Digital Currency

• A variety of financial-services firms, including MasterCard Inc., SWIFT, and Visa Inc., participated in a 130-page report released Friday by the World Economic Forum that concludes “distributed-ledger technology will form the foundation of next-generation financial services infrastructure in conjunction with other existing and emerging technologies.” • M&T Bank announced …

• The U.S. Marshals Service announced that bidder registration began today for its Aug. 22 online auction of 2,719.33 Bitcoins forfeited to the government in various criminal, civil, and administrative cases. The Bitcoins, which will be sold in one block, are worth nearly $1.61 million at today’s price of $590.25 …

By Jim Daly@DTPaymentNews The notion of the federal government auctioning off Bitcoin seized in drug busts and other actions looks like it’s an idea with some staying power. The U.S. Marshals Service on Monday scheduled yet another auction of the virtual currency in the wake of the four it conducted …

Bitcoin watchers held their breath over the weekend when the celebrated “halving” took place, abruptly chopping in half the incentive those who produce Bitcoin receive and raising questions about the impact the event would have on the 7-year-old cryptocurrency. The halving, which is part of Bitcoin’s basic code and so …

• A payment card data breach reported in May by the hamburger chain Wendy’s Co. was much more extensive than originally thought, the company said Thursday, according to Reuters. Wendy’s now says the breach affected approximately 1,025 stores, or about 18% of the company’s U.S. and Canadian units. In May, …

• U.S. Bank said customers can now make free, real-time person-to-person payments via Early Warning Services LLC’s clearXchange network; the bank charged a $6.95 fee for real-time payments when it went live on clearXchange earlier this year. • Processor Jack Henry & Associates Inc. announced top-level executive changes with president …

• ATM network operator Cardtronics plc, formerly Cardtronics Inc., completed its plan to re-domicile in the United Kingdom following approval of the plan by shareholders June 28. Cardtronics’ North American headquarters will remain in Houston, while its European headquarters will be in London. The company’s stock will continue to trade …

  Regulation of virtual currency at the state level is proving to be a stop-and-start affair. No other state has yet followed New York with its now famous “BitLicense” to regulate virtual currencies under existing law. But in North Carolina, a bill to update the state’s money-transmitter act could become …

Digital-currency specialist Circle Internet Financial Ltd. is expanding into China following a $60 million investment from a syndicate of investors. This follows a $50 million funding round raised last year by the Boston-based company. Circle enables users to send and receive funds instantly at no charge using blockchain technology. A …

• By the end of August American Express Co. will not hold merchants liable for counterfeit fraud chargebacks for transactions under $25 as part of its updated U.S. fraud policies for EMV chargebacks. By the end of 2016, AmEx plans to limit the number of counterfeit fraud chargebacks to 10 …