The IBM Sterling supply chain platform will now feature additional integrations developed by Salesforce, Publicis Sapient, IBM Services and others, a Jan. 13 press release reads. The additions will allow the blockchain and AI-based suite to quickly solve returns and cross-channel logistics challenges. IBM Services and Bluewolf are jointly developing a connector service to join IBM Sterling with Salesforce Commerce, Service and Marketing Clouds. The integration would help retailers to blend the offline and online shopping experience. The platform’s aim is to reduce shopping frictions through a better organization for retailers, primarily by optimizing front and back-office connectivity and product …

China’s digital currency approach will be favoring international payments and domestic retail system, a former senior official said. Zhou Xiaochuan, the president of the Chinese Finance Association and former governor of the People’s Bank of China (PBoC), outlined two types of implementations of central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) speaking at the 2019 Caixin Hengqin Forum, local publication Caixin reports Nov. 26. The first type is an electronic payment-oriented domestic retail system, while the second is international remittances for settlements between financial institutions. China will continue to focus on digital yuan, Zhou says Zhou — the longest-serving head of PBoC and …

Coca Cola’s bottlers are implementing blockchain technology to manage their cross-party transactions. A Business Insider report on Nov. 5 revealed that Coke One North America (CONA) — the tech firm that manages IT operations for the soda giant’s bottlers — is using a blockchain solution developed by German software firm SAP to manage its supply chain. Managing 160,000 orders per day As the report notes, CONA manages a platform to oversee multiple franchises that manufacture, bottle and ship nearly 160,000 orders of Coca-Cola products daily. Andrei Semenov, senior manager at CONA, told Business Insider: "There are a number of transactions …

Mobile payments app Chai is launching mobile blockchain-based payments at 13,500 CU convenience stores in South Korea. According to an Oct. 7 news release shared with Cointelegraph by blockchain startup Terra, Chai — which operates on the Terra blockchain — will now be accepted as a means of payment at the major convenience store chain. App support will be added at CU by the end of 2019 following a partnership between Chai and convenience store operator BGF Retail, which owns the stores in question. Per the release, Chai will also offer low transaction fees to merchants and ongoing 5% to …

The Fold app, a mobile shopping app that supports Bitcoin’s Lightning Network enabling users to withdraw funds to an external Bitcoin (BTC) wallet, has raised $2.5 million and added a fiat currency payment option. In a Sept. 25 blog post, Fold’s editor, Will Reeves, informed the public that the app’s users can now spend both fiat currency and Bitcoin at online and in-store retailers by synchronizing their credit card or Lightning wallet. Fold has also enabled its users to stack sats when making purchases with fiat and Bitcoin at major retailers such as Amazon, Uber, Starbucks and Hotels.com, further rewarding …

By early 2020, support for Bitcoin payments will be launched at over 25,000 sales points for 30 French retailers, including sportswear giant Decathlon and cosmetics store Sephora. French crypto news outlet Cryptoglobe reported the development, announced during Paris Retail Week, on Sept. 24. 25,000 retailers to enter Economy 3.0 via Bitcoin The new cryptocurrency payments system is launching via a partnership between point-of-sale technology provider Global POS, the EasyWallet application and payments platform Easy2Play. While payments will be made in Bitcoin (BTC), funds will be automatically converted into euros at the moment of sale. Conversion services are to be provided …

Earlier on, when Bitcoin (BTC) arrived on the scene, most cryptocurrency enthusiasts held on to their coins, as there were only so many places they could be spent. Nowadays, the list of marketplaces and retailers accepting Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies is significantly larger, providing crypto enthusiasts with more options for making real-world purchases. After all, with recognizable organizations like Microsoft and Wikipedia now accepting Bitcoin as payment, conversations about Bitcoin and the power of cryptocurrencies are becoming more prominent. Currently, several fast-food restaurants and coffee shops have started accepting Bitcoin as payment. This will likely provide traction for mass adoption …

Privacy-focused blockchain software project Particl has announced a market management option that allows vendors to create and manage stores for specific audiences. Particl revealed the development in a press release shared with Cointelegraph on Sept. 12. With the new feature for its Open Marketplace product, Particl will enable vendors to set up an unlimited number of marketplaces within the ecosystem and share them with a specific group of customers. Such marketplaces will be available to only those users who have a market’s Market ID. Creation of personalized stores As such, merchants can create personalized stores on the Particl Open Marketplace …

A blockchain-based social network says it offers much-needed solutions to problems facing businesses and consumers in the retail sector. According to Sessia, too many projects are struggling to preserve their profit margins because of the highly competitive, expensive nature of online advertising. Its app, which is available for Android and iOS devices, provides businesses with a way of reaching out to shoppers directly — eliminating the need for a middleman. Sessia also offers an easy-to-use e-shop builder that gives offline companies the chance to quickly start selling their wares online. The team notes that there are benefits for consumers. A …

Cryptocurrencies are upending the worlds of banking, retail and payments in countless ways, but there has been one area where this burgeoning industry has somewhat fallen behind: investments. While it can be easy to build portfolios that focus on stocks and shares or fiat currencies, diversifying into crypto funds has proven harder for consumers and professionals alike. This has been partially because of how many financial institutions have been reluctant to embrace digital assets so far. Another issue has been how portfolio managers in the crypto space have been struggling to share their strategies with the public. While a lack …

Hong Kong-based cryptocurrency futures exchange CoinFlex has received $10 million through a funding round that closed last week. Recent funding and goal Asia-focused newspaper South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported the news on Aug. 26. According to the report, CoinFlex received funding from Bitcoin Cash (BCH) advocate and Bitcoin.com CEO Roger Ver, as well as Polychain Capital, NGC Ventures and Divergence Digital Currency. Polychain Capital and Digital Currency Group joined CoinFlex’s investment consortium back in March. CoinFlex is now reportedly looking to increase business from Asian retail investors. A safe haven from price manipulation? Per SCMP, CoinFlex describes itself as …

Lolli, an app that provides Bitcoin (BTC) rewards to users when they shop with partner stores, has teamed up with major American pet retailer Petco. The rewards deal with Petco Lolli announced the new partnership in an official blog post on Aug. 23. In the announcement, the company notes that there are two new veins of rewards that come with the partnership. One is that Lolli users can earn up to 3.5% satoshis (sats) of their purchases on Petco’s website, Petco.com. Another is that Lolli users can earn a flat 5,000 sats payment for sharing a photo of their dog …