Cards

A fresh round of Apple Inc. rumors indicates the technology giant will include Near Field Communication in the next versions of its iPhone and iPad. And while the technology continues to stay atop the leaderboard as the payments industry’s ideal mobile-payments method, at least one observer believes barcode technology ultimately will prevail.

Contrary to what debit card issuers claim, merchants do not want a “free ride” on debit card interchange, contends a prominent convenience-store owner who has spent years lobbying for changes in payment card interchange-rate policies.

Consumers are starting to spend again, which is helping Total System Services Inc., or TSYS, grow its payment card processing services after a tough year during which it lost several clients.

WEST DOVER, VT.–Their silence on the Federal Reserve Board’s proposal to regulate debit card interchange rates could be counterproductive for independent sales organizations and merchant acquirers, Holli Targan, president of the Electronic Transactions Association, told attendees here at the Northeast Acquirers Association conference.

Visa International has sold its 10% stake in CBSS, an issuer of prepaid benefits and meal cards, to the Brazilian banks Banco do Brasil and Bradesco, parent Visa Inc. announced Jan. 26.

MasterCard Worldwide and Spanish telecommunication company Telefonica SA are starting a joint venture to develop mobile payments services in 12 Latin American countries, the companies announced Jan. 25.

Citigroup Inc. has upgraded its WorldLink Payment Services technology to allow faster settlement of payments made in China’s currency, the renminbi, the New York-based banking company announced Jan. 25.

HarborOne Credit Union is using software from Datacard Group to instantly issue Visa-branded debit cards in branches, the Minnetonka, Minn.-based vendor announced Jan. 25.

Despite consumer interest in alternative online payment products, credit cards still dominate the online-payments space. And they likely will continue to do so until merchants promote a broader array of alternative payment methods, according to Javelin Strategy and Research.

Visa Europe and Wireless Dynamics Inc. are teaming up to offer a mobile contactless-payment service for Apple Inc. iPhone users in the United Kingdom, the card association announced Jan. 25.

The Shazam electronic funds network has made a “strategic investment” in Adaptive Payments, a payment-authentication company that has developed technology that uses any mobile or landline phone to help verify Internet PIN-debit transactions conducted at participating merchant websites.

The Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore has set up a wholly owned subsidiary, Assurity Trusted Solutions Pte. Ltd., to lead its initiative to increase the security of online transactions in Singapore, the organization announced Jan. 20.

Travelers to South Korea may purchase and use Korea Pass prepaid cards at the Korea Grand Sale, which began Jan. 24 and runs through Feb. 28 in the capital city of Seoul.

MasterCard Inc. confirmed that it is hiring Mung-Ki Woo as group executive for its mobile business.

Several issuers in the United Kingdom and Ireland recently announced plans to issue contactless cards usable at several major merchants. And while one observer says few consumers see the benefit of contactless payment, more European merchants, especially quick-service restaurants, have begun to accept contactless cards.

ModaSolutions Corp. has adapted its eBillme online payment system to work with Magento Inc.’s e-commerce platform, the company announced Jan. 24.

Fifth Third Processing Solutions LLC has signed up three new processing clients, the Cincinnati-based processor announced Jan. 24.

JPMorgan Chase & Co.’s Chase Bank USA unit does not have to battle a slew of class-action lawsuits alleging it improperly increased credit cardholders’ interest rates, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled Jan. 24.

More consumers late last year chose to spend more when dining out, especially in less expensive restaurants, a new report on fourth quarter restaurant spending suggests.

Safaricom Ltd., the largest mobile operator in Kenya, is working with U.S.-based payments provider PayPal Inc. on a platform to enable consumers to pay school fees directly to institutions’ bank accounts using their mobile phones, the companies announced earlier this month.