Robert McKinley, Senior Analyst/Editor Robert McKinley, with 33 years experience covering payment cards and payment systems, is Senior Analyst/Editor for CardFlash and other payments-related publications. He is the retired founder and chief executive of RAM Research, CardWeb and CardTrak. McKinley served as an expert witness in 100+ litigations including two multi-$billion trials, testified before the U.S. Congress, chaired multiple payments conferences, hired as consultant by Fortune 100 companies and several overseas financial institutions. Full Bio: www.rbm4.com

MasterCard Contactless Transactions Tripled

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MasterCard announced today that, over a one year period ending December 2013, it has grown its contactless footprint in Europe by expanding the number of countries where contactless cards are accepted: contactless is now available in 63 countries worldwide, and in 34 countries in Europe including 7 new countries in 2013: Azerbaijan, Finland, Ireland, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro and the Netherlands. MasterCard® and Maestro® contactless cards or devices have been issued by more than 220 financial institutions in Europe and can be used at almost 2 million merchant locations worldwide, representing more than a 180% year-on-year increase.

Mocapay Expands Yumilicious App

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Mocapay announced the release of the Yumilicious app available in iTunes and Google Play app stores this April. Yumilicious leveraged Mocapay’s mobile app template that helps merchants engage consumers and launch their app on an abbreviated timeframe. Yumilicious loyalty members can enroll, earn and redeem loyalty points and rewards via the app. Users can also enter their birthday for special offers, opt in and out of e-mails and text messaging, and get in-app messages. Additionally, the app will provide the ability to find nearby locations using GPS technology. Yumilicious app users will also have the ability to download and manage mobile gift cards and payment cards.

NCR Personalizes Éxito Group ATM Experience

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NCR signed an agreement to become the primary technology provider for PRESENTE, the fund serving employees of Éxito Group. NCR Colombia will work with the Fund to deliver its first network of ATMs for its members. Using NCR’s technology, PRESENTE has already installed 14 ATMs, which are located at administrative offices, distribution centers, food industry, and the textile subsidiary Didetexco, in cities such as Barranquilla, Bogota, Cali and Envigado. PRESENTE becomes the first Fund for Employees with its own ATM network in the country. In addition, PRESENTE will use NCR APTRA eMarketing software to deliver personalized ATM experiences, advertising campaigns and service offers to the members, allowing a constant and immediate communication with them.

Fogo de Chão Implements NCR Restaurant Software

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NCR announced that Fogo de Chão successfully implemented NCR Aloha POS software at its 32 restaurants around the world. Already using the NCR Aloha in its 23 U.S. locations, Fogo de Chão selected NCR because of the sales and administrative functions it offers the international restaurant chain. Fogo de Chão is also using NCR Insight and NCR Configuration Center’s above-store capabilities, allowing the chain to improve operational efficiency at the store-level in their Brazilian locations. The NCR Insight software is expected to help the chain forecast revenues, increase controls, lower operational costs and reduce time spent on lower-value administrative tasks.

Nacha rolls out opt-in programme for bill payment exception mitigation

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[ihc-hide-content ihc_mb_type=”show” ihc_mb_who=”0″ ihc_mb_template=”1″] Nacha ePayments Association launched its new opt-in program designed to mitigate the increasing volume of business bill payment exceptions[1] originated to billers through online banking channels. Through the Bill Payment Exception (BPE) Mitigation Opt-in Program, NACHA seeks to improve the reliability of online banking bill payment channels, reduce costs and checks…

INSIDE Secure Acquires Metaforic Mobile Payments Security

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INSIDE Secure acquired Metaforic, a leader in the development of software obfuscation1 technologies and encryption-related security software for a variety of industries, including the mobile payment and mobile banking markets. By leveraging INSIDE Secure’s strong security capabilities, the combined comprehensive solution will lead to additional sales, and reinforce INSIDE Secure’s position as a key player in the fast-growing mobile security solutions market, as Metaforic: Complements existing INSIDE Secure enterprise secure access (Virtual-Private-Network or VPN products) and content protection (Digital Right Management or DRM products) solutions by adding mobile payments and uniquely positions INSIDE Secure as the only company able to provide security solutions for enterprise secure access, digital entertainment and financial services markets, the three key market drivers for mobile security;

Heartland Payment Names New CFO

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Samir Zabaneh has joined Heartland Payment Systems as CFO to oversee strategic and operational direction of the company’s finance department including reporting, treasury, taxation and corporate planning and development, as well as investor relations. Samir will also have a hand in developing business solutions and strategies to ensure corporate objectives are achieved. Prior to joining Heartland, Samir served as Chief Financial and Strategy Officer as well as Chief Operating Officer for Moneris Solutions Corporation, Canada’s leading payment processor, based in Toronto. Samir graduated from Northeastern University, Boston, with a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting. He also earned a Master of Science degree in finance from Boston College, and an MBA degree from Suffolk University, Boston.

Aptys Solutions Adds to Senior Management Team

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Aptys Solutions appointed Rose Davis to the position of senior vice president of consulting and professional services to oversee consulting and professional services to better serve their customers. Most recently, a senior vice president with Bankers’ Bank, Davis brings her extensive knowledge of banking, payments, project and risk management, compliance, and sales to her new role with Aptys. Prior to Bankers’ Bank, Davis was business development manager at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago where she managed account relationships with large FIs and was responsible for revenue generated from solutions offered to financial institutions.

TSYS Partners with Oversight to Strengthen Corporate Card Program Auditing

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TSYS announced an agreement with Oversight Systems to provide an automated monitoring and analysis solution to help corporate purchasing professionals detect and eliminate fraud, policy misuse, and waste within their card programs. Oversight Insights On Demand – Powered by TSYS is an innovative solution that will facilitate transparency, accountability and growth of card programs for corporate customers. In addition, this solution addresses key barriers to card adoption, namely the lack of operational spend control and associated risk with decentralized purchasing. The solution will be available to TSYS’ commercial clients beginning in the third quarter of this year.

BofA Merrill Further Extends Chip and PIN to Commercial Card Portfolio

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Bank of America Merrill Lynch, a leader in card services for middle-market, large corporate and public sector clients, today announced that it is expanding chip and PIN technology to all purchasing and travel credit card products available to clients in the United States. This is the latest development in the company’s ongoing effort to rollout EMV® (EuroPay Mastercard Visa) technology to its global client base. BofA Merrill first introduced chip and PIN technology on corporate travel and expense (T&E) credit cards in Europe in 2010 and in the United States in 2012. The bank began issuing chip-enabled purchasing cards in 2013. Together with T&E cards, more than 100,000 chip and PIN cards across the portfolio have been issued to clients in the United States alone.

FI-MOBILE has integrated Allied’s Picture Pay

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Allied Payment Network today announced that mobile banking solutions provider FI-MOBILE has integrated Allied’s Picture PayTM into its mobile banking offerings, enabling FI-MOBILE’s end users to pay any bill by simply taking a picture of the bill with their mobile device. FI-MOBILE develops downloadable apps for banks and credit unions that enhance the Internet channel experience for their customers and members. Picture Pay seamlessly integrates within FI-MOBILE’s mobile banking solution, providing a quick and simple integration process for FI-MOBILE’s financial institution customers.