Emerging payments technologies like mobile banking and new prepaid tools present an opportunity to better serve the millions of unbanked and underbanked consumers in the United States, according to the president of global payments options at American Express.

PayPal's long-watched partnership with Discover, which will allow Discover merchants to accept PayPal payments at the point of sale, is on track to launch April 19.

McDonalds' foray into mobile debit in Canada is helping spark a national expansion that includes broader adoption of the technology by issuers and merchants.

The United States has long resisted adopting the EMV smart-card standard to replace magnetic-stripe credit and debit cards. But the card networks report success in the years-long push to modernize plastic payments.

In a few short years, Starbucks became one of the most noteworthy companies in mobile payments. These 11 decisions are the key ingredients in its strategy.

A pending MasterCard "staged wallet" fee, set to take effect in June, is setting a new tone for the emerging payments landscape.

Apple's Passbook wallet is a blank canvas for developers of mobile payment apps. Some Passbook apps take a conventional approach to payments, and others put a more imaginative spin on what a mobile wallet can be.

Samsung and Visa will likely demonstrate the full potential of their contactless mobile payments alliance at this week’s unveiling of the Samsung Galaxy S IV smartphone.

American Express is doing a lot to shed its image as the card for the elite. In recent years Amex has worked with Twitter, Facebook, Foursquare, video game companies and other new partners to win the favor of young adults.

The 2013 Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, produced by the mobile operators group GSMA, was the launching point for many significant payments initiatives.

MasterCard Inc. today announced MasterPass, a digital wallet that supports mobile payments at the point of sale and online payments without the need to type a card number each time.

Today’s modern payment systems have their genesis in a number of older ventures that plied everything from the Web to biometrics to enable digital commerce. Some are gone, and some have evolved unrecognizably into their current form. Here’s a look.

Payment technology is gaining momentum and changing rapidly. More and more places around the world are adopting unique methods of payment.

Despite some glitches that are hampering vigorous adoption, the companies targeting mobile payments are finding success in forging brand connections. The problem is their connections are with narrow constituencies, and are often based on competencies beyond mobile payments.

Mobile wallets showcase many features that could transform the way consumers pay, but for many users the most appealing feature is the ability to make sense of all their receipts.

ShopKeep, which provides an iPad point of sale system, began supporting payments from SCVNGR's LevelUp loyalty and mobile payment system this week. One early adopter is already reporting success with the combined system.

The use of electronic payments can have a positive impact on national economies, with nearly $127 billion added to the U.S.'s gross domestic product (GDP) in the past four years, according to a study conducted for Visa by Moody's Analytics.

Visa's V.me digital wallet is picking up momentum and the initiative is "right on the point of the spear" of the card network's product development strategy, Visa says.

As many as 65% of the consumers testing the Isis Mobile Wallet are revisiting merchants often or taking advantage of mobile offers, an Isis executive says.

MACH, looking for a way to sell carrier billing services in the U.S. and expand in other markets, says it’s found the right partner in mobile payments company payvia.