John Adams

The Fiserv-First Data deal, valued at about $22 billion, will combine two of the financial services industry's largest technology and processing companies.

The numbers behind Fiserv's deal to acquire First Data are huge, particularly considering each company's existing tonnage still makes consolidation the best play when faced with nimble fintechs and mobile startups.

Fiserv will acquire First Data in an all-stock deal with a value of about $22 billion that will combine two of the financial services industry's largest technology and processing companies.

The information you need to start your day, from PaymentsSource and around the Web. Today: Fiserv buys First Data; PayPal scores a ticketing contract; Open banking advances in Canada; Russian bank adopts finger payments; Faster payment group adds staff.

As cashierless stores try to break out of the lab and into the real world, a deployment in Poland could open up as many as 5,000 locations to the technology.

There are many contenders working towards developing a universal digital ID system. CULedger will test its offering later this week with a rollout scheduled for the second half of 2019.

The information you need to start your day, from PaymentsSource and around the Web. Today: U.K. forms new financial crime unit; Salesforce adds AI; UnionPay opens to developers; Fiserv lures sports pay network.

There are many contenders working towards developing a universal digital ID system and away from static passwords. A group of credit unions is ready to see if its blockchain-based approach can serve a wider market.

Marketing and venture capital veteran Allison Johnson will become PayPal's executive vice president and chief marketing officer — a new role at the payments company as it tries to monetize its Venmo app.

The Chinese government is not formally considering Visa and Mastercard’s year-old application to process payments inside China, another signal of China’s almost constantly changing regulatory posture toward the American card brands.