Prepaid Cards

Obopay Inc. on Thursday announced four new businesses for its mobile-commerce application, bringing to six the number of companies using the Redwood City, Calif.-based processor's service to enable payments via handsets. The news follows Verizon Communications Inc.'s decision to adopt Obopay's application for mobile payments on its wireless network, which …

In a move that could give the market for network-branded prepaid cards a big boost, Parago Inc. has launched a campaign to move its clients from checks to one-time-use cards for rebates and cash incentives. The Dallas-based company, which manages consumer rebate and rewards programs for corporations, hopes to have …

Two processors specializing in prepaid wireless transactions announced a merger on Wednesday that will create the second-largest provider in the business and could create opportunities for independent sales organizations. In a deal for which terms were not announced, Emida Technologies Inc., Foothill Ranch, Calif., is combining with Orem, Utah-based Q …

Prepaid card processor eCommLink Inc. is joining with mobile phone and payment technology providers to offer a cell phone and prepaid debit MasterCard tied to a single account. The prepaid MasterCard function eventually will be incorporated into the phone, enabling consumers to use the phone for payments at merchants' points …

A well-financed startup company staffed by experienced card and marketing executives plans to launch in April an all-in-one, PIN-protected credit-debit-prepaid card with an acceptance cost that may resonate favorably these days with interchange-weary merchants: 0.50% of the sale. “One of our core tenets is to eliminate interchange altogether,” said Jason …

The bank card networks are staking out major positions in the business of reloading prepaid debit cards, in a move that leverages their existing networks and could give a boost to efforts to bring electronic financial services to the underserved consumer market. At the same time, their entry into reloads …

As card data breaches continue to garner headlines, retailers may suffer the most in the eyes of U.S. consumers. Some 63% of consumers say merchants do the least to protect credit and debit card information, compared with 16% who say this about transaction processors and 5% who say Visa and …

With efforts by merchants to force down interchange rates picking up steam, the rapidly expanding prepaid card market will confront two very different outcomes should those efforts ultimately succeed, according to an expert on interchange. Cards issued by merchants would likely benefit, but those issued by banks would be hurt, …

Visa USA's chief executive on Wednesday outlined a multimarket strategy for prepaid cards, while announcing that convenience-store titan 7-Eleven Inc. has joined Visa's fledgling prepaid reload network and calling for greater efforts to educate regulators about the unique characteristics of prepaid plastic. “There's an incredible opportunity [in the prepaid market],” …

A startup processor on Monday launched a service intended to allow consumers to pay online merchants with cash. Retail Expansion Network Inc., Oakland, Calif., says its PaidByCash service will attract consumers who are reluctant to use credit cards online or who don't have bank accounts, and will be cheaper for …