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First National Bank of Omaha and Murphy Oil Corp. on July 1 introduced the Murphy USA Platinum Visa card enabling cardholders to earn rewards on transaction as well as savings on gasoline purchases.

Bank of the Philippine Islands Ltd. is looking to increase its credit card billings this year by revamping its air miles credit card and rewards program, a spokesperson for the bank tells PaymentsSource.

Visa Inc. is getting heat from one of the United Kingdom’s largest consumer-advocacy organizations, which claims the card network’s exclusive ticket-sales deal for the 2012 Olympic Games in London discriminates against non-Visa cardholders.

Many consumers dislike paying an annual fee for credit cards but see no issue in paying for credit monitoring or for foreign exchange services, new research suggests.

United Overseas Bank Ltd. by September plans to introduce in Indonesia a credit card designed specifically for women, a spokesperson for the Singapore-based bank tells PaymentsSource

The Reserve Bank of India is asking more rural financial institutions to issue credit cards tied to no-frills banking accounts, a spokesperson for the country’s central bank tells PaymentsSource.

Virgin Money UK in September plans to begin enabling cardholders to pay off the highest rates applied to their card debts first, the United Kingdom-based financial company announced earlier this week. This change comes on the heels of a joint agreement by the UK Department for Business Innovation and Skills and the UK Cards Association regarding cardholders’ rights.

The rise of small card-not-present transactions for virtual goods and other online services is helping to fertilize runaway growth of micropayment-based card-fraud schemes, at least one consultant contends.

Singapore’s DBS Bank Ltd. has revamped one of its flagship credit cards to accommodate new features and a new design, the issuer announced June 29.

American Express Co.’s near-term forecast is looking rosier because of improving economic trends plus its role as the lone payment network escaping nearly unscathed from the latest round of card-industry regulations, one analyst says.

First quarter 2010 company regulatory filings reflect the latest change in the Financial Accounting Standards Board Statements 166 and 167. Approved by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. board of directors in December, the new rules that became effective in January require credit card issuers to include securitized card loans on their balance sheets.

The Federal Trade Commission on June 28 asked a federal court to halt an international identity-fraud scheme that it says generated more than $10 million in fraudulent micropayment charges on U.S. consumers’ credit and debit cards.

Infinite Campus Inc. announced on June 28 the launch of Campus Cafeteria Serve, a point-of-sale food-service program, and an electronic payments-processing feature called Campus Online Payments, which will be available in July. The student-information systems provider designed the programs to enable grade schools with classes kindergarten through the 12th grade to automate food services and school-fee payments.

JCB Co Ltd. has appointed Takao Kawanishi as the international payment brand’s president and CEO, effective immediately, the Japan-based company announced on June 29. He succeeds Tamio Takakura, who was named chairman. Takakura had served as JCB Co.’s president and CEO the past three years.

Payments-industry executives’ average total compensation in 2009 declined slightly primarily because of the economic downturn, according to data PaymentsSource.com analyzed.

The ruling government in Thailand last week approved a draft Credit Card Business Act designed to protect consumers from abuses by credit card companies and to help tackle card debt problems. The proposed legislation now goes to the country's parliament for approval.

Citizens of Myanmar soon will be able to obtain and use bankcards for the first time, according to local media reports.

MasterCard Worldwide has promoted Ajay Banga, president and chief operating officer, to chief executive officer, effective July 1. Banga also was named a member of MasterCard’s board of directors. Banga succeeds Joseph W. Selander, who will become executive vice chairman until his retirement on Dec. 31. MasterCard also promoted Alfredo Gangotena to chief marketing officer from global products and solution lead for MasterCard in Europe. Gangotena replaces Lawrence Flanagan, who is retiring.

Payments industry executives’ average total compensation in 2009 declined slightly as certain companies endured the shocks of the economic downturn and others remained relatively unaffected. But the components of compensation changed to reflect more long-term incentives and accountability as company boards increased their scrutiny of executive-pay packages, experts say.

Visa Inc. says it intends to work with merchants that fail to meet two July 1 payment-security deadlines.