Short Blog – BNPL Recap

101 Blog… probably not for the BNPL experts. Recap at bottom. 

While CDBC may impact debit networks in a 5 yr view, I thought I would write a short blog on BNPL’s impact to credit networks in near term (See Insider’s BNPL market Analysis and MRC’s overview of solution providers)

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Digital Dollar – Biggest Threat to V/MA (and USD Hegemony)

I doubt if this blog will be beneficial for the crypto and CDBC experts. But for my friends, I’ve linked several very detailed articles and reports… which I’ve tried to summarize.

With respect to payments, let me start with the quote of the week

“Tom look at the pace of change in China as a model. 15 yrs ago they were cash. 7 yrs ago they were China Union Pay, Now they are Alipay/WeChat Pay.. 3 tremendous changes in 10 yrs.  I believe change will happen much faster than anyone could imagine.”

– Top 5 US Retailer

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Walmart – Banking and FinTech

As always pardon the typos

It seems like only yesterday that 30 members of Congress wrote the acting chairman of the FDIC to stop Walmart Bank.

“Wal-Mart’s plan, to have its bank process hundreds of billions in transactions for its own stores, could threaten the stability of the nation’s payments system,”

30 Members of US Congress, March 2006

Of course, we all know that Walmart pursued a different course to deliver services. Partnerships (MGI, Moneygram, Paypal, …) and banking in a box (literally an isle with prepaid cards). Most analysts discount or “write off” Walmart’s achievements in financial services.  Given Walmart doesn’t break out financial performance of Money Center, analysts are left with the tea leaves of MGI and GDOT reports. There is little doubt that comparing Money Center financial metrics to tier 1 banks would leave most unimpressed. However, Walmart has created a portfolio of banking services that supports their overall retail strategy and creates overwhelming loyalty amongst their core customer base.  

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Data Games – Battle of The Cloud Part 6

Warning.. biggest blog ever.. So I made a two page summary. 

Happy New Year! Best to you and yours. Having completed the successful sale of Commerce Signals to Verisk last year, this blog is a reflection on some of my lessons learned as well as my predictions on where I see things headed. The thoughts here are guiding my investments and launch of my next venture. I love the interaction, so please take time to write a comment on any of this. Also I ask for your pardon in advance for typos.. 

Understanding flows of data, and the structures in which it is controlled, provides a map of: value, power and margin. What is changing in the flow of data? What data is still “unique”? Where is power shifting? My past blogs referred to this dynamic as Rewiring CommerceValue Orchestration and the Transformation of Commercial Networks

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Google’s “Bank” Plans

Summary – Google is not becoming a bank, but rather enabling:

  1. New integrated tools that will provide the BEST mobile bank experience
  2. Instant account opening
  3. Consumer incentives that will unlock the power of data (w/ consumer’s consent)
  4. New predictive analytics, recommendations, alerts, reminders, coupons, offers and engagement

Public PR

Over last 6 months or so we have seen several Press Releases relating to Google’s bank partnerships:

“We had confirmed earlier that we are exploring how we can partner with banks and credit unions in the U.S. to offer digital bank accounts through Google Pay, helping their customers benefit from useful insights and budgeting tools, while keeping their money in an FDIC or NCUA-insured account,” stated the release.

Smart, according to Google, because it will provide its checking accountholders with money management tips to optimize and manage the funds in those accounts – funds linked to payments and identity credentials that consumers can use to buy things, pay bills and send money to others in and outside the Google ecosystem.

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Libra – Case Study in How to Build a Trust Network

Given yesterday’s blog on Open Banking, Open Payments and Trust Networks I can’t resist writing on what I believe was the greatest, most innovative, trust network in the last 20 years: Libra.  David Marcus’ design of Libra is brilliant, and will stand as THE REFERENCE MODEL for creating a trust network (apart from a market). 

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