Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Apple, Google: Fraud Worries Obstacle To NFC, Says Morgan Keegan

One of the Secret Sauces that Make up Sqwizz includes the capability
to process real time transactions vs. ACH alleviating a major hurdle
Morgan Keeler wrote a 29 page report on NFC (subscription only) and like ALL payment methods (except PIN which is 3DES DUKPT "end to end" (for real) encrypted from the time the PIN is entered until it gets to the card companies for verification) fraud and security matters are being questioned.

What Morgan Keller,  Google and Apple may find interesting is that there is a company way ahead of the game when it comes to NFC security.  

NFC Data, Inc.has already been issued a patent (with several pending) on their PIN based encrypted solution to any NFC interaction. There is a tamper resistant crypto PIN Pad hardwired to the CPU. Oh, and that ACH problem whereby the money doesn't clear for a couple days?  They got that one solved to.  Sqwizz allows for "real time" transactions alleviating the insufficient funds threat.  It's new, it's cool and it's way ahead of it's time.  

Visit www.Squizz.com/sell.pdf to see the details. Questions? Sqwizz@ePINDebit.com
BARRON'S TECH TRADER DAILY 17 HOURS AGO
Excerpt: The authors offer the view that there is “substantial” potential for near-field communications (NFC) chips embedded in a phone as a mobile “digital wallet.” But the obstacle is that the status quo is likely to prevail, basically because of the risk of fraud. Merchants are likely to take awhile before they will move to NFC. Why? Because the most likely method of funding a mobile wallet, by tapping into a bank account, called “ACH,” doesn’t actually clear the funds till an overnight update happens, unlike traditional debit cards, where money is cleared right away. Which means merchants can be left hanging when there are insufficient funds. Unless the banks can underwrite/insure the funds to protect against fraud, in a cost-effective manner for merchants... FULL ARTICLE AT BARRON'S TECH TRADER DAILY
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NRF Launches "Major Campaign" to Reduce Swipe Fees by $14 Billion

May 18, 2011 12:15 PM Eastern Daylight Time 

National Retail Federation Launches Major 60-Day Advocacy Campaign to Preserve Swipe Fee Reform

--Lobbying, Grassroots, Media Blitz to Take on Banks’ Misinformation Campaign--
WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The National Retail Federation today launched a major nationwide 60-day lobbying, grassroots and media campaign aimed at ensuring that a new federal law saving retailers and their customers more than $1 billion a month by lowering “swipe” fees banks charge to process debit card transactions takes effect in late July as scheduled. A provision in last year’s Wall Street reform bill will reduce the fees by an estimated 70 percent, saving about $14 billion a year that retailers plan to pass along to their customers through discounts or other benefits, but the credit card industry is spending millions to delay the reform.
“This campaign is going to show that retailers are willing to stand up for their customers and fight to keep the big Wall Street banks from putting their hands into consumers’ wallets every time a card is swiped to pay for a purchase”
“Congress concluded last year that swipe fees have been driving up prices for consumers by far too much for far too long,” NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said. “Now that Congress has done something about these fees, retailers are standing by to pass the savings along to their customers through lower prices and higher value. Our job over the next two months is to ensure that swipe fee reform takes effect as planned, and consumers get to enjoy all the new benefits.”
NRF’s multi-pronged campaign will include:
  • An intensive grassroots campaign mobilizing retailers from across the country through NRF's members, members of its National Council of Chain Restaurants (NCCR) division, and state retail associations;
  • A June fly-in with hundreds of business owners in Washington to meet with members of Congress and urge that the reforms go through as planned;
  • An aggressive media relations campaign including media briefings and interviews with national and local news outlets, and nationwide placement of op-eds and letters to the editor;
  • A nationwide print and radio advertising campaign including inside-the-beltway print and radio ads and hundreds of thousands of dollars in radio ads in key markets nationwide; and
  • Leveraging social media and viral video to educate legislators and the public.
  • Providing a platform for merchants and consumers to get involved through a new web resource center (www.nrf.com/swipefees)Listen to the ad

