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Letter from the editors

n January 2015, we published "The Apple Pay
versus bitcoin debate," a short feature article
that discussed the prospects of Apple Pay and
I bitcoin in the marketplace. While, at the time,
one cryptocurrency enthusiast stated that merchants
favored bitcoin over Apple Pay, most experts inter-
viewed didn't draw the same conclusion.
This issue's lead article doesn't compare the relative
merits of bitcoin and Apply Pay; each has its own
strengths that fit unique niches in the payments
landscape, after all. The article explores the appeal
and prospects of cryptocurrencies, in particular, bit-
coin, which has gained capital investment to the tune Advertising
of $357 million in the first half of 2015, alone. Bitcoin
made it into our news section, as well, because the campaigns
European Union's Court of Justice Advocate exempt-
ed bitcoin trading from Europe's value-added tax,
which some analysts believe could be the tipping are like puzzles;
point for widespread use of digital currencies for re-
tail payments. not all the same
Also in the news are stories about the Consumer
Financial Protection Bureau's new principles for es- pieces ft for
tablishing faster, safer payments; the promising new
frontier for PayPal Inc. after its recent spin-off from every puzzle.
eBay Inc.; a comprehensive update to the PCI Secu-
rity Standards Council's point-to-point encryption Let’s fnd your
standard; and the Electronic Transactions Associa-
tion's strong outreach efforts, including a new event,
Transact Tech, coming up in November. perfect ft today!

In our education and views sections, our contribut-
ing writers offer advice on how best to grow a pay-
ment business, stay informed amid so many rapid in-
dustry changes, as well as find partner(s) who align Customized advertising
with your unique value proposition. Other topics in-
clude the responsibility of payment pros to educate campaigns to ft any
merchants about the upcoming Europay, MasterCard
and Visa deadline, the top drivers of value in mer- size company and budget.
chant portfolio sales, and scams to avoid, including
a scam hitting consumers at destination hotels who
order food from outside the hotels and another costly
scam involving online auctions and prepaid cards. Call me today

We've also packed in as much news as possible of for more details.
milestones in the payments community, including
the latest research, new products, mobile technology,
appointments, awards, partnerships, acquisitions
and more. We also call attention to the need to use Danielle Thorpe
acronyms sparingly, and with care, and the impor-
tance of appreciating the unique roles we all play in VP Media Partnerships
the payments ecosystem.
We hope you find much to aid you in this 707-284-1686
magazine. Share your thoughts with us at
greensheet@greensheet.com or 800-757-4441. And please
send your company news to press@greensheet.com.

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