Our regular news roundup collects headlines in payments and fintech to watch, giving leaders across industries (and fintech enthusiasts) a quick glance at some of the news in the space. In Flywire’s 12+ years delivering the most complex, high value payments, we’ve had a unique opportunity to work with many different organizations in the fintech and payments ecosystem. We’ve seen changes in how clients get paid, how their customers want to pay and how central the payments experience is – not just across the industries we focus on, but every industry.
Here are some of the fintech and payments headlines from September, 2024.
Headlines:
Mastercard Focuses Data Initiative on Business and Customer Intelligence- PYMNTS.com
Mastercard has been working with client firms, including FinTechs, to get end users more fully engaged in various digital use cases. And the company believes that data offered by its payments network can help enterprises gauge how well, and where, their customer engagement has been trending as they introduce new products and services.
The Shift in Luxury Travel Experiences – Skift.com
New research by travel firm Arival suggests that travelers in high-income households ($150,000), which make up 36% of global travel spending, are increasingly looking for adventures and experiences when they travel.
Uninsured, less educated patients less likely to question medical bills: study – HealthcareDive
A new study published last week in JAMA, surveyed more than 1,000 people and found differences in those who advocated for themselves when receiving unaffordable or incorrect medical bills — which could worsen inequities in medical debt.
European A2A payments set for take off – Finextra
The European Payments Initiative’s Wero wallet is likely to accelerate adoption of A2A payments, with 37% of payment executives anticipating it will significantly offset card transaction growth by 2027, according to a new Capgemini report.
Viator Reveals Most Popular Travel Experiences – Skift.com
New data from the online travel agency indicates that a segment of consumers are prioritizing travel opportunities that enable them to learn, interact with locals, or preferably both. One company executive equates the trend to people treating vacations like a semester abroad, minus the college credits.
90% of finance functions will deploy at least one AI-enabled tech solution by 2026 – The CFO
But less than 10% will see headcount reductions as a result, according to Gartner. The finding comes from a new Gartner analysis of how finance functions are implementing AI technologies.
From Flywire:
How to make insurance payments borderless: Meeting the demands of globally-mobile high net worth customers
There are 22.8 million “high-net-worth individuals” in the world and their wealth provides the freedom to travel the globe. This group is a primary target for international private medical insurance but meeting their needs is complex and personalized. One important aspect that is often overlooked is the insurance premium payment experience.
3 customer experience takeaways for travel and health insurers from InnovateTHIS 2024
Flywire was a headline sponsor of the event which brings together insurers, underwriters, medical aid/assistance companies, and insurtech providers from across the globe.
The ubiquity and simplicity of the SaaS delivery model makes international expansion an attractive growth opportunity for many B2B SaaS companies. But, collecting payments from international customers can stall growth plans. A recent Flywire-commissioned survey of 460+ AP professionals highlights the importance of local payment methods when serving international customers.
Admissions teams save 35,000 hours with StudyLink’s English Verification feature
Flywire’s StudyLink platform provides universities with a comprehensive agent and admissions management solution, supporting application submission through enrollment to reduce application turnaround times and improve conversion rates. One particularly valuable feature is StudyLink’s English language test result verification.
Flywire gathered more than 100 attendees from public and private education institutions for its inaugural Flywire Fusion event in Phoenix, Arizona. The group gathered to discuss how they are making the financial path to higher education smoother for all students — whether they live in the U.S. or come to study from somewhere else in the world.
Higher education institutions honored in first Flywire Fusion Star Awards
At the event, Flywire also recognized ten schools going above and beyond to push the boundaries on innovation for both student and institutional success.
Report of the Month:
World Payments Report 2025 - Capgemini
The 20th anniversary edition reflects the views of 600 corporate treasurers from across the insurance, retail, and automotive industries. It also includes insights from interviews and surveys with over 200 senior payment executives at leading banks, financial service organizations, payment service providers, industry associations, and central banks representing all regions of the globe.
Stats of the Month:
The number of laws passed in American states in the past year that aim to curb diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in academia.
The number of people worldwide who tune in to YouTube monthly.
Words of the Month:
Making a public declaration to rein in spending helps tighter budgets stick according to this Wall Street Journal article from earlier this year. In this case, the article is referring to personal spending, but it might apply professionally as well.
Conversation Starter:
The Economist reports that more than 70 countries are holding elections this year, representing half the world’s population.