News

May, 2007

• 30 May

  Emida-Q Comm Merger Could Expand Prepaid Market for ISOs

  Two processors specializing in prepaid wireless transactions announced a merger on Wednesday that will create the second-largest provider in the business and could create opportunities for independent sales organizations. In a deal for which terms were not announced, Emida Technologies Inc., Foothill Ranch, Calif., is combining with Orem, Utah-based Q …
• 29 May

  MPI Case May Not Be the Last ISO Action, FTC Says

  A recent case filed by the Federal Trade Commission against an independent sales organization in Beaverton, Ore., may not be the last such action the federal regulator will bring. In April, the agency sued Merchant Processing Inc. in federal court, alleging the ISO duped merchants by promising to buy out …
• 25 May

  PayPal Courts Businesses with Incentives And New Technology

  PayPal, the online payment service of Internet auctioneer eBay Inc., has taken two more steps in its effort to diversify its transaction base beyond the eBay fold. This week it announced it would use IP Commerce Inc. technology to enable small businesses to easily send invoices and receive payment through …
• 24 May

  Report: M-Banking Set to Soar, Will Lead to NFC Payments

  The recent surge of interest by banks in allowing customers to view accounts, pay bills, and perform other functions via mobile phones is paving the way for mobile payments to merchants at the point of sale, according to a new research report. In particular, the report argues, mobile banking will …
• 24 May

  The Winding Road That Led to the Pending Metavante Spin-off

  The process that led to Metavante Corp.'s pending spin-off from Milwaukee-based bank-holding company Marshall & Ilsley Corp. started two years ago as the payment processor sought ways to continue making acquisitions, according to a registration statement M&I filed this week with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The filing?775 pages in …
• 22 May

  MODASolutions Rechristens Its Service, Unveils Buyer Protection

  MODASolutions Inc. which has been marketing an online-payment system called SECURE-eBill for more than two years, has renamed the service and introduced its first buyer-protection policy to cover instances of delayed or damaged goods, as well as non-delivery. The new policy comes as online retailers seek alternatives to bank-issued credit …
• 22 May

  End of 50-Day Go-Shop” Period Leaves KKR As Sole First Data Suitor”

  The proposed $29 billion buy-out of leading payment processor First Data Corp. by private-equity firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. cleared another hurdle on Tuesday when First Data reported that its 50-day “go-shop” period had ended without netting any competing bids.n n In announcing the buyout in early April, First …
• 21 May

  Expert: Banks Should Mine Data Troves to Build Merchant Loyalty

  Consumers are more loyal to the form of payment they prefer than they are to any particular retail brand, a situation that could work to the benefit of card issuers and processors but also merchants, a retail consultant says. In a survey cited by Gary Charboneau, president of Wakefield, R.I.-based …
• 17 May

  Eye on Private Equity: Deals for Alliance Data And TransFirst

  Private-equity financing continued to make itself felt this week in the transaction-processing business, with Blackstone Capital Partners VLP's $7.8 billion bid for Alliance Data Systems Corp. and GTCR Golder Rauner LLC's decision to sell TransFirst LLC to an even bigger investment house, Welsh, Carson, Anderson, & Stowe, for $683 million. …
• 16 May

  Retailers Get Ready To Roll Out FDC’s New Loyalty Platform

  With an eye on increasing customer traffic but also on lowering payment-card acceptance costs, several retailers are readying PIN-based loyalty programs built on processor First Data Corp.'s new ConnectPay platform that lets customers pay without presenting a card or writing a check. ConnectPay's pilot retailer is Quincy, Mass.-based Stop & …