Payments

Mastercard is facing pushback from retailers over a new product that allows customers to pay off their purchases in installments. 

Founder Jason Gardner plans to drop CEO duties for a new role at the payment technology firm, which is expanding its focus to larger financial institutions as some existing clients slump.

FleetCor Technologies' CEO successfully pitched small businesses on "a better way to pay" for gas, making himself a billionaire in the process. But that success was built in part on falsely advertised rebates, concealed transactions fees and a host of other unfair practices, a federal judge ruled.

Jifiti is among the technology companies that want make it easier for retailers and banks to offer installment lending. The disruption caused by inflation and a hawkish Fed are combining to create an opportunity.

Coinbase Global said it's being probed by the Securities and Exchange Commission over its staking programs, which allow users to earn rewards for holding certain cryptocurrencies.

"Super apps," embedded commerce and buy now/pay later loans are hoovering up consumer data with little clarity over the consequences for users, according to a new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau report.

In global news this week, cash is on the rebound in the U.K., a Swiss nonprofit calls for digital business IDs, CIBC adds support for open banking, and more.

Business-to-business payments have long been stuck in the past, with a heavy emphasis on paper checks. The need for modernization has attracted a flurry of technology developers.

The prepaid card issuer's senior vice president of partner services and delivery, one of this year's Most Influential Women in Payments Next honorees, has had to address the impact of multiple global crises on the underbanked.

In markets such as India, China, the United Arab Emirates and Brazil, more consumers and merchants are testing or deploying facial recognition as a way to authenticate transactions.