Near-Field Communication (NFC)

Block Inc.’s Cash App unit perked up in the first quarter, as the company reported that usage and instant-deposit volume for the digital wallet both increased during the period. With Bitcoin activity excluded, revenue for Cash App in the quarter grew $203 million, a 38% jump, compared to the first …

NCR Corp. reported first quarter revenue of $1.9 billion, a 26% increase from $1.5 billion in the 2021 first quarter. Much of that growth can be attributed to its payments and network business, which includes the Cardtronics and LibertyX acquisitions made less than a year ago. This revenue of $299 million increased 1,259% from $22 …

Apple Inc. is switching its network affiliation for its Apple Pay Cash virtual debit card to Visa Inc. after more than four years of issuing the card on the Discover Network. Information about the rationale for the move was not immediately available as the news emerged late last week on …

American Express Co. reported a strong first quarter early Friday that betokens a return to pre-pandemic performance for the company, though it also confronts questions stemming from emerging inflation and the threat of recession. AmEx reported overall spending in its crucial travel-and-entertainment business in March reached 99% of the total …

The competition to bring digital-payments capability to sports arenas is getting hotter. FIS Inc. announced early Thursday its Worldpay unit is exclusively processing payments for tickets, concessions, and merchandise at Washington D.C.’s Nationals Park, home of the city’s Nationals Major League Baseball team. As part of the deal, Jacksonville, Fla.-based …

Visa Inc. has spent more than $9 billion over the past five years to boost cybersecurity and reduce fraud, according to an announcement the network made in a blog post Tuesday. Of that amount, $500 million has been spent on artificial intelligence and data infrastructure. As a result of its …

The microchip shortage that has plagued point-of-sale terminal makers since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic shows no signs of abating. Despite forecasts that chip supply would not begin to start catching up to demand until mid-2022, terminal makers should continue to plan for shortages at least through 2023, according …

To help merchants manage their business through a single device in a rapidly changing payments landscape, Block Inc. on Monday introduced the next generation of Square Stand, the countertop device that converts an iPad into a point-of-sale system. It is the first redesign of Square Stand since its launch in …

Processor Adyen NV is poised to be among the first to offer Apple Inc.’s Tap to Pay on iPhone service to U.S. merchants. Sometime later this year the service will launch, enabling compatible iPhones to accept contactless payments without the use of additional hardware or payment terminals. Announced in February …

The commerce platform Bolt has agreed to acquire the cryptocurrency provider Wyre to enable consumers to spend crypto at Bolt merchants, which will receive fiat currency. Terms of the deal, which is expected to close before year’s end, were not disclosed.In related news, payments platform Nium said it has partnered with cryptocurrency specialist BitPay to allow …