Worldwide


POS Security Woes: MICROS Hacked, Researchers Claim Chip Card Flaw

A pair of developments on the cybersecurity front are giving retailers more reasons to worry—as if they didn’t have enough already. Cyberthieves have compromised a customer support portal for Oracle Corp.’s MICROS POS system, which is used by more than 330,000 retail and hospitality providers worldwide. Meanwhile, payments technology company NCR claimed to have found a flaw in EMV chip technology that could enable criminals to bypass a chip’s transaction encryption.

Cyberthieves Target Brazil Banks

Cyberthieves are targeting banks in Brazil via malware that has already hit financial institutions in Europe and North America. In the Olympic host country, at least 10 banks have come under attack from “Panda Banker,” a variant of the Zeus Trojan malware.

OpenFin joins Symphony Software Foundation to “drive fintech standardisation”

New York-based OpenFin, a provider of HTML5 runtime technology for the financial industry, has joined Symphony Software Foundation. The foundation, described as “a non-profit organisation fostering open innovation around the Symphony secure messaging platform”, already has powerful members on its list, including BNY Mellon, Citadel, Citi, Credit Suisse, Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan, Morgan Stanley and […]

BBVA picks its 56 for innovation start-up contest

BBVA has revealed the 56 finalists for the 8th edition of its Open Talent contest to compete in three separate finals in Mexico, London and New York in September. The start-ups come from 17 different countries, and BBVA says “one of the most noteworthy points” of its 8th edition is the “high number” of finalists […]

Top fintech stories this week – 5 August 2016

Catch up on Banking Technology’s top five fintech stories of the week – all in one place! RBS scraps Williams & Glyn banking platform plans, writes off £345m Defeated by the IT challenges. W&G is now likely to be sold to Santander. Azimo “industry first” to enable money transfers via Facebook Messenger Sending money should […]

Interview: Rivi Varghese, CEO of CustomerXPs Software

Banking is going digital and instantaneous, which is great news for customers. But it is also a great headache for banks, as fraud is going that way too – the money can disappear into fraudsters’ virtual pockets with a blink of an eye, anytime, anywhere. At the same time, the real-time capabilities of new solutions […]

The future of banking is here: cognitive banking

Since the 2008 financial crisis, the sector has looked to repair reputational damage, lock down compliance in the system and rapidly innovate to serve a new generation. During this period of change, banks must redefine the value they want to provide for their customers. For example, do they want to finance the future dreams a […]

Azimo “industry first” to enable money transfers via Facebook Messenger

Azimo says it has become the first money transfer operator to enable money transfers worldwide via Facebook Messenger. “Money transfer is now social,” Azimo states. It describes its new functionality as “revolutionary”. It connects senders and receivers through their Facebook friend list, enabling them to exchange details immediately and links them to the Azimo app […]

Earthport teams with Aftab Currency Exchange Limited for payments growth

Earthport, a cross-border payments service provider, is partnering with Aftab Currency Exchange Limited (ACEL) for payments growth. ACEL wants to expand its bank-to-bank capability and will initially use Earthport’s capabilities to “strengthen” its EU offering with a view to further expansion globally over the coming months. Aftab Ashraf, founder director, ACEL, says Earthport brings it […]

ING Bank Romania launches new mPOS service with GoSwiff and MasterCard

ING Bank Romania has launched a new mobile point-of-sale (mPOS) service, underpinned by MasterCard and specialist vendor GoSwiff. ING mPOS is aimed at local merchants of all sizes. It enables them to accept card payments through mobile devices, smartphones and tablets, connected to a card reader. It also supports other added-value services, such as consumer […]

New mPOS solution for Indonesian merchants launched by Indosat Ooredoo and GoSwiff

Indonesian telco Indosat Ooredoo and GoSwiff International have teamed up for a new mobile payment acceptance solution for merchants in Indonesia, D-Pay. Bank Negara Indonesia (BNI) is the acquiring bank. D-Pay is a financial service that enables merchants to accept mobile payments, allowing their customers to pay using debit/credit cards (Visa, MasterCard and JCB) and […]

Viewpoint: Who Dominates P2P?

Beware of predictions that upstarts will push aside incumbents when it comes to consumer-to-consumer remittances. The numbers tell a different story.

“Strong sales” send Fiserv revenue rising

Fiserv’s GAAP revenue increased 5% to $1.36 billion for the second quarter of 2016. Compared to Q2 2015, its payments segment saw 9% growth and the financial segment grew 1%. In terms of the first six months of 2016, the firm’s financial results were a similar story. GAAP revenue increased 5% to $2.69 billion, with […]

Elliptic and LexisNexis team up for Bitcoin risk management

Blockchain intelligence firm Elliptic and LexisNexis Risk Solutions have partnered for the “first” use of “bank-grade” risk management for Bitcoin. Elliptic has integrated LexisNexis’s anti-money laundering (AML) risk management data into its Bitcoin transaction monitoring and compliance products. The two firms have built a proof-of-concept that uses financial intelligence data from LexisNexis and presents it […]

SIA buys e-money processing unit of Unicredit

Unicredit is selling its e-money processing unit to payments vendor SIA. The unit – part of Unicredit Business Integrated Solutions (UBIS) – processes around 13.5 million payment cards and manages 206,000 POS terminals and 12,000 ATMs in Italy, Germany and Austria. SIA has also got a ten-year outsourcing contract from UBIS for the supply of […]

clearXchange to Offer Debit Transfers, Upping Speed, User Base

Users of bank-owned P2P money network clearXchange soon will be able to send funds via debit cards, offering faster transfers and significantly expanding the network’s potential customer base to nearly anyone in the U.S. with a debit card.

