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Letter from the editor

hile payments and fintech
insiders have long been Empowering & Connecting
familiar with blockchain,
W cryptocurrency and the
potential role of crytopayments, it has only been today’s
recently that the broader public has become aware of
and, in some segments of the population, eager to use payments
cryptocurrency as a payments vehicle. This issue's
lead article, the first in a two-part series, provides an professionals
overview of blockchain technology, cryptocurrency
and crypto payments. In our second February issue,
we'll delve further into the role of cryptopayments.

Merchants are asking about cyrptopayments, too.
One reader, after a merchant inquired about bitcoin
acceptance, asked what the benefits to bitcoin really
are. Our response, which appears in this issue's Read-
er Speak, lists five potential advantages.

Another hot phenomenon these days is buy now, pay
later (BNPL), a topic delved into by one contribut-
ing author, who explains what's behind the CFPB's
order to five companies offering BNPL to collect in-
formation about the risks and benefits of BNPL loan
programs. Other areas explored by industry experts
include how to gain maximum benefit from the Pay-
check Protection Program and Employee Retention • Spotlight Innovator
Tax Credit; what made January 2022 a transformative Web Pages: Capture prospects with
month in payments; why it's essential to look inward branded, customized web pages for
and take care of yourself to maintain sales results;
regulations on the horizon for the merchant cash ad- innovators and leaders.
vance industry; and the revenue-enhancing role of • Video Content Marketing: Educate
the often overlooked and undervalued customer suc-
cess team. and impress with animation and
white-board explainer videos.
News Briefs highlights a selection of stories posted
under Breaking News on our home page. These in- • Resource Guide: Grab attention with
clude the ETA's 2022 legislative and regulatory policy advanced mini ads in print and
priorities, which share insights on industrywide ef- online.
forts to make payments safe, secure and financially
inclusive; amendments to the CARES Act devised to • Targeted Email Campaigns: Reach
help small and midsize businesses survive post-pan- responsive professionals who know
demic challenges; Equifax's decision to use BNPL in
credit scoring, making it the first main credit bureau and trust The Green Sheet.
in the United States to do so; and U.S. retailers, em-
boldened by Amazon's recent threat to pull the plug Rick Aston
on Visa cards issued in the United Kingdom, seeking
congressional action to bring down interchange fees. Senior Media Partnership Specialist

Completing this issue are company and new product Rick @greensheet.com
profiles, along with updates on industry awards and
recognition; new markets opened; research on such ar-
eas as gift card sales and ADT deployment; new part- 707-284-1693
nerships in accounts payable, gift cards and rewards
programs; and recent acquisitions and appointments
of note. We look forward to receiving your comments
and questions at greensheet@greensheet.com and your
news at press@greensheet.com.
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