Central bank digital currencies are still a relatively new payment method around the world, but now they’re starting to address the issue of user authentication, and at least one is doing it with facial-recognition technology. PopID Inc. on Thursday announced holders of the Bahamian Sand Dollar, one of the first …

When it comes to shopping, it’s becoming a mobile world. A report released on Thursday by omnichannel-platform provider NewStore Inc. reveals that 88% of consumers surveyed have at least one shopping app on their phone, 50% of respondents have more than four shopping apps, and 9% have more than 10. …

SpotOn, a payments-technology provider serving restaurants and retailers, raised $300 million in a Series F funding round led by Dragoneer Investment Group LLC. The round, which comes just eight months after a Series E funding, values the company at $3.6 billion.Sphere, a healthcare payments and security software company, launched a …

Criminals are cashing in on cybercrime in a big way. A new report from Arkose Labs reveals that experienced or “master” fraudsters can pull down up to $7.2 million annually and that rookie fraudsters can earn as much as $20,000 per month with an investment of as little as $5 …

Looking to add a new twist on buy now, pay later loans, provider Splitit Payments Ltd. Tuesday announced a new BNPL-style loan that will leverage a consumer’s open-to-buy on their payment cards to pre-qualify them for an installment loan at the point-of-sale. To qualify for the loan, merchants run a pre-authorization …

As the U.S. economy moves farther from the worst of the Covid pandemic, credit and debit card spending may be stabilizing, according to new data from The Strawhecker Group, a payments advisory and research firm. Released as part of the AIM Headline Report series, the Growth & Inflation Analysis 2022 …

Aiming to help developers address friction at checkout, Block Inc.’s Square unit late Thursday announced several new tools for its Square payments platform. The announcement was made at Square Unboxed, Block’s annual developer and partner conference. The centerpiece of the new tools is Cash App Pay for Developers, which enables …

In the latest buy now, pay later updates, Klarna AB introduced Virtual Shopping, an online service that connects shoppers with in-store experts, and Splitit Payments Ltd. joined the Visa Ready for BNPL program. Stockholm-based Klarna says its Virtual Shopping service enables consumers to browse and buy online while connecting via live chats …

At least some payments players appear to be preparing for an important new phase in the buy now, pay later business, with an opening salvo to include significantly larger loans and revised credit terms that make the advances appear more like traditional installment programs. The move comes as the short-term …

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 …