PayTech


Swift payments innovation initiative gains ground as 45 banks sign up

A total of 45 banks including Barclays, Citi, Deutsche Bank and many others have signed up to a new payments innovation initiative headed by Swift, which is due to launch early next year. Announced in December, the initiative aims to dramatically improve the customer experience in correspondent banking by increasing the speed, transparency and predictability of cross-border payments.

Banks face new wave of disruption warns report

Following years of mistrust and rivalries, the time has come to reimagine the payments relationships between banks, retailers and fintech firms, according to a joint report from analyst firm Celent and payments systems company ACI Worldwide.

Banco Santander selects ATM monitoring service

Banco Santander is to begin using services provided by ATM maker Wincor Nixdorf to support its Mexican subsidiary. The services cover monitoring, maintenance and troubleshooting.

Viewpoint: 5 Banking Trends for 2016

Financial institutions are undergoing a seismic transformation. Digital technology is reshaping what consumers want from their banks and the way they conduct transactions. Let’s take a look at the top five banking trends for 2016.

PrePaid Ventures Buys KEEPS America (Jan. 13, 2016)

PrePaid Ventures, the company behind the Visa-branded NexisCard prepaid program, has bought KEEPS America, which provides prepaid cards for lawsuit, workers’ compensation and Social Security settlement awards.

People on the Move: Michael O’Laughlin, Fiserv Inc.

Fiserv Inc., a global provider of financial services technology, announced that Michael O’Laughlin has been named president of its biller solutions business, which includes an array of bill presentment and payment services delivered through Web, mobile, telephone and walk-in channels.

Canadian Mint Selects nanoPay to Bring Digital Currency to a Widespread Audience (Jan. 12, 2016)

Toronto-based fintech startup nanoPay is taking Canada another step toward delivering digital currency on a mass scale. Following a selection process of software developers charged with creating payment apps for the MintChip digital currency created by the Royal Canadian Mint, nanoPay today announced it has acquired all MintChip assets and was chosen to further expand MintChip acceptance.

Ford and Amazon Work to Make Cars Smarter (Jan. 12, 2016)

Ford wants to links its cars with Amazon’s Alexa technology, enabling drivers more Web-connected control over their cars and homes. The move represents the latest development in the Internet of Things, which was a hot topic at last week’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

FinCEN Seeks Comment on Cost Analysis of CDD Proposal (Jan. 12, 2016)

A proposed rule that would place new Customer Due Diligence requirements on financial institutions—including prepaid issuers—has taken a step forward with the release of two new documents estimating the impact and cost the proposed rule would have on regulated institutions and seeking comment from stakeholders by Jan. 25.

People on the Move: Wences Casares, PayPal Board

PayPal Holdings Inc. has appointed Wences Casares to its board of directors. An international fintech entrepreneur and recognized next-generation payment and cryptocurrency thought leader, Casares will serve on PayPal’s compensation committee, according to an announcement.

Investment Roundup: Square, Starling, Deposit Solutions (Jan. 11, 2016)

After a hot 2015, fintech investment is off to a strong start in the New Year. In recent days, U.K. digital financial services provider Starling Bank and European retail banking disruptor Deposit Solutions each landed new financing, while global asset manager BlackRock acquired at least a 5 percent stake in New York City-based Square.

PFS Expands Banking Services across Eurozone (Jan. 11, 2016)

As U.K. banks begin offering no-frills accounts that could compete with prepaid products, London-based prepaid specialist Prepaid Financial Services (PFS) is looking to elbow further onto traditional banks’ turf by expanding its banking offerings across the Eurozone.

Smartphones Surpass Tablets for E-Commerce Sales (Jan. 7, 2016)

Smartphones accounted for 17 percent of online sales in the U.S. last year, beating out tablets, at 14 percent, according to the State of Retailing Online 2016, a widely cited annual report from Forrester Research Inc., Bizrate Insights and Shop.org, the e-commerce arm of the National Retail Federation trade group.