Singapore to widen EMV rollout
Move is part of increased security push
Read more ...

Swedish retailer tests NFC rewards scheme
Pilot of digital programme in Stockholm
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Monitise alliance gets “deal of the year” award
Reward after five-year extension of mobile services partnership
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GSMA names nominees for best mobile money award
Five to be on shortlist
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Online fraud rates fall but costs continue to rise
Early m-commerce stats “show promise”
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MasterCard app enables food and drink orders
Scheme starts in Australian cinemas
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EU plans strict reporting rules on lost card data
Process to introduce new regulations starts today
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One of the first prepaid cards to offer complimentary services for travellers
New offering from e-money provider Read more ...

US transit scheme passes one million cards
Several agencies still to come on board
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PayPal mobile wallet integrated into POS terminals
Partnership with manufacturer Read more ...

EMV market to get boost from “holdout” countries
Opportunities for further market expansion Read more ...

Quantum computing could secure the Cloud
Technologists are suggesting that “the cloud’ is the perfect place to test the possibilities for quantum computing.
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Cloud Industry Forum establishes legal sub-group
Bid to provide clarity
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Square-style m-payments system to launch in UK
Solution for merchants to accept smartphone payments Read more ...

New business development consultant at Contis
Former Newcastle Card Services chief appointed Read more ...

Where to put the NFC secure element?
While some claim it does not matter where the NFC secure element is located - in the handset, SIM or microSD card - there are others who say the lack of standardisation is a barrier to widespread deployment of NFC payments.
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Russia leads Europe in m-payments usage
Emerging payments report
MasterCard Worldwide has revealed the findings of its ‘Tech Nation’ poll, revealing which European countries are leading the way with new payment technologies such as mobile and contactless.
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SEPA - It's complicated!
SEPA was described as an “unstoppable train” by Narinda Viguier, head of strategy and interbank relations, global transactions division for Credit Agricole. But how will the Eurozone debt crisis affect payments market harmonisation? Bob Lyddon, MD of IBOS Banking Association, gives his views. Read more ...

Special NFC report: NXP takes advantage of dominant NFC position
Supplying 65% of NFC chips in NFC enabled terminals, chip manufacturer NXP has a strategically important position in the development of the secure mobile communications protocol. It was a joint developer of NFC in 2002 and has been an active member of the NFC Forum since them. Read more ...

Explaining the mobile business case to security and risk professionals
Visa Europe’s Security Summit this month took the unusual step of beginning by explaining the business case for mobile. This was probably a huge surprise for the audience of fraud and security professionals, but it achieved the enviable goal of putting into context the massive amount of technology change that is taking place.
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Five days at EFMA and some significant messages later
Annich McIntosh reports from five days in a Paris hotel basement in a heatwave.
After much thought about the major messages to share with Card & Payments World readers after a gruelling five days with EFMA, it is clear what has to be the first on the list – that the people attending the Wednesday to Friday Cards and Payments summit ought to have been in the Monday and Tuesday Mobile Payments conference. Read more ...

EMV or NFC? Major investment behind both make future for payments uncertain
In the US, SCTN is excited about the possibilities EMV chip cards and contactless payments will bring.
In Japan, Sharp is this month launching an NFC tablet primarily aimed at retailers who wish to read and write to customer loyalty and employee ID card. Read more ...

Greek bank success in a troubled market
It is the stuff of loyalty dreams. The points redeemed from the loyalty scheme of a European bank exceeds the number of points issued, even though the number of points being issued has gone up. The result of this of course, means 100% redemption - and it has been achieved by a bank in Greece. Read more ...

Payback drives India ambitions
Analysis of Indian loyalty sector
Payback aims to double presence in highly competitive loyalty market through deal with country's biggest retailer Read more ...

Blurring of terms bodes well for contactless payments
Mobile payments, contactless payments, NFC, POS acceptance, P2P transfers – its all becoming the same thing
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Virtualized Credentials: Has the Access Control Market Reached a Tipping Point?
NFC phones are just one of the new form factors driving fundamental changes in the way that secure identity is delivered. Article by Dr. Tam Hulusi, senior vice president at HID Global Read more ...

Ikea calls for central processing and rejects cards at any price
Ikea never claims to be anything other than it is – cheap basic furniture at the lowest possible price, and it expects card payment costs to follow the same principle.
The powerful Swedish company is now calling for the card cost structure for retailers to become more transparent, with different cost levels for different services. Read more ...

