The e-commerce provider Spindle has partnered with the payment processor TekTango to provide point of sale hardware with bundled payment processing services.

Heading into 2015, merchants weary from data breach fallout and worried about stricter PCI guidance will likely turn to third parties for payment security over a do-it-yourself approach.

While PayPal has not taken a firm position on whether it sees Apple's foray into payments as a competitive threat or potential partner, Apple's addition of PayPal as an option for its online stores suggests an openness to cooperate on basic functions.

UnionPay International, a payment subsidiary of China UnionPay based in Shanghai, has partnered with foreign cultural icons to promote its brand as UnionPay looks to expand its payments business globally.

RapidValue is tapping emerging mobile communication technology to allow retailers to offer coupons, marketing and other communications tied to payments.

SOUTHBRIDGE, Mass. — Southbridge Credit Union has selected the Episys Core Processing Solution from Synergent Technology Services, a subsidiary of the Maine Credit Union League.

MasterCard has expanded its digital wallet reach in Europe through separate deals in France and Russia and by granting a license to Smartlink SA to white-label MasterPass.

Since every credit union is in a different discovery and implementation cycle, Credit Union Journal asked three consulting firms to offer their predictions of the three top technology products, solutions or drivers in the next year.

What does 2015 hold for credit unions when it comes to technology initiatives?

WEST JORDAN, Utah — In an effort to better educate new employees about financial literacy, Mountain America Credit Union has developed a series of videos on topics ranging from indirect lending to business services and outbound sales.

MELBOURNE, Fla. — To modernize its cross-departmental technologies, Space Coast Credit Union decided to adopt a new core platform that its executives say will complement ancillary product offerings.

As bells jingle, candles flicker and holiday cheers resound this merry season, credit union IT executives are secretly hoping for bigger budgets, more automation, better telephony and much, much more.

As mobile wallet providers seek to add value to their services in the payments market, account aggregator Yodlee says it has a data analysis tool that will help that expansion.

The tablet-based point of sale market is becoming crowded, pressuring providers to get creative to stand out.

In 2014, payment players continued to search for new markets and new revenue streams through various initiatives aimed at targeting the unbanked and underserved populations.

Many disruptive technologies come from startups, but just as many seem to come from companies that have been around for decades. Whether developing a new system in-house or providing a necessary proving ground for a partner, these older companies are bringing fresh innovations to the payments industry.

Tangerine, Simple, American Express and Discover are some of the financial institutions that use Apple's Touch ID fingerprint-authentication technology to let consumers replace passwords or to add security.

Dwolla is expanding its direct bank transfer services to allow its account holders to send payments to a recipient's e-mail address for automatic routing to a bank account.

SOUTHBRIDGE, Mass. — Southbridge Credit Union has selected the Episys Core Processing Solution from Synergent Technology Services, a subsidiary of the Maine Credit Union League.

Microsoft is working with Bitcoin merchant services provider BitPay to allow customers to seamlessly exchange the virtual currency when loading money into their Microsoft accounts.