Mobile payments

If members here are not excited by loan payment options such as online bill pay or dropping a check in the mail, they can pay be text—and 80% of members who sign up for this virtual service actually use it.

Nintendo is known for taking an experimental approach to making video games, and this same mindset carries over to how it handles money. The company's hardware, software and business strategies show a forward-thinking strategy for payment acceptance.

Wearables have made a major breakthrough in the last two years. I believe that in several sectors including payments they are now mainstream technology rather than a minor tributary.

Under the hood, the new Masterpass ties directly to banks' own digital wallets with support for Near Field Communication-based mobile payments via Android devices and the ability to centralize features for supported cards, including balance display and purchase alerts, and support for paying with loyalty points.

USAA now offers voice-guided check deposit on its mobile app for visually impaired customers.

Google will provide McDonald's customers in San Jose, Calif., this weekend with free burgers as a promotion for its Hands Free payment app at any of 47 participating restaurants.

The hit smartphone game Pokemon Go is not a mobile wallet or a loyalty app, but it is arguably far more successful at driving traffic to retailers' stores than many of the apps designed for that purpose.

Starbucks Corp. is taking its highly success mobile payment app into China, a country in which consumers have quickly adopted mobile payment methods.

Android Pay is now a payment option for users of the food-ordering apps Grubhub and Seamless, both of which are products of Grubhub Holdings Inc.

MasterCard has taken a broad view of the "smart cities" concept, working with multiple organizations toward a common goal.