Acquiring: Increasing role as gateway between consumer and device
Acquirers are seldom in the card industry spotlight, unless it is to do with a data security breach. Historically it has been the card issuers that have made the headlines, but behind the scenes the role of the card acquirer is increasing in importance. With mobile payments on the horizon, the acquirer as a gate- way will grow in importance, but there are challenges.
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Changing debit reward models in uncertain market
With the Durbin Amendment threatening debit income, US banks are targeting card rewards at new and growing markets
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Reputation and trust are key decision influencers
Reputation and trust issues were both hugely influential factors in Barclaycard's decision to cancel its contract with card insurance company CPP along with sales of their identity theft product.
The data breach at Epsilon is also causing reputational havoc for major US brands.
Read more ...

Lateral thinking creates new solution to PCI compliance cost problem
Complaints from retailers about the growing and relentless cost of achieving PCI DSS compliance are growing, driven by recessionary pressures
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Why did EasyJet partner with Nectar?
What is the benefit to Nectar of partnering with EasyJet?
Card World put these, and a whole load more questions to James Frost, marketing director of Nectar, and Paul Simmons, director, UK market at EasyJet Read more ...

Still searching for a silver bullet for PCI DSS Compliance?
Everyone still storing or handling cardholder data has a challenge ahead to manage their business through cost implications, technology deadline dates, changes to the PCI DSS standard and increased pressure from brands, fraudsters and their own management.  Read more ...

Special report: Rise in card skimming at the POS challenges industry
PCI security standards for card terminals
Mobile is the next big PCI challenge
Best practice advice from card bodies Read more ...

Awards honour acquirers for taking cards to the next step
Niklaus Santschi wins industry personality award Read more ...

Amex Zync works hard to appeal to Gen Y
Financial coaching and advice
New features and services offered to young customers via Quarterlife Project
Using social media and rewards
Rewards for green living Read more ...

Ikea call for central processing to lower cost of card payments
“Expensive solutions to all kinds of problems are a sign of mediocrity”

Ikea would like central, cross border European processing, and lower card fees. Martin Weiderstrand, Manager EU Affairs and advisor payment cards for Ikea explains his frustrations with the current system and warns that the lack of homogeneity and competition may lead to unwanted consequences.
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Innovation from an unusual issuer
Profile of private bank Duncan Lawrie which is pioneering a combined debit and credit card on the UK market for its 2,000 customers. The product recently won Best New Debit Card Product of the Year at the Card and Payments Awards. Read more ...

The Card & Payments Awards winners announced
Air of palpable optimism among 1,360 attendees at UK industry event
Four awards for Bank of America
WorldPay CEO gets Industry Personality of the Year prize
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Ownership of security keys remains stumbling block to NFC rollouts
Latest Card World report on the fast-moving mobile payments market Read more ...

The long, winding road to SEPA
The path to the Single Euro Payments Area has been slow and tortuous, so it was refreshing to hear the ECB’s Gertrude Tumpel-Gugerell list her New Year resolutions with a view to giving it some impetus. But is the payment industry ready to deliver against these goals? Read more ...

Special report into Citi Cards in the US
Citi introduces thank you credit cards
Customer feedback shapes offering
Two button smart card in Citi pilot
Default lowest in 22 months Read more ...

Everyday payments in the digital world – a break from tradition?
A new era in payments is dawning with consumers switching to “pay now” products post-credit crisis. Traditional payments providers are playing catch-up with a new generation of digital transactions providers - how can they win? Read more ...

Australia Country Report
Interchange cap under review
Seven years ago, the Australian Federal Bank and the Payment System Board made the decision to cap interchange at the cost to the issuer of the card transaction. The experiment has been watched by the rest of the world. Now they are considering reversing the decision.
Plus: Latest fraud figures and debit and credit card market data. Read more ...

Terminal manufacturers respond to customer demand for payment choice
In order to respond to the new payments world that is emerging at the speed of a roller coaster, terminal manufacturers are having to reinvent their business
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Mobile payments and the new ecosystem to transform industry
Consumer will make the choices in newly emerging world
“Nothing will ever be the same again”
Last bridging year before mobile payments are mainstream
Security will remain a strong differentiator Read more ...

Does your credit card come with face insurance?
From the VIP banks of Moscow to the depths of rural India, the diverse art of cross-selling insurance and assistance policies with everyday financial products is being keenly practised. Read more ...

Facebook based contactless reward scheme trialling in Singapore
Aneace Haddad of Welcome Realtime fame back with his next big idea
You may remember him as the indefatigable CEO of Welcome Realtime, but now Aneace Haddad is working on a new loyalty scheme idea aimed at restaurants and small businesses that incorporates both social media and contactless technology. Read more ...

