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IndustryUpdate

RESEARCH PARTNERSHIPS

Survey finds Americans not ready Ballerine, MC to power real-time
for current economic uncertainty merchant risk monitoring
A new Beyond Finance survey of 2,000 U.S. adults Ballerine, a Mastercard-certified Merchant Monitoring
revealed that while most Americans are prioritizing Service Provider, joined the Mastercard Engage Partner
financial well-being amid economic uncertainty, only 13 Program to help financial institutions, fintechs and
percent feel "very good" about their current finances, and acquirers streamline merchant onboarding, compliance
just half trust themselves to manage money effectively. and risk monitoring. Ballerine's AI-driven platform
Amid rising disillusionment with financial institutions, automates KYB/KYC checks, fraud detection and ongo-
74 percent now manage finances themselves, with many ing monitoring through a unified infrastructure, reduc-
turning to budgeting tools, education and open family ing onboarding time by up to 70 percent and mitigating
conversations. risks like transaction laundering, Mastercard stated,
adding that the platform supports global compliance
Women reported slightly lower self-trust than men, and integrates seamlessly across jurisdictions.
and generational differences are shaping approaches to
financial planning. The findings underscore a growing As a Mastercard partner, Ballerine now offers pre-
shift toward financial self-empowerment, where emo- integrated solutions to Mastercard's global ecosystem,
tional resilience and knowledge are key to long-term empowering partners to scale faster, reduce fraud, and
success, researchers noted. meet evolving regulatory and card scheme expectations
with greater efficiency, the partners noted.
Europe digital payments market
set for transformation in 2025 BHN, Monadnock to drive
sustainable gift card innovation
The Digital Payments in Europe 2025 report, published by
ResearchAndMarkets, highlights a sharp rise in digital Blackhawk Network, a provider of branded payments,
payment adoption, with over 60 percent of online and partnered with Monadnock Paper Mills to launch
25 percent of in-store transactions using digital methods Renovo, a sustainable, fiber-based gift card substrate
in 2024. Global wallets led online payments, researchers designed to replace PVC. Made from 100 percent post-
found, while OEM wallets dominated in-store. In addi- consumer recycled fiber and certified as recyclable,
tion, instant payments are accelerating non-cash transac- Renovo offers carbon-neutral manufacturing, excep-
tion growth, projected to exceed 630 billion transactions tional durability and broad printing compatibility, the
by 2028, with nearly 90 billion in the B2B segment. partners affirmed.

Card payments remain strong, researchers noted, but Already certified by major North American manufactur-
consumer preferences are shifting toward real-time, ers, the substrate will roll out globally later this year.
secure options. The report also explores emerging trends BHN said it exceeded its goal of converting 75 percent
like cryptocurrency use, pay by bank interest and rising of its gift cards to fiber-based materials, having reached
ecommerce impact on European payment behavior. 85 percent in 2024. Renovo marks a significant step in
BHN's ongoing efforts to advance sustainability in the
Integrated payment platform gift card industry, the company stated.
market on steady growth path
Fiserv, Kansas team up to
QKS Group released an in-depth analysis forecasting launch strategic fintech hub
the global integrated payment platform (IPP) market to
grow at a 12.82 percent CAGR through 2030. The analy- Fiserv, Inc. revealed plans to open a strategic fintech hub
sis provides strategic insights into global and regional in Overland Park, Kan., creating approximately 2,000
trends, competitive benchmarking and industry adop- jobs. The 427,000-square-foot site on the Aspiria campus
tion. IPPs are now essential to modern payments, sup- supports Fiserv's goal of fostering innovation through
porting real-time, cross-border and high-value transac- large, collaborative hubs.
tions via flexible, modular systems, researchers stated.
Chosen for its central location, tech talent and afford-
With AI and automation, IPPs enhance efficiency and ability, the Overland Park hub is expected to serve
fraud detection, they added, noting that major vendors Fiserv's Midwest clients and provide high-value career
include FIS, Stripe, Oracle and Adyen. Researchers also opportunities, including roles for veterans and local
pointed out that for financial institutions and fintechs, graduates. Partnering with state leaders, Fiserv aims
IPPs are critical to driving innovation, reducing com- to boost Kansas' economy and community vitality. The
plexity and staying competitive in the global payments new office, which will open in 2025, is part of Fiserv's
landscape. broader U.S. expansion strategy.
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