Tokens, that is, tokens for securing electronic payments, almost became a household word two weeks ago when Apple Inc. introduced Apple Pay, a mobile-payments service that will rely heavily on tokens when it launches next month. The concept of tokenization, however, has been around for quite some time in the …

Mitch Cobrin, who has run AnywhereCommerce Inc. as chief executive for the last four-and-a-half years, has stepped aside for a new chief executive but will continue at the company in the role of founder, board member, and “chief catalyst,” he tells Digital Transactions News. The management change comes as the …

Apple Inc.’s new mobile-payment system may be a long-awaited shot in the arm for near-field communication (NFC), but it could also cool off an NFC variant that has caught fire since it emerged only 10 months ago. Apple Pay, which the iconic computer giant unveiled to enthusiastic applause Tuesday, will …

After weeks of fevered anticipation, it’s finally out. Apple Inc. on Tuesday unveiled a new payments system called Apple Pay along with its iPhone 6 and large-screen iPhone 6 Plus smart phones and a snazzy new smart watch. As predicted, the updated iPhone uses near-field communication (NFC) technology for fast …

It’s a good time to be a point-of-sale terminal maker when all of your customers have to go through the payments equivalent of abandoning the horse and buggy and jumping into an automobile. With a major U.S. deadline for converting from magnetic-stripe payment cards to the Europay-MasterCard-Visa (EMV) chip card …

Why ‘Going Beyond Payments’ Is Nothing New The mantra these days, heard at all trade shows, read in all trade articles, quoted seemingly ad nauseum, is that “payments aren’t enough.” People offer this observation on the insufficiency of payments as a prelude to the idea that processors, acquirers, and hardware/software …

MasterCard Sees Dollars in Tokens As mobile payments and the use of tokens for payment security grow, at least one card network is seeing an opportunity for new fee revenue. MasterCard Inc. is planning new “digital enablement” fees, one for merchant acquirers and others for card issuers. The fees are …

How Acquirers Are Toting up Tablets With scores of tablet-based POS systems to choose from, processors, ISOs, and resellers must sort out which factors are most important for portfolio growth and profitability.    Sometimes, having too many options hampers the ability to make a decision. That may be the case …

Unintended But Predictable The U.S. arrival of EMV virtually ensures criminals will step up attacks on card-not-present channels, which EMV doesn’t protect. So what is the industry doing to defend itself? Just about everywhere that Europay-MasterCard-Visa (EMV) chip cards have replaced magnetic-stripe payment cards, greatly strengthening the shield protecting brick-and-mortar …

The Networks’ Signature Charade The card brands should stop pushing signatures and start working with merchants to implement effective authentication, says Mark Horwedel. Merchants view the EMV migration as an opportunity to eliminate an outdated process that inflicts billions of dollars in damages on consumers and merchants. Few things ruffle …