G+D Spotlight

It is fitting that an enormous country like Brazil would have a diverse payments landscape that encompasses cash delivery by local entrepreneurs, personal checks, payment cards (including instantly issued virtual cards), a phenomenally popular homegrown instant payment system called Pix, and a CBDC pilot project called DREX that is in its second phase. If you want to discover more about how payments work in this south American powerhouse, read on.

Australia is a multi-faceted, tech-leaning melting pot. Its payments landscape mirrors both its size and its diversity, with home-grown technology to meet its own unique needs. Here’s what you really need to know about the evolution of payments and banking in ‘Oz’. For most of us, the land ‘Down Under’ is a distant place. It punches above its weight in the global imagination – think the Sydney Opera House and surfers, Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman, crocodiles and kangaroos. But, like Aussie Rules Football, it can be hard to make sense of (unless you’ve actually been there). As part of our Spotlight series on regional payment preferences, here are a few fast facts to get you started, with a focus on digital and electronic payments.

Phygitally inclusive financial services: India.

By intelligently managing their intellectual property, companies can protect their unique assets, stimulate innovation, and drive higher revenues. G+D has established patents in areas such as next-generation sustainable banknotes, the personalization of cards with graphics, and innovative ways to issue new cards. “It’s a strategy designed to make intellectual property an asset for the business,” says G+D’s Sina Scholz-Riecke, IP Portfolio Manager for Financial Platforms. “Our mission as an IP team is to protect ideas and to help maximize their potential.”

Let us look at a few examples to see how this works in practice.

With eIDAS 2.0 being put in force on May 20, 2024, residents of the European Union can look forward to universally accepted digital identification wallets, issued by every member state of the EU, by 2026. While the benefits to users are clear, what does it mean to organizations that, as relying parties, will have to accept these as valid identification? What are the challenges, and where are the opportunities? Discover the 10 most important points you need to know about EUDI Wallets in this article.

The ability to make and receive digital payments in the absence of an internet connection has been a major challenge for the payments sector. Now, with the debut of breakthrough innovation, the addition of offline capabilities to digital payment systems can enhance financial inclusion and payment resilience, while adorning e-payments with cash-like features.

India has quickly moved toward digital payments in addition to cash, which remains pivotal. A robust UPI ecosystem underpins the evolving P2P payments structure, while credit cards penetrate new markets to lead payment cards growth. Government regulation, technical innovation, and an agile network of financial service providers support the public demand for digital solutions. While fraud remains a challenge, industry is moving fast to provide security. We’ll take a glimpse into the Indian payment landscape, focusing on digital and electronic payments.

As CEO of ePayments at G+D, Gabrielle Bugat leads a global organization of 5,500 that generates annual sales around €1 billion. Her path to that top role has been shaped by a fascinating mix of international experience, pivotal career moments, a foundation of personal and business principles, and a stream of inspirational colleagues and family members. She recently shared insight into that journey as a guest on the Women Leaders in Payments series of podcasts.

The payments industry is evolving at a rapid pace – and it’s not always easy to keep up. In our latest Spotlight podcast, G+D’s Mark Van Horn, Digital Solutions Lead at G+D North America, is joined by Zubin Vandrevala, Vice President at Gr4vy, to discuss the challenges merchants face in an evolving payments landscape, as well as the increasingly critical role tokenization plays in the payments ecosystem.

In this podcast episode, G+D’s Andrea Paric talks with Himani Nagrath, Head of Card Operations at Wealthsimple.

They discuss various aspects of the fintech space and the role of physical banking in the digital world. The conversation touches on Wealthsimple’s mission to simplify financial services for Canadians, their diverse product offerings, and their focus on ethical investing.

Himani highlights the company's success in reaching a large user base, emphasizing the importance of a seamless digital experience.

The podcast also explores Wealthsimple’s commitment to sustainability, reducing plastic usage, and integrating QR codes for a more convenient user experience.

In the rapid-fire round, Himani expresses optimism about real-time payments, generative AI, and QR codes while remaining cautious about quantum computing.

Overall, the conversation provides valuable insights into the fintech landscape, Weathsimple’s innovative phygital approach, and the evolving trends shaping the industry.