Mobile payments

To Diebold Inc., the nation’s largest ATM maker, the ongoing shift to omnichannel commerce is as much a threat as it is an opportunity.

As the spread of mobile technology continues to erase borders, more companies are teaming up to bring their offerings to audiences they would have been unable to serve just 10 years ago. Many of these companies already had global reach, but needed the technology or local expertise of a partner from overseas.

They are barely out of college, but this young generation of consumers has already shortened payment technology cycles, forced virtual currency into the mainstream, and left processors scrambling to stay relevant.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has been pushing ahead with EMV card adoption and the Merchant Customer Exchange mobile wallet, but gave little to no attention to them during its Feb. 18 conference call to discuss fourth-quarter earnings.

Apple Inc. introduced its mobile payments system to China through a partnership with China UnionPay Co. as the iPhone maker teams with the country’s largest clearing network to spur usage.

Cardless ATMs are still a rare sight in the U.S., but the use cases are proliferating for companies that want to upend traditional cash machines.

M-commerce and payments are a tsunami that no retailer can ignore, but engaging consumers on mobile, and more importantly, converting consumers, remains a challenge for retailers of all sizes.

The speed required by omnichannel commerce extends not only to payments and processing, but increasingly, also to vetting, registering and onboarding new users.

ACI Worldwide has begun to lend a hand in The Clearing House’s effort to create a real-time payments system in the United States.

As it seeks new business in Europe, PayPal is expected to soon launch a partnership with Vodafone that would allow Android smartphone users to make contactless tap-and-go payments at the point of sale. At the same time, Apple has begun securing bank partnerships for an imminent launch in China, according to reports.

As Apple Pay crossed the 15-month mark, a new report suggests consumer awareness and usage of the mobile wallet are falling, despite robust support from banks and an exponential increase in the merchants that can accept Near Field Communication payments.

Visa has accumulated a 9.99% stake in Square, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, giving a boost to the mobile point of sale company, which has faced challenges recently.

Much of the growth in wearable technology is happening without an eye to enabling payments. This is prompting many companies to find a way to add payment capabilities to wearables without forcing users to buy an entirely new device.

The app ecosystem has enabled payments to blend almost invisibly into the background of many cash-based services, such as ride-sharing and food delivery, but sometimes there is a need to let payments take center stage.

Most consumers, when dining, still enjoy the simplicity of dropping cash on the table than using something newer, like an EMV card or a mobile wallet, even when those payment forms are becoming more commonplace in other stores.

The smartwatch revolution didn't begin with Apple, and the early adopters of wearables may not want to upgrade just to add payments. Fit Pay Inc. has a plan to meet this audience halfway.

Visa is rolling out a new transaction-notification service service today through the application program interface-based Visa Developer Platform the network unveiled last week.

PayPal technology exec James Barrese will leave the company April 1, according to an SEC filing.

Hong Kong's status as an iconic financial capital stands in contrast to its relatively lackluster record for technology. The city is regarded as below average as a hub for startups, and MasterCard places Hong Kong in the middle of the pack for mobile payments readiness.

Fit Pay in San Francisco has launched a campaign on the crowdfunding site Kickstarter to raise funds for the final production of a payment-enabled wristband developed for Pebble Time smartwatches.