Payment processing

Fawry Banking & Payment Technology Services Ltd. has signed a partnership deal with online prepaid payment provider cashU Inc. to support over-the-air reloading of cashU card accounts, the two Egypt-based companies announced Jan. 27.

For nearly every sales force in nearly every industry, selling based on price can be a losing game; someone is always willing to sell for less.

That Apple Inc. is targeting mobile payments is a foregone conclusion, but that doesn't mean banks must take a defensive approach.

Various terminal makers have come out with their own devices and services designed to support payment card acceptance using mobile phones. But one independent sales organization has decided to do so on its own, and at least one observer says the company could succeed with the proper marketing.

The PCI Security Standards Council is seeking to broaden the scope of industry participation as it empanels its third set of new advisory board members since the initial board convened in 2007.

North Alabama Bank will use ACH Federal’s automated clearinghouse processing services to support its business customers, ACH Federal announced Jan. 26.

Barclaycard and wireless-network operator Everything Everywhere Ltd. this summer plan to launch the United Kingdom’s first contactless mobile-payment system, the companies announced Jan. 27.

For the second consecutive year, North American online merchants improved their fraud-management performance, demonstrating they can counter crooks’ efforts when using appropriate fraud-prevention systems, new research suggests.

NuVision Networks Corp. has upgraded its campus card program suite to enable students and faculty to order from participating local shops online using their card’s closed-loop prepaid account, the company announced Jan. 25.

Mobile banking in rural India received a huge push this month with the country’s two biggest banks signing agreements with the two largest mobile-network operators in India for the launch of mobile platforms designed to bring banking services to more consumers.

A panel within the Reserve Bank of India formed in April has released recommendations for fighting ATM, POS and online fraud.

RoyalBank has added Compass Plus’ TranzWare service to support the launch of an in-house transaction-processing center at the bank, the retail banking software provider announced Jan. 25.

A fresh round of Apple Inc. rumors indicates the technology giant will include Near Field Communication in the next versions of its iPhone and iPad. And while the technology continues to stay atop the leaderboard as the payments industry’s ideal mobile-payments method, at least one observer believes barcode technology ultimately will prevail.

Consumers are starting to spend again, which is helping Total System Services Inc., or TSYS, grow its payment card processing services after a tough year during which it lost several clients.

MasterCard Worldwide and Spanish telecommunication company Telefonica SA are starting a joint venture to develop mobile payments services in 12 Latin American countries, the companies announced Jan. 25.

Citigroup Inc. has upgraded its WorldLink Payment Services technology to allow faster settlement of payments made in China’s currency, the renminbi, the New York-based banking company announced Jan. 25.

Despite consumer interest in alternative online payment products, credit cards still dominate the online-payments space. And they likely will continue to do so until merchants promote a broader array of alternative payment methods, according to Javelin Strategy and Research.

Processor Total System Services Inc., or TSYS, this afternoon reported fourth quarter net income of $51.6 million, down 18% from $62.9 million during the same period last year, Revenue was up 1.7%, to $440 million from $432.5 million.

Visa Europe and Wireless Dynamics Inc. are teaming up to offer a mobile contactless-payment service for Apple Inc. iPhone users in the United Kingdom, the card association announced Jan. 25.

The Shazam electronic funds network has made a “strategic investment” in Adaptive Payments, a payment-authentication company that has developed technology that uses any mobile or landline phone to help verify Internet PIN-debit transactions conducted at participating merchant websites.