Research

Consumers, regardless of age, are using AI to research personal and business-related purchases. Some are even allowing AI to buy the products with no need to visit a store or website. Merchants should build a deeper understanding of this decisio...

Ten years after the Federal Reserve set the U.S. faster-payments agenda in motion, the market is beginning to show what fit-for-purpose adoption looks like in practice. This report examines how real-time payments, Same Day ACH, and other faster-...

Zelle’s growth in its nearly decade of existence has made it a central P2P feature in U.S. banking apps, but the overall user experience still lags behind what consumers have come to expect from third party platforms. Despite strong adoption, cu...

Small businesses are leveraging peer-to-peer apps for business purposes, and PayPal and Cash App are excelling in this space. Banks must not grow complacent. They should be competing by offering services like Zelle and tap-to-pay.

Independent sales organizations (ISOs) are evolving as payments and point-of-sale technology become more complex. Once primarily focused on selling payment terminals, today’s ISOs serve as trusted advisors, helping merchants navigate advanced PO...

There’s been an intriguing shift in gift cards, which are no longer simply given by others. Consumers are buying prepaid cards for themselves to take advantage of companies’ rewards, make online purchases, and control their spending. Businesses ...

Small business owners are expressing confidence that there’s momentum in their sector, which they expect will lead to revenue growth and—more importantly—increased profitability.

Mobile banking has surged past online use, becoming the primary channel for everyday financial tasks. Yet as reliance grows, so do expectations for fast, intuitive support and meaningful guidance. Many customers still find digital service lackin...

Business credit cards are marketed as rewards-driven products in a crowded, rate-focused category. But owners often adopt them for operational reasons—separating personal and business finances, simplifying taxes, gaining expense visibility, buil...

The year bodes well as 2026 approaches the end of the first quarter.  Economic indicators are strong, the credit card market is growing at a healthy rate, and credit cards remain the dominant payment method as inflationary pressures drive h...