People on the Move: Stephen Grice, i2c Inc.
i2c Inc., a provider of payment processing and emerging commerce solutions, announced that Stephen Grice has joined the company as general manager, Europe.
News
People on the Move: Neil Erlick, Fantasy Sports Trade Association Board
Optimal Payments Plc, an online payment solutions provider, announced that Neil Erlick, executive vice president of business development, has been elected to serve on the board of directors of the Fantasy Sports Trade Association.
People on the Move: Emily Baum, Declan Byrne and Dr. Hartwig Gerhartinger, PIF Board
Prepaid International Forum, the not-for-profit body representing the prepaid industry, has elected three new members to serve on the board.
People on the Move: Kerry Penfold, Raphaels Bank Board
Raphaels Bank has appointed Kerry Penfold to its board of directors.
People on the Move: Daniel Issen, YapStone
YapStone, a provider of Web and mobile payment technology solutions for large vertical markets and online marketplaces, has announced the addition of Daniel Issen as chief technology officer.
Buy-side builds confidence as home-brew smart order routers gain ground
Buy-side firms stand to gain from developing their own smart order routers and carrying out their own capital markets research. But the growing independence of the buy-side must still be weighed against sell-side advantages of scale, according to speakers at the Trade Tech conference in Paris on Tuesday.
i2c Gets Face-to-Face in Europe with U.K. Office
i2c Inc. is bolstering its European business by putting “people on the ground” and opening a London office.
5 Signs Microsoft Will Launch Payments Service (April 14, 2015)
More signs point to the fact that Microsoft is preparing to brand its own payments service, but the tech giant’s approach could be much different than that of mobile wallet rivals Apple Pay, Samsung Pay and Google Inc.’s Android Pay, some observers suggest.
Blackhawk GoWallet Makes Checking Balances, Redeeming Gift Cards a Snap (April 14, 2015)
With Blackhawk Network’s GoWallet mobile app, consumers now are able to determine gift card balances by taking photos of their cards.
Ingo’s Hot Streak Continues with $13.5 Million Funding Round (April 14, 2015)
Fresh off a major acquisition and a 2015 Paybefore Award for Breakout Company of the Year, Ingo Money’s big year continued with this week’s closing of a $13.5 million funding round. Baltimore-based private equity firm Camden Partners co-led the round with venture capital firm MissionOG.
Paybefore Unveils European Awards Winners
Paybefore announces the winners in its fourth annual Paybefore Awards Europe competition, honoring the best programs and companies operating in prepaid and emerging payments across Europe. Winners represent companies entering the European market from the U.S., Asia, South Africa, Germany, Gibraltar, Italy and the U.K.
PayPal and eBay Forge Agreement to Go Forth as Friendly Competitors after Split (April 13, 2015)
PayPal will expand its competitive reach when it flies solo after its planned spinoff from parent eBay later this year. The deal guarantees certain protections and continuity for both companies, but it also underscores the heightened stakes in the e-commerce and digital payments industries.
Amex ‘Facing’ the Future of M-Payments with Biometrics Plan (April 13, 2015)
Biometrics continue to make inroads into payments, with American Express testing new technology that uses facial recognition to authenticate mobile transactions.
The Time is ‘Now’ for Funds Transfers Say BBVA Compass, Dwolla (April 13, 2015)
The momentum around faster payments continues to build with BBVA Compass becoming the largest financial institution to use the Dwolla platform, which eliminates the customary two- to five-day wait associated with ACH transfers.
IG launches trading app for Apple Watch
IG Group has launched a trading app for the Apple Watch, which it says is one of the first of its kind. The Apple Watch is due to be released on 24 April.
S&P Capital IQ launches Salesforce app
Financial data and analytics specialist S&P Capital IQ has launched a new app on the Salesforce AppExchange designed to enable sales, marketing and other professionals to rapidly identify, research and vet potential new business clients and partners.
N.Y. AG’s Problematic Payroll Card Act Gets Sponsors from Both Sides of Aisle (April 8, 2015)
Both political parties again are backing problematic payroll card legislation from New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman that could squeeze margins and force some providers to pull programs from the state.
Pressure Intensifies in U.S. EMV Migration (April 8, 2015)
As preparations for the U.S. EMV migration go into high gear, some payments industry participants are questioning whether merchants have enough time to make POS terminals chip-compliant by October 2015, when a liability shift goes into effect.
Survey Finds Prepaid Programs Have Fewer Fees (April 8, 2015)
GPR prepaid cards have fewer fees and providers are disclosing clearly the fees they do have, helping cardholders avoid paying additional costs to use their cards, according to a new survey from Bankrate.com.
India: MobiKwik Raises $25 Million; PIF India Renews Focus on Financial Inclusion (April 8, 2015)
With a fresh infusion of cash, Indian payment startup MobiKwik plans to invest in data analytics, brand building and growing its network of mobile wallet users and merchants, according to reports.
