Friday, September 13, 2024
Yesterday, Sept. 12, 2024, Jared Isaacman, founder of Shift4 Payments and a storied billionaire entrepreneur, became the first non-professional astronaut to complete a commercial spacewalk. This historic event occurred during the Polaris Dawn mission, a collaboration with SpaceX, aimed at pushing the boundaries of space travel.
Isaacman wore a new Extravehicular Activity Suit developed by SpaceX, which features advanced mobility, a state-of-the-art helmet HUD, and materials from SpaceX’s rocket capsule program. The mission is part of SpaceX's vision to create scalable, affordable space suits for future long-duration missions, supporting plans for bases on the Moon and Mars.
Isaacman, a passionate aviator, previously bankrolled and led the Inspiration4 mission, the first private, all-civilian orbital spaceflight in 2021. As CEO of Shift4 Payments, he has grown his company into a major player in the payments industry, processing over $260 billion annually. He also founded Draken International, a defense firm with the largest fleet of private military aircraft.
With this latest mission, Isaacman, who has always embraced risk and adventure, continues to drive forward the vision of making space accessible and exciting for future generations. The Polaris Dawn mission is expected to return on Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024. The crew will likely land in the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of Florida, which is a common splashdown location for SpaceX's missions.
In today's rapidly evolving financial landscape, ATM operators face numerous challenges on a local, national, and global scale. To help ATM professionals meet those challenges, ATMIA (formerly the ATM Industry Association) established the ATMIA academy. "To thrive in this dynamic environment, you need the specialized knowledge and skills provided by ATMIA Academy's Certified International ATM Operator Training," ATMIA stated. Courses are designed for ATM operators/owners, new ATM staff and financial institutions doing business in regional, national and global markets.
The academy offers five courses covering complete ATM operator responsibilities. Sessions are short, interactive and designed to be highly informative. "International certification can significantly enhance your ATM industry credibility, visibility and professionalism," ATMIA stated. For more information, visit www.atmia.com/training.
Ryta Zasiekina, founder of fintech company CONCRYT, pointed out that the iPhone 16 is the first smartphone tailored specifically for AI, which, she believes is expected to trigger the biggest revolution in the industry since the smartphone's creation.
"This could be Apple’s chance to bolster its digital wallet offering, after it was forced into sharing its iPhone NFC technology in an EU ruling earlier this year," Zasiekina said. "The decision put fintechs in a prime position to capitalize on Apple's NFC tech, and launch their own versions of ApplePay that can enhance the customer experience by providing a greater choice of seamless and widely accepted payment methods.
"It remains to be seen if, by harnessing the newly shared technology, rival fintechs can tempt Apple customers into using another brand of digital wallet, but the buzz around the new iPhone is certainly an ideal opportunity to reinvigorate Apple Pay using AI capabilities."
Zasiekina further noted that AI has the potential to significantly transform digital wallets by enhancing security, personalization, and efficiency. For example, she said, "AI could improve fraud detection through advanced algorithms that recognize unusual transaction patterns and alert users in real time, reducing the risk of fraud. Crucially, AI-driven insights can personalize spending recommendations, helping users manage their finances by offering budgeting advice based on spending habits."
Apple, she added, has long been "the market leader when it comes to digital wallets, but with NFC no longer a USP, AI needs to be leveraged in a way that offers real value to Apple Pay users.”
SWIVEL, a fintech company focused on transaction enablement, is hosting a three-part webinar series to explore its Instant Payments solution in collaboration with FedNow, the Federal Reserve's new instant payments service. The first webinar, which introduced the fundamentals of SWIVEL's Instant Payments, took place on Sept. 12. However, it’s not too late to register for the remaining sessions.
The second webinar will delve into compliance, risk management, and governance strategies, providing guidance on integrating instant payments smoothly. The final session, scheduled for 2025, will feature a fireside chat with experts discussing real-world use cases that demonstrate how SWIVEL and FedNow can enhance payment processing, customer satisfaction and competitive advantage.
These webinars aim to offer a comprehensive understanding of FedNow and SWIVEL's Instant Payments solution, helping financial institutions develop effective instant payments strategies. Each session includes live Q&A segments to address participant questions and current trends in the payments landscape. To register, visit the SWIVEL website info.getswivel.io/unlocking-the-power-of-instant-payments-webinar. 
The Green Sheet Inc. is now a proud affiliate of Bankcard Life, a premier community that provides industry-leading training and resources for payment professionals. Click here for more information.
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