EMEA

Citizens Financial Group in Providence, R.I., hired a longtime executive at SunTrust Banks in Atlanta to lead its Southeast operations.

The core-tech vendor Fiserv has agreed to buy Online Banking Solutions in Atlanta.

SmartFinancial in Knoxville, Tenn., has agreed to buy a branch in Tennessee from a division of Atlantic Capital Bank in Atlanta.

Mastercard cardholders in the U.K. will soon have the ability to choose a financing option for scheduled payments when making a purchase at a Verifone point of sale terminal accepting the new application.

Some banks are set to get a fourth-quarter earnings boost from their MSR portfolios, thanks to a sudden spike in yields on Treasury bonds. Add to that the prospect of further rate hikes and the potential dismantling of Basel III, and more banks could be encouraged to re-enter the servicing business.

Zopa is moving away from its longtime status of being a non-bank to apply for a banking license through the Prudential Regulation Authority and the Financial Conduct Authority.

SouthCrest Financial Group in Woodstock, Ga., has agreed to sell its only Alabama branches to Guardian Credit Union in Montgomery, Ala.

The move is designed to help publishing companies improve coupon and payments performance.

Tesco Bank in Edinburgh, Scotland, has refunded 2.5 million pounds (about $3 million) to 9,000 customers who were affected by a large-scale online banking cybertheft last weekend.

Consumers increasingly are embracing contactless payments for smaller, routine transactions, with average transaction size rising slightly.