SAN ANTONIO — With increased branch staff reductions and adjusting bottom lines, more credit unions are looking to streamline operations. To this end, many are turning to technologies that support employee forecasting and scheduling capabilities.

Facebook knows that if it misuses consumer data, it will scare its users off. But the social network also knows that by keeping consumers aware of what it is doing and giving them a chance to opt out, it can fundamentally change the way advertisers such as card issuers do business.

Memo to credit unions that thought they were safe from the Heartbleed vulnerability because they don't use OpenSSL: Think again, say experts.

According to the Millennial Disruption Index, millennials believe payments innovation will come from outside their bank, with nearly half showing more confidence in what startups and technology companies add to payments than what their banks do. This presents a challenge and an opportunity for financial institutions moving forward.

Online video game developer and publisher InnoGames has chosen payment processor Worldpay to manage its local and international transactions.

Mobile imaging is vital to Green Dot's GoBank account, which relies on the mobile device for nearly all customer interaction.

Apple CEO Tim Cook detailed in an April 23 earnings call what many have believed will be the foundation for Apple's entry into payments: a strong iTunes customer base.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Visa Inc. and MasterCard Inc. will lose market share in Russia after they blocked some transactions because of U.S. sanctions on individuals and banks.

As state regulators take more interest in Bitcoin, third-party vendors are looking to apply the expertise they built in other markets to digital currency. One such vendor, Strevus, has a background in securitization, which is another volatile and risky market.

Fueled by a new round of funding, Tradeshift plans to keep changing the way businesses make and receive payments through an open, cloud-based platform that connects a half million companies.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — The rise of social media has given credit unions a new way to hire employees at all levels, using sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter to publicize job openings as well as screen potential candidates.

Being influential in the payments industry isn't just about positions or titles; it's about driving the course of business while also setting an example for others to follow in their careers and personal lives.

Quick Fuel, a provider of fueling solutions for commercial fleets and other U.S. businesses, has partnered with payments processor Comdata in an attempt to speed fueling and boost security.

After alerting its customers in January that its arts and crafts store chain had suffered a potential data breach, Michaels Stores Inc. confirmed last week that at least 2.6 million cards may have been affected.

American Express' Serve prepaid account has its roots as a digital wallet, but the card issuer is finding many of its enrollments are coming through a very non-digital process: in-person activations at mobile phone stores.

UOL BoaCompra and Ubisoft are partnering to allow online personal computer gamers in Latin America, Portugal, Spain and Turkey greater access to local payment methods.

Do credit bureaus need to be held to higher levels of accountability for the massive amounts of consumer data they hold?

Travel agency Orbitz.com has added a Visa rewards card to its loyalty program for customers using the online airlines booking service.

Samsung Electronics Ltd. and semiconductor designer ARM have joined the FIDO (Fast IDentity Online) Alliance board of directors.

Do credit bureaus need to be held to higher levels of accountability for the massive amounts of consumer data they hold?