The distributed ledger is one of the hottest topics in financial services. Born out of the crypto-currency bitcoin, the blockchain concept has gone mainstream and the first area to feel the impact is likely to be payments.
Despite celebrating its 10th birthday in 2014 – or perhaps because of it – the number of variations of ISO 20022 being deployed is prompting concerns that it is rapidly becoming less useful as a standard. There is increasing recognition that differences in implementation and market practices could lead to a fragmentation of the standard.
Fostering innovation in financial technology has become a much more collaborative affair: global banking giants are courting small technology start-ups in the hopes of gaining a competitive edge in financial services …
Cyber attacks cost little to perpetrate, but plenty to prevent. A focus on external and internal factors will help financial institutions to mitigate the threat.
T2S, Europe’s harmonised settlement platform, is live. With a series of migration waves scheduled up until full live operation in July 2017, the next few years are likely to be characterised by intense activity as market participants finalise their strategies …
The yeas have it. The European Parliament today has passed the second major payments regulation in 2015, with 578 votes in favor of the Revised Payment Services Directive (PSD2).
Two McDonald’s franchise owners have appealed a judge’s refusal to dismiss a class-action lawsuit alleging they illegally mandated employees be paid via prepaid cards.
Prior to today’s field hearing in Denver, the CFPB has announced it’s considering proposing rules that would restrict consumer financial companies from using certain types of arbitration clauses that block consumers from forming class action lawsuits to obtain compensation.
Europe’s top court has struck down a longstanding agreement that enabled U.S. companies to handle the personal data of users in the European Union without being subjected to EU privacy rules, in a decision that will significantly affect not only tech giants like Google and Facebook, but payments and financial services companies, as well.
With global investment into the fintech arena growing at an astonishing rate, it is only a matter of time before the corporate sector begins to feel its true force. Fred DiCocco, head of market management, BNY Mellon Treasury Services, discusses how banks are adapting. Fintech is triggering a monumental shift in the payments space, with […]
Rep. Scott Tipton (R-Colo.) and more than 40 other lawmakers are urging CFPB Director Richard Cordray to be cautious in prepaid rulemaking and to make sure the government Direct Express program is not adversely affected by the forthcoming rule.
With European Union law now requiring merchants to tax digital goods based on which country the buyer is located in—instead of where the seller is located—the European Commission (EC) is canvassing interested parties for feedback on the system of reconciling and paying taxes to national governments.
Call it immediate, instant, fast(er) or real-time, the drive to speed up payments is being discussed in almost every country. As part of that discussion Banking Technology and ACI Worldwide brought together international participants from Australia, Europe, the UK and the US review the opportunities and challenges ahead.
For those who attend Sibos every year, it can seem as though the conference never actually ends – it simply adjourns until the following year. This year, the rise of distributed ledgers and the role of non-bank players in financial services look set to top the agenda – but there will also be a strong focus on innovation, women in finance and millennials.
UKGCVA’s reply to Ireland’s proposal to ban expiration dates on gift cards and vouchers.
Visa set a deadline for its debit card issuers to request extra payment on top of the monies the issuers will receive in accordance with an earlier settlement reached with Target related to the 2013 breach.
Litigation involves a $7.25 billion settlement deal with retailers, after it was disclosed that a defense attorney shared information with an attorney for the plaintiffs.
Abercrombie & Fitch and RadioShack class action decisions involving closed-loop gift cards warrant attention.
Australia’s central bank may begin regulating American Express cards in the country, putting at risk the generous rewards points cardholders earn on so-called “companion cards”— credit card accounts linked to two different credit card networks, thus enabling cardholders to earn the benefits of whichever one they choose to use at the point of purchase.
Digital gifting continues to make inroads, with more than half of consumers surveyed by Blackhawk Network reporting the purchase of an e-gift over the previous year.
A U.S. appeals court this week determined that the FTC has authority to regulate corporate cybersecurity and can pursue a lawsuit against hotel operator Wyndham Worldwide Corp. for allegedly failing to properly safeguard consumers’ information.
Surcharges vs. discounts.
Changing terms of an agreement.
Three-party agreements causes problems.
Rights of gift card holders.
Redeeming for dollars.
Payment opportunities in the EU come with complex requirements, which is why it’s important to understand the ever-changing legislative issues.
The last lingering issue in the long-running legal dispute between merchants and the Federal Reserve Board of Governors over debit interchange fee caps took a step toward resolution this week, with the Fed detailing how it calculated a controversial aspect of the fee limit.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) this week sent a letter to the retail consortium Merchant Customer Exchange (MCX), which is readying the launch of its CurrentC mobile payments service, demanding details about its exclusivity policy requiring participants to block rival mobile wallets, along with other information.
BofI Federal Bank has received approval from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) to acquire certain assets and liabilities from H&R Block Bank.
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) has released new guidance for banks issuing tax refund-related products, including prepaid cards.
Another warning to check that your vendors apply appropriate security measures.
Both Google and RadioShack are engaged in legal battles with consumers holding unused balances on the respective company’s gift cards.
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.
A major online hacking forum and malware marketplace has been shut down in a coordinated operation by law enforcement officials in 20 countries.
It’s now law, but not all of the act is in force yet.
Regulated entities that verify identity in connection with the issuance of stored value cards may find more flexibility in the principle-based approach to identity verification outlined in the proposed regulations.
Chris Larsen, chief executive of Ripple Labs, talks about his concept of the Internet of Value, and why his company is not a disruptor …
Cybercrime investigators from six European countries joined forces and recently busted a large gang of cybercriminals that had used malware in a widespread attack on online banking systems across the Eurozone, resulting in losses of at least €2 million (US$2.22 million), according to Europol, the EU’s law enforcement agency.
JPMorgan Chase is changing its policies to offer more customers access to mainstream payment services—and the company’s Liquid prepaid card will play a key role in the initiative.