    Read the script
“From job creation to strengthening our country’s GDP, the retail industry is playing a significant role in the economic recovery,” said Shay. “This campaign to preserve swipe fee reform represents a major leap forward in expanding retail’s advocacy footprint to match the industry’s broad economic footprint. With the approval of the organization’s new strategic plan, we are committing new resources to ensure that retailers will have their voice heard for every important public policy decision.”
“The banking industry has engaged in a massive multimillion-dollar campaign of misinformation and threats intended to deprive consumers of the savings they are entitled to under reform,” said NRF Senior Vice President and General Counsel Mallory Duncan. “We'll work aggressively to set the record straight and keep banks from taking this landmark reform away from the Main Street retailers who are the lifeblood of our economy.”
“This campaign is going to show that retailers are willing to stand up for their customers and fight to keep the big Wall Street banks from putting their hands into consumers’ wallets every time a card is swiped to pay for a purchase,” Duncan said. “Most consumers don’t even know these fees exist, but they are costing the average family hundreds of dollars each year and our economy billions of dollars.”
Swipe fees, officially known as interchange fees, are a charge averaging 1-2 percent for debit cards and 2-3 percent for credit cards taken by banks each time a card is used to pay for a purchase. The fees have tripled over the past decade to about $50 billion a year, and drive up prices paid by consumers by an estimated $427 for the average household. Debit cards account for about $20 billion of the total.
Congress has yet to deal with credit card swipe fees. But a provision in last year’s Wall Street reform bill will reduce debit card swipe fees by an estimated 70 percent, saving about $14 billion a year that retailers plan to pass along to their customers through discounts or other benefits. Reform is scheduled to take effect July 21, but the banking industry is pushing legislation that would delay implementation by as long as two years, and has spent tens of millions of dollars on a massive misinformation campaign.
Regulations proposed by the Federal Reserve to implement last year’s swipe fee law would lower debit card swipe fees from their current level of 1 to 2 percent of each transaction to a flat fee of no more than 12 cents per transaction for large banks that adhere to fee schedules set by the card companies. Banks that set their own rates would be free to charge any fee they believe the market would bear provide that they do so independently. Financial institutions with less than $10 billion in assets are exempt.
As the world's largest retail trade association and the voice of retail worldwide, NRF's global membership includes retailers of all sizes, formats and channels of distribution as well as chain restaurants and industry partners from the United States and more than 45 countries abroad. In the United States, NRF represents the breadth and diversity of an industry with more than 1.6 million American companies that employ nearly 25 million workers and generated 2010 sales of $2.4 trillion. www.nrf.com

Contacts

National Retail Federation
Craig Shearman, 202-783-7971
shearmanc@nrf.com
www.nrf.com/swipefees

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China Credit Card Market Outlook to 2013 Available from Research and Markets

May 18, 2011 11:25 AM Eastern Daylight Time 
After the Bejing Olympics
Celent released these Projections for '09-'11

Research and Markets: China Credit Card Market Outlook to 2013
DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "China Credit Card Market Outlook to 2013" report to their offering.  
The total number of credit cards issued in the country is expected to expand at a double-digit rate during the next few years, once the economic environment becomes more business friendly, which will further improve consumer confidence. Our report anticipates that, the Chinese credit card market will witness a CAGR of around 31% during 2011-2014 on the back of several factors, such as rapidly growing middle class population, the government support, and low penetration of credit cards.With continuous rise in young population, technological developments, and emerging trend of e-commerce, Chinese credit card market, which includes both credit cards and debit cards, has been rapidly growing for the past few years. The cards are being increasingly used in numerous shopping malls and various online portals that carry luxury or world-class brands of consumer goods. This huge demand for bank cards is providing tremendous growth opportunities for card issuers, suppliers, and manufacturers.   

Although the market mainly includes the state-owned banks, such as Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, China Construction Bank, and Bank of China, the present structure will witness the involvement of foreign banks in credit card issuance in near future. Thus, it is likely that foreign banks will play a more important role in intensifying the competition during the forecast period.
Besides, the report analyzes factors critical to the success of the Chinese credit card industry. It has also identified key players in the market and included their detail business description. Additionally, the report sheds light on the emerging industry trends, which are expected to decide the future of the Chinese credit card industry.
China Credit Card Market Outlook to 2013 provides future forecast on the industry based on the correlation of past drivers, challenges, and opportunities for expansion. In this way, the report presents a complete and coherent analysis of the Chinese credit card industry, which will prove influential for clients. Detail data and analysis helps investors, financial service providers, and banks to navigate through the latest trends in Chinese credit card market.

