Planning before taking action and showing extra care in risky areas can help smooth out the merger.

Gen Zers are flocking to emerging payment methods, but card-based options, led by debit cards, remain supreme. Payment providers must align offerings with Gen Z’s preferences now as their spending power grows.

Payment service providers competing to serve small and medium-sized businesses have a new opportunity to win them over with cutting-edge payment, cash flow, capital, and marketing tools.

But as macro economic headwinds continue, card networks may start cutting into the rewards that are bringing them this spend.

This year, the payments industry will face its first major test following pandemic-driven digitization as economic uncertainty pressures customer habits. This is the data you need to understand the major changes facing the payments ecosystem in 2023—and how to navigate them.

High inflation and growing interest rates are putting the credit card industry in a precarious position. As 2023 progresses, issuers and networks will rethink their strategies and marketing schemes to protect their bottom lines.

Digital payment methods continue to displace cash and checks in the US payments ecosystem. But after a pandemic-driven crest, growth is moderating amid economic uncertainty, resetting the stakes for share of wallet.

Gen Zers’ influence on banking will begin to emerge as more than 4 million of them per year become mobile bankers through 2026. Banks must adapt to provide the services these digital natives demand.

This year will be a litmus test for trying new things. Payments incumbents that embrace change on their own terms will emerge stronger than before.

The new year will bring more uncertainty, more customer demands, and more regulatory scrutiny. Here’s what we’re keeping tabs on.

Invigorated travel has reestablished demand for travel credit card perks and benefits. But a recession could reverse gains—requiring premium card issuers to balance travel offerings with everyday utility. This second annual study reveals which of 10 leading premium travel credit cards are best positioned to attract and engage customers, based on their support of 49 emerging features.

On today's episode, in our "Retail Me This, Retail Me That" segment, we discuss the state of the buy now, pay later (BNPL) union, whether Gen Z will be BNPL users for life or migrate to credit cards, and the stumbling blocks the new payment method faces. Then for "Red-Hot Retail," our analysts give us four of their very specific—and potentially risky—predictions about BNPL in 2023. Join our analyst Sara Lebow as she hosts analysts Sky Canaves and Grace Broadbent.

US card fraud losses will remain sky-high despite slowing growth as credit cards and card-not-present fraud drive risk for merchants, issuers, and consumers alike—pushing new technology adoption and consumer education strategies to lower risk.

Our inaugural study evaluates 49 BNPL features based on customer demand, according to results of a survey of US BNPL users.

Proximity mobile payment growth in Canada is stagnant, posing a challenge for providers. We expect them to counter this trend by boosting customer engagement rather than seeking out new users.

Walmart and Target joined 1,600 merchants rallying around the divisive credit card routing bill—whose prospects aren’t bright.

On our premiere episode, we discuss the future of buy now, pay later (BNPL) and if it can still compete with credit cards. In our “Story by Numbers” segment, we dig into some of the recent BNPL headlines and tell the BNPL story with data. In "Inside Baseball," we break down BNPL stakeholders and imagine them in baseball terms: which are in the majors, which are in the minors, and which are past their prime and now playing for their town league. Tune in to the discussion with host Rob Rubin and our vice president of content, financial services Dan Van Dyke.

Banks’ continued investment in marketing, led by the sales of products and solutions to the mass affluent, signals sustained growth in digital ad spending on the heels of a historic snap back in budgets since the pandemic—despite a looming economic downturn.

Our second annual benchmark evaluates 10 leading cash-back credit cards, with no annual fee, across seven feature categories. It weights their scores according to the results of a survey of US cash-back credit card prospects.

Life is good for credit card issuers, but worsening economic conditions could endanger their $160 billion revenue stream. They must act decisively to ensure they’re still meeting consumers’ changing needs.