Survey: GPR Cards Popular with Millennials; Security Benefit Big among All Consumers (April 7, 2015)
New data suggest prepaid issuers would do well to target millennials and tout the security benefits of their cards, according to a new survey by TD Bank, the Cherry Hill, N.J.-based subsidiary of the Toronto-Dominion Bank.
First Payroll, Now GPR: Brink’s and NetSpend Announce Rollout (April 7, 2015)
The Brink’s Co., a brand known for security and armored cash transport, is expanding its financial services product suite with a new GPR card.
PCI SSC Issues Guidance to Meet Demand for Tokenization Products (April 7, 2015)
The PCI Security Standards Council (PCI SSC) has developed “Tokenization Product Security Guidelines” because of the rising demand for tokenization products.
Digital Goods Regs Take Effect in Italy, NFC Laws On the Way? (April 7, 2015)
New regulations went into effect in Italy last week that require mobile payments providers and merchants involved in the sale of digital goods to notify customers that their personal data are being collected and what that data are being used for.
PayPal Closes Paydiant Deal, Expanding NFC Options (April 6, 2015)
PayPal has moved significantly closer to its goal of making its digital wallet “ubiquitous” for consumers paying online, via mobile devices and at the POS.
Credit-Scoring Pilot Offers a New Look at 15 Million Consumers (April 6, 2015)
The quest to use alternative data to score thin- or no-file consumers continues with a new program being led by FICO, LexisNexis Risk Solutions and Equifax.
U.S. Leads Europe in E-Commerce, Quicker to Adopt Mobile (April 6, 2015)
The U.S. continues to lead e-commerce sales with expected revenue of $349.2 billion in 2015—compared with a combined $254 billion in projected sales in eight European countries, according to a report.
Federal Investigators Allegedly Get Greedy, Face Charges in Silk Road Case (April 6, 2015)
Two agents involved with the investigation of Silk Road, a Website that backed bitcoin transactions and was shut down by the FBI, face federal charges of money laundering and wire fraud, among other alleged crimes.
Petition: Exclude Bitcoin Startups, Supporting Companies from BitLicense Regs (April 2, 2015)
A coalition of bitcoin entrepreneurs and advocates are backing a petition that would exclude companies supporting the bitcoin infrastructure, as well as smaller startups, from the scope of New York’s BitLicense proposed regulations.
Fiserv: Billers Need to Catch Up with Customers’ Mobile Ways
Customer usage of mobile bill pay has grown substantially over the past year, but many billers aren’t keeping up with how their customers want to pay, according to the “Third Annual Biller Mobile Bill Pay Benchmark Study,” commissioned by Fiserv Inc., a global provider of financial services technology solutions.
Sen. Menendez Indicted on Corruption Charges (April 2, 2015)
After several weeks of speculation, Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) was indicted yesterday on federal corruption charges over allegations he accepted bribes from a donor in exchange for political favors.
Avaloq, DBS, Leonteq and Numerix plan structured investment collaboration
Avaloq, DBS, Leonteq and Numerix have signed a letter of intent for the implementation of an integrated multi-issuer investment products distribution system. The cooperation will enhance the offering and distribution of structured investment products. Through this initiative, Avaloq connects the IPDS to the Avaloq Banking Suite, with DBS as the pilot bank. For the first phase, the new platform will focus on the Asia Pacific region.
People on the Move: Ori Lev, K&L Gates
Law firm K&L Gates has named Ori Lev a partner in the firm’s consumer financial services practice.
People on the Move: Timothy J. Grace and Manuel Da Silva, Fiserv Inc.
Fiserv Inc., a global provider of financial services technology solutions, has hired financial crime risk management analytics and technology experts Timothy J. Grace and Manuel “Mannie” Da Silva.
People on the Move: Angela Brown, Moneris
Angela Brown, CEO and president of payment processor Moneris Solutions Corp., has received the 2015 Distinguished Payments Professional award from the Electronic Transactions Association.
People on the Move: Chuck Fagan, PSCU
PSCU, a credit union service organization based in St. Petersburg, Fla., has appointed Chuck Fagan president and CEO.
People on the Move: Hans-Peter Brodersen, Carla Hattingh, Faiza Nyanzi and Michael Szumlicki, Raphaels Bank
Raphaels Bank, a U.K.-based issuer of prepaid and other payment cards, has bolstered its card services team with four appointments who bring regulatory and compliance-related skills, along with additional client support.
People on the Move: Ken Tye, TSYS
TSYS announced that Ken Tye has decided to retire as senior executive vice president and chief information officer after 43 years of service, effective Sept 30, 2015.
People on the Move: Michael Gordon, WilmerHale
WilmerHale has announced Michael Gordon is rejoining the law firm next month as partner in the Washington, D.C., office, expanding WilmerHale’s consumer finance regulatory and enforcement capabilities and congressional investigations experience.
Pan-European Instant Payment Forum kicks off in Frankfurt
The inaugural meeting of the Open Forum on Pan-European Instant Payments drew 77 representatives from 55 payment service providers, technology providers and other stakeholders to Frankfurt this week to kick off discussions about requirements and collaboration on infrastructure services to support instant payments at a pan- European level.