Cantona sparks viral campaign to ‘cripple’ banking system
Protest scheduled for first day of Cartes

The potential of social media to rapidly escalate a controversial issue has been graphically illustrated by comments from former soccer star Eric Cantona. Read more ...

Speak up now on E-Money Directive – before it is too late
The Second Electronic Money Directive becomes law on April 30, 2011 for all countries in the European Union. It applies to all forms of electronic currency, including funds on prepaid cards, mobile devices and the internet. Read more ...

What to expect from iPhone5: NFC and biometrics?
iPhone has a few issues to solve before launching its iPhone5. These are little irritations such as useless reception. But Apple is unlikely to stop at simply putting right the problems. Read more ...

ISO 20022 on the rise
The core infrastructure of the majority of European banks is showing its age and needs a refresh, particularly with the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) and the Payment Services Directive (PSD) changing requirements. Part of that refresh will probably include a migration to the ISO 20022 global messaging standard for all payment processing.
Read more ...

Increased clarity and relief for merchants in PCI DSS 2.0
Special report on details of the new standard with latest industry comment on lack of mobile payments and point-to-point encryption standards.
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Mobile banking to eclipse cards in Africa
Wave of product launches on continent where only 4% of the population are banked

“Everybody is trying to launch something at the moment. We have had calls from marketing companies and system integrators who want to become an m-payments provider in Africa” - Ahmed Faheem, Utiba. Read more ...

Elation, mixed with relief for the prepaid survivors
There was an atmosphere of elation among the audience at this year’s Prepaid Awards in London. Mixed with not a little relief. It was the sort of buzz you'd get after a near miss in an aeroplane, or after a rescue from a sinking ship.

Some in the prepaid industry have suffered an appalling 18 months, but Read more ...

After a decade of SEPA, even the banks are eager for an end date
EFMA Report Part 2
Ten years after the introduction of the principle of a Single Euro Payments Area, there remains infighting, uncertainty and anger but there is a growing acceptance among bankers that SEPA was going to happen.
Read more ...

Call for European approach to card security as fraud figures jump
EFMA conference report – part 1
French Central Bank governor warns that SEPA confusion is contributing to rising card fraud
Full French card fraud figures in the next issue of Card World Read more ...

Dealing with credit's poor relation
* Debit growth is being hampered by some fundamental issues.
* Debit and credit card departments invariably work in silos.
* There is little sharing of customer information and technology, and very little cooperation in terms of running a marketing campaign or a loyalty scheme across both products.
But it can no longer be assumed that a person will automatically do all their banking with the same company.  
So is debit being taken for granted? Read more ...

New company but same goal - to be Europe’s biggest
Building Society exodus as Transact opens Newcastle office Read more ...

Accessibility drives the rise of prepaid
The fast-expanding prepaid card market represents an exciting “third way” of bridging the gap between cash and traditional credit/debit card arrangements and providing new opportunities to customers.
Article by John Yeomans, general manager of cards EMEA, at prepaid technology company FIS. Read more ...

Receiving credit for being green
Using Airmiles experience to mitigate global warming
It was only a matter of time before the first national “green” loyalty scheme launched in the UK.
What Card World expected was that this would come from a small environmental organization. In fact it has been created by some of the most experienced customer retention brains in the business – most of them ex-Air Miles.
The Ice loyalty scheme promises to “support British sustainable retail, with one of the country’s most generous and flexible loyalty schemes.” Read more ...

EPC accuses EC of “writing off SEPA”
Major row as EC refuses to endorse EPC as sole provider of SEPA technical standards
Move to embrace mobile and e-payments bodies infuriates banks
Read more ...

Nigeria country report
Huge potential for market but poor education levels, unreliable infrastructure and high cash use remain major barriers
Debit growth supported by government
Verve card is central to Chip & PIN upgrade
Central bank targets POS usage
Market data including leading card issuers, payment card volume/value and market share by type of payment Read more ...

New research shows the most buoyant markets for retailer cards
Brazil tops the charts for the highest number of retailers with their own payments card. The most significant potential exists to develop retailer payment cards in India, Russia and Vietnam.
Read more ...

Thailand country report
Immediate political crisis lessens, but fallout for cards and payments remains
Economic growth drives credit
Merchant acquiring “tough” going
ATMs vital in cash-based market
Exclusive interviews with major local payments market players
Market data including leading card issuers, debit and credit card volume/value and card market outlook Read more ...