Near-Field Communication (NFC)

Discover Financial Services said its payments services operation, which includes network partners, Diners Club International, and the Pulse electronic-funds transfer network, processed $60.5 billion in total volume in the fourth quarter, a 12% increase year-over-year. Volume on Pulse jumped 11% to $47.1 billion owing to new issuers as well as …

Jason Oxman, chief executive officer of the Electronic Transactions Association since 2012, is leaving to accept a position as president and chief executive of the Washington, D.C.-based Information Technology Industry Council. He is expected to take up his new duties late next month. In his years heading the 29-year-old ETA, …

Microsoft Corp. says it plans to retire its Microsoft Wallet mobile app, a distant also-ran in the mobile-wallet market, on Feb. 28. The disclosure came in a brief recent post on a company Web site. “Starting on Feb. 28, 2019, the Microsoft Wallet app will be officially retired,” the post says. …

JPMorgan Chase & Co.’s Chase credit card unit and the Marriott International Inc. hotel chain introduced a contactless cobranded card, the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card, to replace the Marriott Rewards Premier Plus card. American Express Co. announced the rebranding of its current portfolio of cards for customers of Marriott International Inc.’s …

Apple Inc. on Tuesday announced Target Corp., Taco Bell, and two regional chains are the latest merchants to agree to accept Apple Pay in-store, a development that could bolster the mobile-payments service and further smooth the road for contactless payments in the United States. Separately, Target announced it will also …

Square Inc. introduced its Square Card for its merchants, a Mastercard-branded business prepaid card issued by Sutton Bank that makes funds in the seller’s Square account available instantly for purchases. Holders of the no-fee dual-interface card get a 2.75% discount when they make purchases at other Square sellers’ locations. Fit …

PenFed Credit Union announced Tuesday it will begin issuing contactless Visa-branded credit and debit cards this month. The move comes after a decision by Chase, a unit of JPMorgan Chase & Co., to issue dual-interface cards that will be in force this year. The cards are called dual interface because …

Vending-machine payments provider USA Technologies Inc. has announced several senior-level management changes, including the departure of its chief financial officer and the creation of a new chief operating officer position, as well plans to improve its corporate governance in the wake of an investigation into its accounting practices. The probe …

Fit Pay Inc. announced on Friday it will begin shipping its Bitcoin-based contactless device, Flip, on Feb. 13. The coin-shaped token sells to consumers for $29 and allows them to convert their Bitcoin holdings to U.S. dollars and then spend the money at stores equipped with contactless point-of-sale terminals. The …

Restaurants are a coveted merchant segment for many acquirers and independent sales organizations. So, knowing how payments are changing and the impact that might have on this merchant segment is critical. First off, in 2019, the prospect for more consumers carrying, and wanting to use, contactless credit and debit cards …