Report: Mobile Wallets Disappoint

Many mobile wallet users want more from their mobile wallets, such as sales offers, coupons, order delivery updates and loyalty programs, and marketing and loyalty opportunities using mobile wallets has gone largely untapped, according to a recent study, “The State of Mobile Wallet Marketing,” conducted by Urban Airship, a mobile engagement platform provider.

UNICEF wants blockchain developer for humanitarian innovation

The United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) is looking for a developer to work on humanitarian projects, including the use of blockchain for innovation. The role will be based in New York and the UNICEF Innovation Unit wants the developer to create products that solve problems in the developing world. The individual will also work […]

People on the Move: Stuart Lawrence, Eoin Whyte, UKGCVA

Stuart Lawrence of Fusion Business Development has joined the UK Gift Card and Voucher Association (UKGCVA), the country’s trade body for vouchers and gift cards, as its first consultant member. The organization also has announced that Eoin Whyte has been re-elected as its chairman, a position he’s held for the past 12 months.

People on the Move: Keith Smith, Cullen Talley, Wonder Technologies

Keith Smith has joined digital gifting and incentives platform provider Wonder Technologies to serve as president and member of the company’s board of directors. Meanwhile, Cullen Talley has joined Wonder as senior vice president of sales and new market development, to spearhead the company’s customer acquisition and sales acceleration strategies.

Banks and social media case study: Avidia Bank

Can social media really drive adoption of financial products? Yes, states a Massachusetts-based community bank, Avidia Bank. Kate Cwieka, Avidia’s marketing specialist, shares the bank’s experience in embracing social media and the results. Oh, and practical advice on this “non-traditional” marketing channel. Want to know more on how to apply Hootsuite and Periscope (or find […]

Thomson Reuters joins R3 blockchain consortium

Thomson Reuters has joined R3’s partnership to design and apply distributed and shared ledger-inspired tech to global financial markets. Thomson Reuters will contribute insights from its work with customers to “drive product innovation and transformation in the financial sector using distributed ledger technologies”. David Rutter, CEO of R3, says the deal is “another significant milestone”. […]

InComm Continues Overseas Push with ValuAccess Buy

Atlanta-based prepaid product and transaction services company InComm has acquired the Hong Kong prepaid distribution business of ValuAccess for an undisclosed sum, marking the company’s second international acquisition this year. In January, InComm, which operates in more than 30 countries, expanded its European footprint with its purchase of TibiDono.

Consumer Reports Dubs Prepaid ‘A Smart Way to Pay,’ Rates Top Products

As prepaid providers eagerly await the release of the CFPB’s long-gestating final rule on prepaid accounts, Consumer Reports is lauding the industry for reducing or eliminating fees and instituting consumer protections akin to those of a debit card. The improvements in prepaid products at large have led the magazine to dub prepaid cards “a smart way to pay with plastic,” in a new report and prepaid card buying guide.

Office Depot Sues Delaware over Unclaimed Gift Card Law

Office Depot and an associated gift card program manager are suing Delaware officials in federal court, challenging the state’s unclaimed property law. The Florida-based retail chain and Virginia-based North American Card and Coupon Services LLC, Office Depot’s gift card operator, said Delaware’s escheat law violates the U.S. Constitution’s Fourth Amendment, which guards against unreasonable search and seizures.

The hare and the tortoise: racing ahead in customer experience

Sid Parashar, SVP of client relations and strategic account management, Firstsource Solutions, asks if traditional banks are now ready to take on the new kids on the block when it comes to customer communications. As the banking industry emerges from one of the most transformative periods in its history, it has been a trying time […]

Fidessa revenue and profit rise

Trading platform provider Fidessa has reported an increase in profit and revenue in the first half of 2016. For the period ended 30 June 2016, revenue rose by 9% to £158.3 million. Profits were even better. Operating profit was £22.0 million, compared to £19.2 million in 2015. Pre-tax profit was also up – with a […]

Mastercard, PayPal Talks to Share Transaction Data

Less than two weeks after PayPal announced a strategic partnership with Visa, the digital payments provider is talking with Mastercard about ending a long-running dispute over transaction data, Mastercard’s CEO says. During an earnings call last week, Mastercard CEO Ajay Banga said the payments network was engaged in a “constructive dialogue” with PayPal over Mastercard’s concerns about being shut out from merchant and transaction data for sales made via “staged” digital and mobile wallets such as PayPal and Google Wallet.