Today In Payments: California Proposes Financial Watchdog; Germany Launches Investigation Into Amazon

In today’s top news, California lawmakers propose a financial watchdog at the state level, and Germany launches an antitrust investigation into Amazon. Plus, the Federal Reserve is working with MIT to explore the use of digital currency.

California Proposes Financial Watchdog Agency

California lawmakers are moving quickly to create a financial watchdog agency as a new department of their state government, as the coronavirus pandemic accelerates financial crime across the nation.

Germany Launches Investigation Into Amazon

Amazon is facing an investigation by Germany’s national competition regulator into the eCommerce giant’s relationship with third-party sellers in Amazon’s second-largest market.

Fed Exploring ‘Hypothetical’ Digital Currency With MIT

The Federal Reserve is working with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to explore the possibility of issuing a  digital currency.

Just Eat Takeaway to End Its Gig Worker Model

As courts force an end to the use of gig workers by Uber and Lyft in California, the CEO of Just Eat Takeaway said he intends to stop using independent contractors at his European operations.

The Rise of the Auto-Refill Economy

The pandemic has moved consumers away from physical mostly to digital-first, but new PYMNTS data shows that the shift from digital-first to auto-refills of predictable purchases is what could accelerate it further.

How QSRs Are Fighting Digital Food Fraud

In this month’s Mobile Order-Ahead Tracker, Eric Bevins, director of operations services at fast-casual chain Portillo’s, dishes on how taking an end-to-end approach to assessing security threats can help quick-service restaurants (QSRs) proactively fight fraud without spoiling the customer experience.

Apple Faces Continued Struggles With Gaming Lawsuit

In the onslaught against Apple regarding the 30 percent commission it collects each time someone pays for an app through its App Store, the hits keep on coming. At the center of it all: online gaming, and the way we access the latest popular diversions (or don’t).