Finance News Archives - Pay Per Touch

October 7, 2026October 7, 2026

Crypto Cards Promise Up to 4% Back. I Read the Fine Print So You Don’t Have To

The adverts are hard to miss: a sleek metal card,”up to 4% back in bitcoin”, and a promise that your morning coffee is quietly building a crypto portfolio. As someone who pays for most things by card and is naturally suspicious of anything with “up to” in it, I spent an afternoon comparing a dozen of these cards. The rewards are real. So are the conditions.

How a crypto card actually works

Despite the name, a crypto card does not usually spend crypto at the till. Most are ordinary Visa or Mastercard debit cards linked to a balance at a crypto exchange or wallet; when you pay, the issuer converts your crypto or stablecoins to the local currency behind the scenes, and the shop receives money as normal. A few are genuine credit cards with a monthly bill. The “crypto” part is mainly the reward: instead of air miles or cash back, you get a slice of bitcoin or another token.

The headline rates

Looking across the market, the strongest rewards cluster between 1 and 4 per cent. Gemini’s credit card pays 1 to 4 per cent by spending category, in bitcoin or a choice of 50-plus assets, with no annual fee. Coinbase’s card pays 2 to 4 per cent in bitcoin. ether.fi’s debit card pays a flat 3 per cent cash back, capped monthly. MetaMask’s card pays 1 per cent on the free virtual version and 3 per cent on a metal card. For comparison, a good conventional cashback card pays 1 to 2 per cent, so on paper the crypto cards win comfortably.

The catches

This is where the afternoon went.First, geography: the two highest-paying cards are available in the United States only, several others are restricted to the European Economic Area or the UK, and MetaMask has closed sign-ups in the US and UK entirely. Second, the hidden price of entry: Coinbase’s card requires a paid membership from $49.99 a year, and Nexo’s cashback programme only applies once you hold more than $5,000 of its token. Third, the metal: MetaMask’s 3 per cent tier costs $199 a year, which you need to spend around $10,000 annually just to earn back. Fourth, and most overlooked, the reward is paid in a volatile asset. Four per cent in a token that falls 30 per cent is less than 3 per cent; four per cent in bitcoin during a good year is a great deal more. You are being paid in a lottery ticket, which is either the point or the problem depending on your temperament.

How I ended up comparing them

The thing that saved me from a dozen browser tabs was a comparison table on Coinmico, an independent crypto market data site, which scores each card on reward, cost, regional availability and whether you hold the money yourself or the issuer does. Usefully, it reads the numbers from each issuer’s own terms page and prices the reward tokens on the site’s own market index, so the “4%” is shown as what it is actually worth today. Its current top three are Gemini (8.3 out of 10), Coinbase One (8.1) and ether.fi (7.7).

The verdict for a business or a busy person

If you live in the right country, already hold crypto, and would rather be paid in bitcoin than in pennies, a crypto card is a genuinely better deal than a standard cashback card. If you do not, the fine print eats most of the difference. Either way,the comparison takes ten minutes on the best crypto cards page,and it is ten minutes better spent than on the adverts.

June 27, 2024

Empowering Communities Through Fashion and Financial Literacy

In the world of business, the intersection of community involvement, clothing, and personal finance offers a unique opportunity for empowerment and unity. The integration of African clothing, Pan African hats, African American hoodies, Black-owned businesses, and Haitian clothing not only celebrates diversity and cultural heritage but also fosters economic growth and financial education within various communities.

When it comes to African clothing, the colorful patterns, intricate designs, and rich fabrics hold deep cultural significance. By incorporating African-inspired elements into mainstream fashion, businesses can not only showcase the beauty of African traditions but also provide economic opportunities for African artisans and designers. This fusion of traditional and contemporary styles not only promotes cultural diversity but also empowers African communities economically.

The Pan-African hat serves as a symbol of unity and solidarity among individuals of African descent worldwide. Incorporating this iconic accessory into fashion not only promotes Pan Africanism but also fosters a sense of belonging and pride within the African diaspora. By supporting businesses that specialize in Pan African hats, consumers can actively contribute to the preservation and promotion of African heritage and values.

