Decoupled debit programs may yet yield rewards for merchants, especially as they look for ways to circumvent payment networks and spur loyalty among consumers. That’s the take from a new report, “Decoupled Debit: The Start of Mainstream Adoption?” issued by Mercator Advisory Group Inc. Decoupled debit is not a new …

• Payments provider Clearent LLC completed its purchase of Payment Alliance International’s Merchant Services Division. The deal expands Clearent’s annual processing volume to $14 billion. • International payment-services provider Planet Payment Inc. reported that it processed a total of 191.6 million settled transactions in 2016, down 16% from 227.5 million transactions in …

The Zelle person-to-person payments service is about to take on a public face as bank-owned parent company Early Warning Services LLC readies a multifaceted marketing campaign for rollout in the coming weeks and months. “I would say it’s a significant marketing campaign focused on awareness,” Melissa Lowry, vice president of …

When it comes to contactless electronic payment transactions, the U.S. payments industry seems to be more interested in using smart phones than plastic debit or credit cards. But other countries have gone the opposite route. In the United Kingdom, for example, spending on contactless cards reached a record £3.4 billion …

As the U.S. payments industry continues its massive migration to EMV, issues here and there, such as payment cards being left behind in ATMs, pop up. About six months after INTRUST Bank completed its ATM EMV conversion a year ago, the problem of unrecovered cards started, says Joe Morin, ATM …

Payment card maker CPI Card Group Inc. says it will focus on small and mid-size issuers migrating from magnetic stripe cards to cards bearing an EMV chip in 2017 as it contends with a saturating market for the advanced cards. As larger banks and credit unions complete their migration programs, …

• McDonald’s Corp. is adding order-ahead and payment features to its mobile app as part of a new global growth strategy; mobile order and pay will be enabled in 20,000 restaurants in the U.S. and other countries by year’s end, the fast-food giant giant said. • Dwolla Inc. has introduced Transfer, …

Just as they once issued proprietary plastic, retailers are introducing their own mobile wallets. But just how much consumer appeal do these apps have, and will they work equally well for all merchants? In the business of mobile payments, everyone is familiar with the trio of so-called Pays—Android Pay, Apple …

Host card emulation had a moment in the sun a few years ago as Google and banks geared up their mobile wallets. Since then, HCE’s adoption has widened even as its public profile has faded. What’s next for the technology? It just rolls off the tongue: “host card emulation.” As …

Acquiring processors haven’t been thought of historically as platform businesses. But the industry is changing, and processors that do it right can achieve enviable valuations. The Holy Grail for payments companies is to enjoy network effects and critical mass. Global networks such as MasterCard and Visa have both in spades. …