News

August, 2019

• 27 August

  TCH Forges on with Its Real-Time Payments Network as the Fed Crafts a Rival Service

  

  The private-sector operator of the only national real-time payments network wasn’t too enthused when the Federal Reserve announced earlier this month that it would launch a rival service in 2023 or 2024, but the Fed’s move sparked at least a temporary windfall for The Clearing House Payments Co. “One of …
• 27 August

  Not So Fast for Faster Payments, a Survey Finds

  

  Proponents of faster-payment services, which enable real-time or nearly real-time transfers, may need a bit of patience for larger-scale adoption of the technology. Fifty-six percent of attendees at the 2019 Nacha Payments conference in May said it will take at least a year, and possibly more, for their companies to …
• 27 August

  CardX Raises $2 Million and other Digital Transactions News briefs from 8/27/19

  

  CardX LLC, which specializes in credit-card surcharging programs, said it secured $2 million in funding through Pace Financial Group. This brings CardX’s total capital raised to date to $8.62 million.Payments-automation provider AvidXchange agreed to acquire BankTEL Systems, which offers accounting technology to banks. With the deal, BankTEL will link clients to AvidXchange’s AvidPay network …
• 26 August

  Why Mobile Payments Don’t Deliver for Merchants

  

  Mobile payments so far account for a mere 2% or less of U.S. general-purpose card payments, according to some estimates, and that’s no surprise to some executives who believe mobile payments haven’t delivered for many merchants. “I don’t think anyone in the market is solving problems for the retailers,” Laura …
• 26 August

  Instant Payments Give Citigroup’s CitiConnect APIs a Lift

  

  Launched in November 2016, the CitiConnect set of application programming interfaces for payments and related functions is gaining traction, particularly from companies supporting instant-payment services in Asia and Europe, Citigroup Inc. reported Monday. The New York City-based global banking giant said CitiConnect has processed 157 million API calls, or requests …
• 26 August

  COMMENTARY: Visa Next’s Installment APIs Solve Only Part of the Problem

  

  Following Klarna’s recent raise of $460 million looking to expand its payments presence in the United States, and Mastercard Inc.’s recent acquisition of Vyze, the consumer-finance space is heating up with the big players of the finance world entering the arena. It is a further indication of the importance of easily …
• 26 August

  Shift4’s New Tableside Device and other Digital Transactions News briefs from 8/26/19

  

  Shift4 Payments LLC released Tableside, a new order- and pay-at-the table point-of-sale device. Tableside integrates with multiple Shift4 POS systems, including Harbortouch, Restaurant Manager, Future POS, and POSitouch. Additional integrations are expected.Payment Alliance International said it acquired ATM operator Eclipse Cash Systems for an undisclosed amount. Eclipse operates more than 15,000 ATMs, …
• 23 August

  Adyen Says It’s Ready to Take on the Majority of eBay’s Volume Next Year

  

  PayPal Holdings Inc.’s shares dipped slightly late  Thursday after a key Adyen N.V. executive told stock analysts that the Amsterdam-based company is “ready” to process “the majority” of eBay Inc.’s volume when eBay shifts to Adyen next year. Adyen also reported it is proceeding with an application for a banking license …
• 23 August

  Eye on Cryptocurrency: Libra Backers Getting Cold Feet? Settlement in Alleged Crypto Pyramid Scheme

  

  Several backers of Facebook Inc.’s proposed Libra cryptocurrency are having second thoughts because of regulatory pushback, according to a British newspaper report. Meanwhile, the Federal Trade Commission announced settlements Thursday with four defendants accused of falsely promising big returns to consumers who paid in cryptocurrencies to participate in an alleged …
• 23 August

  Wisconsin May Consider Requiring Cash Acceptance and other Digital Transactions News briefs from 8/23/19

  

  Despite very few stores in Wisconsin refusing to accept cash payments, a member of the state Assembly recently introduced a bill that would require merchants to accept cash for face-to-face purchases, the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reported. The bill would impose fines of $200 up to $5,000 for violations. Similar proposals have passed or are pending in …