Credit

Average U.S. consumer bankcard and private-label credit card charge-offs fell again in November, and that trend may continue into this year, according to new data Fitch Ratings Inc. released Jan. 4.

U.S. consumers would be able to use their smartphones to pay, collect and redeem coupons, and price-compare products and services both online and in stores under a partnership deal ARS Interactive and CellPoint Mobile announced Jan. 6.

Qatar Airways Ltd. and DataFlight Europe AS are collaborating to enable authorized bankcard acceptance onboard flights for duty-free purchases, the Doha-based airline announced last month.

Bank of Baroda Ltd. has entered into a proposed credit card joint-venture agreement with Spain’s Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria, the India-based bank announced in a Dec. 16 filing with the Bombay Stock Exchange.

Fifth Third Processing Solutions LLC will supply funds-transfer and other services to First Cheyenne Federal Credit Union through an agreement the Cincinnati-based processor announced Jan. 6.

Jamaica police reportedly have arrested four men allegedly involved in a credit and debit card fraud ring.

Person-to-person payments systems are maturing into a business tool.

Visa Inc. says it has made upgrades to its Advanced Authorization antifraud system.

Fifth Third Bancorp later this year plans to launch CashEdge Inc.’s Popmoney electronic-payment service, which enables consumers to transfer funds to another person’s bank account through the automated clearinghouse system, the companies announced Jan. 5.

Bank of Ceylon Ltd. plans soon to begin issuing a credit card designed for state employees in the country as part of the government's e-governance program, a spokesperson for the Sri Lankan bank tells PaymentsSource.

Online payment provider SafetyPay Inc. has inked a deal with the Brazil-based bank Banrisul to enable the bank’s 3 million customers to use its platform to make online purchases from international merchants, the firm announced Jan. 5.

Consumer confidence surprisingly fell in December, hurt by rising fears about the jobs market, according to a report released in late December by a private industry group.

U.S. online sales volume reached a record $32.6 billion during the 2010 holiday shopping season, up 12% from $29.1 million during the corresponding period a year earlier, according to data comScore Inc. released Jan. 5. ComScore’s data reflect e-commerce sales during the period from Nov. 1 to Dec. 31.

India’s banking regulator has extended to Feb. 1 the deadline it had set for banks in the country to add a second layer of security to credit card transactions conducted over mobile phones.

Taiwan on Jan. 1 began taking initial steps toward creating an integrated transit-payment system by introducing multicard readers on Taipei’s bus network, according to the Ministry of Transportation and Communications.

Cash-back rewards programs for credit card users are effective and relatively affordable tools to enable issuers to increase their market share at competitors’ expense, the results of recent study from the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago suggest.

United Bank Card Inc. is making its Harbortouch point-of-sale system available for free to merchants that continue to use the company to process their payment card transactions, the Hampton, N.J.-based independent sales organization announced Jan. 3.

Discover Financial Services has completed its $600 million acquisition of Student Loan Corp., which included $4.2 billion of private student loans and other assets, the Riverwoods, Ill.-based credit card issuer announced Jan. 3.

Fifth Third Processing Solutions LLC has signed credit card processing agreements with Education First Credit Union and USA One Credit Union, the Cincinnati-based company announced Jan. 3.

A third airline in Australia has decided to increase the surcharge it levies on credit card bookings, attracting the ire of consumer groups in the country.