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IndustryUpdate

Independent workers say slow PARTNERSHIPS
unreliable payouts drive attrition
As independent work rapidly grows, fintech leader Bluefin, CI team up on PCI P2PE
Runa released research highlighting how payout expe- integrated payments
riences impact gig worker retention and engagement.
With over 60 million U.S. freelancers and projections Bluefin, a provider of payment and data security, part-
showing more than half the workforce will be indepen- nered with Campus Innovation to integrate Bluefin’s
dent by 2028, businesses face increasing pressure to meet payment processing and PCI-validated point-to-point
worker expectations. encryption (P2PE) into Campus Innovation’s C-Park
parking management platform. This collaboration
Runa found that 70 percent of independent workers enables universities to provide secure, seamless and effi-
would quit or reduce work after negative payout expe- cient parking payments for students, staff and visitors
riences, while smoother payouts boost motivation and while enhancing operational goals and user satisfaction,
loyalty. Workers prioritize instant, reliable payments, the partners said. C-Park offers a cloud-based, customiz-
want more payout options like digital wallets and bank able solution designed to optimize parking, boost rev-
transfers, and cite high fees as a major pain point, Runa enue and improve the campus experience. By leveraging
stated, adding that fast, flexible payouts are critical for Bluefin’s encryption and tokenization, transactions are
retaining independent talent. protected against breaches, reducing PCI scope and
ensuring data security while supporting universities’
US Payments Business Forum critical parking revenue streams, Bluefin added.
points to modernization's value
CapyFast, Bidwise team up to transform marketing
Finastra hosted its annual US Payments Business Forum CapyFast, an embedded payments provider, and
in April 2025, gathering financial institution leaders to
explore payments modernization, customer needs and Bidwise, a performance marketing platform, partnered
to modernize payments in performance marketing. The
industry innovation. Through expert presentations, pan-
els and discussions, the forum highlighted the urgency partners said the agreement will bring over $40 million
in payment volumes to CapyFast and boost Bidwise’s
for mid-tier banks to adopt cloud and SaaS payment
solutions, address legacy system challenges and priori- access to flexible working capital.
tize ISO20022 compliance.
By integrating real-time cross-border payments, smart
Speakers urged banks to shift from defense to offense liquidity services and proprietary payment intelligence,
by investing in payment technologies to retain custom- the collaboration aims to speed up payouts, reduce costs
and improve risk management. The partnership is also
ers amid fintech competition. The event emphasized
collaboration with fintech partners to enhance customer expected to enable Bidwise and its partners to scale
more efficiently, with infrastructure rollout starting in
experiences and operational efficiency, reinforcing the
need for continuous innovation in a fast-evolving pay- the third quarter of 2025 and full deployment by the first
quarter of 2026.
ments landscape.
Nexi, Planet aim to enhance
Zelle unveils new data in its
first small business report hospitality payment experience
Nexi Group and Planet signed a letter of intent to form
Zelle released its first Small Business Report, stating a strategic partnership aimed at delivering integrated
that nearly 7 million U.S. small businesses use its fast, digital payment solutions, with a strong focus on the
reliable payments to boost growth and reduce financial hospitality sector. The collaboration will combine Nexi's
uncertainty. Use of Zelle to pay small businesses has pan-European acquiring expertise, local payment accep-
tripled in three years, supporting payments for every- tance and customer operations with Planet's specialized
thing from surf lessons in Los Angeles to vendor fees at hospitality solutions, including acceptance technology,
farmers markets, researchers found.
platform integration and dynamic currency conversion,
the companies stated.
In 2024, small businesses received an average of $465
per transaction and sent an average of $630, often for Together, they plan to create co-branded solutions that
payroll or vendor payments. Zelle is most popular in enhance customer experiences and improve merchant
major commercial hubs and fosters stronger ties between conversion rates. The joint offering will first launch in
small businesses and community banks nationwide, the the Nordics, with plans to expand into Italy and other
company added. European markets, providing hospitality businesses
with seamless, tailored payment solutions, the partners
added.

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