Ransomware is a sobering item on every organization’s list of things to worry about. New data shows it might be more problematic than ever as the average ransomware demand reached $1,571,667 in the second quarter, more than double the average in the first quarter, according to “Q2 2024 Cyber Threat …

Having just launched earlier this month, PayPal Holdings Inc.’s Fastlane checkout has lined up processor and competitor Adyen NV as a partner. Designed to accelerate guest checkout flows, Fastlane is meant to help e-commerce retailers boost their conversion rates. Reducing friction in the guest-checkout process can help boost conversion rates for e-commerce …

U.S. third-party developers soon will have new capabilities to access the secure element piece of Apple Inc.’s iPhone when iOS 18.1 eventually is released, a move that could herald further app development and cement Apple’s position among mobile-wallet providers. Apple, without fanfare, revealed this long-desired access Thursday in a simple …

It’s early days for artificial intelligence use, but already most consumers—74%—are concerned it could be used to advance further fraud attacks. That’s the word from risk-management provider Abrigo in its latest survey. In related news, ClearSale launched a suite of tools to help retailers counter online fraud. Fraud worries are …

Mobile wallets vie for consumer attention, but tech-based ones are most favored as 54% of credit cardholders use one of the big three—Apple Pay, Google Wallet, or Samsung Pay—finds new research from Auriemma Group. Tracked by the New York City-based advisory firm since 2016 in its Mobile Pay Tracker, mobile …

Another grocery chain is adding Caper smart shopping carts to its store, Instacart announced. Meanwhile, convenience-store chain Stinker Stores has adopted point-of-sale technology from NCR Voyix. San Francisco-based Instacart says Davis Food & Drug, which operates three stores in Utah, will replace most of its traditional shopping carts with Caper …

As bakery chain Paris Baguette refreshes its rewards program and its mobile app, its online-ordering process has also been updated with help from Olo Inc. In related news, Elo Touch Solutions Inc. releases a 22-inch contactless payment-enabled device. Moonachie, N.J.-based Paris Baguette, which has 160 U.S. locations, according to its …

There’s more than pricing and revenue agreements that’s necessary to the working relationships between independent software vendors and the value-added resellers. Understanding this is important as the ISV segment gains ground as a payments channel, experts say. It starts with communication, says Gary Liu, chief financial officer of Bold Integrated …

Value-added resellers and independent software vendors enticed by the attractiveness of surcharging and cash-discount programs find there’s no one-size-fits-all approach for enrolling merchants. Questions about the programs abound at RetailNow 2024, the annual conference sponsored by the Retail Solutions Providers Association and in progress this week in Las Vegas. The …

Artificial intelligence tools may still be in development, but their utility for acquirers is quickly becoming apparent. “A lot of people think it’s a ‘nice to have,’ but it’s no longer a ‘nice to have,’” Sebastian Builes, cofounder and chief executive at Arcum, a merchant-retention firm that uses AI, told …