The U.S. Department of Justice announced late Friday it is filing cases against several fraud rings that use so-called microtransactions to mask their fraudulent activity from victims and card issuers. The lawsuits are being brought as part of efforts by the Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch to stop criminals that …

Google has settled an antitrust lawsuit over its Google Play payment practices. The suit, filed in 2021, alleged the Alphabet Inc. unit levied fees up to 30% for app purchases made in its Google Play store. The practice, along with Google Play’s 90% share of all U.S. Android app distribution, …

Technology provider Bold Commerce launched a feature for its Bold Checkout platform that aims to make it easier for clients to expand the range of payment options they accept. Eastern Bank PLC, based in Dhaka, Bangladesh, will issue what is said to be the world’s first biometric metal card, with fingerprint-recognition technology from …

Repay Holdings Corp., a provider of payment-processing services, has partnered with Green Dot Corp. to enable Repay merchants to accept cash-based bill payments at more than 45,000 locations in the United States. The service depends on Green Dot’s eCash technology, which enables users to present a barcode that serves as …

The Electronic Payments Coalition has opened a new front in its battle to prevent passage of the Credit Card Competition Act: it’s recruiting social-media influencers to join its cause. In June, the EPC put out a memo on the new tactic as part of its “Hands Off My Rewards” campaign …

BNPL providers are expanding the utility of the payment option by enabling consumers to finance gift card purchases. BNPL provider Affirm Holdings Inc. announced Tuesday it is partnering with prepaid card platform provider Blackhawk Network Holdings Inc. to allow consumers to purchase digital gift cards on Affirm.com or in the …

Holiday sales were robust in November, giving merchants reason to be optimistic about overall spending for the holiday shopping season, according to the National Retail Federation. Total retail sales in November, excluding automobiles and gasoline, rose 0.77% month-over-month on a seasonally adjusted basis, and 4.24% on an unadjusted basis year-over-year,  …

With Congress scheduled to adjourn Dec. 15, Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., made a last-minute push on the Senate floor late Thursday, calling for a vote on the Credit Card Competition Act before adjournment. Durbin’s remarks, which also pushed back against arguments by  card networks and card issuers that the proposed …

E-commerce wallet-technology provider Citcon USA LLC has partnered with Alipay to enable merchants in the United States to accept e-wallet payments from international travelers through the Alipay+ platform. Alipay+ is a cross-border mobile-payment platform that enables consumers traveling abroad to make purchases using a chosen payment method.  The partnership marks …

SoundHound AI Inc. said it will acquire SYNQ3 Restaurant Solutions, a voice artificial intelligence and technology provider for restaurants, in a deal valued at $25 million. Once completed, the deal will extend SoundHound’s services to 10,000 locations and more than 25 national and multinational chains. The deal is expected to close …