Technology

As U.S. Bancorp upgrades its mobile banking offerings, it is also stepping up its use of mobile data business intelligence to target sales and personalize customer service.

The steady decline in credit card charge-offs that continued through the first quarter helped make issuers’ earnings look good, but that trend cannot continue forever, Fitch Ratings Inc. warned in a May 6 special report.

Debt buyer Portfolio Recovery Associates (PRA) last week reported record net income, cash collections and revenue in the first quarter ended March 31.

Despite a United Kingdom Office of Fair Trading investigation looking into the debit and credit card fees the country’s airlines charge, easyJet Airline Co. Ltd. continues to increase its debit card fees for flight bookings, PaymentsSource has learned.

Visa Inc. plans revisit its incentive agreements with issuing banks after the Federal Reserve Board finalizes its capped rate for debit card interchange this summer, executives for the card brand told analysts May 5 during a conference call to discuss fiscal second-quarter earnings.

U.S. merchants now may process magnetic stripe, e-commerce and EMV chip-and-PIN payments using Yespay International Ltd.’s cross-border payment service, the London-based company announced on May 4.

The Reserve Bank of India has increased the deposit limits for mobile wallets in that country to 50,000 rupees (US$1,112 or 762 euros) from 5,000 rupees previously, according to a notification it sent to all banks and operators on May 4.

The National Payments Corp. of India has received permission to expand the scope of its interbank mobile funds-transfer service to include payments, the authority announced May 5.

When it comes to overdraft protection, Bank of America Corp. is learning customers really do want a say in the matter.

Cardtronics said this week TA Associates, the venture fund that financed the creation of the nation’s largest ATM operator, severed its ties with the company after it sold most of its shares, with Michael Wilson, managing director of the Boston investment firm, resigning from the Cardtronics board.