Blog: All I Want for Christmas is an Apple Watch
Reactions to the new Apple Watch range from ecstasy to ennui for most consumers, but here’s why this product might be a holiday hit.
PayTech
Indian bank launches WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter mobile payments
India’s Axis Bank has released a mobile payments service called Ping Pay, which allows customers to send money to each other using Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, email or phone number. The bank says the service will help it to reach young consumers and smartphone users.
Blog: The Amazing Race: Differentiating the In-Store Experience
Retailers are changing the shopping experience. It’s quite clear that the future will be a far cry from your mother’s shopping trip, and payments providers will have to innovate to keep up.
LevelUp Breaks into POS Mobile Carrier Billing via Sprint (May 13, 2015)
LevelUp is trying something it says is a first in the U.S.—enabling users of its mobile payments platform to charge in-store purchases to their mobile phone bills, beginning with Sprint customers.
Denmark Seeks to Eliminate Most Cash Transactions (May 13, 2015)
The Danish government wants to eliminate the obligation of accepting cash for certain retailers—expediting a move toward a cashless economy some government officials believe will reduce costs and increase productivity for affected businesses.
People on the Move: Bob Mengani, Chartwell Compliance
Chartwell Compliance has hired Bob Mengani as senior compliance director.
People on the Move: Tony Sabetti, CPI Card Group
Littleton, Colo.-based card producer CPI Card Group has hired industry veteran Tony Sabetti to lead CPI’s mobile and NFC market initiatives through CPIMobile, a digital issuance solution using Sequent technology.
Company on the Move: FIME, EMVCo Board of Advisors
FIME, a France-based provider of consulting, test and certification services for payment systems, cards and terminals, has been elected to the EMVCo board of advisors to represent the technical associates for a one-year term.
People on the Move: Tim Carter, Fortumo
Mobile payments company Fortumo has appointed Tim Carter chief revenue officer, based in the company’s London office.
People on the Move: Dean Young, National Association of Credit Union Service Organizations (NACUSO) Board
Dean Young, senior vice president of relationship development at PSCU, was appointed to the National Association of Credit Union Service Organizations’ (NACUSO) board of directors.
People on the Move: Shawn Carden, New Wave Holdings Inc.
New Wave Holdings Inc., a prepaid industry holding company, has appointed Shawn Carden CEO.
People on the Move: Hartwig Gerhartinger, Prepaid International Forum (PIF) Board
paysafecard, a global provider of prepaid online payment methods and member of the international Skrill Group, announced that Dr. Hartwig Gerhartinger, senior legal counsel at paysafecard, has been selected to join the board of the Prepaid International Forum (PIF) as a non-executive director.
Report: Cybercrime Costs to Quadruple by 2019 (May 12, 2015)
The cost of data breaches globally will quadruple over the next four years to $2.1 trillion, as cybercrime becomes more sophisticated and profitable.
Alibaba Could Open Apple Pay’s Door to China (May 12, 2015)
Two of the biggest names in global commerce are exploring a partnership that could bring Apple Pay to China.
Mitek Verifies Consumers with the Snap of a Driver’s License (May 12, 2015)
Mitek Systems has unveiled authentication technology, which it says will improve customer acquisition efforts by enabling issuers to instantly verify a consumer remotely or in a brick-and-mortar bank location using a driver’s license.
Chase: 65% of Consumers in the Dark about Chip Cards (May 12, 2015)
With less than six months to go before the October 2015 EMV liability shift for U.S. payment cards, 65 percent of consumers haven’t yet heard of chip card technology and 77 percent have not received a chip-enabled card, according to a survey.
People on the Move: David Durant, YapStone
YapStone, a global provider of Web and mobile payment technology solutions for large vertical markets and online marketplaces, named David Durant general counsel.
InComm Not for Sale; Bloomberg Article Incorrect (May 11, 2015)
In an exclusive interview, Meyerhoff tells Paybefore that the company is not for sale, not planning to sell and has not engaged any third party to contemplate or pursue a sale.
Senate Banking Head Mulling Fed Overhaul Bill (May 11, 2015)
The head of the Senate Banking Committee reportedly is readying a bill that would restructure the Federal Reserve and lead to fewer midsize banks being deemed “too big to fail.”
NBPCA to Recognize Industry Member with Terrence P. Maher Influencer Award (May 11, 2015)
In honor of the late Terry Maher’s tireless work on behalf of the industry, the NPBCA is further cementing his legacy by establishing the Terrence P. Maher Influencer Award.
Industry bodies look to harmonise ISO 20022 real-time payment implementation
Global interoperability of real-time payments systems will require harmonisation of market practices and standards. A group of international clearing houses, banks, vendors, payments associations and other parties have proposed setting up an activity to look at how to deliver this under the aegis of the International Standards Organisation – and set an ambitious target of collating an initial variant of ISO 20022 usage guidelines for real-time payments before the summer.
