What’s that big, juicy new target out there for cyber-hackers? Apple Pay, of course. And don’t forget ATMs, either, since many deployers have yet to upgrade machines running old, increasingly vulnerable versions of Microsoft Corp.’s Windows XP operating system. Apple Pay and ATMs are included on Woburn, Mass.-based data-security services …

The Gimlet EyeWhen Apple Inc. unveiled its Apple Pay mobile-payments service in September, and again when the service went live in October, the hype surrounding the new product—coupled with its fast uptake—put us in mind of another highly anticipated payments launch that took place almost 25 years ago. It, too, …

Security NotesPicture this: We’re all standing in line at the American Express travel bureau. We hand over our U.S. dollars and take away American Express Traveler’s checks. I do it, you do it, the banks do it, the merchants do it. We all carry American Express travelers’ checks. Unfortunately, the …

AcquiringBy Jim DalyVolumes have been written about how Apple Pay benefits, or doesn’t benefit, consumers, merchants, card issuers, and even payment networks. But what about merchant acquirers? Train a cold eye on the new Apple Pay mobile-payment service for Apple Inc.’s recently introduced iPhone 6 models and the upcoming Apple …

Strategies By John Stewart Thanks to new players, new tech, and new data sources, access to funding has never been so plentiful for small but growing merchants. The payments industry often celebrates small merchants as the breeding ground of transaction growth. After all, as they start up, they offer new …

New technology is finally bringing the humble—but necessary—consumer transaction record into the digital economy. Since point-of-sale technology was first introduced, it has seen steady improvements in capability and sophistication. The last five years in particular have brought many breakthroughs in convenience, mobility, loyalty, and security, redefining the shopping experience and …

Endpoint EMV adoption is a costly and lengthy process for financial institutions, but it can be managed with a methodical plan and a transitional approach, says Jamie Topolski. The migration to EMV in the U.S. has been hindered in no small part by the difficulty in identifying a compelling business …

With its clients going increasingly mobile, Intuit Inc. knew it needed a point-of-sale payments solution for its cloud-based QuickBooks Online accounting product. This week, it announced it had found one, and unlike most payments products it has introduced in the past, this one wasn’t homegrown. Intuit recruited Revel Systems Inc., …

By Jim Daly Mocapay Inc., one of the nation’s pioneers in mobile payments, hopes to expand its small footprint through a new distribution agreement announced this week with Merchant Link, a gateway and data-security service owned by JPMorgan Chase & Co.’s merchant-acquiring unit, Chase Paymentech. Founded in 2007, Denver-based Mocapay …

Square Inc.’s 6-month-old cash-advance product, Square Capital, has distributed $75 million to some 15,000 small businesses, the San Francisco-based payments company announced via Twitter this week. Further, merchants that have accepted the advances have processed in excess of $1 billion in sales through Square, the company said. It also pointed …