EMEA

In recent years, the in-aisle payments and checkout-free stores have become increasingly common across the U.K. retail market, especially in the supermarket and grocery sector. Now High Street fashion outlets are coming under pressure to introduce faster and more convenient payment options to keep up with consumer demands.

The U.K.’s Equals Group’s FairFX currency unit has purchased Hermex FX, another U.K. firm serving corporate customers with currency exchange and payment services.

Palmer Proctor, who took over at Ameris after it bought Fidelity Southern, where he was also CEO, says more deals would be a "distraction."

The German mobile bank backed by Peter Thiel is pressing ahead with its U.S. expansion, betting it can grab share from established lenders and credit-card providers with free accounts, fewer fees and phone alerts that nudge them toward better financial choices.

It’s not yet time to retire the notion that businesses favor checks for supply chains, but deployments in multiple markets signals a turning point in modernizing B2B payments.

Long overshadowed by food delivery startups such as Uber Eats and on-demand delivery service players such as Postmates, delivering fuel to a consumer’s vehicle is a convenience service that is growing in the U.S. and other markets.

Brexit seems more likely than ever, as the U.K.'s new prime minister, Boris Johnson, has committed to meeting the October 31 deadline for a deal to leave the EU. But despite the lingering uncertainty over how that will happen, Mastercard is not abandoning its bullish stance on Europe.

Glint has launched a U.S. version of its European gold-based debit Mastercard and app that creates an alternative currency for long-term savings as well as for use in spending on everyday transactions.

Lending at credit unions in the Peach State increased by just 0.2%, down from 0.8% growth recorded a quarter earlier.

With the industry continuing to consolidate, credit unions must address mergers in their strategic planning sessions so they are ready to be on either side of the deal when the opportunity arises.