The global retail-payment networks Mastercard and Visa are on a tear, acquiring and investing in adjacent payment-opportunity space in networks that can leverage and reinforce their existing franchises. Their traditional payment schemes are dominant worldwide and near indestructible. While for the foreseeable future they could grow on autopilot, to their …
Read More »Eye on Mass Transit: Uber Buys Routematch; Visa Contactless Rebounds; Philly Gets Mobile Wallets
With its core ride-hailing business ravaged by the Covid-19 pandemic, Uber Technologies Inc. has been looking to move further into adjacent transportation markets, including mass-transit ticketing and payments. This week, the company said it had bought Routematch Software, a 20-year-old, Atlanta-based developer of systems that manage trip booking and ticketing, …
Read More »Covid-Fighting Stimulus Programs Help Deliver an Unexpected Growth Surge for the ACH
Thanks to federal programs to deliver stimulus funds to businesses and individuals, the second-quarter slowdown automated clearing house governing body Nacha expected due to Covid-19 didn’t happen. In fact, the massive ACH network saw year-over-year growth in the April-through-June quarter of 7.9%, Nacha reported late Wednesday. The second quarter’s growth …
Read More »EBay’s Deal With PayPal Expires Soon. What Does That Mean for Managed Payments—And eBay Sellers?
With the expiration of a major agreement with PayPal Holdings Inc. just a few days away, eBay Inc. is charting a new course in payments. But at least some merchants are hoping the e-commerce giant will address outstanding questions about how payments will be handled in the new era. According …
Read More »How the Pandemic Has Underscored the Crucial Role of Software in Processor Growth Plans
With the Covid-19 pandemic forcing merchants to beef up or add an e-commerce channel to service customers disinclined to enter a physical store, processors that have partnered with or acquired independent software vendors (ISVs) specializing in the online sales channel are well-positioned for growth, according to The Strawhecker Group. Since …
Read More »As Contactless Gains, Will QR Codes Win Over NFC Adherents?
With consumer and merchant preferences shifting towards contactless payment methods in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, payments activated by Quick Response codes are gaining more attention. That’s because they are a low-cost way for merchants without NFC (near-field communication)-based applications, such as Apple Pay and Google Pay, to add …
Read More »eBay’s Pact With PayPal Nears End and other Digital Transactions News briefs from 7/13/20
Sellers continue to have questions about the impact of moving to eBay Inc.’s managed-payments program as the online marketplace’s five-year operating agreement with PayPal Holdings Inc. is set to expire later this week.Financial-services platform Nymbus Inc. announced it will offer digital billing and other payment services from Payrailz LLC as part of its cloud-based set of banking …
Read More »Marqeta’s Possible IPO and other Digital Transactions News briefs from 7/10/20
Marqeta Inc., a 10-year-old provider of a digital card-issuing platform, is looking to hire investment banks for a possible initial public offering later this year or in 2021, according to Reuters. The company, valued at $4.3 billion after its latest funding, is backed by Goldman Sachs and Visa Inc. and …
Read More »‘Tens of Thousands of Dollars’ in Fraud for Operators That Don’t Upgrade Gas Pumps to EMV, a Report Estimates
When the big card networks this spring postponed until April 2021 the fraud-liability deadline for EMV chip cards at gas pumps, the retail fuel industry heaved a huge sigh of relief. But now estimates are emerging that indicate even relatively small gas-station operators that don’t enable their pumps for EMV …
Read More »Discover’s Saudi Deal and other Digital Transactions News briefs from 7/8/20
Discover Financial Services announced an agreement with the Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority’s Saudi Payments unit that calls for acceptance of Discover, Diners Club International, and Pulse cards on Saudi Payments’ mada network. The deal includes acceptance on point-of-sale terminals, e-commerce platforms, and at ATMs.Fareportal, the technology platform for travel brands CheapOair …
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