Appetite and expectations for faster payments continue to build among consumer and corporate clients. Yet delivering the service – especially across borders – remains a challenge, writes Christof Hofmann of Deutsche Bank.

APIs provide an efficient way to enable third-party developers to build applications and services. Heather McKenzie reports.

Invisible payments are transforming the physical point of sale into a zero-effort, frictionless affair. The Banker explores why banks should have a strategy for this concept. 

The case for cash is being eroded by innovations in payments and wholly digital business models, yet physical banknotes and coins persist. Is there a future for physical monetary exchange? Joy Macknight investigates.

The use of QR codes for payments has seen widespread take-up across emerging markets due to the low-tech, low-cost deployment. But will they conquer the developed markets? 

Is blockchain living up to its potential in revolutionising the cross-border payments space? Joy Macknight investigates how far the technology has come.

Swift, together with 45 member banks, launched the global payments innovation (gpi) initiative in early 2016, to increase the speed, transparency and predictability of cross-border payments. More than 180 banks have signed up to the service, with over 60 banks now live. As of May 24, 25% of all Swift cross-border payments traffic is now being sent as gpi. Joy Macknight talks to Wim Raymaekers, Swift’s gpi programme director, about the latest developments. 

Correspondent banking relationships may have been scaled back because of a stricter regulatory environment since the financial crisis, but a refocusing of bank strategies, close industry collaboration and exciting new technologies are ensuring cross-border payments are keeping up with the demand. Christian Westerhaus, global head of clearing products, cash management, at Deutsche Bank explains why the future is bright.

As global market infrastructures modernise across the world, Deutsche Bank’s head of market infrastructure and industry initiatives, cash management, Paula Roels, examines where the global banking industry stands in implementing the landmark ISO 20022 standard, the different approaches to its implementation and the critical factors for success.