Cryptocurrencies have been growing in appeal among merchants and acquirers, particularly early adopters who like to jump in and discover new technology applications as soon as possible. However, volatility in the market has given many pause. Recent headlines from news outlets include "Bitcoin will rebound but Altcoins are 'never coming back': BitPay exec," "Mike Novogratz says the cryptocurrency market has found a bottom," and "Europe's central bank wants nothing to do with cryptocurrency (for now)." "For now" appears to capture a common mindset for those keeping an eye on cryptocurrency acceptance and other uses for blockchain technology in the payments realm. Proponents of cryptocurrency acceptance believe it's only a matter of time before the technology becomes widespread. This issue's lead article explores the current cryptocurrency landscape through interviews with key executives on the ground, and sets forth pros and cons for interested parties to consider.
Payment acceptance isn't the only area undergoing change in our realm. Experts contributing to this issue have provided insights on new rules for small business marketing and why MLSs need to understand them; the background and likely impact of the new California Consumer Privacy Act; and the history, as well as primary intent, of the inaugural free terminal initiative – something many in the industry misunderstood. Other topics addressed by our contributors include what winemaking and acquiring do and do not have in common, and the significant drawbacks ISOs encounter when outsourcing lead generation. You'll also find herein up-to-the-minute product and company profiles, as well as updates on new developments in our realm such as updated security tools, industry leader and company honors, relevant research, strategic partnerships and acquisitions, and appointments of note.
In the news, we've provided excerpts from recent stories posted online at www.greensheet.com. These include developments in faster payments, new security guides for small and midsize businesses from the PCI Security Standards Council, a shift toward biometrics for mobile payments, the Electronic Transactions Association's new self-regulation program, the Toshiba-Ingenico co-branded retail solution, and the first-ever fintech bank charter, which was granted to Varo Money. We will welcome your comments and questions at greensheet@greensheet.com. Please let us know what you find useful herein and what other coverage would be beneficial to your professional development. We also look forward to receiving your press releases, which we consult when researching news and preparing Industry Update. Please continue to send your news to press@greensheet.com. 
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