Key Topics Covered:

  • 1. Analyst View
  • 2. Economic Overview
  • 3. Industry Performance and Outlook to 2014
  • 4. Market Trends and Drivers
  • 5. Regulatory Framework
  • 6. Competitive Landscape
List of Figures:
Companies Mentioned:
  • Industrial and Commercial Bank of China
  • China Merchants Bank Co., Ltd
  • China Construction Bank
  • Bank of China Ltd

Contacts

Research and Markets
Laura Wood, Senior Manager,
press@researchandmarkets.com
U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907
Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716
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Mazooma Inc. Hires SVP, Bank Partner Programs

Lisa J. Brzezicki to Introduce Mazooma’s New Bank Partner Program

May 17, 2011- Mazooma Inc. is pleased to announce that Lisa J. Brzezicki has joined the company as Senior Vice President, Bank Partner Programs.

Lisa will be responsible for expanding Mazooma’s North American bank network and all Mazooma programs that support the bank segment. She will be introducing a new Bank Partner Program in 2011, while growing existing bank relationships and increasing awareness of ecommerce opportunities among the banks’ online banking customers.

Lisa brings to Mazooma 20+ years’ experience in business development, marketing and sales throughout the payments industry, both in North America and globally. She has diversified experience in the planning, development and execution of new business opportunities for MasterCard International, Citibank, American Express, and niche players Bill Me Later and Payment Processing, Inc.

Most recently, as Senior Vice President of Global Payments Products at Citibank, Lisa managed the global Debit and Prepaid product strategy, successfully working with businesses to launch new and expanded programs around the world. At Bill Me Later, she was the Sales Development & Planning Director, creating the first inside sales organization while rolling out a company-wide CRM platform and building the Partner referral program.

While Vice President, New Markets at MasterCard, she launched the US recurring payments initiative for issuers, merchants and acquirers, resulting in $29 billion in incremental card volume during her tenure.

Lisa holds an MBA from Fordham University and a Bachelor of Science degree from New York University.

About Mazooma

Mazooma is a patented payment system that combines the security of online banking with the speed of a simple checkout process. By connecting consumers directly to their online banking from the merchant’s checkout page, Mazooma enables safe, instant cash payments for online purchases.



Serving the 72.5 million American households that actively use online banking, Mazooma currently supports 75% of all consumer bank accounts in the U.S. The company was launched in 2009 and has offices in Miami, New York, Chicago, and Toronto. For more information, visit www.mazooma.com.
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Payment Alliance International Receives 2011 ISO of the Year Award

May 18, 2011 10:11 AM Eastern Daylight Time 
Honored by the Electronic Transactions Association
ETA 2011 Annual Meeting & Expo
LOUISVILLE, Ky.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Payment Alliance International (PAI) is pleased to announce that it has been selected as the “2011 ISO of the Year” by the Electronic Transactions Association (ETA). The prestigious award, announced last week in San Diego, Calif., at the ETA’s Annual Meeting and Expo, annually recognizes a member company whose actions move the payments industry forward, while exhibiting high ethical standards and successfully addressing industry challenges with demonstrated business results.
“I’ve had the pleasure of working on several industry committees with dedicated PAI employees, and their efforts positively impact our industry.”
Founded in 2005, PAI has experienced explosive growth through innovative products and superior service. Today, the company has more than 80,000 customers and is the largest ATM deployer in North America, with more than 50,000 locations in the PAI Alliance Network. Uniquely positioned in the payments marketplace, PAI offers payment solutions to financial institutions, market distributors and retailers that encompass credit and debit processing, check services, cash management solutions, and ATM management.
“PAI has enjoyed tremendous growth and success in just a short time,” says Carla Balakgie, chief executive officer for the ETA. “Their strong customer focus and commitment to service excellence represent the true spirit and purpose of the ISO of the Year recognition.” Balakgie adds, “I’ve had the pleasure of working on several industry committees with dedicated PAI employees, and their efforts positively impact our industry.”
“It is a tremendous honor to receive the ETA’s ISO of the Year Award,” states John J. Leehy III, president and chief executive officer of PAI. “We are fortunate to have an outstanding team of professionals, each committed to finding new and innovative ways to make good things happen for the customers we serve.” Leehy adds, “We appreciate being recognized by the ETA for our business success and look forward to continuing to work with the Association for the betterment of the payments industry.”
About Payment Alliance International (PAI)
Payment Alliance International is a leading provider of payment processing solutions for businesses nationwide. We offer credit card, check processing, ATM network management, and business information services, all designed to maximize customer success and make business easy. Payment Alliance International is based in Louisville, Ky., with offices in West Palm Beach, Fla., Jackson, Miss. and Billings, Mont. For more information, please visit www.GoPAI.com.
About the Electronic Transactions Association (ETA)
The ETA is an international trade association representing companies who offer electronic transaction processing products and services. The purpose of ETA is to influence, monitor and help shape the merchant acquiring industry by providing leadership through education, advocacy and the exchange of information. ETA’s membership spans the breadth of the payments industry, from financial institutions to transaction processors to independent sales organizations (ISOs) to equipment suppliers. More than 500 companies worldwide are members of ETA. Additional information can be found at www.electran.org.
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Heartland Payment CEO to Host NRA Show on Swipe Fees and PCI