O2 Buys Weve, Ends Telco JV’s M-Payment Plans (May 7, 2015)
Weve, the U.K. telco-led mobile wallet joint venture of O2, Vodafone and EE, this week announced another major reorganization, abandoning its earlier mobile payments ambitions to focus on mobile advertising, under the sole ownership of O2.
V.me Set for Full Rollout in U.K. (May 7, 2015)
The U.K. rollout of Visa Europe’s V.me digital wallet is picking up steam, the payments network said, with support from banks representing more than half of the country’s 130 million cardholders and thousands of merchants.
Orange Cash Comes to Spain with Wirecard Support (May 7, 2015)
Wirecard Group will support the launch of mobile operator Orange’s Orange Cash mobile payments service in Spain.
EU Lawmakers Reach Informal PSD2 Agreement (May 7, 2015)
European lawmakers, following years of discussion, believe improved competition, more innovation and enhanced consumer protections in cross-border payments will be the result of an informal agreement on a revised Payment Services Directive (PSD2) reached this week.
FinCEN: Virtual Currency Exchangers Must Comply with BSA, AML Rules (May 7, 2015)
Ripple Labs Inc. acted as a money services business and sold its virtual currency without registering with FinCEN.
Innotribe names South African Start-up Challenge finalists
The Innotribe Start-up Challenge attendees selected the five finalists from the African leg of the Start-up Challenge to compete at Sibos Singapore in October. The showcase was held yesterday alongside Swift’s African Regional Conference.
National velocity checking: the answer to MSB money laundering?
Anti-money laundering legislation cuts through the Gordian knot of bringing cases against companies at a stroke – it doesn’t require a ‘controlling mind’. In fact, it almost demands the opposite. A UK-wide system of velocity checking would go further in combating crime and protecting Money Services Businesses.
Bringing the channels together
Can the right combination of self-service device management, cash management and end-to-end transaction monitoring enable banks to embrace enterprise-wide performance awareness, and take a holistic approach to managing their multi-channel banking environments?
Study: Pressure Intensifies on Banks to Innovate or Lose Competitive Edge (May 5, 2015)
As new payments technology seeks to disrupt the industry status quo, pressure is intensifying for financial institutions to adapt through innovation, or risk losing their existing leadership in the value chain, a new study from ACI Worldwide suggests.
Visa Europe Opens Doors to Startups with Innovation Lab (May 5, 2015)
Visa Europe has not only opened the physical doors of its new international innovation hub in London, the payments network also is opening its figurative doors to working with companies across the fintech ecosystem to create what it calls a new generation of payment services.
Survey: More Consumers Plan to Use Mobile Payments; Security Perceptions Improve (May 5, 2015)
Consumers’ perceptions of mobile payments security have improved, along with the number of consumers who say they’re likely to use a mobile payment app in the next 90 days, according to a new survey.
BBVA Revamps Corporate Structure for ‘Digital Transformation’ (May 5, 2015)
BBVA is shaking up its corporate structure as part of what the bank calls a “digital transformation.”
V.me by Visa to be rolled out in UK this year
Visa Europe says that it will roll out its V.me by Visa in the UK this year, having secured commitment from 55% of the UK’s card issuance base, which accounts for more than 60 million card holders, and thousands of the UK’s retailers. It will now be commercially available to the majority of internet shoppers in the UK before the end of 2015.
Demystifying mobile payments
As mobile handsets become more prevalent as a tool for retailers, for payments, loyalty and engaging with consumers in and out of the store, security of sensitive data becomes increasingly more important.
Viewpoint: UDAAP Priorities and the CFPB’s Project Catalyst Initiative
Notes from a business law meeting with speakers from the CFPB, FTC and New York Department of Financial Services.
Morgan Drexen Lawsuit against CFPB Thrown Out (May 4, 2015)
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit recently rejected a lawsuit by Morgan Drexen Inc., a provider of services to consumers through debt-relief lawyers, against the CFPB by a vote of 2-1.
Visa Sticking to October EMV Liability Shift (May 4, 2015)
Visa Inc. is holding to its October 2015 fraud liability shift date for EMV chip acceptance, although several merchant groups reportedly have requested an extension.
Consumer Organizations Push PINs for EMV (May 4, 2015 )
In a letter sent to Congress and other federal agencies, an ad hoc group of four consumer and technology organizations called for broad action to require PINs—not signatures—for all U.S. EMV card transactions.
Earnings Roundup: Visa, MasterCard, Meta, Western Union (May 4, 2015)
Four industry-leading organizations recently have filed their quarterly earnings reports.
