Digital Currency

Mastercard Inc. announced contactless-payment capability will go live in 20 U.S. cities “within the next few years,” starting with subway and bus systems later this year in New York City, where the company is working with transit-technology firm Cubic Transportation Systems. Bitmo, a startup that offers mobile gift cards that …

Avnet Inc., a technology supplier for industries as diverse as automotive, communications, energy, and wearables, quickly has found that accepting Bitcoin via BitPay Inc. is a hit, especially with the Bitcoin mining industry. Atlanta-based BitPay announced this week that Phoenix-based Avnet uses it for Bitcoin and Bitcoin Cash transactions. With …

The eBay Inc. online marketplace is adding Google Pay as a payment option as it rolls out its new managed-payments platform to sellers. Google Pay will be activated in April and will be available via the app or mobile Web, and users will be able to use it on desktops …

The decision by Cboe Global Markets Inc. to shut down its Bitcoin futures market, news of which emerged late last week, may have been seen as yet another blow to the digital currency’s bid for mainstream respectability. But in some respects Bitcoin may not be any worse off for the …

The Trump administration is considering sanctions that would ban Visa Inc., Mastercard Inc., and financial institutions from handling transactions in Venezuela, according to Reuters. The move would be aimed at restricting the ability of the Venezuelan government, headed by embattled president Nicolas Maduro, to access funds. IBM Corp. may be …

Aliant Payments said it added Bob Moore Auto Group as a client for cryptocurrency processing. The agreement will allow the auto dealer to accept Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Litecoin for cars, parts, and service at its Subaru dealership in Oklahoma City. Thales S.A. said Gemalto will operate as a separate company …

Repay Holdings LLC said its 2018 payment volume increased 42% to $7.5 billion from $5.2 billion in 2017. Its net income increased 12% to $10.5 million from $9.4 million. Repay is in the midst of a pending merger with Thunder Bridge Acquisition Ltd. Net Element Inc. unit Unified Payments will …

American vacationers flock every year to the scenic islands of the Caribbean, and some day they might be using a digital version of the East Caribbean dollar to pay for a Rum Punch or Ting With a Sting. The Eastern Caribbean Central Bank, the monetary authority for the eight-country Eastern …

Could the price of Bitcoin be headed back up into the stratosphere? One noted analyst is saying it’s a distinct possibility. Based on what he sees as recurring patterns in the cryptocurrency’s pricing history, Michael Graham says Bitcoin could be starting its upward climb now toward the neighborhood of $20,000, …

NetCents Technology Inc. said it signed a 5-year reseller agreement with an undisclosed independent sales organization. The ISO will bundle NetCents’ gateway and cryptocurrency acceptance into its offerings. The Electronic Transactions Association and Worldpay are bringing 10 startup companies to the ETA’s annual Transact conference. The 10 companies, part of …