M&A

The Sydney-based NFC specialist is to use the funds to expand internationally, adding a local presence in South Africa, Israel, India, Mexico, the US, UK, Sweden, Japan, Vietnam, UAE, Singapore and, potentially, China. More

The sale suggests that Apple's interest in acquiring Authentec lies with the company's innovative combined fingerprint and NFC solution, which is not part of the division being acquired by Inside Secure, and will lead to renewed speculation that Apple will include NFC in future iPhones and other devices. More

Transportation and smart card technology specialist Ecebs has been acquired by Bell ID. Ecebs' portfolio includes a number of front-end technologies that Bell ID expects to be able to use to "significantly enhance its offering... More

TSM software and services provider Sequent is the new owner of troubled NFC pioneer Vivotech's software division. "The acquisition enables Sequent to integrate banks and other service provider's credentials more efficiently into the secure element... More

Gemalto has acquired Ericsson's Internet Payment Exchange business outside the US, including its NFC TSM service, for an undisclosed sum. IPX will join Gemalto's Software & Services business line, within the company's mobile communications division.... More

Examination of a proxy statement filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission by Authentec, linked to Apple's recent bid to acquire the firm for US$356m, has led to renewed speculation that the next iPhone... More

NFC specialist Vivotech, which last month was the subject of rumours that it was going out of business, has successfully completed the sale of its reader business. The buyer is US-based ID Tech. "Vivotech believes... More

The company's products include a fingerprint sensor for NFC mobile phones that ensures only the registered user of a device can gain access to their mobile wallet. More

ID technology provider Morpho, part of the Safran group, has acquired trusted service management (TSM) specialist Cassis International. Cassis was one of the earliest entrants into the NFC TSM market and is headquartered in Singapore... More

Oberthur Technologies has acquired Boston-based mobile payments specialist MoreMagic. Oberthur plans to combine the company's technology with its existing NFC and TSM offerings to create a comprehensive suite of mobile commerce and financial services solutions,... More

Google CEO Larry Page has taken to the search giant's blog to announce the completion of its acquisition of Motorola Mobility — and obliquely mentioned NFC's key role in Google's plans for the future. "It's... More

Facebook has acquired Tagtile, a startup founded by two US-based graduates of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), as it begins to roll out its Facebook Offers service. In an interview with the Times of... More

Google has acquired platform-as-a-service (PaaS) electronic payments technology provider TxVia. Osama Bedier, Google's VP of Wallet and Payments, announced the deal on the Google Commerce blog. More

NFC and secure transaction testing and advisory firm Collis has been acquired by UL, a safety science company with 9,000 employees in more than 100 countries. "The addition positions UL as the world's first global... More

RFID giant Smartrac has completed its acquisition of UPM's RFID business, a leading supplier of NFC tags. "We are pleased that our pioneering RFID team and their excellence have a new home at Smartrac, making... More

Testing and certification specialists Raisonance and Soliatis have merged to form a new company called Keolabs that will offer end-to-end testing and certification solutions for smart cards and secure components on a global basis. "In... More

VeriFone has completed its €600m acquisition of Point International, northern Europe's largest provider of payment and gateway services and solutions for retailers and a supplier to PayPal's NFC trial in Stockholm. Point provides point-of-sale technology... More

UPM has sold its RFID and NFC business to leading RFID supplier Smartrac in exchange for shares in OEP Technologie, the majority shareholder in Smartrac. The deal will provide UPM indirectly with a 10.6% stake... More

"Advent International hopes to help grow Oberthur Technologies through potential external acquisitions which may further enhance the technological development and complement existing know-how," says the investment firm. More

Irish NFC specialist Zapa Technology, which ran into financial difficulties last month, is back in business with new investment led by technology entrepreneur Brendan McDonagh (pictured), who has become the company's new CEO. Delta Partners... More