Banking

Coinbase makes it simple to buy and sell bitcoins via a bank account, but plays only to the low-fee, frictionless nature of Bitcoin and fails to leverage its unique privacy aspects.

Barclaycard US has tapped a longtime bank technology executive to serve as chief operating officer.

The largest credit-card issuer in Israel has deployed software from Personetics to enhance the digital customer experience while reducing the amount of calls coming to the call center.

As USAA readies a new voice assistant for its iPhone app, exec Neff Hudson shares the backstory and thinking behind the creation of that digital persona.

The number of community banks under enforcement actions fell in January, as the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. ended 16 orders and issued five on the month.

JPMorgan Chase (JPM) is raising another round of questions about a lawyer who works for the New York attorney general, which has sued the company over the mortgage conduct of Bear Stearns.

USAA, known as a leader of innovation within the financial space, will launch its Virtual Mobile Assistant feature to select iPhone customers on March 5th. The company gave BTN a sneak preview.

Startups are trying to reinvent the much-maligned payday loan, using Big Data to develop algorithms that can better predict who will default so they can cut the price of short-term, small-dollar credit. But consumer advocates continue to object to these products. Banks have an opportunity to partner with these new entrants, but reputational risk may discourage them from doing so.

PayPal Inc. plans to launch a chip-and-PIN version of its mobile card reader, called PayPal Here, in the UK this summer.

First South Bancorp in Washington, N.C., is purging a series of bad loans.

Bank of Commerce Holdings (BOCH) in Redding, Calif., has elected two directors after the death of its chairman.

Shareholders of NewBridge Bancorp (NBBC) have authorized a series of changes to the Greensboro, N.C., company's stock related to a recently completed $56 million capital raise.

United Community Banks in Blairsville, Ga., has amended its fourth-quarter and 2012 results to reflect a legal settlement.

The National Grocers Association said its board voted to opt out of a multibillion-dollar antitrust settlement with Visa Inc. and MasterCard Inc. over merchant fees.

Forcing the networks to let merchants surcharge for card payments will remove the advantage of retailers that accept only cash or other alternatives such as Bitcoin.

At the Apple Store, people don't pay the same way they do everywhere else. They swipe cards on mobile devices and accept emailed receipts instead of printed ones. Now that Google is reportedly kicking the tires on a retail store concept, maybe it can do the same, putting Google Wallet in the spotlight.

MECHANICSBURG, Penn. – Members 1st FCU is continuing its expansion with plans to open five new branches this year.

PayPal Inc. plans to launch a chip-and-PIN version of its mobile card reader, called PayPal Here, in the UK this summer.

To help financial institutions prepare for Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act provisions that will begin to go into effect in 2014, Oracle (ORCL) Thursday introduced Oracle Financial Services Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act Management software.

First Sound Bank (FSWA) in Seattle has bought back its Troubled Asset Relief Program shares after raising nearly $8 million.