Rumors of an alliance between China's e-commerce powerhouse Alibaba and Cupertino, Calif.-based technology giant Apple are heating up again — and are coming from a very high-placed source.

Federal and state regulators said that mobile telephone carriers Verizon Wireless and Sprint have agreed to settle allegations that they bilked consumers out of millions by allowing third parties to "cram" unauthorized charges onto their customers' bills.

Square Inc. says it has received more funding for its Square Capital program, which grants loans to Square merchants based on their transaction history.

For many industries, the introduction of open standards has been a key driver for innovation. The rapid evolution of the internet and online services offer a vivid example of the degree to which open standards can enable immense innovation and growth.

Latin America is becoming a must-have market for mobile payments, replete with fast growing m-commerce adoption and card network investment.

Google's Android may have more smartphones in circulation, but Apple's iPhone is responsible for the bulk of the spending from mobile wallets.

As many companies scramble to find the winning formula for mobile payments, they are coming to market with distinctly different ideas. It's still not clear what the best tactic should be, but a few mistakes stand out as lessons for others.

Card issuers, already fighting the threat of mobile wallet initiatives that draw funds directly from bank accounts, must now contend with a new partnership that makes carrier billing a more viable replacement for bank cards at the point of sale.

Munich-based payment company Wirecard AG will support the implementation and financial processes behind the launch of Orange Cash in Spain.

Swatch Group AG will introduce a model that can make mobile payments around July or August, which will give Apple Inc.'s smartwatch more low-price competition.

While PayPal deals with Consumer Financial Protection Bureau probes related to its consumer credit products, one of the company's founders is forging ahead with a company he created to develop its own consumer credit service for e-commerce.

In theory, all parties benefit when consumers have their choice of payment options, but the deluge of new technologies has led issuers to respond in ways that could create lasting frustration for consumers and merchants.

Kwik Chek Food Stores' new technology for updating gas prices at the pump also pushes those price changes to motorists using its mobile payment app, a feature that gets customers engaged with the retailer long before they pull up to the pump.

The Weve joint venture is breaking up, with Telefonica O2 buying out the U.K. telcos that joined it four years ago in planning a country-wide mobile payment system.

Home Depot Inc. plans to enable Apple Inc.'s mobile-payment platform at its more than 2,000 stores, making it the largest retailer to accept Apple Pay.

PayByPhone is bringing mobile payments to parking meters in cities around the world, and the vendor argues that its platform will attract consumers that don't want a different app for every city they travel to.

A big problem holding back mobile payments is a "chicken-and-egg" issue that Apple Pay's U.S. rollout and pending debut in Europe can reverse.

Wallaby Financial, a company that makes an app to help consumers determine which cards provide the best rewards for each purchase, has agreed to market the Wocket Smart Wallet device to its customers.

Visa Europe would like to be where Apple Inc. is — at least in terms of its technology and product development.

The Merchant Customer Exchange, backed by Walmart, Target and other mega-retailers, now operates in a market where Apple changed the ground rules. Though the initiative has yet to formally launch its CurrentC mobile wallet, MCX has already been forced to adapt many times.