It’s Tuesday (May 24), and there is a global shortage of 43 million healthcare workers. Meanwhile, the rare monkeypox virus is starting to make headlines, Airbnb is leaving China, the World Economic Forum is in full swing, President Biden is in Tokyo, and G-7 nations pledge $20B to Ukraine. Here’s what else should be on your radar this morning.
Stability Shakeup. As crypto-assets become more entwined in mainstream markets, financial stability could be shaken, the European Central Bank (ECB) said. Stablecoins are not as “stable as their name suggests and cannot guarantee their peg at all times,” the ECB said, even as the market capitalization of the crypto-asset space is about seven times larger than it was in 2020. READ MORE
FedNow Pre-Launch. As the FedNow pilot program shifts into an operational pre-launch phase, the request for payment service is foundational to its “instant payments value proposition,” Nick Stanescu, a Boston Fed senior vice president and FedNow Service business executive, told PYMNTS’ Karen Webster. READ MORE
Nursing Payments. One approach to tackling the nursing shortage while also reducing burnout is offering nurses scheduling flexibility and faster wages, Clipboard Health CEO and founder Wei Deng said. Deng noted that her company’s app enables nurses to create their own schedules for a better work-life balance and also offers them the option to get paid immediately after their shift. READ MORE
Better Billing. People want the bill-paying process to be as easy as possible, with 40% of respondents stating they are “very” or “extremely” interested in an improved billing experience, according to the PYMNTS study Streamlining Bill Payment: How Frictionless Experiences Drive Customer Engagement. READ MORE.
ICYMI. Automation in the restaurant industry is taking flight in the fried chicken wing category, Kevin Morris, president of Wavemaker Labs and CFO of Miso Robotics, told PYMNTS. The company wants to “build the restaurant or the franchise of the future” and is starting by injecting automation into a growing food category that’s “very delivery- and takeout-focused but yet has … a lot of labor issues.” READ MORE
