Debit Cards

Out of the gloom surrounding the U.S. economy since the onset of Covid-19 comes a report that consumer spending on credit and debit cards is not only robust, but also stronger than it was even two years ago. Dollar volume on payment cards in July was 21% higher than in …

The cost of fraud to merchants has risen since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. Each $1 in fraud costs retailers in the United States $3.60 in total expenses, compared to $3.13 pre-pandemic, according to LexisNexis Risk Solutions’ “True Cost of Fraud” study for e-commerce and retail merchants. U.S. e-commerce …

Fiserv Inc. is rolling out payment-acceptance technology to food-and-beverage vending machines in multiple markets across Europe in a move that supports mobile wallets as well as global and local payment cards. Selecta Group, operator of the machines, says its network supports devices in 16 countries selling snacks, meals, and coffee …

As part of its strategy to be a leader in digital currencies, PayPal Holdings Inc. on Monday announced it will enable users in the United Kingdom to buy, hold, and sell cryptocurrency through their PayPal wallets. The move marks the first expansion of PayPal support for cryptocurrency outside the United …

REGO Payment Architectures Inc. said Friday it will make version 3.0 of its Mazoola mobile wallet app and virtual debit card available in the Apple Store on Aug. 27. The Mazoola wallet is designed to help parents empower their kids to learn how to manage money in a digital world …

While the two global payments networks have been embroiled in a controversy over merchant debit card fees in the U.S. market, they also face trouble in the United Kingdom over an even bigger issue: credit card interchange fees. That fact was thrown into relief early Thursday when Reuters reported the …

With the popularity of the buy now, pay later alternative growing, especially for online purchases, PayPal Holdings Inc. announced Tuesday it will no longer charge late fees for missed payments on its installment products in the United States, the United Kingdom, and France, effective Oct. 1. PayPal has already eliminated …

Carat, Fiserv Inc.’s digital payout service, has broadened the number of accounts payments can be sent to with the addition of PayPal Holdings Inc. and Venmo. Carat payouts already can be sent to a credit or debit card, via automated clearing house to a bank account, to a prepaid card, …

Visa Inc. rolled out its buy now, pay later application programming interface technology to allow merchants to integrate the BNPL functionality more quickly. Visa is working with payments provider i2c in the rollout.In related news, buy now, pay later specialist Klarna AB announced it has launched in Poland with H&M, a Sweden-based clothing …

The story of debit cards in the pandemic year of 2020 turns out to have several chapters—including higher average tickets, a sharp swing to card-not-present usage, a dramatic surge in contactless adoption, and higher mobile-wallet usage. Meanwhile, account-to-account transfers turned out to be the fastest-growing form of debit, though usage …