David Heun

Customers give slightly higher marks to retail banks for their overall customer service than they do to credit card issuers, even if the credit card service is a division of the same bank, according to a recent survey of credit and debit cardholders.

Square is committed to its diversification strategy, furthering its transformation from a simple mobile point of sale provider to a company that also handles small-business loans, marketing and e-commerce.

Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla., will accept Apple Pay as a companion to its own contactless payment cards and wristbands.

Banks are still throwing support behind Apple Pay – 10 more banks signed up for the service in mid-December. Yet many say they're keeping their mobile wallet options open.

Capital One plans to take advantage of two major marketing initiatives — its support of Apple Pay and sponsorship of the Orange Bowl – to give its bank-branded mobile wallet a boost.

As new technology such as Apple Pay spark fresh interest in using smartphones for payments, many card issuers are striving to make the most of this enthusiasm. But for banks, the end goal isn't the point of sale.

The City of New York intends to develop mobile payment options for those paying fines for parking violations.

Chevron Oil Co. is planning to support Apple Pay at its gas pumps in early 2015, despite longstanding fears among consumers that using a cell phone while fueling is a fire hazard.

Apple Pay's October debut was arguably the biggest story in mobile payments in 2014. But it's only the prologue of a larger conflict set to heat up in the year ahead.

CheckAlt has added electronic check payments as an option for consumers purchasing gift cards through CardCash.com.

Square is committed to its diversification strategy, furthering its transformation from a simple mobile point of sale provider to a company that also handles small-business loans, marketing and e-commerce.

Like many large retailers fighting the card networks over interchange fees, Google Inc. opted out of a $5.7 billion settlement in the 2013 class-action lawsuit against Visa and MasterCard.

Square is committed to its diversification strategy, furthering its transformation from a simple mobile point of sale provider to a company that also handles small-business loans, marketing and e-commerce.

In its first year of heavy involvement in testing and certifying payment security technology, scientists at Underwriters Laboratories have determined that tokenization should be a significant piece of a strong security "triangle."

A technology called "host card emulation" made a big splash when it became part of the Android operating system in late 2013, but 2014 marked the year in which the tech became a foundation for future mobile wallet development.

Payments and merchant services provider Worldpay has closed its acquisition of SecureNet Payment Systems from private equity firm Sterling Partners.

Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla., will accept Apple Pay as a companion to its own contactless payment cards and wristbands.

Gitanka Debdip Datta has joined MasterCard Bangladesh as its vice president for business development.

PayPal has agreed to distribute CashStar digital gift cards through the eBay marketplace and the PayPal Digital Gifts store.

Apple is planning to take its new mobile payment system into the U.K. and other parts of Europe in the coming year, though its current fee structure for banks may not be as easy to export.