Payments

HOUSTON — ATM networks Allpoint and STAR have renewed their relationships, allowing member institutions and cardholders continued surcharge-free access to the Allpoint network throughout the United States.

The processor Total System Services Inc. has entered into an agreement with terminal maker Ingenico to support a wide range of payment types, including magnetic stripe, EMV, Near Field Communication and Apple Pay.

Mergers and acquisitions among payments companies rose 44% in 2014 compared to the year before.

2014 ended roughly for some of the biggest payment companies, and 2015 will bring even more challenges from rapidly changing technology and nimble startups.

New, experimental consumer marketing programs have played a significant role in the way technology has upended the payment business in recent years. And Visa is looking to get in on the action.

Even if arbitration does turn out to be beneficial for many consumers, Americans should not lose their constitutional right to a day in court without being aware that they are doing so.

As he assumes the role of CEO of 'buy local' offers company Buzz Points, Dwayne Spradlin predicts that certain trends in technology and consumer habits will breathe life into a loyalty model that has stagnated in the past.

2014 ended roughly for some of the biggest payment companies, and 2015 will bring even more challenges from rapidly changing technology and nimble startups.

Earnings at Discover Financial Services plunged by 33% in the fourth quarter, largely due to a charge tied to the firm's mortgage business and a previously announced revision to its flagship credit card program.

Across the world, startups are using digital delivery to challenge companies like Western Union and MoneyGram, a battle that in recent months has become increasingly heated.

One of the most challenging IT issues is proving ROI, establishing that a specific technology rollout had a measurable impact on business goals. But Tesco is making a powerful case for proving the ROI of 3-D technology its apparel e-commerce business used to achieve a 24% plunge in online returns.

Online money transfer service WorldRemit has signed a partnership with a telco that serves Africa, Asia and the Middle East to enable its customers to send money to mobile wallet users in those regions.

Ingenico Group, a French maker of payment terminals, has completed its acquisition of Roam.

Digital payments company ACI Worldwide has begun offering bill pay services on ATMs and kiosks sold by LD Systems.

Western Union has expanded its retail presence in Europe through a partnership with the international remittance service UAE Exchange.

The Supreme Court has declined to take up an appeal from retailers seeking to toughen Federal Reserve Board restrictions on debit interchange fees charged by financial institutions.

Even though Apple Pay hasn't yet launched in the U.K., experts in the EMV-compliant nation are eager to bring over Apple's mobile wallet to improve card-not-present security.

Turning off your phone before you go into church is probably a good idea — unless you plan to make a donation.

While real-time payment technology is a hot topic among banks in the U.S., real-time data analysis is likely to come much faster.

One of the engines driving Kenya's mobile-money transformation is poised for export.