African American hoodies are not just pieces of clothing but powerful statements of identity and resilience. By wearing African American-themed apparel, individuals can proudly embrace their cultural heritage and support Black-owned businesses. These hoodies serve as reminders of the ongoing struggle for equality and justice, encouraging dialogue and advocacy within communities. Moreover, purchasing from Black-owned clothing companies helps circulate wealth within the Black community, promoting economic empowerment and self-sufficiency.

The concept of black-owned businesses goes beyond mere ownership; it represents a movement towards economic empowerment and social change. Supporting Black entrepreneurs and creators not only stimulates local economies but also challenges systemic inequalities and promotes diversity in the business world. By prioritizing products from Black-owned businesses, consumers can contribute to a more equitable and inclusive society while celebrating Black excellence and innovation.

Haitian clothing embodies a rich tapestry of history, culture, and identity. By incorporating Haitian-inspired fashion into the market, businesses can amplify the voices of Haitian creatives and entrepreneurs, promoting cross-cultural exchange and appreciation. Supporting Haitian clothing brands not only preserves traditional craftsmanship and artistry but also fosters economic development within the Haitian community. This fusion of Haitian aesthetics with contemporary trends creates a bridge between the past and the present, inviting individuals to explore and celebrate Haiti’s vibrant heritage.

In conclusion, the fusion of community involvement, clothing, and personal finance presents a dynamic landscape for empowerment and social impact. By embracing African clothing, Pan African hats, African American hoodies, Black-owned businesses, and Haitian clothing, businesses can bridge cultural divides, promote economic resilience, and advocate for financial literacy. This integration of fashion and finance not only celebrates diversity and heritage but also paves the way for a more inclusive and prosperous future for all communities involved.

February 27, 2024

Mastering Time Decay in Options Contracts: Understanding and Applications in Today’s Markets

Stock prices fluctuate frequently. And if you’ve traded in the stock market for a significant period, you may be adept at identifying triggers like financial result announcements, budget notifications, MPC meetings, global events and company-specific triggers. While these factors are common drivers of stock volatility, the options market is a whole different ball game.

In addition to the factors that also trigger stock price fluctuations, there is one other aspect that greatly impacts the price of options — the time left to expiration. This gives rise to the concept of time decay, which is easily quantified by the options Greek theta.

When you are choosing options trading strategies, you need to look beyond macro factors like the options put-call ratio (PCR) and implied volatility to assess how the theta impacts your strategy selection. In this article, we’ll take you through the meaning of time decay in options, how it’s measured using theta and delve into how you can master and apply the time decay of options to improve your trading success.

Decoding Time Decay in Options Contracts

Time decay in options is precisely what it sounds like. It means that as time passes and the options expiration nears, the option’s value decays or decreases. To understand this better, you need to first have greater clarity about the value of an options contract — which includes both intrinsic and extrinsic components.

Intrinsic Value

The intrinsic value of an options contract is essentially the profit it can generate if you exercise the right immediately. For example, say a call option has a strike price of ₹100, but the underlying asset is trading at ₹150. So, if you execute the options contract now, you can earn a profit of ₹50. This is the option’s intrinsic value. As the underlying asset’s price fluctuates, so does the option’s intrinsic value.

Extrinsic Value

The extrinsic value of an option depends on factors that are more abstract than its profit potential. The major factor that affects an option’s extrinsic value is the time left to expiration. The more time there is, the more the extrinsic value of the option will be. This is because you have a longer period over which you can potentially profit from the options contract.

However, as the expiry approaches, the extrinsic value of an option reduces. The rate at which this value decreases also accelerates as the expiry looms closer. This is primarily because as time passes, the probability of making profits by purchasing the option drastically reduces.

Measuring Time Decay in Options with Theta

Theta is the Greek term that quantifies the rate of time decay in options. It measures how much an option’s price decreases each day as it moves closer to expiry. It’s a critical metric for options traders because it reflects the rate at which time eats into the option’s value. Understanding theta can help you make informed decisions about entering the options market. It is also vital if you need to choose between holding an option versus selling it to capture its remaining value.

