The story behind Smarty's upside-down banners at BYU

This June, Klarna and PayPal made some big moves into the physical card space. Klarna teamed up with Visa to launch a BNPL (buy-now-pay-later) debit card, while PayPal’s partnership with Mastercard aims to help the brand make the jump from phone to wallet. Coupled with other wave-making announcements like Stripe’s all-in moves on AI and stablecoins, PayPal and Klarna’s announcements emphasize a broader industry shift as fintechs transform from niche digital players to comprehensive financial services platforms.

When you think about theme parks, you probably think of roller coasters, long lines, and $18 turkey legs. But behind all the fun is a surprising need for something a little less flashy yet still gorgeous as all get out—rock-solid address validation (or address verification, we use them interchangeably). Yes, we’re talking about making sure that the addresses entered by guests are real, valid, and standardized. Why? Because today’s theme parks operate like data-rich, customer-first ecosystems.

Address verification is an essential tool that property insurance companies should use when analyzing risk. Perils are often associated with potential hazards located on or near a property, but they can also be tied to the general area a property is in. Verifying addresses ensures that a policy falls within a covered area, which is vital for both an insurance company and their customers. To start, the insurance policy premium needs to be priced for the property's actual location. Otherwise, a premium could be mispriced because of a misclassified risk area.