Visa Inc. announced Monday that it has created a business unit dedicated to transit payments. The new unit debuts as public transportation agencies worldwide move away from cash and proprietary magnetic-stripe fare cards and begin accepting mobile wallets and contactless general-purpose credit and debit cards. Dubbed Visa Global Transit Solutions, …
Read More »Gone With the Wind: Hurricanes Blow a Hole in a Puerto Rican Processor’s Volumes
Hurricanes Irma and especially Maria devastated Puerto Rico-based payment processor Evertec Inc.’s business in September, and the company’s merchant business is in for a long recovery as the island struggles to restore electric power and other essential services to businesses and residences. In reviewing Evertec’s third-quarter results during a Tuesday …
Read More »Volume from New Software Ventures Grows for Global Payments as ISO Business Fades
Global Payments Inc. was one of the first merchant acquirers to identify the payments opportunities in pairing up with independent software vendors and related firms that serve businesses with all manner of applications, and now those channels are bringing in 40% of revenues, chief executive Jeff Sloan said Wednesday. That …
Read More »Wal-Mart And Visa Settle Lawsuits Over Debit Routing and Credit Card Interchange
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. confirmed Friday that it will settle its lawsuit against Visa Inc. over EMV debit card transaction routing. That news comes one day after the two leaders in their respective industries settled lawsuits they filed against each other stemming from the massive and still-ongoing credit card interchange litigation …
Read More »Cardtronics Shows Resiliency Despite ‘an Incredible Streak of Bad Luck’
A strong third-quarter earnings report helped lift shares of ATM network owner and operator Cardtronics plc by 4% Friday morning after they plunged 17% Thursday on news that Link, the ATM network in the United Kingdom—a key market for Cardtronics—floated a proposal to reduce interchange by 20%. Cardtronics, which has …
Read More »Overwhelming Numbers of Consumers, Businesses Want IoT Security Regulations
Security professionals have been warning about the data-security risks of connecting millions of non-computer devices to the Internet, and those warnings appear to be making an impact. Newly released results of an international consumer and business survey by payment-security technology provider Gemalto NV say that 90% of consumers lack confidence …
Read More »With New Anti-Fraud Systems in Place, WEX Says Skimming Losses Are Trending Down
After suffering a spike in fraud from skimmers on gas pumps earlier this year, fleet-fueling payment specialist WEX Inc. reported Wednesday that fraud losses are falling thanks to its new risk-control systems. “The steps we have taken to reduce losses fraud have started to pay off,” Roberto Simon, chief financial …
Read More »Bank Joint Ventures Still Crimping First Data’s Merchant Unit
Most components of First Data Corp.’s massive merchant-acquiring machine performed well in the third quarter, and the company renewed its acquiring contract with Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the world’s largest retailer. But new merchant referrals from First Data’s joint ventures with three big U.S. banks remain problematic. “These businesses have remained …
Read More »Irish Firm To Acquire Multi-Currency Processor Planet Payment for $250 Million
Two and a half months after announcing it was exploring strategic alternatives, international payment services provider Planet Payment Inc. reported late Thursday that it has a deal to be acquired by Galway, Ireland-based Fintrax Group, a multi-currency processor for international shoppers, for $4.50 per share in cash. The deal values …
Read More »Small Merchants Boost Vantiv as the Processor’s Merger With Worldpay Draws Closer
As its merger with London-based merchant acquirer Worldpay Group plc gets closer, payment processor Vantiv Inc. reported Thursday that it saw strong growth in its merchant-acquiring segment in the third quarter, especially from small and mid-sized merchants. Symmes Township, Ohio-based Vantiv said net third-quarter revenues in its Merchant Services segment …
Read More »