Payments

Despite the many big companies opening their programming tools to external developers and merchants, the market for user-friendly technology is just getting started.

What's most intriguing to payments industry insiders is what Walmart left on the table when designing Walmart Pay, and what those decisions could mean for retailers and bank card issuers.

Mobile wallets remain in a nascent stage until service providers can deliver value beyond just payments.

As the U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to consider a legal case on ATM fees, credit unions are bracing for impact.

Developers of smartwatches deliver numerous capabilities and features on those devices that consumers typically use on a smartphone, including payments. But a consumer in the U.K. no longer needs an expensive smartwatch simply to move money from their timepieces.

E-commerce seems to have a better memory than brick and mortar stores, quickly scrutinizing shoppers' purchasing and browsing habits to provide recommendations and offers to keep them coming back.

Square Inc. spent six weeks in Portland, Ore. — a city with a strong existing base of micro-merchants — to transform it into one of the company's top U.S. markets in total Apple Pay transactions conducted with its card readers.

Walmart Pay is the culmination of years of efforts that Walmart has put into building its brand as a trusted provider of payments. In addition to its new mobile wallet, Walmart has been involved in numerous innovative projects to help its customers move money.

The sharp fall in gas prices early this year helped U.S. consumers to stay current on their credit obligations during the first quarter.

Canada's national debit scheme has been a mobile trendsetter in recent years, enabling the organization to pursue agreements with other national programs that want to replicate that success.

Seven months after revealing its branded mobile payment app, Walmart is making Walmart Pay available in more than 4,600 of its stores throughout the U.S., with early figures indicating consumers approve of its "connected" app model.

Payments technology provider Kash Corp. has hired SmartFi founder Johnie Lee, a former senior Google employee who worked on Google Wallet and Android Pay Hands Free engineering.

U.S. Bank was unusual in making users pay for real time person-to-person payments on Early Warning's clearXchange, a practice it's ending as other banks start to offer free transactions on the same network.

As the banks behind Early Warning's clearXchange network start to flex its muscles, one of their important tasks will be to convince business clients it's worth it to collect funds through a process designed for person-to-person payments.

PayPal is continuing its advance through Europe's mobile payments landscape with partner Vodafone, ending any notion the e-commerce payments giant isn't interested in having a presence through Near Field Communication technology at the point of sale.

While mobile snapshots are becoming a popular way to authenticate consumers, Citrus Pay is turning the idea toward merchants by developing a mobile app that will allow users to create an online store with the snap of a photo.

The decision by a federal appeals court to toss out a blockbuster settlement between retailers and the card networks could re-expose some financial institutions to legal liability and threaten their already challenged interchange income.

Bottomline Technologies and Global Processing Services have partnered to bring consumers 'banking lite' card services.

China is a huge but challenging market for external payments companies, and Canadian contactless payment provider Mobeewave is seeking help in the ground by partnering with the Alliance Development Group.

The decision by a federal appeals court to toss out a blockbuster settlement between retailers and the card networks could re-expose some banks to legal liability and threaten their already challenged interchange income.