May 18, 2011 08:05 AM Eastern Daylight Time 

Heartland Payment Systems’ Chairman and CEO Bob Carr to Host Industry Panel at NRA Show to Educate Restaurateurs about “Swipe” Fee Legislation and Data Security

May 22 Educational Session to Help Operators Realize Cost Savings and Protect Against Data Breaches
NRA Hotel-Motel Show
PRINCETON, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Bob Carr, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer at Heartland Payment Systems (NYSE: HPY) — one of the nation’s largest payments processors and the exclusive endorsed provider of payment solutions for the National Restaurant Association and 44 state restaurant associations — will host an educational session at the upcoming NRA Hotel-Motel Show (May 21 – 24) in Chicago, IL to help restaurant operators understand two of the most pressing issues facing restaurateurs today: interchange reform and payment card data security.
“Essential Elements of PCI Compliance and Data Security”
“The proposed regulations under the Durbin provisions of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform Act of 2010, which, if enacted, will lower debit card interchange or ‘swipe’ fees, will be a boon to restaurateurs provided they know how to ensure they receive the maximum cost savings,” said Carr. “There are billions of dollars at stake. Heartland’s average restaurant customer will save $1,992 per year, but not all providers will pass along the savings. One processor is telling Wall Street analysts it will keep more than $300 million of the Durbin savings. By arming themselves with information about the legislation, operators can make sure they get 100 percent of the savings rightfully due to them.”
“Also critically important for restaurateurs is the issue of Payment Card Industry (PCI) compliance and data security. The restaurant and hospitality industry has a bull’s eye on its back. It’s the largest target for cybercriminals, accounting for 40 percent of all data breaches in 2010, but restaurants of all sizes — including small and mid-sized operations that are typically seen as easy, low-risk targets — can help remove themselves from the hackers’ crosshairs by complying with PCI guidelines and implementing strong security measures. There’s a lot of noise about this in the industry but we will drill down to the essential details every restaurateur must know,” added Carr.
Carr will be joined by a panel of industry leaders, including Joe Finizio, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Retail Solutions Providers Association (RSPA); Gray Taylor, Payments Consultant to the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS); George Peabody, Director, Emerging Technologies Advisory Service at Mercator Advisory Group; and John Marshall, Owner of Main Street Companies in Princeton, NJ, as they share their expert insights on these issues.
This two-part session will be held on Sunday, May 22 in the Technology Pavilion at McCormick Place. Part I, entitled “How Much Your Payment Processing Costs Should Be Going Down on July 21,” will take place from 2-3 PM CT; Part II, entitled “Essential Elements of PCI Compliance and Data Security,” will take place from 3-4 PM CT.
Heartland processing experts will also be available to discuss these and other restaurant management issues at Booth 7413. For more information, visitHeartlandPaymentSystems.com/NRAShow2011.
For more information about the NRA Show, visit Show.Restaurant.org.
About Heartland Payment Systems
Heartland Payment Systems, Inc. (NYSE: HPY), the fifth largest payments processor in the United States, delivers credit/debit/prepaid card processing, gift marketing and loyalty programs, payroll,check management and related business solutions to more than 250,000 business locations nationwide. A FORTUNE 1000 company, Heartland is the founding supporter of The Merchant Bill of Rights, a public advocacy initiative that educates merchants about fair credit and debit card processing practices. The company is also a leader in the development of end-to-end encryption technology designed to protect cardholder data, rendering it useless to cybercriminals. For more information, please visit HeartlandPaymentSystems.com, MerchantBillOfRights.org,CostOfABurger.com and E3secure.com.

