Simply put, Bitcoin and similar cryptocurrencies are “mined” by fast computers (or servers) that run algorithms 24/7.

There are millions of households in America with low incomes and poor credit that find dealing with traditional banks to be difficult. They have chosen instead to patronize “alternative financial” services that provide extended hours and less restrictive credit policies—local check cashing and money transfer outlets, pawn shops, rent-to-own stores, and payday loan services.

These days, retailers are pushing much more than just merchandise. It’s common for sales associates to invite customers to sign up for a private label credit card, also known as a store card, in exchange for a discount on an initial purchase.

Years after the Great Recession, household growth in the U.S. is on the rise – and skewing heavily toward higher income families.  According to Affluent and High Net-Worth Americans, a recent white paper from Packaged Facts, post-recession household growth is most pronounced among affluent households, which grew by 90% from 2010 to 2019.

Note: The following is an excerpt from the white paper "The Emerging Autonomous Vehicle Ecosystem: Who Will Be the Stakeholders, and How Can They Win?" by BIS Research, a global market intelligence, research, and advisory company that focuses on emerging technology trends that are likely to disrupt the market.

Walmart is famous for its ability to deliver “products that are so darn cheap you can’t believe it.” But there’s more to Walmart’s business strategy than low prices.

In a four-part series, the market research firm Packaged Facts examines critical aspects of Walmart’s business model and the factors that motivate consumers to shop there. This article shares key findings from these reports to help explain how Walmart has built and maintained such a strong competitive advantage in multiple industry categories.

Gift cards are a popular go-to option for shoppers of all ages. Not surprisingly, Christmas and birthdays are top occasions for purchasing gift cards. The most widely purchased gift cards are for coffee shops and restaurants, according to Packaged Facts, a leading consumer research firm.

Gift cards are a massive, multi-billion dollar industry in the U.S., but not all prepaid cards are purchased as gifts and stocking stuffers. A variety of prepaid cards are also used for government-administered benefits, employee rewards and incentives, and tax refunds. In addition, millions of consumers use prepaid cards as an alternative to traditional bank accounts.

Within the credit card sector, innovative technologies are changing the way people make purchases.

Mobile and alternative payments are experiencing significant growth, with a range of payment providers in the mix including PayPal, MasterPass by MasterCard, Apple Pay, Amazon Payments, and Google Wallet.

In addition, co-branded credit cards continue to lure affluent households and millennial shoppers — which are prime demographics in the payments industry.

With the markets in flux, anxiety about the global economy is kicking into high gear. The Chinese stock market plunged on Monday, setting off a roller-coaster ride of volatility throughout the week. Investor confidence fell, and Wall Street dropped for six straight days — the longest losing stretch for more than three years.

Since June 12, the Shanghai composite index has slumped 38 percent, and investors are becoming increasingly concerned about China’s economic slowdown and the larger ripple effects that could extend into the global economy.

How should you react in such a turbulent environment? Here are guiding principles to keep in mind.

A seismic shift is occurring in the private label credit card industry, brought about by a mixture of mobile app technology, customer relationship management advances, geolocational marketing initiatives, and closed loop virtual card payments. In this respect, the physical card that for long embodied the face of this industry is beginning to fade, subsumed by omni-channel loyalty platforms that provide not only a seamless customer purchasing and rewards experience across channels, but also the opportunity to tailor marketing messages to those customers with a degree of specificity never before possible.