Amazon is working aggressively to change the way people shop — especially in the grocery space — but not all of its activities focus on products and store design. The e-commerce giant has also influenced a lot about how people use their payment cards.

With the first half of 2017 drawing to a close, bank executives gathered this week at the Morgan Stanley Financial Services conference to discuss their companies’ performance thus far and, more important, outline their priorities for the rest of the year and beyond. Here are some of the highlights.

The agency recently sent a letter to nine banks urging them to stop offering deferred interest cards, arguing that consumers are often unaware of the risks involved.

Credit card usage began expanding with the economy, and Walmart wants to ride that wave with several enhancements to its own credit cards, including near-instant access to newly issued credit accounts within its mobile payments app.

The Trump administration is stepping away from the government’s 7-year legal fight with Amex that centers on retailers’ right to encourage the use of particular cards. The decision is good news for issuers of credit and debit cards, though it is hardly the last word on the case.

The Trump administration is stepping away from the government’s 7-year legal fight with Amex that centers on retailers’ right to encourage the use of particular cards. The decision is good news for issuers of credit and debit cards, though it is hardly the last word on the case.

Merchants increasingly sing the praises of analyzing customer payment data to learn more about spending habits and deliver customized offers through mobile devices. American Express is kicking off a project to do the same with corporate travel data.

Alice Milligan has pushed Citi to introduce dozens of mobile enhancements intended to simplify customers' interactions with the bank.

Executives at Wells Fargo, SunTrust and PNC insist that credit cards, mortgages and other consumer lines can help pick up the slack as commercial borrowers remain cautious.

American Express Co. has struck back against Citigroup Inc., winning exclusive rights to issue credit cards for Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. and ending an agreement in which the two banks shared the business.

In the elite card sector, issuers have been aggressively honing their rewards programs and offering hefty bonuses to those who switch. It's a golden opportunity to win the long-term spending of a wealthy customer base, but only if banks can keep those customers on board after the sparkle fades from that initial offer.

American Express has made several attempts to escape its image as a card for the elite, with efforts such as the Bluebird prepaid card and the OptBlue pricing program for small merchants. Its latest move is focused on rewards for small-business owners.

UBS Group AG, Switzerland’s largest bank, plans to introduce a premium card this month as it seeks to strengthen ties with affluent Americans.

With investors skittish over the potential for higher defaults on auto and student loans, Kevin St. Pierre is one of many industry analysts and banking executives who’ve sought to allay similar concerns over rising credit-card write-offs.

Business-to-business payments technology company Comdata has unveiled a new tool to streamline the process for entering suppliers’ virtual credit card details into their systems.

Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Inc. asked the Federal Reserve to allow it to hold as much as 24.99 percent of American Express Co., a stake that’s been growing because of the lender’s stock repurchases.

The old record was set just before the Great Recession, and what may be most remarkable is that it took nearly nine years to reach a new milestone.

Every year, payments experts gather at SourceMedia's Card Forum to discuss the trends shaping our industry. Here are some of the major topics discussed at this year's event in Austin, Texas.

When American Express debuted its Bluebird prepaid card in Walmart stores nearly five years ago, it was a sharp detour from the card brand's status as a product for the elite. But rather than bridge these two worlds, the Bluebird card has kept its market walled off.

Some investors have raised questions about the credibility of the firm’s leadership since credit card issuer announced that its loss reserves would surge this year.