Bank technology

The Jacksonville, Fla., banking technology vendor said last week that the banking unit of Sterling Financial Corp. is planning to install its integrated banking services software and several related payments applications.

A payments security startup is trying to minimize compliance headaches for small online retailers through cloning — of webpages, that is.

NetSpend joins Green Dot as the second prepaid card company planning to go public this year, potentially setting valuation benchmarks for this maturing market.

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NetSpend joins Green Dot as the second prepaid card company planning to go public this year, potentially setting valuation benchmarks for this maturing market.

The Herndon, Va., electronic payments association said last week that MetaBank had become a direct member, giving the Storm Lake, Iowa, unit of Meta Financial Group a voice in the evolution of the automated clearing house system.

Businesses of all sizes are increasing their use of electronic forms of payment to help improve their cash flow, according to a report from Aberdeen Group Inc.

MasterCard Inc. said its issuers have agreed to the terms of a settlement agreement it reached with Heartland Payment Systems over the processor's 2008 data breach.

The payment card network China UnionPay Ltd. has struck an acceptance agreement with U.S. Bankcard Services Inc., an independent sales organization based in California.

NetSpend Corp. plans to issue up to $200 million of stock in an initial public offering, the Austin prepaid card company disclosed Thursday in a document filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

U.S. consumers' average credit card debt in June inched up after falling to its lowest level of the year in May, while the average credit score dropped for the first time in 2010, according to data from Credit Karma.

SoftBank Telecom Corp. has introduced a "cloud" technology transaction clearing service in Japan. The Tokyo payments technology vendor said the service, which went live July 5, is the first to deliver such payments capabilities through a remote cloud system in Japan.

Merchants need not retain cards' full, 16-digit account numbers to resolve disputes, even though some acquirers and processors say otherwise, according to Visa Inc.

By offering a mobile service that addresses a common need, JPMorgan Chase & Co. might also get people to use their phones for a type of payment of which few people are even aware.

Spending by international visitors in South Africa on Visa-branded cards soared as consumers prepared for and watched the FIFA World Cup, according to cardholder spending data released Wednesday by Visa Inc.

MOL Global Bhd. has agreed to resell Facebook credits, simplifying the purchasing process for people in Asia who want to buy virtual goods, such as online games and applications.

Online banking has evolved from a supportive role to more strategic roles in brand enrichment, market share, cost reduction and customer relationships.

Bank of America Corp. is charging some customers to receive their monthly statement in the mail, the industry's most aggressive move yet to encourage paperless banking.

More holes exposed in Apple's security practices; Microsoft's publicity stunt has strangers plucking strands of their own hair; Lady Gaga also a data thief's alibi?; and more.

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