John Adams

The European Union has updated value-added-tax regulations that predate digital payments, hoping to reduce compliance burdens for foreign online sellers and simplify consumer billing.

The Reserve Bank of India says the card brand failed to comply with a requirement to store transaction details locally. The handling of payment information has become a point of contention between the Asian nation and American firms.

The technology holds great promise for financial services, but it could be just as powerful for scammers looking to break payment card encryption. Visa, Mastercard and others are already building new defenses.

The card brand is working with 70 cryptocurrency companies to meet consumer demand for paying in bitcoin and other digital currencies at the point of sale. It had little choice given that most retailers don't accept crypto directly and are in no rush to do so.

Novus, a startup whose app helps consumers make environmentally conscious purchases, is using application programming interfaces provided by the two companies to expand quickly. The effort shows how open banking can extend the reach of small companies and create new business lines for larger ones.

The bank is piloting fingerprint-reading cards that work with existing payment terminals. Its goals are to strengthen security for large transactions and to inform future deployments in other markets.

The national debit network Interac is working with Payments Canada, which oversees the country's payment system, on an instant payment rail while demand from local shoppers and a need for faster supply chain finance grow more pronounced.

Shoppers surveyed in the U.S., U.K. and Australia cited concerns about debt and fees, along with a general lack of knowledge about how installment loans work, as reasons for their skepticism.

The hospitality chain and its fintech partner Bakkt are trying to tap into the crypto craze by asking guests if they would prefer the valuable (yet volatile) cryptocurrency over free stays or room upgrades.

The payment company is blending technology from its Swedish subsidiary with other features, such as invoicing, to provide a more robust offering to U.S. merchants.

The timepieces are meant to appeal to consumers who are comfortable with wearable payments but prefer something simpler than a high-end smartwatch.

An initiative among EU nations called Project Jura focuses on financial institutions as the users of central bank digital currencies, removing variables that could slow testing and deployment.

The bank is forming a joint venture with Fiserv to promote digital payments. It's a market that has evolved substantially — and become far more competitive — since Deutsche left it in 2012.

Utah Community Credit Union and state officials as part of an experiment are letting consumers use electronic ID to open accounts and conduct other business. It's easier said than done.

U.S. regulators blocked the card network's attempt to buy Plaid last year for antitrust reasons. Its bid to acquire Tink, a similar company based in Sweden, may have a better shot given European officials' desire to promote open banking.

Under federal health plans, categories like dental still have steep out-of-pocket costs, creating opportunities for companies like Sunbit and Ally Lending to provide options at the point of care.

Beauty shops must handle transactions for multiple employees and contractors operating under one roof. Tech companies are customizing software and transaction processing services for this niche.

A growing number of companies like Klarna, Sezzle and Circle let consumers split large purchases into smaller transactions paid over time. But they say they need to offer more than one product to set themselves apart and build customer loyalty.

Rapyd's new venture capital arm seeks companies that can develop or benefit from an international identity verification system.