Virtual Piggy has linked its youth payments engine to Innovation First International, which makes robotic toys and educational tools.

Businesses that provide payments services to companies that collect or use consumer data should closely watch the FTC’s recent lawsuits against two processors and fully assess the legal risks that might be associated with their business relationships.

The "Extreme Network Makeover" Contest from CU Journal and Horsetail Technologies is back for the second year.

The winner of the 2012 Horsetail Technologies/Credit Union Journal "Extreme Network Makeover" has successfully implemented over $100,000 worth of new technologies and now has a more efficient, secure operating system.

Bellwether Community Credit Union has deployed iPad technology in an effort to streamline loan applications, with BCCU reporting that members can now apply for a loan and receive funds in 15 minutes or less.

Mountain America Credit Union has appointed a "technology champion" in each of its 76 branches to oversee operations.

In an effort to improve its member business lending processes, AltaOne Federal Credit took to the streets seeking a new vendor that wouldn't increase existing costs. It found its answer pretty close to home.

Capital Services plans to begin offering its internally-used suite of payments, consumer and portfolio management tools to a broad market of financial players.

Payments and marketing are getting closer than ever, and several companies are blurring the line between where the payment ends and where the pitch begins.

Businesses worldwide are using gamification to engage, motivate and reward customers and employees. Now collection operations can benefit from advanced game-based training techniques to boost staff skill levels and improve performance.

W. Alexander Hoffman is the new senior vice president of global product management and emerging channels at MoneyGram International.

Bitcoin exchange Coinbase will offer instant purchases for users that supply identity information, with others having to wait four days for transactions to complete.

Google requires the early adopters who buy its Google Glass headset to purchase it using Google Wallet. What are the implications for Google's payments strategy?

Developers should consider incorporating rewards and other tools such as receipt tracking in new mobile payment applications to promote broad adoption.

With the summer driving season in full swing, Shell Oil Products U.S. is attempting to boost the appeal of its branded payment cards.

GoCardless is using a link to Sage's accounting software to improve the experience of automating business-to-business payments in a market that typically lags the consumer payments market.

Fidor Bank AG, of Munich, has agreed to help Bitcoin Deutschland GmbH, an exchange operator, to speed trading of bitcoins and comply with regulatory requirements.

The Merchant Customer Exchange (MCX), a mobile payments initiative created by major retailers, will use technology from FIS to speed processing and provide access to accounts at a large range of financial institutions.

Lenders started the foreclosure process on 57,286 homes in June, the lowest mark for any month in nearly eight years and a sign the nation has moved far beyond the housing bust, according to RealtyTrac Inc., a national foreclosure listing firm.

The payment processor Global Payments Inc. will offer its U.S. merchant customers an iPad point of sale system from ShopKeep POS.