly to their target audience. BuyerTwin leverages advanced AI and data from its proprietary TwinForce network—which recruits real buyers—to build highly accurate virtual personas. Users can interact with these AI twins in real-time to understand customer perspectives deeply. Key capabilities include: Website Feedback: Instantly see how site copy, design, and navigation feel from the buyer’s perspective; Content Insight: Understand which topics, formats, and messaging angles genuinely capture buyer attention and address their needs; Channel Behavior Analysis: Discover where ideal buyers actually spend their time and how they prefer to engage; Positioning & Messaging Tests: Refine value propositions and eliminate confusing jargon to ensure clarity; Sales Approach Validation: Get direct feedback on sales messaging and identify what buyers need to feel confident; Competitor Analysis: Understand how buyers perceive competitor offerings and positioning; Keyword Discovery: Uncover the authentic language and search terms buyers use.
BlackRock to create a blockchain-based share class for its BLF Treasury Trust Fund, a cornerstone of cash management
BlackRock Inc. signaled its growing ambition to bring digital technology to mainstream institutional finance, filing to launch a new share class of its $150 billion money market fund that is registered on a blockchain. The world’s largest asset manager submitted paperwork to the US Securities and Exchange Commission this week to create a blockchain-based share class — labeled DLT, an acronym for distributed ledger technology — for its BlackRock’s BLF Treasury Trust Fund, a cornerstone of cash management. DLT will seek to utilize blockchain technology to record share ownership or streamline certain fund operations for the money market fund, which invests in high-quality, short-term US Treasury securities. Bank of New York Mellon Corp. will manage the sale of these shares as an intermediary, for a minimum of $3 million. BNY, one of the world’s largest custodians of traditional assets, will play a role in representing the ownership of the shares through the technology, a process known as tokenization. These will simply mirror the fund ownership and will be nonbinding. Bryan Armour, director of passive strategies research at Morningstar said, “This is a step toward incorporating blockchain technology in investments, but it’s not a new strategy or a fully tokenized offering.”
Fifth Third Bank is surprising families with babies born at certain hospitals in Detroit on May 3 with a special voucher to open a college savings account
Fifth Third Bank announced that it is surprising families with babies born at certain hospitals in Detroit on May 3 with a special voucher to open a college savings account. Each year, Fifth Third celebrates May 3 (5/3) with community service and giving activities. According to the bank, this year, they are bringing the program to Detroit and partnering with the hospitals affiliated with Henry Ford Health, Detroit Medical Center and McLaren Health. The families that have babies born on May 3 will receive a $1,053 voucher for a 529 College Savings Plan, a DoorDash gift card and baby gifts, the bank says. Local labor and delivery nurses will also receive gifts. The bank will also do the giveaways at hospitals in Fort Myers and Naples, Florida.
BuyerTwin creates AI interactive “twins” of ideal buyer personas, providing businesses with direct, unfiltered feedback on their marketing, sales, and product strategies
BuyerTwin launched its groundbreaking AI-powered platform that creates interactive “twins” of ideal buyer personas, providing businesses with direct, unfiltered feedback on their marketing, sales, and product strategies. The platform allows teams to test messaging, content, website usability, and more, receiving instant, honest insights as if talking directly to their target audience. BuyerTwin leverages advanced AI and data from its proprietary TwinForce network—which recruits real buyers—to build highly accurate virtual personas. Users can interact with these AI twins in real-time to understand customer perspectives deeply. Key capabilities include: Website Feedback: Instantly see how site copy, design, and navigation feel from the buyer’s perspective; Content Insight: Understand which topics, formats, and messaging angles genuinely capture buyer attention and address their needs; Channel Behavior Analysis: Discover where ideal buyers actually spend their time and how they prefer to engage; Positioning & Messaging Tests: Refine value propositions and eliminate confusing jargon to ensure clarity; Sales Approach Validation: Get direct feedback on sales messaging and identify what buyers need to feel confident; Competitor Analysis: Understand how buyers perceive competitor offerings and positioning; Keyword Discovery: Uncover the authentic language and search terms buyers use.
Speculation has resurfaced around a possible integration of Ripple’s XRP with SWIFT following integration by SBI Remit
A recent report by Mastercard, titled “Blockchain Technology Fuels New Remittances Business Cases,” highlights several examples of blockchain applications in remittance systems. Speculation has resurfaced around a possible integration of Ripple’s XRP with SWIFT, the global messaging network for cross-border transactions. Previous reports have indicated that banks have tested XRP’s compatibility with SWIFT. If confirmed, such a partnership could significantly boost XRP adoption among global financial institutions. The report also mentions SBI Remit, a Japanese money transfer service that uses XRP as a bridge currency. It places SBI alongside earlier examples such as MoneyGram and Stellar, suggesting a broader trend of using cryptocurrencies to cut costs and speed up cross-border transactions. Mastercard’s reference to Ripple and XRP adds credibility to the token’s role in remittances. It signals that mainstream payment firms are now taking a closer look at blockchain infrastructure. The inclusion gives Ripple added visibility in the financial ecosystem. SBI Remit’s ongoing use of XRP in Asia further illustrates how digital assets are being integrated into real-world payment systems. The Mastercard report underscores that blockchain solutions are being evaluated across regions and technologies.
Tandem’s second charge mortgages platform features advanced API integration enabling brokers to submit applications electronically, significantly reducing manual data entry
Tandem is taking a major step forward with the launch of Connect by Tandem – a next-generation lender platform designed to transform the broker experience through automation and smart technology. The introduction of Connect is a pivotal moment in this journey, redefining how brokers interact with the bank by streamlining case management and saving valuable time. Connect is a pioneering loan processing platform that allows brokers to transact seamlessly with Tandem. Tandem has always been known for speed and efficiency and Connect takes this to the next level. An extensive test phase has already demonstrated its impact, shaving an impressive 4.5 working days off processing times. Key features include: 1) Advanced API integration – Enables brokers to submit applications electronically, significantly reducing manual data entry. 2) New broker portal – A single, central hub for automated underwriting policy requirements and case tracking, document uploads and case updates. 3) Automation – Streamlines processes such as EPC discounts, AVM’s and affordability checks.4) Enhanced document management – Simplifies uploads, tracking and case notifications for brokers.
MoneyGram launches API for embedding crypto on/off-ramp functionality enabling fast, compliant cash-to-crypto and crypto-to-cash integration through a single implementation
MoneyGram has launched MoneyGram Ramps, a developer-centric API that enables fast, compliant cash-to-crypto and crypto-to-cash integration through a single implementation. With just a few lines of code – wallets, exchanges and fintech apps can instantly access the MoneyGram global cash network, making it easier than ever to embed crypto on/off-ramp functionality at scale. Built for speed, MoneyGram Ramps equips developers with tools to get started in minutes: No banking integrations required; Instant API credentials and sandbox access; Comprehensive documentation and SDKs; Live onboarding. Powered by the Stellar blockchain, Circle’s USDC and MoneyGram’s global network, MoneyGram Ramps bridges physical and digital currencies, enabling movement between cash and crypto and expanding access to the digital economy. With MoneyGram Ramps, developers can easily offer users – even those without a bank account – the ability to deposit or withdraw cash at thousands of participating MoneyGram locations worldwide. “With this launch, MoneyGram is quickly becoming the connective tissue between traditional finance and the digital economy,” said Anthony Soohoo, MoneyGram Chief Executive Officer. “We’ve taken the complexity out of integration, opening the door to seamless connection with the world’s largest cash on/off-ramp for digital wallets1.”