Contacts

Vault Communications
Leanne Scott Brown, 610-455-2742
LBrown@VaultCommunications.com
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VeriFone Enables Turkey’s First Pay-at-Pump Systems

May 18, 2011 10:02 AM Eastern Daylight Time 
Petline Petroleum Fuel Dispensers Implementation Demonstrates Growing European Penetration for VeriFone Petrol Payment Solutions
SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--VeriFone Systems, Inc. (NYSE: PAY), today announced a contract to supply the first unattended pay-at-the-pump and digital media solution in Turkey. Petline Petroleum, Inc., a leading petroleum distributor, will begin implementing VeriFone’s MX760 unattended payment solution at its SELFSTOP self-service dispensers beginning in May.
http://www.verifone.com
“Petline’s decision to deploy automated payment systems at self-service fuel dispensers represents VeriFone’s continued efforts to bring new card payment capabilities to unexploited market segments”
Turkey is one of Europe’s leading credit card markets, but until now consumers have not been able to utilize pay-at-the-pump technologies. VeriFone is first to deliver automated payment solutions for Turkey’s retail petroleum market, which has an estimated 75,000 fuel dispensers. Petline can utilize the payment system screens to display commercials and promotional videos as customers are fueling their vehicles.
“As the global leader in payment solutions and specifically in secure petroleum payment systems, VeriFone was a natural choice to provide the payment component for our self-service project,” said Petline General Manager Adnan Ünal.
“Petline’s decision to deploy automated payment systems at self-service fuel dispensers represents VeriFone’s continued efforts to bring new card payment capabilities to unexploited market segments,” said Soner Çaşur, VeriFone vice president and general manager, South East Europe.
VeriFone delivers a variety of payment solutions designed to meet the needs of petroleum retailers worldwide and make it easy for marketers to accept credit, debit, check, EBT and smart card payments. The VeriFone MX760 is designed for both outdoor and indoor unattended environments like petro, ticketing, kiosks, QSRs and ATMs. The system operates in demanding outdoor environments with a rugged PIN pad that is PCI and EMV Level 1 and Level 2 approved and uses a manual-insert card reader with no motors or drive belts to wear out or fail.
About Petline Petroleum (www.petline.com.tr)
Petline Petroleum is a fuel oil distribution company with 100% Turkish capital and was founded in 1994 at Istanbul by the Armağan and Camadan families. Petline has 230 dealers in Turkey, including the Aegean, Marmara and Central Anatolia regions. Petline is determined to continue its fast development and operating under the ethical values established at its founding. Petline will continue its innovative approaches with SELFSTOP, HWC applications and other innovations and will also continue to contribute in the sector and the economic growth of the country.
About VeriFone Systems, Inc. (www.verifone.com)
VeriFone Systems, Inc. (“VeriFone”) (NYSE: PAY) is the global leader in secure electronic payment solutions. VeriFone provides expertise, solutions and services that add value to the point of sale with merchant-operated, consumer-facing and self-service payment systems for the financial, retail, hospitality, petroleum, government and healthcare vertical markets. VeriFone solutions are designed to meet the needs of merchants, processors and acquirers in developed and emerging economies worldwide.

