BNPL provider Sezzle moves into healthcare

The service may appeal to the nearly 30 million people in the U.S. that the Kaiser Family Foundation estimates lack health insurance, or the 43% of adults the nonprofit Commonwealth Fund estimates are underinsured against the costs of medical treatment.

By Jonathan Berr • Feb. 22, 2022

Firms tackle ballooning BNPL fraud

In another sign of buy now-pay later’s skyrocketing popularity, companies that tackle fraud are rolling out tools to address risk related to the payment option.

By Caitlin Mullen • Feb. 22, 2022

Explore the Trendline➔

Embedded payment tools make inroads

Business customers demanding integrated tools is likely to keep driving a trend toward more embedded payments tools.

By Payments Dive staff

Klarna puts BNPL on a card

After a U.K. rollout last month, the Swedish buy now-pay later firm is bringing its physical Visa card to the U.S. – but not before making prospective cardholders wait.

By Caitlin Mullen • Feb. 17, 2022

Visa, Amazon settle fee dispute

Although the dispute was tied to Visa cards originating in the U.K., the settlement was global in scope. Neither the e-commerce behemoth or the card giant provided details.

By Jonathan Berr • Feb. 17, 2022

Discover backs card-free payments

As the discussion around credit card swipe fees heats up, Discover Financial Services is partnering with a fintech company that enables consumers to make direct electronic payments from their checking accounts through merchant apps.

By Caitlin Mullen • Feb. 16, 2022

Decline of cash spotlights swipe fees

"At a time when the economy is still building back from the pandemic, these rising fees desperately need to be brought under control, and the rapid move toward an all-electronic economy with little cash makes the need to do so all the more urgent," writes National Retail Federation Vice President Leon Buck.

By Leon Buck • Feb. 16, 2022

SIM swap schemes threaten mobile payments

The FBI says SIM card swap fraud, where cybercrooks snatch sensitive data from mobile phones, is on the rise. The Federal Communications Commission is trying to do something about it, but it's not an easy crime to stop.

By Mercedes Cardona • Feb. 15, 2022

Frictionless checkout startup adds convenience store partner

Grabango's frictionless checkout system will appear in two Mapco convenience stores in Tennessee later in 2022, and deployments with grocers will likely ramp up next year, Grabango founder and CEO Will Glaser said.

By Sam Silverstein • Feb. 15, 2022

Consumer spending withstands omicron, inflation: Visa, Mastercard

Consumer spending has risen across multiple categories despite inflation and omicron concerns, Visa and Mastercard indicated in recent reports.

By Tatiana Walk-Morris • Feb. 14, 2022

Global Payments puts Netspend on sales block

The Atlanta payments processor aims to offload its Netspend consumer debit card business so it can focus more exclusively on B2B operations. "We intend to retain its B2B assets as we further expand this new pillar of our strategy," the company's CEO said.

By Lynne Marek • Feb. 11, 2022

Apple offers merchants phone pay tool

The new iPhone feature won't require additional hardware and will work on iPhone XS or subsequent devices. Apple is playing catch-up with rivals in the market, and bringing new competition, too.

By Tatiana Walk-Morris • Feb. 9, 2022

UnionPay expands pact with Fiserv

Fiserv tapped UnionPay to expand services internationally, allowing the Shanghai-based card company to reach more consumers and merchants. "We have several notable international wins in the quarter, including an expanded partnership with UnionPay International," said Fiserv CFO Bob Hau during the company's Tuesday earnings call.

By Lynne Marek • Feb. 8, 2022

Apple eyes more payments services

Will Apple angling for a bigger push into the payments sector roil the competitive landscape? Rival Block, and its point-of-sale service, may be squarely in the tech giant's sights.

By Jonathan Berr • Feb. 4, 2022

Big banks best fintechs in merchant satisfaction survey

Industry-wide efforts to streamline fee structures, improve customer support and speed up payments have merchants more satisfied with their card payment processors, a J.D. Power study found.

By Caitlin Mullen • Feb. 4, 2022

Retail startup links with UST for checkout tech

Checkout technology provider UST Global is partnering with Georgia retail startup Nourish + Bloom Market to launch an autonomous grocery store concept with a plan to open some 500 locations.

By Sam Silverstein • Feb. 3, 2022

PayPal scraps account growth goal

The digital payments company shifted away from a plan to collect 750 million customer accounts by 2025, after reporting a fourth-quarter drop in profits and forecasting slower revenue growth this year. 

By Lynne Marek • Feb. 2, 2022

Card companies count on travel recovery

Rising international travel late last year was a boon for card companies, until the omicron variant arrived. Now, Visa, Mastercard and the other card companies are just beginning to see positive signs of that cross-border travel recovery again.

By Lynne Marek • Jan. 28, 2022

Amazon plans suburban stores with grab-and-go tech

Like Amazon's urban Go locations, the suburban stores — slated to open in Washington and California — will feature the e-commerce giant's Just Walk Out frictionless checkout technology.

By Sam Silverstein • Jan. 27, 2022

Walmart buys into 'super app' services

The retailer's fintech startup said it will buy earned wage access facilitator Even and digital financial services company One Finance to help Walmart sell consumers a financial services "super app."

By Lynne Marek • Jan. 27, 2022

Zip eyes Sezzle purchase as BNPL players consolidate

Australian-based BNPL company Zip has been on an acquisition tear and its latest target is Minneapolis-based Sezzle. As the biggest BNPL players in the world seek to grow, they're on the hunt for smaller rivals.

By Lynne Marek • Jan. 26, 2022

JPMorgan buys 49% stake in Greek payments company

As the largest U.S. bank keeps up an acquisition spree begun last year, it agreed Tuesday to acquire a 49% stake in the Greek fintech Viva Wallets.

By Dan Ennis • Jan. 25, 2022

San Francisco startups vie for checkout dominance

In the crowded checkout technology space, startups Bolt and Fast are competing to become the company known for making the process smoother and speedier.

By Caitlin Mullen • Jan. 25, 2022

American Express lays out new growth plan

Revenues last year were well above original expectations, Amex CFO Jeff Campbell said during a call with analysts, and that's "part of what emboldens us to launch our new growth plan."

By Caitlin Mullen • Jan. 25, 2022

Discover spends big to attract new cardholders

The card company’s marketing spend in the fourth quarter was up 70% over the same period last year, as it campaigned to attract new account holders.

By Caitlin Mullen • Jan. 20, 2022

Payments pros demand top dollar in talent war

It’s become a “candidates’ market” with companies desperate to hire or retain payments executives and offering up to 30% premiums to lure professionals in short supply.

By Lynne Marek • Jan. 20, 2022