Bailey Reutzel

Circle Internet Financial, a Bitcoin startup, has launched its Web-based consumer wallet product out of beta for general availability globally.

The payments industry has turned its attention inward, focusing on securing its own technology from fraudsters without driving off their customers.

Fifty-two percent of millennial respondents in a Zogby Analytics survey sponsored by Mitek Systems, a mobile imaging tech provider, perceive native apps as a safer solution than mobile websites for purchasing and banking.

MasterCard has launched Pay with Rewards, a mobile app that allows MasterCard credit card holders to use their reward points for purchases by swiping their card at the point of sale.

The payments industry has changed dramatically over the past year, and so has the mindset of those in the industry. The focus is shifting from mobile payments and Bitcoin to fraud mitigation and security.

State tolling agencies are increasingly adopting prepaid cards in their efforts to eliminate cash and coins at toll booths.

Venmo, a mobile person-to-person payment system now owned by PayPal, rocketed in popularity with millennials by treating money movement as a type of social interaction.

Apple is launching its mobile in the U.S. only, but Visa Europe is working closely with its member banks and the tech giant to bring Apple Pay to Europe as well, and there are signs that Apple has its sights on other markets.

As merchants get more aggressive when attracting consumers on mobile apps, marketing is increasingly about proactive targeting that personalizes pitches for both what is offered, and when.

E-commerce payments provider Adyen has partnered with Evernote, which offers software for note-taking and archiving, to launch Alipay's mobile-optimized checkout for users in China.

As the Bitcoin industry matures, narrowly-focused companies are working to take market share from the companies that came first to the digital currency ecosystem.

Apple is betting that tokenization systems offered by payment processors will provide a security boost to its new Apple Pay system at a time when consumers are wary of Apple's cloud-based services.

Braintree, a payment technology business owned by eBay and PayPal, has opened up Bitcoin acceptance to its merchant clients, including airbnb, GitHub, Uber and LivingSocial.

Twitter's long-awaited "Buy" button is live, allowing nearly 30 pilot merchants and nonprofits to accept payments from within Twitter's mobile app.

The app automates allowance payments and uses an optional debit card to promote financial literacy.

Swift Prepaid Solutions serves markets that undergo regular disruption – and any time a client changes, so must its cards.

While student-only payment methods might cater to an audience with a high turnover rate, that audience is filled with early adopters that merchants want to attract.

Nearly 50% of customers between 26 and 34 say they are likely to switch banks to get targeted rewards, according to a new whitepaper from Cardlytics.

The Merchant Customer Exchange (MCX), a mobile wallet initiative led by merchants including Walmart and Target, is testing its technology under the brand CurrentC with plans for a full rollout next year.

Roximity is working to differentiate itself from other beacon manufacturers by increasing the lifespan and security of its devices.