Payments

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is investigating some of the bank's credit card practices, including refunds, billing errors and credit bureau reporting, according to a securities filing Thursday.

In global news this week, regulators in EU worry about staffing, American Express expands B2B cross-border payments, ATMs in New Zealand get an upgrade, and more.

The payment company's strategy includes cost cutting, new products such as a Venmo account for teens, and welcoming input from Elliott Management, an activist investor that took a $2 billion stake in the firm.

The payments company has agreed to acquire EVO Payments for $4 billion and sell off the consumer-focused portions of its Netspend unit as part of an industrywide emphasis on automated business-to-business payments.

The payment processor is an early user of Apple's smartphone payments capability, which provides a DIY option for retail workers, but doesn't necessarily cover all merchants in all use cases.

Within two years, the credit-card company expects to employ more than 1,000 people from a historically disadvantaged part of the city.

Visa said it believes it’s an “improper defendant” in the case.

Dee Hock, who recently passed away, was CEO of the card brand from 1970 to 1984. He championed a mix of competition and collaboration among financial institutions to foster innovation, an idea that is still used in technology development.

Data as of Mar. 31, 2022. Dollars in thousands.

The Maryland bank has lost 13% of its credit card customer base in the past year amid a flurry of marketing activity by newer players. But it is refusing to panic.

As competition tightens in the buy now/pay later arena, fintechs including Klarna, Afterpay and Zilch are upgrading perks to keep consumers from straying to their rivals.

Visa and Mastercard credit card-issuing banks with more than $100 billion in assets would be required to give merchants a lower-cost choice for processing each transaction under a new bill proposed to spur competition.

A potential Senate bill could pressure interchange fees, while the broader economy faces a downturn. Mastercard CEO Michael Miebach contends the firm is prepared for both.

American Banker's second annual Most Influential Women in Payments, Next recognizes women under 40 who have demonstrated a strong talent for leadership and an expertise in their respective fields.

Longtime credit card interchange critic Sen. Dick Durbin reportedly plans to introduce a bill this week challenging the control Visa and Mastercard have over credit card swipe fees by expanding competition among merchant card-processing networks.

Elliott Investment Management is holding discussions with PayPal Holdings over an agreement that would see the activist investor have a hand in determining the future direction of the company, according to people familiar with the matter. 

In global news this week, the U.K.'s major banks put pressure on global tech firms, Bank of Ireland improves paid paternity leave, Virgin Money debuts a buy now/pay later card, and more.

American Banker interviewed the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau chief about his views on Big Tech, the qualified mortgage rule, real-time payments apps and more.

In a wide-ranging interview with American Banker, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director Rohit Chopra talked about litigating against large firms, fighting overdraft fees and reining in Big Tech.

The card brand has not seen "any evidence" of consumers reducing spending major categories or markets, the card network's chairman and chief executive said.