By the time you read this message we probably will know the outcome of the presidential election. The new president will take office in January facing a set of difficult local and global issues, not least of which are the ongoing economic turmoil and the uncertainty that surrounds it.

It isn’t likely we will understand the full impact of the current economic crisis on the electronic payments industry for several more months. It may be relatively mild or much more serious than many now believe. One thing, however, is certain: The effects will be global. That’s the nature of the larger financial services business and, increasingly, the nature of the payments business.

That makes this month’s cover story on globalization very timely. While there are plenty of articles warning of the perils of going global, and plenty more touting the profit potential of international business, authors Todd McGuire and Marc D’Annunzio, both attorneys who practice in our industry, take a slightly different tack, focusing on some of the pitfalls you’re likely to encounter if (or when) the allure of going global becomes irresistible.

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