Interchange fees

The number of states not allowing surcharging on credit card purchases continues to dwindle, as New York now gives merchants the option to charge fees as long as they make the costs clear to consumers.

LifeLock co-founder Robert Maynard is behind a startup called SurchX, which hopes to capitalize on the confusion around swipe fees with technology that generates a surcharge amount customized for each transaction.

The Australian government is evaluating a set of proposals to radically reform its payments industry, including abolishing interchange and opening up access for new entrants to core infrastructure.

It could be tempting to pick the easiest pricing option to understand and move on. But other times, more complex pricing options can really help businesses save money, writes Angelo Grecco, chief business development officer for CardConnect.

Large retailers want the right to reject rewards cards at the point of sale to avoid higher swipe fees; Germany's financial regulator appoints an auditor to monitor the Deutsche Bank's progress.

European banks are testing rings, watches and bracelets that are linked to credit and debit accounts; European regulators appear keener on increasing competition than U.S. counterparts.

The Danish bank found more than $200 billion of suspicious deals at its Estonian branch; merchants can opt out of the deal as another case on network rules continues.

Visa Inc. and Mastercard Inc. agreed to pay as much as $6.2 billion to end a long-running price-fixing case brought by merchants over card fees, the largest-ever class action settlement of an antitrust case.

The growth and dominant market share position of payment cards in U.K. retail sales is prompting a new pushback from retailers who are wary of rising network fees.

The Tennessee regional said the sale should boost quarterly profit by $160 million.