Technology

British issuer Barclaycard and mobile-network operator Orange UK have launched a cobranded contactless credit card, a product that brings the two firms closer to offering payments via mobile phones.

Product rebates present yet another potential niche for prepaid cards, and a rebate-processing company is working with MasterCard Worldwide on a prepaid initiative designed to improve its rebate fulfillment and redemption process.

Hypercom Corp. on Jan. 6 announced its Optimum L4150 point-of-sale terminal can send consumers digital receipts to their e-mail addresses, an option the terminal maker says could save merchants in terminal printer and ink costs.

Meru Cabs will enable its customers to pay fares with credit and debit cards under a deal signed with Mumbai-based Axis Bank, according to a spokesperson for the India-based taxi operator.

UCO Bank plans to undergo a major ATM-expansion drive this year, according to a spokesperson for the government-owned, Mumbai-based financial institution.

German consumers are facing problems using their debit and credit cards at home and abroad this week because of a programming glitch. The glitch renders some 30 million chip cards unable to recognize the year 2010, making it impossible for millions of consumers to use their cards at ATMs and point-of-sale terminals. Unclear was whether the glitch originated in cash machines and terminals or on card chips.

At the start of 2009, consumers said, almost timidly, that it would be nice to be able to manage their bank accounts with mobile phones. Now, they are demanding such services.

Count the merchant acquirer First American Payment Systems LP among the U.S. payment processors looking abroad for growth.

Spain-based financial institution Grupo Santander announced Tuesday it will offer free use of 4,300 ATMs in Spain to consumers from the United Kingdom. The offer will begin on Monday, the financial institution says in a statement.

Malayan Banking Bhd, or Maybank, in Malaysia will allow its customers in Singapore to use their ATM cards to pay credit card bills at AXS kiosks in Singapore, according to a bank spokesperson. Those customers also can pay their phone and other utility bills and reload their EZ-Link contactless fare cards for public transit.