Coffee Briefing, July 13, 2021 - Visa installment service launched in Canada; Pinterest bans weight loss ads

Coffee Briefing, July 13, 2021 - Visa installment service launched in Canada; Pinterest bans weight loss ads; and also Coffee Briefing is the on-time delivery of the latest ITWC headlines, interviews and podcasts.

Visa partners with Global Payments and Desjardins to launch Visa installments in Canada

Today, Visa announced that it is partnering with payments technology and software solutions provider Global Payments, and North American financial cooperative group Desjardins, to bring Visa installments to participating Canadian merchants and eligible credit cardholders.

Launched by Visa Canada last month, Visa Installments is a new option to convert qualifying purchases made using an eligible credit card into smaller, equal payments made over a set period.

Visa says Global Payments is enabling its merchant customers to offer the Visa installment option to eligible customers with a single integration, without having to sign up for a new service. Eligible credit cardholders may choose to use the Service at the place of purchase with their existing credit card. In addition, Visa installments enabled issuers will be able to offer their credit cardholders an installment option at participating Global Payments merchants.

In collaboration with Visa and Global Payments, Desjardins will be among the first to enable Visa installments and provide the service to eligible cardholders at participating merchants.

As of last month, Scotiabank and CIBC were the only two Canadian issuers that announced they would use Visa's installment capability to offer their Visa credit cards. While Scotiabank announced that it would launch a Visa installment service for its customers in August 2021, CIBC said it plans to launch the service for CIBC cardholders in early 2022.

A recent Visa Canada study showed that nearly a majority of Canadians (47 percent) think flexible payment options are more important than ever. Installments represent a growing share of the payments market, accounting for CAD of over $1.7 trillion of global payment volume. This momentum is reflected in the Canadian market with the adoption of installments increasing by only 30 percent over the previous year, with payment opportunities in the country expected to be around $50 billion annually. With the introduction of Visa installments, Visa Canada says it is "equipping merchants to meet this growing customer demand".

Ontario-based firm among recipients of Australian government blockchain pilot grant

Toronto, ON. Based global consulting and technology company Convergence.Tech is one of two recipients of an Australian government blockchain pilot grant, Australian Minister of Industry, Science and Technology Christian Porter announced on 12 July.

According to the minister, the purpose of these grants is to examine the potential of blockchain to increase the productivity of Australia's critical minerals and food and beverage sectors, and to help businesses adopt blockchain technology in Australia and solve real-world problems. will help.

Blockchain is a digital ledger system that records transactions such as the movement of goods through a supply chain in a way that is difficult to alter or "hack" as the information is replicated across a network of computers.

The Government of Australia is investing over US$5.6 million through the Blockchain Pilot Grant Program; Convergence.Tech has received AU$2.66 million for using blockchain technology to help automate key reporting processes under the excise system, a commodity-based tax on commodities including beer and spirits. The Australian government says this will help companies in the region reduce compliance costs associated with manufacturing, storing and transporting their products.

These grants are funded under the Australian Government's Digital Business Package, announced in the Federal Budget 2020-21, and align directly with the government's National Blockchain Roadmap, released in February 2020 was. [Full announcement here]

Pinterest bans all weight loss ads in new policy

Body image has become a major problem facing people of all ages around the world as social media creates unrealistic body expectations.

Pinterest, an app often used for photos and lifestyle inspiration, is taking action on the issue and updating its all-app policies to restrict ads containing weight loss imagery and language, a A move that makes it the only social media platform to ban weight loss. advertisement.

Beginning in July, Pinterest's updated policy will be released by the National Eating Disorders Association, an American non-profit organization dedicated to preventing eating disorders, providing referrals for treatment, and promoting eating disorders, weight and body education and Dedicated to increasing understanding. Developed with the advice and guidance of Forbidden Image: