Credit

Heartland Payment Systems Inc.’s Steve Elefant readily admits software-based payment-acceptance products are less secure than those requiring hardware. But that did not prevent the payments processor from supporting Acculynk Inc.’s PaySecure checkout software, which enables merchants to accept PIN-debit cards online.

Signals are mounting that consumer credit card borrowing will begin to grow again this year after going into a decline at the start of the recession in fall 2008. But it will be at least a few more months until that trend is solid, according to economists at Moody’s Investors Service.

Fiserv Inc. announced three acquisitions this week, including its long-time partner for mobile banking.

Visa Inc. has completed its acquisition of the online payments company Inc., the card brand announced March 1.

Tyfone Inc. is partnering with smartphone-accessory company Dexim Inc. to offer a sleeve that attaches to Apple Inc.’s iPhone to support contactless payments worldwide using Tyfone’s SideTap microSD chip technology, the companies announced Feb. 28.

Fiserv Inc. has purchased Mobile Commerce Ltd., a provider of mobile banking and payments technology, the Brookfield, Wis.-based banking-technology company announced March 1.

Approximately 57% of vending-machine operators plan to add or expand their use of cashless payments this year, while only 8% likely will not add payment card acceptance to their machines, new survey data suggest.

Demonstrating a way to make money on a service many banks view as a cost, Hearst Corp. on Feb. 28 launched a beta version of its bill presentment and payment site Manilla.com.

Oberthur Technologies of America Corp. is in talks with U.S. issuers planning to migrate their debit and credit card portfolios to EMV chip-and-PIN technology “over the next couple of quarters,” an executive for the card manufacturer tells PaymentsSource.

Cartera Commerce Inc. has integrated Groupon Inc.’s daily deals into its merchant network to enable consumers to earn rewards by purchasing a Groupon deal, Cartera Commerce reported earlier this month.

The number of U.S. credit card accounts rose slightly during last year’s fourth quarter, to 380 million accounts from 378 million the previous quarter, reversing a trend of declining accounts that had gone on since the second quarter of 2008, according to the New York Federal Reserve.

Citizens of Thiruvananthapuram in the Indian state of Kerala may pay their property taxes online under an initiative launched Feb. 22

Celcom Axiata Bhd. is teaming with Maybank Bhd. to enable Maybank’s subscribers to make immediate payments of their mobile bills, a spokesperson from the Malaysia-based mobile operator tells PaymentsSource.

Target Corp.’s growth rate for activating new private-label credit and debit cards quadrupled during the fourth quarter after the company’s October introduction of a 5% point-of-sale discount on purchases made with Target-branded cards, Target executives told analysts Feb. 24.

Fresh off of its Dec. 15 initial public offering, fleet card provider FleetCor Technologies Inc. on Feb. 23 reported net income of $17.5 million for the fourth quarter ended Dec. 31, down 30% from $25 million during the same period a year earlier. Total revenue rose 3.2%, to $106.5 million from $103.2 million.

NetSpend Holdings Inc.'s fourth-quarter net income grew 79% from a year earlier, to $6.3 million, as customers loaded more money onto its prepaid debit cards and spent more frequently.

Fidelity National Information Services Inc. said it expects first-quarter earnings to be below analysts' estimates.

The Central Bank of Kenya has established new regulations for the country’s mobile funds-transfer market designed to protect consumers and mitigate market risk, a spokesperson for the bank tells PaymentsSource.

Etisalat Group last week inked a strategic agreement to offer Western Union Co.’s Mobile Money Transfer service in the 18 countries where it the Dubai-based mobile operator operates.

The Asian Development Bank reportedly has asked Philippines President Benigno Aquino III to consider giving tax breaks to credit cardholders in the country to encourage more card use.