Cards

Small businesses can be hard to reach with new payments technology, so the Small Business Payments Co. (SBPC) is incrementally adding functions in an attempt to ease automation.

First Data made four executive appointments as part of its diversification beyond payments processing to include a broader set of merchant services. Its updated lineup, announced Oct. 1, creates new roles for Barry McCarthy, Andrew Gelb, Sanjiv Das and Adam Rosman.

Qiwi, a payment services company based in Moscow, has added self-serve kiosks in JSC Tander convenience stores across Russia.

Western Union has added self-serve money transfer kiosks in Walgreens stores across the country.

Nearly two decades ago, Federal Reserve Bank of Boston's smart card program became a key means to eliminate the inefficiencies of cash use among military personnel. The payments industry has evolved substantially in that time, requiring the military smart card program to keep pace.

Bank of America plans to issue chip-based debit cards to customers next month, signaling a resolution of the long-standing issues plaguing EMV debit card issuance in the U.S.

By hiring former American Express executive Dan Schulman to lead an independent PayPal, the company is betting that his expertise — bringing innovation to a well-established international payments company — can ensure PayPal's survival.

InComm will work with the Merchant Customer Exchange to support digital gift card and loyalty programs for retailers, while also expanding MCX's CurrentC mobile wallet to more locations.

Shopkick is being acquired by SK Planet (SKP), and aims to replicate success of its Seoul-based buyer, which serves three-quarters of South Korea's population of 50 million.

Wal-Mart is both a powerhouse in retail and a pioneer in financial services. The company has championed numerous initiatives in prepaid and mobile payments, and it has also been quick to push back on technologies it does not like.

Even though the U.S. has suffered a flood of retail data breaches, the payments industry has to take a global view of any security measures it adopts.

The prepaid card company Blackhawk Network has agreed to acquire Parago, a customer engagement firm, for approximately $290 million.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc.'s deal to distribute Green Dot Corp.'s mobile checking account, GoBank, signals a fundamental change in how both companies approach their audience.

Fifth Third Bancorp has combined several business divisions into a new unit focused on payments, as the Cincinnati company continues its gradual exit from its former payments unit, Vantiv.

MasterCard has launched Pay with Rewards, a mobile app that allows MasterCard credit card holders to use their reward points for purchases by swiping their card at the point of sale.

SpendSmart Networks has purchased the e-commerce solutions division of TechXpress and plans to integrate the company's online and mobile services with its existing loyalty program offerings.

The Swedish mobile payments company Seamless has agreed to acquire Ingram Mobile Mobility's prepaid mobile operations in Sweden and Denmark.

State tolling agencies are increasingly adopting prepaid cards in their efforts to eliminate cash and coins at toll booths.

Macy's is using a mix of technology to pitch offers to consumers as they move within its store and shop across channels.

Green Dot plans to acquire Santa Barbara Tax Products Group (TPG) for about $320 million, a move that will allow the prepaid card provider to add tax refund processing services through partnerships with tax preparers.