Consumer adoption of account-to-account payments has been slow to catch on as the novel payment scheme looks to differentiate itself from ever-popular credit card rewards. Payments fintech Prizeout is hoping to make Pay by Bank – and debit card rewards – more commonplace with the launch of a new payment method designed to give credit union debit card users instant cash back.
Visitors to D.C. for World Pride, the Fourth of July and other summer events won’t have to line up at fare machines to pay for Metro. Starting Wednesday, riders can pay with their credit cards.
“The whole idea is to make things easier, so you don’t have to go to the vending machine, you don’t have to think about a balance,” Metro General Manager Randy Clarke said after using his credit card to go through a fare gate at the Silver Line station at Dulles International Airport for the first time. “Tap and go.”
But SmarTrip cards are not going away yet. Riding the bus, paying for parking, and taking advantage of reduced fares or unlimited passes can still be done only with the Metro fare card. Clarke said Metro hopes to have credit-card payment on buses available by the end of the year, while special passes might take longer.
The Trump administration’s policies have led to significant changes in higher education institutions. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has closed its Community and Equity Office and officially ended diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, signaling a shift toward a merit-based admissions and hiring process. The changes, led by MIT President Sally Kornbluth since January 2024, include the elimination of a senior administrative DEI position. Kornbluth emphasized MIT’s commitment to fostering a supportive environment based on talent from diverse backgrounds without prejudgment. This move comes amidst President Trump’s broader crackdown on DEI initiatives, including federal funding cuts and expanded civil rights investigations at institutions like MIT and Harvard over allegations of racial and antisemitic discrimination. MIT has suffered up to $35 million in research grant losses and plans to reduce graduate admissions by 8% for the 2025-26 academic year. The university is participating in legal efforts to counter Trump administration cuts to scientific research funding.