Technology

The head of Fiserv hinted that it will pitch the point-of-sale platform Clover, which it would get in the First Data deal, to community banks as a way to defend their small-business market share from Square.

Digit, Chime and Pluto are among those said to be stepping into a void left by the banking industry. But designing helpful enough, yet flexible enough, financial safeguards for consumers is easier said than done.

Nearly 60% of people thinking about switching banks would be open to banking with a big tech company if they ever get that option. Cash incentives or existing savings accounts are big factors in consumer decisions — and things that banks could keep in mind in their efforts to recruit or retain customers.

The Bridgeport, Conn., company is developing a specialty in banking technology businesses. Like so many other small regionals with ambitious growth plans, it faces a tricky balancing act: how to take creative risks without getting in over its head.

Traditional institutions shouldn’t just develop stand-alone online banks on top of existing infrastructure. They’d be best served building these “parallel” banks from the ground up.