What's New in Payments

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.”


What's New in Payments

Apple Pay to launch in Germany ‘later this year’

Earnings call: Apple financial results — Q3 2018 — Apple — “Apple Pay continues to expand with well over 1bn transactions last quarter, triple the amount from just a year ago, with growth accelerating from the March quarter. To put that tremendous growth into perspective, this past quarter, we completed more total transactions than great companies like Square and more mobile transactions than PayPal. Apple Pay is now live in 24 markets worldwide with over 4,900 bank partners and we look forward to adding Germany later this year.”



What's New in Payments

mPOS terminals to account for one in four POS transactions

Mobile point-of-sale devices to account for almost 1 in 4 POS transactions by 2023 — Juniper Research — “The adoption of mPos (mobile point-of-sale) devices connecting wirelessly or via mobile devices, such as those from iZettle and Square, will drive annual mPos transactions to over 87bn by 2023. This will represent a threefold increase over an estimated 28bn transactions in 2018.”



US to open up banking market to non-banks?

US regulator says time to review mixing banking with other businesses — Reuters — “US regulations that bar companies such as Wal-Mart Stores Inc from providing banking services need to be reviewed as they reduce competition thereby concentrating more risk among a smaller number of banks, a US banking regulator said… Noreika on Wednesday said that allowing non-financial companies to run banks could strengthen the banking system by boosting competition and increasing diversity. The OCC is exploring providing a charter specifically for financial technology providers such as payment processor Square Inc.”


What's New in Payments

Bank of America reports $4bn in P2P payments

A big bank Is catching up to PayPal and Square — Barron’s — “Bank of America released its third quarter earnings on Friday morning and executives spoke confidently about Zelle, the payments platform used by several big banks. The total number of peer-to-peer payments made over the Zelle network by Bank of America customers jumped 68% on a year-over-year basis to 13.6m, and the total payment volume jumped 40% to US$4bn, the bank said. Earlier this year, Bank of America integrated Zelle into its mobile app.”


What's New in Payments

Square gets green light to take on banks with ‘PIN on glass’ mobile technology

Square gets green light to take on banks with ‘PIN on glass’ mobile technology — Australian Financial Review — “Banks are set to face more competition in the lucrative mobile point of sale technology game as secret trials featuring Twitter founder Jack Dorsey’s payments company Square are set to help credit card companies allow more payments through smartphone screens.”


What's New in Payments

Harris Poll: PayPal leads mobile payment brands, yet up-and-comers making brand equity gains

Harris Poll: PayPal leads mobile payment brands, yet up-and-comers making brand equity gains — The Harris Poll — “PayPal — followed closely by Amazon brands — retains its Brand of the Year designation, leading mobile payment brands for the third consecutive year. However, up-and-coming brands Venmo (owned by PayPal), Square, and Apple Pay are making significant gains, according to new research from The Harris Poll’s 29th annual EquiTrend Study.”



What's New in Payments

Square will replace meters in Washington taxis

Square will replace meters in Washington taxis — Bloomberg — “The overhaul of the city’s cab system will help drivers compete with Uber… By the end of August, all of the taxis in Washington have to tear out their traditional meters and start using smartphones or tablets, in what the city government has been describing as a complete reimagining of how the cab system works.”