A high theta means the option is losing value quickly as expiry approaches. This makes any options trading strategy that requires you to hold long positions riskier as time runs out. For example, if an option has a theta of -0.20, it means the option’s price is expected to drop by ₹0.20 daily, if all other factors are equal. This metric becomes increasingly important as the expiry nears because the theta will grow higher, indicating an accelerated loss in the option’s value.

Mastering Time Decay can Help You Choose Winning Options Trading Strategies

At Samco Securities, we’ve integrated all the options Greeks including theta in the Samco trading app, so you can track the time decay of options even as the markets continue to change during each trading session.

Want to know why this matters?

To begin with, mastering time decay is crucial for choosing winning options trading strategies. Theta or the rate of time decay is inherent in all options. It affects their pricing and, consequently, impacts the options trading strategies that you can use to generate profits or hedge your risk.

Additionally, when you understand time decay, you can leverage it to select options trading strategies that align with your market outlook, risk tolerance and investment goals. With the Samco trading app, this becomes infinitely easier because our trading platform not only offers you a wealth of information about options Greeks — it also comes with an inbuilt options strategy builder that makes options trading strategy selection a breeze.

The Practical Significance of Time Decays in the Options Market

To accurately apply your knowledge of time decay in today’s markets, you need to understand that the impact of time on an option’s value is not linear. As we’ve seen earlier, it accelerates as the option approaches expiry. This is a critical aspect to keep in mind because it influences the selection of options trading strategies.

For example, if you are writing an option, you can benefit from time decay because the security you sell will lose value over time. This potentially allows you to buy back the option at a lower price or let them expire worthless. Plus, you get to keep the premium received from selling the option.

On the other hand, if you are an options buyer, you need to be aware that time decay works against you. The closer the option gets to its expiration date without moving ‘in-the-money’ (ITM), the less valuable it becomes. So, before you execute your options trading strategy, you need to have a strong conviction about the timing and direction of the underlying asset’s price movement to overcome the adverse effects of time decay.

To harness the power of time decay to your advantage, you can rely on relevant options trading strategies that account for an option’s decreasing value. For instance, the covered call options trading strategy involves holding a long position in an underlying asset and selling a call option on that same asset. The premium you receive from selling the call option provides some income, which can help offset the time decay if the market remains flat or slightly up.

Another strategy that accounts for the time decay is the iron condor, which involves selling both a call and a put option at different strike prices — but with the same expiration date. Simultaneously, you buy a call and a put option to limit risk. This strategy benefits from time decay if the underlying asset remains within a specific price range.

Keep Up with the Theta and Other Options Greeks on the Samco Trading App

With the Samco trading app, you can keep up with the theta and other options Greeks without having to switch between multiple platforms. That’s not all. At Samco, we believe in democratising trading for traders from all walks of life. So, the insights about options Greeks, time decay and even the best options trading strategies for any given market outlook are all available free of cost. Samco Securities does not levy any fee other than the standard Samco brokerage charges.

To gain the benefits of real-time market insights and other industry-first features, all you need to do is switch to Samco today. The quick Samco account opening process means that you can start trading in the options segment and leverage your knowledge of time decay almost instantly.

December 2, 2023

When Banks Back Out Investors Often Turn to Hard Money

Certain types of investments require significant upfront funds for acquisition. Real estate is the perfect example. So where do real estate investors get the funds they need to obtain new properties? Some go to traditional banks and private lenders. But even at that, traditional lenders have been known to back out at the last minute. Then what? Investors often turn to hard money.

Hard money is so named because lenders require a hard asset as collateral. That is generally not a problem for real estate investors inasmuch as the properties they are hoping to acquire through hard money financing act as the collateral. Investors do not have to come up with something else as long as said properties are valuable enough.

Why Banks Back Out

It can be terribly frustrating to have a bank back out a few days or weeks prior to closing. The closer a deal is to closing, the more difficult it is to arrange new financing. And if new financing cannot be arranged, the investor could lose the deal. That’s one of the reasons so many turn to hard money lenders.

