Amazon.com Inc.’s interest in launching a checking-account-like product, reported last month by The Wall Street Journal, could have deep roots in its strategy both for payments in general and for Amazon Pay, the payment wallet it operates for non-Amazon sites, expert observers say. Talks between the Seattle-based retailing colossus and …

After years of ever-tightening regulation in payments and other financial services, it comes as a relief to witness some of the encouraging steps Congress and the Trump administration are taking to unshackle innovation. As our Acquiring story starting on page 20 documents, movement is afoot on a broad front to …

As financial institutions move beyond mag-stripe payment cards, they face a crucial question: should we support mobile wallets, and if we do, should we also issue contactless cards? In the eyes of at least one observer, the answer is an unequivocal “yes” and “yes,” even though the former would seem …

PayPal Holdings Inc.’s Braintree e-commerce processing unit launched Braintree Extend, a service offering that includes support for transaction services, rewards and loyalty, and contextual commerce. Brazil’s central bank this week announced a cap on debit card interchange of 0.80% of the transaction, while averaging no more than 0.50%, according to …

A strong majority of consumers—60%—would use an intelligent personal assistant or voice-activated speaker to make a purchase or payment, finds the latest iteration of the TSYS U.S. Consumer Payment Study. The response is notable in because it was less than a year ago that another survey found only 19% of …

E-commerce platform provider Shopify Inc. chose Google’s cloud services to help host its online stores, Bloomberg reported. Payments provider Net Element Inc. said Jonathan Fichman, a former Bank of America Merrill Lynch executive who currently is managing director of C-Anax Ventures & Advisory, joined its board of directors.

The Electronic Transactions Association announced its inaugural group of “Forty Under 40” up-and-coming payments-industry leaders. Cubic Corp. said its Cubic Transportation Systems unit and John Laing, a builder of mass-transit infrastructure, came to terms with the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority to build and operate a new fare-payment system, including contactless bank card payments through …

Macy’s Inc. said it is launching a self-checkout feature in its mobile app that lets customers scan an item with their phone and pay with a registered card. So-called mobile-checkout stations validate purchases, take off security tags, and bag the goods. The launch follows a test at the chain’s Woodbridge, …

With the third and final phase of same-day automated clearing house payment processing now in effect, ACH governing body NACHA is turning its attention to improving the program through higher transaction limits, adding a later processing window, and other changes. Same-day ACH transactions currently are capped at $25,000. Herndon, Va.-based …

XCore Technologies, a component maker for card manufacturers, introduced a technology that it said eliminates issues when making a contactless payment using a metal card. TruRating Ltd., a technology company specializing in point-of-payment customer feedback services, announced it has joined the app marketplace of point-of-sale terminal maker Poynt. In an …