Credit

In today’s marketplace, where members of the merchant-acquiring community are using every resource available to improve their professional standing and to find new business, many are turning to such social-networking websites as LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter to get in front of their respective audiences.

The U.S. Supreme Court on Nov. 9 will hear oral arguments in a case that may determine whether card issuers may handle customer disputes through arbitration or potentially more costly class-action lawsuits, industry experts say.

Vodafone Egypt is collaborating with Citibank Egypt to launch a cobranded credit card that will enable customers to take out small loans at the telco’s outlets in Egypt, the companies announced last week.

Many payments-industry executives are considering taking new jobs for the opportunity to gain professional growth, according to new survey results from TopGrading Solutions Inc.

American Express Co. says it hopes to improve its appeal among online merchants by adding fraud management to cover any payment type — not just its own.

After years of efforts by banks to get their commercial clients to ditch paper checks, electronic payments have finally begun to wrest a significant share of the business-to-business market.

Online Resources Corp. is continuing the development of its new strategic plan, which it intends to detail next month.

Google Inc. said its holiday promotion tool can increase merchants' online sales by 209%.

JPMorgan Chase & Co. has teamed up with Dreamworks Animation’s “Megamind” movie to promote its Chase Freedom credit cards’ 5% cash back offer on movie tickets for the fourth quarter, Matt Kane, general manager of Chase Freedom, tells PaymentsSource. “We wanted to get the message out through very unique channels,” says Kane.

Cardholders of JPMorgan Chase & Co.’s British Airways Signature Visa credit card no longer have to pay a foreign-transaction fee, expanding Chase’s array of cobranded travel rewards cards giving customers a break on the 3% fee, the company announced Nov. 4.

Cooperative Rural Development Bank Ltd. has expanded the payment card acceptance it set up for the Tanzania National Parks in late 2008, the bank announced Nov. 3.

An expanding international business, continued success with its MasterCard cobranded credit card program and improvements in its Fleet business helped boost Wright Express Corp.’s third-quarter results, the fleet card issuer announced Nov. 4.

The struggling casino industry continues to put a strain on Global Cash Access Holdings Inc.’s financial performance.

American Express Co. has agreed to purchase security-technology provider Accertify Inc., the card brand announced Nov. 4. The companies expect to close the deal in the fourth quarter.

Advanta Corp. expects to repay its investors 64.4% to 100% of the value of their retail notes as part of the company’s proposed liquidation plan, the bankrupt small-business card issuer announced this week.

Oxigen Services Pvt. Ltd. has signed a service agreement with Luup International Ltd. to launch mobile-payment services in India, Luup International announced Oct. 29.

The Federal Reserve Board’s still-unwritten debit-interchange rules and new restrictions on network-exclusivity agreements could help First Data Corp.’s business, executives at the transaction processor predicted Nov. 4.

Driven by increases in debit-network fees, First Data Corp. on Nov. 4 reported revenue of $2.6 million for the third quarter ended Sept. 30, up 8% from the same period last year. Adjusted revenue of $1.6 million was up 2%, helped by growth in the Retail and Alliances Services and Financial Services units, the company said.

U.S. Bancorp has signed on as the largest bank to use an alternative payments system that lets consumers pay for online transactions through their institutions' websites.

Apple Inc.'s iPhone payments system is coming closer to reality.