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Letter from the editor

here's so much to explore when considering
the transformations the payments industry
has undergone in the 40 years since The
T Green Sheet launched. The industry's first
trade magazine began as an email newsletter for mer-
chant level salespeople, ISOs, and emerging payment
processors and platforms looking for guidance at a
time when information was scarce. Little did anyone
know at the time what an astounding opportunity
the acquiring side of payments, along with the asso-
ciated new business services that emerged around it,
presented.

For this issue's lead article, we turned to members
of The Green Sheet Advisory Board, asking them to
share their experiences and perspectives from their
tenure as leaders in the payments and fintech sphere.
Some have been in the industry since the early days;
others joined at various points along the way. They
all gained insights as they grew into their respective
roles.

One role industry leaders have taken on through the
years is that of contributing writer for this magazine.
Our archives attest to the wide range of wisdom
they've shared. Have a look at www.greensheet.com/
search.php?node=bylineDisplay. Contributors' arti-
cles in herein include tips on interpreting the nuances
of other people's body language; how smaller mer-
chants with limited resources can compete with large
corporations that offer shoppers a seamless payment
experience; what to know about ecommerce business
operations in Turkey, which is on the way toward be-
coming a fully digital society; and how modern back-
office systems can improve employee retention.

One joy of reporting on our sphere is that we never
lack for news to report week in, week out. A selec-
tion of stories we've covered recently are highlighted
in News Briefs. These include New Jersey's passage of
a law capping credit card surcharges to prevent busi-
nesses from profiting from the practice; the European
Union official adoption of the Digital Operational
Resilience Act, aimed at enhancing operational effi-
ciency in information and communications technol-
ogy within the financial sector; merchants's concerns
about impending interchange rate increases, which,
according to CMSPI, could cost them an extra $502
million; a shift from plastic to paper card products
that reflects a growing commitment to sustainable
practices; and widespread concerns about the loom-
ing PCI DSS 4.0 compliance deadline set for March
2025.

Do you have news to share? If so, send your press re-
lease to press@greensheet.com. And if you have ques-
tions or suggestions, please email greensheet@green-
sheet.com.

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