Visa Inc. announced multiple technological initiatives this week that aim to enhance the roles of artificial intelligence, stablecoins and tokens in payments, including usage of the ChatGPT AI program. The plethora of announcements came at the Visa Payments Forum 2026 in San Francisco. “AI is transforming the front end of commerce,” Jack …

Whereas identity theft once appeared to be a single event related to a stolen credit card number, fraudulent charge, or compromised financial account, fraud victims increasingly are reporting multiple incidents once they learn they’ve been victimized, according to new research from the Identity Theft Resource Center. In its latest annual …

The number of consumers planning to buy gift cards for self-use rose from 31% last year to 56% in 2026, according to new research results released Monday by Blackhawk Network Inc., a major prepaid card services and technology provider. Overall, 77% of Americans plan to buy gift cards this year, …

Restaurant payments and management-software provider Toast Inc. announced Monday that it is now an endorsed vendor for luxury hotel group Preferred Hotels and Resorts, and NCR Voyix Corp. reported an expansion of its existing relationship with Southern California grocery chain Stater Bros. Markets. Toast said it is now a member …

Money-transfer provider The Western Union Co. is facing what it calls “headwinds” in its Americas consumer retail business, but the company is looking for growth in its new stablecoin and other digital operations. Total first-quarter revenue of $983 million was flat compared with a year earlier, Denver-based Western Union reported …

The average ransomware demand soared 70% to $4.24 million last year, while the average payment was up 36% to $682,702. Meanwhile, phishing remains the leading root cause of data-security incidents, accounting for 30%, according to the 12th annual “Data Security Incident Response Report” released late Thursday by the law firm …

Retail technology provider PAR Technologies Inc. has acquired the Bridg point-of-sale marketing platform from Cardlytics Inc. ParTech expects the move will enable its quick-service restaurants and other customers to activate offers targeted at previously anonymous shoppers and identify which marketing tactics drive consumer spending. New Hartford, N.Y.-based ParTech is paying …

Powered by international growth, American Express Co. reported early Wednesday that its merchant network now has more than 170 million locations worldwide. In his annual letter to shareholders, AmEx chairman and chief executive Stephen J. Squeri also plugged the 176-year-old company’s artificial-intelligence initiatives. What AmEx calls its “locations in force” …

Transactions, revenues and net income at Mastercard Inc. all increased by double digits in the third quarter ending Sept. 30 as consumer and business spending remained strong despite new tariffs and reports that consumers are feeling increasingly nervous about the economy. “We continued to see healthy consumer and business spending …

In a move to bolster its leading position in an increasingly difficult money-transfer market, The Western Union Co. announced Sunday it has a deal to acquire International Money Express Inc. for $500 million in cash. Better known as Intermex, Miami-based International Money Express has built a retail network of 100,000 …