Digital Transactions Authoritative, insightful and timely information for payments professionals
As network security managers scramble today to combat the so-called MyDoom virus, one of the most malicious network attacks security experts have seen yet, the Boston-based consulting firm Yankee Group has released a report predicting that the frequency and virulence of such incidents will create a flourishing new market in …
Read More »AmEx Looks to Have Its First Bank Issuer by Year’s End
American Express Co. says it will be a matter of “months,” not “years,” until banks in the United States are issuing the company's card products now that the U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals has thrown out a motion from Visa International Corp., Visa USA Inc., and MasterCard International Inc. …
Read More »Prepaid Plastic Zeroes in on the Payroll Market
With gift cards accounting for more than $17 billion in retail sales, or about 8% of merchants' total take, during the recent holiday shopping spree, according to the National Retail Federation, the plastic has become a star in the electronic transaction firmament. But while gift cards are stealing the headlines, …
Read More »Why Ticketing Kiosks Are Checking into Hotels
The next step in transaction automation in the travel industry may well be the introduction of self-service ticketing machines, which are getting increasing usage at airports, into related markets like hotels, allowing travelers to integrate several transactions into one. Already, self-service kiosks at hotels allow travelers not only to check …
Read More »A Check Hauler Gets Set to Embrace the Future
Fast Forward Solutions LLC, a subsidiary of Columbus, Ohio-based air-freight hauler AirNet Systems Inc., is gearing up AirNet's seven regional hubs to handle Fast Forward's new business: transporting image-replacement documents for banks converting from paper checks to check imaging. Within six weeks, says Jeff Harris, the former banker and AirNet …
Read More »Chase-Bank One Merger Creates a Transactions Powerhouse
The merger of banking powerhouses J.P Morgan Chase & Co. and Bank One Corp., announced late yesterday, would create the nation's second largest credit card issuer as measured by credit outstanding, the banks' chief executives said this morning in a meeting with analysts. The combined bank would boast 95 million …
Read More »FDC Shareholders Don’t Have to Okay Revised Concord Terms
First Data Corp. will not need to seek the approval of its shareholders for the revised terms announced Monday under which it will acquire Concord EFS Inc. First Data announced today it has been informed by the New York Stock Exchange that the NYSE will not require the Denver-based processor …
Read More »Visa’s New Debit Rates May Be Only List Prices””
Visa USA Inc.'s newly announced interchange pricing for its signature-based, or offline, debit cards are only the starting point for what will be many rounds of negotiations with larger regional and national retailers, say industry observers. Meanwhile, despite the new rate announcement from Visa, MasterCard International Inc. says it is …
Read More »Visa Comments on its New Debit Interchange Rates
With its new interchange rates for its check cards, Visa USA Inc. says it is moving on a broad front to boost volume on signature-based debit, encourage usage at fast-food and other venues that have not historically accepted the card, and meet the needs of members and merchants generally. “We're …
Read More »Peppercoin’s Big Ambitions in Small Payments
Peppercoin Inc., the Waltham, Mass.-based micropayments startup that only this week emerged from its test phase with a commercially available service, may have a small footprint in the transactions business so far, but its ambitions are big. First, it plans to snag more merchant signings like the one it announced …
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