The proposed merger of Fiserv Inc. and mega-processor First Data Corp. has huge implications for many parts of the payments industry. But the deal, if consummated as planned, could have an especially large effect on the U.S. debit card market. First Data owns the Star electronic funds network, while Fiserv …

In a stunning announcement that surprised many observers, Fiserv Inc. said Wednesday morning it has struck a deal to acquire First Data Corp. with what the parties say will be the biggest ever such transaction in the payments and financial-technology businesses. The all-stock deal, expected to close in the third …

Bank of America Corp. reported its customers using the Zelle person-to-person payment network totaled 4.9 million in 2018’s fourth quarter, up by a factor of 2.4 since Zelle’s June 2017 launch. Zelle volume at BofA for the quarter totaled $14 billion on 51.6 million transactions, up from $7 billion on …

With the economy still humming along in 2018’s fourth quarter, a nearly 17% increase in merchant-processing volume by JPMorgan Chase & Co. augurs strong volume growth by Visa Inc. and Mastercard Inc. when the bank card networks report financial results later this month. New York City-based JPMorgan Chase operates the …

Kabbage Inc., an online small-business financier, said it provides the Pay Later program for U.S. small-business buyers on Alibaba.com, an online marketplace. Payment-terminal maker Equinox Payments and payments-software provider Acceo Tender Retail announced the Equinox Luxe 8500i and Luxe 6200m terminals have achieved EMV end-to-end certification on First Data Corp.’s …

Point-of-sale terminal maker and payment-services provider Ingenico Group said it completed its acquisition of New Zealand’s Paymark payment network. Processor Bottomline Technologies Inc. said it has added The Access Bank UK Ltd. to the United Kingdom’s Faster Payments Scheme (FPS) via Bottomline’s Real Time Payments Service. Brex, a provider of corporate cards for startups, …

When you look at the benefits that cryptocurrencies offer, it’s somewhat surprising that they aren’t an established method of payment yet. They are cheaper than other payment methods, they allow fast global money transfer, and they provide built-in security and encryption. However, cryptocurrencies haven’t really taken off and are more …

The financial news has been full of dire stories about the beating tech stocks have been taking lately, but less well publicized is the action in private equity—specifically the creation of new payments-related unicorns. According to data from New York City-based CB Insights, which tracks private valuations, at least half …

Remote deposit capture software provider Mitek Systems Inc. said in a regulatory filing “that it has received expressions of interest from multiple parties” and thus is considering various “strategic alternatives” to maximize shareholder value. The only suitor the filing identified is ASG Technologies Group Inc., a portfolio company of the …

Fraud, acquisitions, and interchange dominated the top 10 list of news articles posted to DigitalTransactions.net in 2018. Starting with a $6.2 billion pact between Visa Inc. and Mastercard Inc., on one hand, and defendant banks, on the other, stemming from 13-year-old litigation over credit card interchange, to American Express Co.’s …