Payments


PayPal’s Shares Rise as it Flies Solo (July 20, 2015)

PayPal’s stock rose more than 5 percent on its first day of trading as an independent company, bringing its total market capitalization to about $50 billion, making it an even more potent force in the red-hot payments M&A arena, observers say.

Meta Buys Tax Refund Company for $50 Million (July 20, 2015)

Meta Financial Group Inc. and bank subsidiary MetaBank are getting ready for tax season early with the acquisition of Fort Knox Financial Services Corp. and its subsidiary, Tax Product Services. The deal, valued at approximately $50 million, bolsters Meta’s business in the tax refund prepaid card vertical.

U.K. Payments Study Shows Consumers’ Need for Speed

Faster payments could be the key factor in getting U.K. consumers to switch bank accounts, a new report says. In a study commissioned by ACI Worldwide, 45 percent of 2,000 of consumers polled in the U.K. said the prospect of faster and more convenient electronic payments would encourage them to consider moving their accounts to a different bank.

Ageing reconciliation systems cost firms dear

Two-thirds of top-tier financial institutions have established reconciliation centres of excellence following a recent wave of consolidation of the reconciliation function – but more than half of firms say their reconciliation technology platform was at least five years old, and a quarter of respondents use platforms more than nine years old.

UK consumers look for speed

Nearly half of UK consumers say that faster payments are a factor in their choice of back account provider, with 45% saying that the offer of faster electronic payments would encourage them to switch their bank account provider.

Commerzbank continues card processing contract with Worldline

Commerzbank has extended its existing credit card processing contract with Worldline for a further seven years. Since 1998 Wordline has provided the bank with an end-to-end processing service that includes complete processing of all the bank’s issued Visa and MasterCard cards.

BNP Paribas becomes CHAPS’ 22nd direct participant

BNP Paribas has become a direct participant in CHAPS, the UK’s same day high-value electronic payment system, the 22nd bank to join in this role. More are expected to join by the end of 2016. As a direct participant, the bank can directly send and receive irrevocable, guaranteed sterling payments with same day finality, rather than through a third-party.

Volante launches ‘Babel Fish’ for financial messaging transformation

A ‘Babel Fish’ for financial messaging has been launched by Volante Technologies with the intention of simplifying corporate-to-bank integration and removing obstacles to on-boarding. Like the fictional universal translator from Hitchhikers’ Guide to the Galaxy, the system translates incoming message formats into something that the receiver can understand.

PSR appoints chair of the Payments Strategy Forum

The Payment Systems Regulator, the new economic regulator for UK payment systems, has appointed Ruth Evans as the chair of the Payments Strategy Forum. Evans is currently chair of The Authority for Television on Demand, the independent co-regulator for the editorial content of UK video on demand services.

Viewpoint: 3 Keys to Sustainable Public Sector Programs

Public sector programs usually offer predictable loads and transaction volumes, and that information can be a plus. But reliable load patterns don’t guarantee overall success, especially if you price yourself out of profitability and sustainability.

Viewpoint: How the Ripple Protocol Could Change Payments

Unless you’re a mathematician or a bitcoin fan, trying to understand what Ripple is—and why it’s so revolutionary—requires a bit of research (not to mention a double espresso!). That being said, here at Hyperwallet, we definitely think this new technology is worth investigating. In fact, I’d wager a bet that, within just a few years, Ripple could become as important to the world of payments as the Internet is to the world of information today.

Q&A with Brad Fauss, NBPCA

The NBPCA’s newly elected president and CEO spoke with Paybefore about priorities, what happens behind the scenes of the association, and the work that lies ahead for an industry that must continue to raise awareness on the Hill.

Europol: cash is still king – for criminals

More than 30% of all suspicious transaction reports in the European Union are triggered by the use of cash, according to Europol, with the €500 note – not widely used for payments – still in demand.

Apple mops up mobile payments market

iPhone devices account for more than one in three mobile transactions, and are used for 10% of all global online transactions, according to new figures published by payment specialist Adyen.

Retail Gift Cards Rebound in 2014 (July 7, 2015)

After a sluggish 2012 and a double-digit drop in 2013, total dollars loaded onto retailer-issued, closed-loop prepaid cards rebounded with a 13 percent increase last year, according to Mercator Advisory Group’s latest report.

Starting Young Key to Financial Literacy, Says Presidential Panel (July 7, 2015)

Equipping young Americans with the knowledge they need to make smart financial decisions should start as early as pre-kindergarten, according to a new report from a group of experts tasked with finding ways to promote financial capability among the young. Created by a 2013 executive order from President Obama, the President’s Advisory Council on Financial […]

PSR papers set out scope for Payments Strategy Forum

The UK’s Payment Systems Regulator has published a series of papers describing its work on the creation of the Payments Strategy Forum, the body it is creating under independent leadership to bring together regulators, industry and users.

N.Y. DOL Extends Comment Period for Payroll Card Regs (July 6, 2015)

Payroll card providers now have until July 31, 2015, to respond to the New York Department of Labor’s proposed payroll card regulations, which prohibit fees for inactivity, overdraft, declined transactions or receiving written transaction statements, among other mandates.