Before explaining why, have you ever wondered what would make a bank back out of a lucrative investment deal? It could be any number of things. Maybe the property appraisal didn’t come back as high as anticipated. Perhaps an underwriter found an error in the borrower’s documentation. Whatever the particular reason, it is always a matter of risk. Something about the deal suddenly seems too risky for the bank.

The unfortunate thing for investors is that they often find out pretty late in the game that a bank is going to back out of a deal. They are left scrambling to arrange another financing partner before closing. That takes us back to hard money.

Hard Money Lenders Work Quickly

Speed is one of the biggest advantages that hard money brings to the table. That is important when you are talking about a commercial real estate deal destined to collapse if an investor cannot arrange alternate financing quickly enough. The bank backs out and the investor has just days to come up with a new source of funding.

How quickly do hard money lenders work? Speed differs from one to the next, but it is not abnormal for lenders to approve and close deals within 24 hours – at least when conditions warrant. Every hard money loan doesn’t close that quickly, but 24 hours or less is possible if the need arises.

Salt Lake City’s Actium Partners faced that sort of need a few years back when a local bank backed out on one of their clients. The client reached out to Actium on a Friday morning. That afternoon, Actium had boots on the ground appraising the property. Approval was given and the team back in the office prepared paperwork before the close of business that day. On Monday morning, they forwarded both funding and documentation to the title company.

Because Actium was able to act so quickly, the deal was saved. Closing had already been scheduled for that Monday morning, so any approval or funding delay by Actium could have easily scuttled the closing – and possibly the sale as well.

Hard Money Saves the Day

Hard money is often described as a lending option of last resort. While that is not true entirely, one could make the case that it’s true when an investor’s bank backs out at the last moment. Thank goodness hard money lenders can work quickly enough to save deals before they are lost. When banks back out, hard money saves the day.

March 8, 2023

Finance Industry Veteran Jennifer Palmer Launches Asset-Based Lending Company: JPalmer Collective

Company Specializes in Custom made Funding Options for Females-Led and All-natural Merchandise Companies

NEW YORK , March 8, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — On International Women’s Day, SFNet president and previous CEO of Gerber Finance and eCapital ABL, Jennifer Palmer, is saying the formation of JPalmer Collective. The asset-dependent lending company will provide custom-made financing answers with white-glove, consultative providers built to enable organizations improve sustainably and founders to retain their fairness.

The company will focus in large-growth companies that do not healthy classic lenders’ criteria, such as gals-led organizations and client brands centered on mindful consumers, sustainability and inclusivity.

“JPalmer Collective was created to fund business owners focused on sustainably enhancing our environment and to offer equivalent access to business funding for females,” said Jennifer Palmer, founder and CEO of JPalmer Collective. “Even though coincidental, the start timing is great: the theme of Global Women’s Day this calendar year is ’embrace equity,’ and we’re accomplishing just that by leveling the enjoying subject in funding. Additional than half of our portfolio will be gals-led companies.”

With 16 decades of expertise in the business finance field, Palmer has served fund the advancement of many beloved and productive girls-led and purely natural products brands, together with Stasher, Infant Gourmand and Coola. She is joined by Melissa Fleishman as COO, a finance veteran with 25 a long time of asset-primarily based lending expertise acknowledged as a distinguished chief in the marketplace by the Secured Finance Network, and Laura Newman as CFO, a CPA who has used her job in the accounting and economic expert services industries on Wall Street and in Massive 4 accounting. The firm is headquartered in New York.

A doing work mother to four girls, Palmer is a female entrepreneur with deep finance field experience who is dedicated to encouraging guarantee that the long term of funding is female-inclusive. She is the latest president of the Secured Finance Network (SFNet) and a identified leader in the finance industry.

About JPalmer Collective

JPalmer Collective is a custom-made asset-based lending alternatives provider established in 2023 by Jennifer Palmer, professional finance veteran, president of SFNet and an advocate for bettering women’s entry to funding. Developed to fund superior-growth corporations that do not healthy the traditional lender’s criteria, the organization offers white-glove provider with a consultative tactic to women of all ages-led organizations and client models centered on mindful shoppers, sustainability and inclusivity so they can obtain sustainable growth.

