Payments

Visa and its rivals have seen spending increases cool with inflation soaring to once-in-a-generation levels.

Buoyed by robust lending through the third quarter, Discover Financial Services has tightened lending criteria slightly but expects charge-offs to remain low. However, inflation meant this growth has come at a higher cost in recent quarters.

A year after launching Africa's first digital currency, Nigeria's central bank is turning to the nation's three-wheeler taxi operators to speed the adoption of the eNaira, as regulators across the world scrutinize its every move.

Apple updated its App Store guidelines Monday with new and clearer language explaining its policy toward cryptocurrency trading and nonfungible tokens.

Amazon.com is allowing certain customers to use their Venmo wallets when checking out as the retailing giant tweaks its payment options for customers ahead of the holiday shopping season.

The digital card-issuing company Marqeta will offer bank-as-a-service options to nonbanks; Cross River Bank teams with American Express for card issuing on behalf of fintechs; and a Discover Global Network study reveals 78% of fintechs are interested in partnering with payment networks.

Nickels, which works with the credit union service organization Reseda Group, is using its $4 million seed funding to give financial institutions more visibility into consumers' debts.

A New Hampshire bank recently rolled out the nation's first biodegradable debit cards, Bank of America next year will begin making all credit and debit cards more environmentally friendly and one of the biggest global card manufacturers vows to eliminate all traditional plastic cards by 2030.

The bank is enabling early access to direct deposits, an alternative to earned wage access products that are becoming more popular with economic stress on the rise.

U.S. Bank's new M&A closing date, and new rewards card, and more in banking news this week.

Amex affirmed its full-year guidance, though it is also monitoring for changes in consumer behavior.

A Bloomberg News analysis found more than 45 groups and pages — with more than 1 million combined members — where the spoils of cyber crimes and the tools needed to carry them out were offered for sale.

Any limitations on the distribution of pandemic relief and other payments are the result of instructions from the IRS, or the Federal Reserve's failure to operate a 24/7 payments system — and not shortcomings of the automated clearing house network, writes the head of Nacha.

Facing greater competition from fintechs and an increasingly global economy, BofA has improved its business-to-business capabilities with open banking, 24/7 processing, support for the euro and other features.

Small businesses are finding that tap-on-phone apps — which allow smartphones to accept contactless payments without additional hardware — are solving some long-standing pain points.

In global news this week, India adds digital banking centers, NAB embraces tap-to-pay and JPMorgan Chase shakes up its management in the Asia Pacific region.

The San Francisco-based fintech Cardless has teamed with Amex and Simon Property Group, the nation's largest shopping mall operator, to launch a new credit card.

The rising value of the U.S. dollar has created higher demand for its use in cross-border e-commerce, just as a joint European/American instant processing project prepares for launch.

By applying its scale and expertise to security and compliance, the card network hopes to provide a comfortable option for cautious financial institutions and consumers.

"We're not used to seeing growth in our check business," said Deluxe's Tracey Engelhardt, who reports a 6% to 7% increase in revenue for check orders from businesses and consumers in each of the last three quarters, driven by various factors originating from the pandemic.