The Asia Pacific region is one of the largest users of smart cards, so much that it now leads the world in using the cards to pay for travel, reports iTWire. A report by CARTES Network reveals that many Asia Pacific cities and regions, such as Hong Kong, now use smart cards to cover transactions […]

MasterCard has posted a brief interview with Ed McLaughlin, the company’s Chief Emerging Payments Officer, concerning Isis, mobile payments, and the future of MasterCard in the field. MasterCard, which joined the ISISI platform in July along with Visa and AmEx, says its mobile strategy hinges on the interests of the consumer. Indeed, McLaughlin justifies the […]

Isis, the mobile commerce joint venture between T-Mobile, AT&T and Verizon, is looking to bring its contactless mobile payments service to overseas markets, according to Bloomberg. Jaymee Johnson, a spokesperson for Isis, said the company has recently held discussions centered on “international opportunities.” Johnson did not name any prospective partners, but as Bloomberg points out, […]

PayByPhone has announced that its NFC-enabled mobile payment system for parking has been selected by The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA). According to PayByPhone, all of San Francisco’s 30,800 parking spaces will be outfitted with the company’s NFC stickers, giving drivers the option to pay for parking with NFC-enabled mobile phones in addition to […]

Chevron Corp. is preparing to introduce Google Wallet contactless mobile payments in 600 service stations around San Francisco and Los Angeles, according to CSP Daily News. The “soft launch” will enable customers to purchase items inside the service station using their Google Wallet-enabled Android smart phones. A rep for Chevron said that purchases will initially […]

Although the push for NFC and mobile payments is on, Square is doing its part to make sure consumers still reach for their credit cards, reports Recombu. Square, the payment reader that works with iPhones, iPads and Android tablets, has reached one million activations in the U.S. Because both businesses and individuals can use the […]

NXP and Bank Mega partnered for a collaborative venture to bring an enhanced contactless ticketing solution to Trans Studios Makassar and Bandung, two of Indonesia’s largest indoor theme parks. The DESFire EV1 microcontroller-based technology enables visitors to securely access theme park facilities and attractions without cash or tickets, as well as make payments at retail […]

TravelCenters of America has agreed to purchase and install the RFID-enabled Fuel Island Manager cardless fuel transaction technology at all of its locations nationwide. Developed by QuikQ, the Fuel Island Manager system offers travel centers and transportation companies a more efficient way for its drivers to fuel, while granting more options for the companies to […]

Gemalto announced that 10 million Financial Inclusion Network & Operations (FINO) customers in India now benefit and take part in micro-banking, using Gemalto smart cards, as part of FINO’s broader branchless banking program. FINO’s transactions are validated using biometric authentication. End-user card transactions are approved after fingerprint information is verified through payment terminal readings and […]

EMVCo, the EMV standards body owned by American Express, JCB, MasterCard and Visa, has published a new white paper on its work to securely standardize the deployment of contactless mobile payments. Free to download from EMVCo’s Web site, the document is intended for all stakeholders working to deliver contactless mobile payments – particularly those that […]