Payments

The newest version of the Mastercard gives users the most cash back for checking out with their PayPal accounts instead of for spending in specific categories.

Firms such as Visa, Mastercard, PNC and Fiserv say employers can address the labor crunch by making it easier for employees to access and move their money through services such as earned wage access, crypto bonuses and digitized expense management.

Citigroup agreed to sell its consumer banking operations in Bahrain to Ahli United Bank BSC as part of the lender’s continued push to simplify.

The company provides incentives through the online statements of many large card issuers — but it faces more competition than ever from fintechs and "super apps." To stay in the game, Cardlytics is scooping up more data to sharpen its pitches.

Visa is planning a raft of changes to rules for gas stations to allow larger transactions after a surge in fuel prices across the U.S. made it hard for some drivers to fill up using credit cards.

Citizens' overdraft break, Warren's digital-dollar push and more in banking news this week.

What good is a travel card when virtual reality eliminates the need to leave home? Amex's patent filings explore the possibilities.

The renewal of the e-commerce giant's cobranded card cements an alliance between two giants of their industries — just as both companies are pushing ahead with products such as buy now/pay later loans that put pressure on traditional credit cards.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau heard from proponents and critics of buy now/pay later lending amid its probe of five of the most prominent companies in the space.

Apple is developing its own payment processing technology and infrastructure for future financial products, part of an ambitious effort that would reduce its reliance on outside partners over time, according to people with knowledge of the matter.

In global news this week, Apple blocks Russia's Mir network; N26 gets hit with anti-money-laundering penalties in Italy; Santander brings new B2B payments tech to Brazil; and more.

These tech titans still depend on banks to back their payment cards and loans. But their vast audiences mean any financial product they offer is a competitive threat.

The company had accepted a $60 million naming rights deal from Meta Platforms — the social media giant's new brand.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau said it expects credit card companies to increase fees — often around $30 — charged when customer miss a payment. The higher prices are allowed under rules that authorize inflation adjustments.

Firms such as Mesh Payments and TripActions are anticipating that the trend for flexible and remote work will make it harder to distinguish personal and business purchases on the road.

PayPal is making it possible to "Venmo" an income tax payment, while GoDaddy is taking aim at simplifying sales tax calculations for its merchant clients.

Wells Fargo will start letting customers earn points and miles on their rent payments as the banking giant deepens its push into credit cards.