Retailers

Internet PIN-debit payment technology is slowly, but steadily, gaining traction in the marketplace as several companies have introduced products intended to bring more security to online transactions.

Visa Inc. is making inroads into the world of third-party software development, bolstering its ability to compete in e-commerce payments.

VeriFone Systems Inc.’s move to buy the point-of-sale terminal business of the France-based card maker Gemalto NV could be especially helpful in the event that its attempt to buy rival Hypercom Corp. fails.

Overnight, young mobile-payment company Bling Nation Ltd. became visible to 4 million smartphone users.

State Bank of India Ltd. soon plans to begin offering merchant-acquiring services through a new joint venture company after it finalizes how much equity each of the venture partners holds, a spokesperson for the Mumbai-based bank confirms to PaymentsSource.

A second merchant acquirer in Brazil and a payment processor in Ecuador will install a combined 26,500 Hypercom Corp. point-of-sale terminals by the end of the year, the terminal maker announced in separate releases this week.

A cacophony of marketing voices is urging ISOs and acquirers to consider mobile point-of-sale services as a way to grow revenue and potentially reach new merchants.

Spartked by a 14% increase in cardmember spending, American Express Co. Oct. 21 reported net income of $1.1 billion for the third quarter ended Sept. 30, up 71.9% from $640 million during the same period last year. Total revenue net of interest rose 39.6%, to $6.7 billion from $4.8 billion.

Companies continue to release mobile point-of-sale acceptance services amid few, if any, signs of the trend abating.

ISOs and acquirers will have work to do because of the Federal Reserve Board’s impending regulations that will set policy for establishing “reasonable and proportional” debit card interchange rates, panelists at the Western States Acquirers Association conference in San Diego told attendees last week.

Point-of-sale terminals five years from now may not look much different from today’s devices, but big changes are anticipated for the software running on them, new research suggests.

Guest column

VeriFone Systems Inc.’s move to buy the point-of-sale terminal business of card maker Gemalto NV could be a good fit for the terminal maker, especially if its quest to buy rival Hypercom Corp. fails, analysts say.

VeriFone Systems Inc. and Gemalto on Oct. 20 announced a comprehensive strategic partnership.

After experiencing success with a similar initiative supported by MasterCard Worldwide, Online Resources Corp.’s efforts to encourage payment card acceptance by utilities is beginning to receive the backing of other card brands.

Total System Services Inc. this month announced new and extended payment-processing service agreements with three banks outside the U.S.

An Asian bank has started deploying the first of 26,000 Hypercom Corp. Optimum point-of-sale terminals in Indonesia, Hypercom announced Oct. 19.

Point-of-sale terminals five years from now may not look much different from today’s devices, but big changes are anticipated for the software running on them, new research suggests.

The association representing independent Little Caesars franchisees has endorsed Heartland Payment Systems Inc. for payroll and transaction-processing services.

Companies continue to release mobile point-of-sale acceptance services amid few, if any, signs of the trend abating.