Spanish soccer club Atlético de Madrid collaborated with sports and entertainment blockchain firm Chiliz to build Socios.com, a blockchain-backed mobile platform that lets fans show support to their favorite teams with cryptocurrency tokens. The token gives fans the ability to serve as shareholders, allowing them to vote on club matters and access exclusive content. Fans can either purchase the tokens or collect them for free through a Token Hunt enabled by an AR-powered geolocation feature.

Financial services company American Express is opening an exclusive pop-up for its members in celebration of Small Business Saturday. American Express Platinum House features premium NYC dining, including bites and drinks from Wayan, Legacy Records and the Michelin-starred Cote Korean Steakhouse. The brand also offers a concierge, local guides and gift wrapping.

Global blockchain payments provider BitPay allows Brazilian consumers to buy gifts cards for Mercado Livre, one of the largest online commerce ecosystems in Latin America, using Bitcoin. This integration allows Brazilian Bitcoin customers to use cryptocurrency to pay for everyday purchases, such as metro rides, and makes it easy for expats to send gift cards to their families in Brazil.

Digital currency exchange company Coinbase has partnered with UK-based gift card startup WeGift to allow European customers to use cryptocurrency to buy virtual gift cards from over 120 retailers.

Mobile gifting and payment platform Bitmo enables users to easily send virtual gift cards from their mobile wallets just by entering a recipient’s phone number. Recipients can split the card value between retailers or exchange them for a different retailer for no fee without informing the giver.

Chase Bank allows checking account holders to send digital gift cards from over 60 retailers through its app or website. Senders can choose the “gifting” option when sending payments, and receivers get an email with a numerical code to use at an online retailer’s checkout or a barcode to scan at checkout in store.

Social media video app TikTok allows video creators to make money through in-app gifting from viewers in live-streams sessions. Viewers purchase TikTok coins, which can be exchanged for virtual gifts, such as special emoji, which they can send to the creators of their favorite content, allowing the creator, as well as anyone who views the video to see the type of gift given. The gifts are then converted into Diamonds, a measure of the praise and popularity of a given content creator. When a content creator has made enough Diamonds, they can be exchanged for cash via PayPal or other payment service. 

Cashback app Ibotta added a payment feature to provide users with additional savings through reward-based mobile payment. Customers sign up with their credit cards and choose the "Pay With Ibotta" option for any of the 30 participating retailers, including The Home Depot. They are then presented with a QR-code to be shown at checkout to receive rewards for their entire purchase.

Author Shannon McLay makes the case for taking an old-school approach to an increasingly automated financial service industry, building the trust millennials consumers want with community and personalization

The personal finance platform came to life at Hudson Yards in an immersive and educating experience—PSFK scoped it out spoke to VP Dana Marineau for insights on how millennials are driving the next generation of finance retail, increasingly looking for all-inclusive ecosystems

The digital banking service is hosting an experiential popup in the U.K. capital's Covent Garden, inviting members to shop merch from digital-first brands like ASOS, Swoon and more

Flexa is a payment-processing network that lets shoppers pay for everyday transactions with mainstream retailers like Crate & Barrel using cryptocurrency

PSFK sits down with Shannon McLay, founder of the Financial Gym, for a look inside her strategy for bringing financial services to the masses and improving women's overall financial health

Raise's CEO speaks to PSFK about how the payment platform evolved from a gift card marketplace into a centralized mobile transaction experience, redefining loyalty programs as a next-gen digital wallet