Payment cards

Fundtech Inc. on Nov. 30 announced the completion of its merger with Bankserv Inc. and, in conjunction, the company discussed plans for a new set of products.

Acculynk Inc. is banking on its relationships with major U.S. retailers to help it secure card-network partnerships in the international market to deploy PaySecure, its Internet PIN-debit product.

Green Dot Corp. got the green light to jump into traditional banking at exactly the right time.

Easycash Loyalty Solutions GmbH, an Ingenico SA company, has taken over the payment processing for French prepaid card issuer LaSer, strengthening a partnership that began a year ago, terminal maker Ingenico announced Nov. 21.

Isis has had a big week, as 45 partners of the GSM Association mobile operator trade group agreed to support the joint venture’s preferred payments model: Near Field Communication that uses SIM cards used in many mobile phones.

The hotel industry successfully introduced “resort fees.” The airlines gradually added baggage-handling fees. Cell phone and cable TV marketers steadily increase fees for expanding services.

Credit-union leaders called on Congress Nov. 16 to amend required disclosures at ATMs, eliminate annual privacy notices required for members and reduce financial reporting for small credit unions as part of its next round of sought regulatory relief.

Payments processor Vantiv known until July as Fifth Third Processing Solutions, on Nov. 10 filed to raise funds with an initial public offering that could be one of the biggest IPOs of the year.

With an eye toward reducing customer lines at movie theater box offices, NCR Corp. has developed a software application for scanning movie ticket information from a mobile phone, the terminal and software provider announced Nov. 9.

In maneuvers that could boost the future outlook of mobile banking and payments, Monitise PLC has received an investment from partner Visa Europe and has strengthened its U.S. operations by acquiring Monitise Americas shares owned by bank technology provider Fidelity National Information Services Inc., or FIS, the London-based mobile payments provider announced Oct. 31.

LAS VEGAS–Mobile-wallet providers Google Inc. and Isis continue to position their products as more than just payments vehicles to replace plastic cards.

Those who want a say in future card-data security standards may send feedback to the Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council for the next six months, a council executive says.

Green Dot Corp. is licking its lips over banks’ new debit card fees, but the prepaid card company still does not know quite how large its eventual meal will be.

MoneyGram International Inc. on Oct. 27 reported solid third-quarter earnings growth, with a 58% increase in net income to $15.8 million from $10 million during the same period last year. Revenue increased 9.9%, to $321.9 million from $292.9 million.

Banks are combating fraud with technology on a number of fronts, according to a Novarica study released this week.

Freedom Credit Union last week announced an alternative to new debit fees. The $500-million credit union said it will pay members $5 each month they make a purchase with their debit card.

Hidden fees are forcing some consumers out of the traditional banking system.

China’s mobile-payments market is expected to grow considerably in the coming years even as concerns remain about security and the lack of cooperation between telecommunication operators and banks, a new report suggests.

Banks involved in the creation of a Single Euro Payment Area in Europe must view it as an opportunity to rebuild a payments system from scratch instead of as an overly complex challenge in which applying new standards to an old system will suffice, a new report by Boston-based research firm Celent asserts.

WASHINGTON — One day after introduction of a bipartisan bill to repeal the new debit interchange cap, supporters of that cap struck back Oct. 13 by calling for an antitrust investigation into whether banks and trade groups are colluding on prices.