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NFC Mobile Weekly News



NFC news in brief • 17 May 2011

By Christopher Brown | May 17th, 2011
News in brief from the NFC world and beyond: US files lawsuit against Verifone/Hypercom deal • iPhone 5 unlikely to support NFC payments, says analyst • 'Paper' phone unveiled • Vivotech adds NFC to mag stripe terminals • Hashable adds NFC to contacts app • Sequent raises funds • Connecthings invests in Lifera • and more...
US files lawsuit against Verifone/Hypercom deal: The US Department of Justice has filed a civil antitrust lawsuit to block VeriFonefrom buying Hypercom, saying the proposed deal would hurt competition in the market for point-of-sale terminals in the US. As part of the deal Verifone had agreed an immediate sale of Hypercom's US business to French terminal maker Ingenico, but the DoJ says the move does not adequately resolve their competitive concerns. Meanwhile, Vivotechhas renewed its approach to Verifone to buy Hypercom's US business, with Vivotech CEO Michael Mullagh saying he hoped the firm's offer would provide a path to resolve Justice Department concerns.
iPhone 5 unlikely to support NFC payments, says analyst: Bernstein Research analyst Toni Sacconaghi has said he believes Apple will forgo supporting NFC on its iOS devices until consumer adoption is certain and it has reached a critical mass with merchants. "We do not expect the iPhone 5 to feature an NFC-based payments solution, and instead expect Apple will evaluate and come to market with partners or a complete solution later, perhaps when NFC infrastructure is more established," he said.
Paper phone
PAPER PHONE: Researchers in Canada have shown off a flexible mobile phone
'Paper' phone unveiled:Researchers in Canada have shown off a prototype "paper phone". The team from Queen's University Human Media Lab have produced a paper-thin computer, which users will bend and flex to input commands. The device uses a technology described as “a flexible version of e-ink", the low-power digital ink screen found in e-readers such as the Kindle.
Oberthur looking to sell 60% of its smartcard business? French smartcard and security technologies group Oberthur Technologies is looking to sell a 60% share of its smartcard business, valued at €1bn, according to anonymous sources speaking to Les Echos. Oberthur will contact potential investors next week, with a first round expected in the first half of June. If the sale goes ahead, the company will hold a minority stake but its partner will be a financial rather than an industrial one, so it will retain a high level of operational control. Oberthur would not comment on the story.
Vivotech adds NFC to mag stripe terminals: NFC specialist Vivotechhas introduced an add-on device that lets merchants equipped with magnetic stripe card point-of-sale terminals begin accepting payments via contactless cards, contactless stickers attached to existing phones or NFC-enabled mobile phones. The Vivopay 4800 can also be used to deliver real-time in-store personal marketing offers, merchandising campaigns and loyalty programs.
Sequent raises funds: US-based NFC specialist Sequent Software has closed a series A financing round led by Opus Capital and SK Telecom Ventures. "We are the only company whose sole focus is being a neutral, pervasive administrator of individuals' personal identification and credentials between the payments world, retailers, smartphone providers and mobile network operators," says Sequent CEO Drew Weinstein.
Hashable adds NFC to contacts app: Android contacts app developer Hashable has added NFC support to allow users to swap contact info and check into the same activity with someone. "If you meet someone else with an NFC-powered phone, you can just hold the phones next to each other and contact info will be exchanged via the app," Techcrunch reports. "If the other person is a new contact, Hashable will add that person as one. If it is an existing contact, it will trigger the check-in feature, which on Hashable allows you to check into people instead of to places. It's a way of noting that you are doing an activity with someone to remember later or broadcast it out to your network."
Levi's tests AmEx coupons: American Express and LevelUp, developed by Google-backed start-up Scvngr, are running a multi-city couponless loyalty pilot with Levi's. The new service uses American Express' Smart Offer APIs to let cardholders earn and redeem LevelUp deals when they use their AmEx card to pay. "After purchasing an initial offer, consumers unlock progressive deal levels that get better each time, creating incentive to return to the business and loyalty to the merchant along the way," the companies explain. "When a cardmember uses his or her enrolled card at a merchant, the LevelUp savings will be automatically delivered via a statement credit to the card account."
New members appointed to EMVCo advisory board: EMVCo has announced the expansion of its board of advisors. Ingenico, Inside Secure, the Smart Payment Association and Walmart join spaces reserved for elected EMVCo technical associates and will serve a one-year term.
Identive Group buys e-security firm idOnDemand: Smart identification provider idOnDemand has been bought by Identive Group. Ayman S Ashour, chairman and chief executive officer of Identive, said idOnDemand enhanced his firm's ability to provide electronic security credentials, while strengthening its position in the NFC market.
PayPal buys mobile payment developer: PayPal has bought Fig Card, as it further develops its move into what it describes as the "new retail landscape". Fig Card has developed a USB device that plugs into POS terminals — all the consumer needs is the Fig app on his or her smartphone to make payments. PayPal has not said how the partnership will work, but Max Metral and Hasty Granbery from Fig Card will join the online payments giant.
OSPT appoints Laurent Cremer to push Cipurse: The Open Standard for Public Transport (OSPT) Alliance has announced the appointment of Laurent Cremer as the organisation's first executive director. Cremer joins from his role as international business developer at Arkadin and will lead OSPT's push to establish Cipurse as the primary e-ticketing system for transport operators.
Asia Pacific becomes largest smartphone market: The Asia Pacific region has become the world's largest smartphone market, with year-on-year growth of 98% to 37.3 million units, putting it ahead of Europe, the Middle East and Africa for the first time since 2007, according to research from analysts Canalys. Mainland China, South Korea and India delivered strong volumes and registered triple-digit growth. Android led the global smartphone market for the second quarter running, increasing its share to 35%.
Connecthings invests in Lifera: NFC marketing services provider Connecthings has bought shares in Silicon Valley-based Lifera. Laetitia Gazel Anthoine, CEO of Connecthings, will join the Lifera board. The companies aim to roll out an NFC trial in California this summer involving retail, hospitality and entertainment.
Solacia certified NFC USIM: Solacia, a Korean mobile embedded software developer, has achieved Common Criteria certification for its NFC-enabled universal subscriber identity module (USIM), according to Etnews.co.kr.
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