Today in the Connected Economy: Chicago Bulls Team With Klarna

Today in the connected economy, the Chicago Bulls team up with Klarna, while Instacart joins forces with Chase and Mastercard to launch a new credit card, and Sezzle works with two companies to boost its long-term financing product.

Chicago Bulls Debut Experiential Collaboration With Klarna

Buy now, pay later (BNPL) platform Klarna is working with the NBA’s Chicago Bulls to promote Klarna’s all-in-one shopping service and interest-free Pay in 4 option through in-stadium experiences, shoppable content, exclusive offers and limited-edition merchandise. Bulls players Zach LaVine and Lonzo Ball will serve as brand ambassadors for Klarna, showcasing their personal style through activations, custom social content and more.

Instacart Launching Credit Card With Chase and Mastercard

Instacart is expanding its partnership with card issuer Chase with its first credit card, with Mastercard acting as the payments network. The companies said the card is “the first Chase co-branded card offering in the on-demand grocery delivery space,” allowing customers to earn accelerated points on purchases across the Instacart marketplace, which is made up of more than 700 grocers and retailers.

Sezzle Partners With Genesis Credit, Oportun to Grow Long-Term Financing

BNPL platform Sezzle is collaborating with Genesis Credit and Oportun to expand Sezzle’s long-term finance product in a move that complements Sezzle’s partnerships with Ally Lending and Bread/ADS. Sezzle plans to leverage the decades of expertise from its partners and offer high-ticket financing to more consumers, which is an “inclusive expansion to Sezzle’s long-term financing product.”

Tribal Casino Downstream, Global Payments Collab for Cashless Gaming

Downstream Casino Resort is working with Global Payments Gaming Solutions and its VIP Mobility tool to provide cashless casino gaming and digital options as alternatives to traditional styles of gambling. Global Payments launched VIP Mobility in 2018 as the industry’s first mobile cashless casino gaming solution. It will be integrated with Downstream Casino — owned by the Quapaw Tribe of Oklahoma — to offer customers a simpler way to fund gameplay.

AP Automation Is Going for the Ecosystem Play to Take the Hassle out of Hybrid Work

While digitization soared last year, some firms were still in the paper age, sending physical checks and appointing people to sign and mail invoices. The shift to remote work compounded the problem for finance teams, adding unwelcome snags that slowed the flow of money. Beanworks CEO Catherine Dahl said automating accounts payable (AP) has taken on a new urgency for clients, and her company plans an ambitious series of innovations to reach that goal.

Government-Issued Digital IDs Lay Foundation for Trust — Online and Offline

A record number of businesses are using biometrics to ensure the people accessing services and making transactions are who they say they are. But as Jumio Chief of Digital Identity Philipp Pointner told PYMNTS in an interview, efforts to create verification standards are bifurcated. On one hand, government-issued documents are opening the doors to digital verification. Meanwhile, there are the private sector’s own identity initiatives, which are unconnected to government services.