D.C. needs to keep up with the payments tech wave

More consumers are finding alternatives to traditional banking that empower them with new flexibility and capabilities. Even previously unbanked or underbanked consumers are discovering these innovative options and accessing all that the digital marketplace has to offer.

​This holiday season, you probably noticed more stores with mobile payments options at the counter. The American consumer can use cash, cards (credit, debit or prepaid), and now even their phones or wearable tech. This rapid evolution in how we bank and shop reflects incredible innovation in the fintech sector, and policymakers, tasked with overseeing this growing market, have a tremendous challenge on their hands. Either keep up with the payments revolution or be out of step with how a growing number of their constituents are banking — especially millennials.