Let’s be real – news about the payments industry isn’t always making today’s top headlines. However, that doesn’t mean it’s any less important than President Biden’s travel plans or Sports Center’s Top 10 highlights. In fact, payments news can be some of the most important out there. It affects every business owner and consumer alike. Especially for business owners, it is important to have an idea about what changes are coming in the industry. This can help you stay ahead of your competitors and stand out to your consumers. Today we’ve rounded up our top 5 favorite resources for new merchants and seasoned business owners alike.
1) FIS Insights
FIS is currently the largest processing company in the world, and they also have their hands in all areas of FinTech. Even with this reputation to uphold, FIS’s news and resource center remains simple enough for the everyday person, but complex enough for industry professionals. This is exactly why FIS Insights comes up as our number one resource for staying well versed in the payments industry. From point-of-view articles written by industry leaders to annual reports, FIS Insights holds a large breadth of information. Either subscribe to their newsletter, FIS Rise, or visit fisglobal.com/insights to see what they have to offer.
2) PayPal’s Business Resource Center
Coming in at number two is PayPal’s Business Resource Center. The reason they made the list is because we love how tailored their site is to new business owners. One article in particular (Payment Processing 101: Learn how your money gets to you) sets a great base for understanding what happens when you run credit card transactions as a business. The site then prompts you to explore more of their resources to better educate yourself. This basic information can be imperative for new business owners who are looking to accept credit cards. As we’ve said before, knowledge is power in this industry.
3) Global FinTech Series
The Global FinTech Series is where we begin to get a little deeper into the nitty gritty of the payments and FinTech industries. One great feature on their website is the categories you can use to narrow down what article topics you see. Choose between analytics, artificial intelligence, B2B, B2C, and banking, or choose to see all the latest news. Not only does Global FinTech Series provide the latest news, but they also feature industry insights and resources to help you better manage your business. Take advantage of all they have to offer, because not just any organization will hand you information without a catch.
4) American Banker (previously Payments Source)
Payments Source has recently been acquired by American Banker, but remains as the industry leader in global payments coverage. They cover a large span of topics, tailoring to both the consumer side and the business side of the industry. Their podcast, PayDirt, is always featuring industry leaders who provide great insight. The one downside to American Banker is that you need an account to access most articles. There is a free guest account or a subscription account available, each with different access levels. Despite this, American Banker truly provides some of the best information in the industry for professionals of all levels.
5) PYMNTS.com
PYMNTS is an expansive, in-depth resources that has endless amounts of material available for anyone. In our opinion, PYMNTS goes above and beyond the payments industry and begins to look at the whole consumer world. This makes it great for business owners (especially smaller business owners) to see what some larger companies are beginning to utilize. Their daily subscription email makes it easy to find articles that may interest you at a quick glance, or visit their website for more in-depth roundups. PYMNTS is also known for their reports and studies they provide, free of charge. With such a wide range of information, every professional can learn a thing or two from PYMNTS.
With new technologies coming out and more businesses overcoming their COVID-19 challenges, now is the time to leverage your knowledge on all facets of your business. We hope that you begin to utilize some of these resources to grow your business and stand out from your competitors. When you learn about something you want to begin doing (because we know you will) give us a call and let us help you make it a reality!
About The Author: Sarah Paull
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