Retail & Commercial

Google’s mobile wallet appears to be staggering to the finish line of 2012. After all, it was a year that started with a reported security breach and is ending with speculation that the search-engine giant will add a plastic card to the otherwise entirely digital wallet.

Uncharacteristically for a bank, BankPlus decided four years ago to compete with payday lenders. Now it successfully offers a small-dollar loan product, with significantly better terms.

In courting the underbanked, even smart innovations can be tripped up by regulations.

With Buzz Points, customers earn points every time they do a signature transaction with their debit card and can redeem then for gift cards from select local and national merchants.

There's widespread commitment to spread financial literacy as a matter of economic and civil justice. But it won't be easily accomplished. Heather Landy reports.

The landscape has changed radically in the last two decades. In most states, the number of banks has fallen sharply. But some states have emerged as storehouses for the nation's lending giants.

DUNEDIN, Fla. – Achieva Credit Union has been approved to receive $127,000 in incentives to choose this city as the home of its new corporate headquarters.

Wells Fargo (WFC) has agreed to pay up to $2.5 million in attorneys' fees to settle two lawsuits that stem from its purchase of Wachovia in 2008.

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It's been a rocky year for digital currencies. Facebook began phasing out its Facebook Credits while Bitcoin continues to suffer a bad reputation. However, there are some promising developments on the horizon, with experienced payments providers joining in the digital currency game.