Media Speak to: Barbara Marks, barbramarkspr@gmail.com

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Supply JPalmer Collective

March 6, 2023

Simply Asset Finance integrates Lendscape’s contract management solution

Lendscape’s deal management process will assist Basically Asset Finance’s enterprise progress and broaden get to
Both of those businesses share a dedicated vision to innovate the asset finance sector with sector-foremost know-how
Lendscape’s Asset Finance cloud-indigenous, API-very first technologies to travel performance and high-quality throughout procedures, enabling even further advancement of Simply just Asset Finance’s award-profitable buyer working experience

LONDON, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Only Asset Finance, the specialist small business lending supplier, announces it has selected Lendscape’s new market-foremost deal management procedure to assistance its company growth, geographic expansion and even further improve its shopper experience.

Equally Basically Asset Finance and Lendscape have a shared eyesight and perseverance to driving and disrupting the asset finance sector, by means of the use of impressive, market place-main tech solutions. Lendscape’s contract management process will empower Just Asset Finance to engage with its buyers much more efficiently, in serious time, even though delivering state-of-the-art bank loan e book management abilities and info for strategic oversight.

Lendscape Asset Finance is a new sort of contract management procedure intended to deal with all leases and loans on a one, user-welcoming platform. It lifts the administrative stress, creating day to day jobs simpler. With this engineering built-in into its lending option, Merely Asset Finance will be equipped to go on its enterprise eyesight to aim extra time on supporting customers and broker associates via the right blend of encounter, a private method, and effective and accessible know-how remedies to boost the end-to-close lending method.

This news comes soon after Merely Asset Finance announced it has surpassed the £1 billion lending milestone just 5 decades due to the fact its 2017 inception, owning funded over 27,600 property for firms throughout the Uk. The technological innovation will let the business enterprise to provide extra consumers, additional successfully, consequently feeding into its expansion strategies for 2023 and beyond.

Ylva Oertengren, Chief Working Officer at Simply Asset Finance, reported: “Our purpose is to make a high excellent and scalable system through partnering with the very best and most ahead-pondering know-how vendors. Lendscape fits our design perfectly and its new contract administration resolution will give us the basis for the up coming phase of our strategic establish even though supporting our long run progress programs.

“Lendscape has the identical push to innovate in the asset finance sector as we do, and our partnership will enable us to achieve much more consumers, broker companions and in the end provide much more corporations across the Uk.”

Steve Taplin, Taking care of Director at Lendscape, stated: “We are delighted that Just Asset Finance has picked Lendscape as a critical spouse to assist them in their eyesight. Our cloud-indigenous system has been made from the floor up with the wants of asset finance vendors and their clients in thoughts, and we appear forward to supporting Only in delivering impressive solutions to the current market and fantastic purchaser provider underpinned by bigger automation, efficiency gains and fashionable, intuitive consumer experiences.

About Only Asset Finance

Just Asset Finance was founded in April 2017 by a crew of asset finance professionals, in reaction to the need for innovation and disruption in the sector. It delivers an alternative economical model to banking institutions and appears to be like beyond a harmony sheet and credit rating score, supported by a digitally enabled shopper journey. Just Asset Finance think about a customer’s prospective and get the job done with them to detect and apply the best alternative to assist them be successful. Their hugely knowledgeable product sales staff is made up of people today with intensive know-how of the industries they lend to. This suggests they realize the working day-to-day worries that companies confront and the dedicated assist teams manual clients through the course of action, supporting them just about every phase of the way.

Merely Asset Finance has lent more than £1bn to above 6,000 tiny and medium corporations throughout a huge assortment of sectors which include transportation, construction, production, recycling, and agriculture.

About Lendscape:

Lendscape is the world’s primary know-how company for all forms of secured finance.

With over 45 many years of encounter and in-depth marketplace understanding, our dynamic staff has built, developed, and shipped secured lending know-how to around 50 marketplaces and some of the worlds’ most prestigious banking and economical services companies.

Lendscape supports a range of performing cash and asset finance answers these kinds of as factoring, invoice discounting, source chain finance, asset-centered lending as perfectly as asset finance and numerous other kinds of professional finance.

To master much more, visit www.lendscape.com.

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