Retailers

The Merchant Customer Exchange is facing harsh scrutiny after some of its merchants shut off all Near Field Communication capabilities to show allegiance with the merchant mobile wallet over Apple Pay.

Apple Pay was supposed to deliver a victory blow for Near Field Communication payments, but its launch seems to be doing as much damage as good for the cause of NFC.

Poynt Co., a startup headed by former Google and PayPal executive Osama Bedier, is looking to take advantage of the EMV hardware upgrade schedule to entice merchants to switch to its new app-based payment terminal.

Total System Services is close to beginning tests of new products and merchant services, and is already seeing a benefit from last week's launch of Apple Pay. But in prepaid, a significant business for the processor, TSYS is still awaiting new rules from the government.

A number of large retailers are pushing back against Apple Pay, making clear the power merchants wield in the developing mobile payments market.

InComm is adding add over 15,000 locations to its Vanilla Reload network, which allows prepaid card users to reload their general-purpose reloadable card accounts by swiping the card at the point of sale.

Walmart and Best Buy were up-front about their disinterest in Apple Pay; CVS and Rite Aid followed after the fact. Reportedly, these Merchant Customer Exchange participants are placing their bets on the group's upcoming CurrentC wallet, but there's another reason they may want to distance themselves from Apple Pay.

Apple Pay has launched to considerable buzz, but the technology giant has done little to communicate where its new mobile wallet can be used, leaving its partners to fill the void.

Private equity firm LLR Partners acquired a stake in Phreesia Payment Services as part of a $30 million investment.

U.S. Bank has been trying to get iPhones to make contactless payments for a long time, but most of its efforts didn't pan out. The launch of Apple Pay and the rapid advancement of mobile technology may breathe some new life into the bank's old ideas.

Online art marketplace Etsy is offering a mobile card reader, Sell on Etsy Reader, to its sellers for free, allowing them to transact in-person.

Transactions have long been free for consumers, but Ashe Pay is betting that consumers are willing to pay a $1 monthly fee to be part of a network that allows instant payments to vetted merchants.

A big part of the EMV migration is awkward for restaurants in the U.S., but Apple Pay may ease the discomfort, said Harbortouch CEO Jared Isaacman.

As Apple Pay launches Oct. 20, the new mobile wallet will be put to the test. It has the prestige of Apple and the participation of hundreds of card issuers, but it also faces several challenges that may be difficult to overcome.

A third of the veteran-owned businesses certified with the Veterans Administration are already First Data clients, and the processor is working to win over the other two-thirds.

American Express Co. is pulling new levers to build its business with small merchants and drive mobile wallet adoption, emphasizing its work with Apple Pay.

Apple and Samsung joined the Electronic Transactions Association this week, furthering the acquiring industry trade group's efforts to welcome technology companies as members.

The merchants and issuers invested in Apple Pay must maintain a strong emphasis on employee education — especially if the stakeholders want Apple's mobile wallet to avoid the fate of the many previous payment technologies that sought to displace plastic cards.

Total Systems Service has landed another user for its Prime 4 product, as Banco del Bajío of Guanajuato signed a licensing agreement to use the card and payments management system in Mexico.

GoDaddy Operating Co. Llc has made a series of payments technology deals that are designed to give merchants an incentive to remain with the online domain name registrar.