Leaked screenshots of a new Google Pay debit card, to be issued by banks partnering with the search engine giant for its planned move into the US banking market, include mention of an option to use a digital version of the card “for Bluetooth mobile payments”... More
ecommerce
Visa reports on the impact of Covid-19 on payment volumes
US credit card payment volumes decreased by 7% in March 2020 compared with March 2019, Visa has reported, while cross-border transaction volumes have fallen 19%... More
Alipay sets out plan for open financial services platform
Chinese mobile payments giant Alipay has announced a three-year plan to evolve its current offering into an open financial services and digital lifestyle platform — and has set a target of attracting 40m service providers by 2030... More
Digital wallets to account for 52% of global ecommerce sales by 2023
Digital wallets will be used to pay for ecommerce transactions valued at more than US$3tn a year by 2023, a new study has found... More
Apple lets retailers accept augmented reality payments
Merchants can now use Apple Pay to let shoppers purchase items from directly within an augmented reality experience, using a new Custom Action feature Apple has rolled out for AR Quick Look... More
ST explains how NFC can be combined with blockchain technology to deliver smarter supply chains
KNOWLEDGE CENTRE: Combining NFC and RFID tags with blockchain technology makes it possible to create secure, end-to-end global supply chains that eliminate the risk of counterfeit goods entering the system, reduce management complexity and increase transparency, STMicroelectronics explains in a new white paper now available to download from the NFCW Knowledge Centre... More
Visa to introduce variable interchange rates in the US
Visa is planning the biggest changes to swipe fees in a decade — Bloomberg — “The company’s interchange rates — fees charged every time a consumer uses a card — will go up or down depending on the merchant and the way a consumer pays for their purchases, according to a document Visa sent to banks that outlines the changes. Higher rates are looming for transactions on e-commerce sites, while retailers in certain services categories, such as real estate and education, will see fees decline.”
Swift to let banks pre-authorise funds for later purchases
Swift has published a new open banking API standard that “allows a payer’s bank to earmark funds for a purchase in advance, guaranteeing that the future payment will be honoured”... More
Kobelli to use NFC to track diamonds on the blockchain
Diamond jewellery maker Kobelli is to use a blockchain-based NFC platform to provide its customers with a way to securely verify the authenticity of their purchases... More
EMVCo unveils Secure Remote Commerce icon
EMVCo has produced a new payment icon that can be used to signal to consumers that its EMV Secure Remote Commerce ‘virtual payment terminal’ specification is being used as a foundation to process card-based payment transactions in remote-checkout environments, including websites and apps... More
NatWest leverages open banking to cut transaction fees by 25%
The UK’s NatWest bank has launched a new service that will let consumers pay online merchants directly from their bank accounts, “saving merchants at least 25% of card processing costs”... More
EMVCo, W3C and Fido Alliance to work together on payments security and interoperability
Web Payment Security Interest Group Charter — World Wide Web Consortium — “The mission of the Web Payment Security Interest Group is to enhance the security and interoperability of web payments. The group pursues its mission by creating a forum for organizations to define areas of collaboration and identify gaps between existing technical specifications in order to increase compatibility among different technologies.”
Dubai carrier looks to passive biometrics for payments security
Mastercard and du partner to usher in a new era of payments experiences and security across the Middle East and Africa — Mastercard — “NuDetect uses machine learning to analyse ‘passive biometrics’ like how a person types, holds their phone, moves their mouse or where they use their phone, to anticipate and prevent fraudulent card-not-present transactions, which includes ecommerce payments. The process to verify the user occurs without introducing any friction or interruption in the transaction.”
Swift to let merchants offer instant bank loans to online shoppers
Swift publishes new ‘Pay Later’ API standard — Swift — “By selecting Pay Later at the point of purchase, customers are provided with available loans from their banks; they can then select and initiate a loan, knowing that the funds can immediately be credited to the merchants and items dispatched. By offering the Pay Later option, merchants are in turn able to offer a wider variety of purchase options and to reach a wider consumer audience, whilst still ensuring surety of payment.”
Barclays lets customers use their mobile banking app to restrict the type of stores their card can be used in
Barclays bank account holders in the UK can now use a new feature in their mobile banking app to stop their card from being used to make purchases in one or more of five categories of retailer — grocery stores and supermarkets; restaurants, takeaways, pubs and bars; petrol stations; gambling sites and betting shops; premium rate websites and phone lines... More
Amazon moves into US mobile payments market
Amazon Pay accepted here? Web giant aims to put digital wallet in stores — The Wall Street Journal — “Amazon.com Inc is gearing up to challenge Apple Inc in the mobile payments race. The e-commerce giant is working to persuade brick-and-mortar merchants to accept its Amazon Pay digital wallet, according to people familiar with the matter, attempting to expand a service now used primarily for purchases online.”
H&M invests in Klarna to let fashion shoppers ‘try before they buy’
H&M and Klarna partner to elevate the modern shopping experience for consumers — H&M Group — “H&M and Klarna will further integrate H&M’s digital and physical stores to give customers a seamless, personalised and engaging shopping experience no matter where, when and how they shop… This will include frictionless instore, mobile and online payments, simplified deliveries and returns and the flexibility to decide how and when to pay including the popular ‘try before you buy’ pay later service.”
Rambus sets out the benefits of using a token gateway to protect EMV card-on-file data
EMV card-on-file payment tokenization is set to both reduce online fraud and deliver a range of benefits to merchants but implementation will not be straightforward, Rambus explains in a new paper that sets out the advantages of using a token gateway to simplify the integration and management process... More
Slikhaar adds NFC tags to mens’ hair products
Thinfilm customer Slikhaar to launch interactive products in beauty and personal care market — Thinfilm — “Shoppers and existing customers will be able to touch their smartphone to the connected products — either in-store, at home, or on the go — to instantly join the Slikhaar community, view hairstyling videos, watch product tutorials, learn about the latest fashion trends, share content via social, and make online purchases.”
Rambus explains how online merchants can use card-on-file EMV tokenization to reduce fraud and improve the online payments experience
Card-on-file EMV tokenization, where primary account numbers (PANs) stored in a card-on-file database are replaced with payment tokens that can be restricted to a specific retailer, offers online merchants a way to both increase security and create a near frictionless buying experience, Rambus explains in a new ebook which is available to download from the NFC World Knowledge Centre... More