General-purpose contactless payments continue to struggle on US transit systems — Digital Transactions — “The Salt Lake City-based Utah Transit Authority, a pioneer in contactless fare payments, has discontinued acceptance of general-purpose contactless mobile wallets such as Apple Pay and Google Pay. The UTA also no longer accepts contactless general-purpose payment cards, though such cards aren’t yet common in the United States. Only 112 riders on average used those forms of payment — far less than 1% of UTA’s average of 147,728 weekday boardings as of last December, according to a spokesperson.”
USA
Mastercard comes under fire for sharing transaction data with Google
Google and Mastercard cut a secret ad deal to track retail sales — Bloomberg — “For the past year, select Google advertisers have had access to a potent new tool to track whether the ads they ran online led to a sale at a physical store in the US. That insight came thanks in part to a stockpile of Mastercard transactions that Google paid for… Google paid Mastercard millions of dollars for the data, according to two people who worked on the deal.”
Seattle sports teams use fingerprint biometrics to let fans prove their age and buy a beer
Clear partners with Seattle Seahawks, Sounders FC, & Mariners to launch biometrics payment & ID check initiative — Clear — “With approval from the State of Washington to replace a traditional ID check with biometric powered age validation, Clear members at CenturyLink Field and Safeco Field can buy food and drinks, and simultaneously prove that they are of legal age for alcohol purchases — all with just their fingerprints.”
Amex tests wearable payments at the US Open
American Express backs card members and fans with innovative benefits at the 2018 US Open Tennis Championships — American Express — “To enhance the overall end-to-end fan experience, American Express will launch new services such as the Amex Band, a contactless payment wristband that allows eligible Card Members to pay for purchases and unlock unique benefits with a tap of the band.”
General Motors lets Buick drivers pay for fuel from their dashboard
Buick delivers peace of mind at the gas pump — General Motors — “A new update to Marketplace brings ExxonMobil’s pay for fuel functionality right to the infotainment screen of eligible Buick vehicles… The platform also automatically syncs drivers to their ExxonMobil Speedpass+ app account, and drivers accumulate rewards points with each purchase. The new service is available at more than 11,000 Exxon or Mobil stations across the United States.”
Microsoft rolls out support for Masterpass payments
Microsoft Pay is now available with Masterpass — Microsoft — “US-based consumers using the latest Microsoft Edge browser on Windows 10 devices can sign in to their Microsoft account and use Microsoft Pay to make secure purchases wherever Masterpass is accepted online. More broadly, Microsoft Pay allows for a seamless and convenient consumer experience within the Microsoft ecosystem, including paying bills in Outlook, and buying goods or services in apps or bots.”
Apple Pay Cash gets top rating for P2P payments privacy and security
Why Apple Pay is the highest-rated mobile P2P payment service — Consumer Reports — “In our first-ever test-based ratings of P2P mobile services, CR rated Apple Pay the highest overall, with excellent or very good marks in the key consumer-protection measures of payment authentication and data privacy. Apple’s overall rating was significantly higher than for the other services we tested: Venmo, Square’s Cash App, Facebook P2P Payments in Messenger, and Zelle.”
Adidas Soccer uses NFC to link special edition trainers to Spotify
Adidas celebrates Atlanta and the 2018 Major League Soccer All-Star Game presented by Target with speciality Speedfactory AM4MLS lifestyle shoe — Adidas — “The AM4MLS shoe will be the first of its kind to bring the sound of the city to life through an embedded NFC chip enabling the owner to access a Spotify playlist curated by Rich The Kid. Deeply rooted in Atlanta’s culture, the 21 songs aim to pay tribute to the city’s rich music history and its influence in artists across the country.”
Chase lets customers use mobile wallets to withdraw cash at ATMs across the US
Chase expands cardless access to 15,000 ATMs nationwide — Chase — “Chase today announced that customers can now get cash through their phone’s mobile wallet at nearly all of its 16,000 ATMs nationwide, as well as access to all ATM vestibules outside of the branch… Customers no longer need a physical debit card or access code for authentication and can simply ‘tap’ their smartphone on the ATM to easily and securely access money on the go.”
Chase Pay links up with Samsung Pay to let cardholders pay with NFC and MST
Chase Pay and Samsung Pay join forces — Samsung — “Chase Pay customers with compatible flagship Samsung Galaxy smartphones now have the option to link Chase Pay to Samsung Pay. This means that customers will now be able to use Samsung Pay’s Magnetic Secure Transmission (MST) technology, along with NFC, to pay with the Chase Pay app at millions of merchants in the United States by simply tapping the payment terminal.”
eBay to add support for Apple Pay
eBay to begin rolling out Apple Pay acceptance on its Marketplace platform this fall — eBay — “Earlier this year, eBay announced it will manage the end-to-end payments flow on its platform to further simplify and improve the buying and selling experience. The company is on track to start managing payments on a limited scale in the US early this fall, at which time buyers will be able to use Apple Pay to purchase items from sellers participating in the initial phase of the new payments experience.”
Barclays files blockchain funds transfer and KYC patents
Barclays seeks twin blockchain patents for banking services — Coindesk — “The US Patent and Trademark Office published two applications by the UK’s second-largest bank Thursday, both of which revolve around account security. Perhaps most notably, however, was an application for a patent which outlined a blockchain platform which could facilitate cryptocurrency transfers. The bank also proposed streamlining know-your-customer processes by storing identifying information on a private blockchain.”
Mastercard patent proposes combining blockchain with existing payments systems
Method and system for linkage of blockchain-based assets to fiat currency accounts — USPTO — “The use of traditional payment networks and payment systems technologies in combination with blockchain currencies may provide consumers and merchants the benefits of the decentralized blockchain while still maintaining security of account information and provide a strong defense against fraud and theft.”
Shoppers prefer Apple Pay over Walmart Pay
Walmart shoppers with access to Apple Pay are more likely to choose to use it than the store’s own Walmart Pay app, a new study has found, but those who do choose the retailer’s own app spend more at Walmart each month than those who use Apple Pay... More
Manhattan skyscraper secures fire safety system with tamper-evident NFC tags
PARTNER NEWS: Two thousand HID Trusted Tags have been installed in “one of Manhattan’s most iconic skyscrapers” to improve the security and management of the building’s fire and safety sprinkler system... More
P2P payments gain acceptance across all US age groups
US consumers cite trust in banks and in friends and family — Early Warning — “More than 75% of Millennials have used online or mobile P2P payments. Generation X is a close second at 69%, and Baby Boomers are closing in at 51%… 49% of Millennials use P2P payment services at least once a week, followed by 42% of Generation X and 32% of Boomers.”
Uber to let customers use Venmo to share costs with friends
Uber and Venmo partner to deliver a new payment experience — PayPal — “Uber customers in the United States ordering rides and food will soon be able to pay with their Venmo balance, linked bank account, credit card or debit card so they can easily split the cost with friends and family in the Venmo app, for no additional fee. Users can also share their purchases in their Venmo feed with custom emojis that are exclusive to the partnership, with Uber as the first company to have a branded emoji in the app.”
Major League Baseball stadiums to introduce biometric payments and ticketing
No more tickets? MLB fans will soon use fingerprints, facial recognition instead — Fox Business — “A tap of the finger will soon replace traditional tickets at baseball stadiums across the country… A pilot program will arrive at select venues later this season… The platform will expand to point-of-sale systems and possibly more teams… Fans will be able to pay for food and validate their age for alcohol purchases using their fingerprint.”
DART opens up its transit ticketing app to private transportation operators
Dallas transit embraces Uber, Lyft and other mobility options — GovTech.com — “Dallas transit riders can do much more than purchase bus or train tickets with the region’s GoPass app. Riders can now use it to book a ride with Uber or Lyft, and will soon be able to schedule other modes of getting around, such as renting a bike on one of the city’s five bike-share apps.”
JPMorgan Chase to reward mobile-only bank account customers for using key features
JPMorgan Chase takes smartphone account ‘Finn’ nationwide — Reuters — “JPMorgan is offering $100 to people who open accounts and complete 10 transactions of certain types, such as sending money to another person or paying a bill. The incentive is designed to make customers familiar with using the app, said Melissa Feldsher, head of Finn. She believes customers will stick with the accounts after seeing they can automatically make deposits to their savings accounts, such as moving $2 from their checking account every time they spend $5 with the app at a Starbucks coffee shop.”