Top 11 Stories from 2011

11. ROAM Data CEO Responds to VeriFone’s Open Letter about Square
VeriFone’s letter about the security risks of Square’s non-encrypted card reader has sparked a lot of debate about card skimming in the mobile age. Regardless of how the topic was presented, ROAM Data CEO Will Graylin in April wrote that believes the problem is very real and should be properly understood and addressed by industry regulators before it grows exponentially along with the exploding mobile commerce market.

10. Chip and PIN is Broken According to New Research
Money moves and transactions travel but lack of security can stall spending. Italian researcher Andrea Barasani, has been focusing on card skimming and PIN harvesting in an EMV world. Andrea in April spoke with PYMNTS.com about the vulnerabilities of EMV and his ideas for a stronger security standard for the payments sector.

9. Top TSYS Execs Discuss Motivation for First National Merchant Solutions Acquisition
In this exclusive NEXTcast interview, industry expert David S. Evans in January talked to (Troy Woods, President and COO of TSYS), Diana Mehochko (President, TSYS Merchant Solutions) and Mark Pyke (President, TSYS Acquiring) about what this acquisition means for the TSYS’ future and what value TSYS Merchant Solutions will provide for participants.

8. Analysis: BoA, Chase and Wells Fargo Launch P2P Joint Venture
Despite the challenges faced by past payments consortia (think Spectrum, Pariter and ISIS), many continue to believe that partnership and “co-opetition” are the best methods in order to compete in emerging payments markets. In May, another formidable group – Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase and Wells Fargo – announced the launch of the joint venture clearXchange, which will enable their customers to move money using a mobile phone number or e-mail address. 

7. Will Zong Make eBay the Future of Retail Commerce?
eBay’s announcement yesterday of its acquisition of Zong is just another interesting example of this e-commerce giant’s grand ambition to change the face of retail as merchants and consumers know it and experience it today. Karen Webster in July took us through eBay’s list of recent acquisitions and major moves that may help them achieve their goal. The retail commerce race is on, who will win?

6. Exclusive Interview: Fed’s Predictions for the Future of U.S. Mobile Payments 
Widespread mobile payments adoption for many in the industry is the desired destination, but clear directions on how to get there remain as confounding as driving through New York City during rush hour. In April, PYMNTS.com spoke with Marianne Crowe and Richard Oliver of the Federal Reserve, who recently surveyed a group of major industry leaders on the mobile payments ignition issue.

5. Handicapping PayPal in its Mobile Race with Google and Others
By now, we’re sure most know the basics of what PayPal and Google are doing. In September, MPD CEO Karen Webster was focused on the bigger question of how the transition to mobile payments in the US will be won and who is best positioned to pull it off. Part 1 in this series focuses on the strength of PayPal’s case as far as consumer and merchant appeal, technology and other determining factors.

4. MasterCard Reveals Staggering Statistics on Growth of Prepaid
Research from 2010 indicates that prepaid segment could reach $163 billion by 2017, according to MasterCard’s Group Head of Prepaid Product Management Neil Dugan. He explored the winning distribution models in prepaid marketplace and discussed MasterCard’s plans for increasing its participation in the sector in this exclusive NEXTcast interview from March.

3. The Fed’s Final Debit Rules: Did Anyone Win?
Whew, at least it’s over! On June 29, the Federal Reserve announced the final rules for regulating the debit card industry. There’s going to be a lot of discussion about who “won” the battle over debit swipe fee reform. Yet Market Platform Dynamics founder David S. Evans believes the answer is no one! He explained in this exclusive analysis for PYMNTS.com.

2. Will Apple Get Us to Wave At the Point of Sale?
By now it is safe to assume we have all heard the news that Apple will enable their iPhones and iPads with NFC functionality or that ISIS is planning to change the mobile payments world as we know it or that analysts are saying there is proof that mobile payments powered by NFC will take off this year. Well, every coin has two sides and Karen Webster shared her thoughts in January on why NFC will not be the flame to ignite the explosive growth of mobile payments.

1. EXCLUSIVE: Google’s Payments VP Shares New Insights about Digital Wallet Strategy
Google Wallet has thrown down the mobile payments gauntlet. Its open payments strategy, top-tier merchants and powerful ad/offers platform provides a compelling business case for consumers and merchants. It has also, at least for now, hitched its wagon to NFC. In early November, MPD CEO Karen Webster spoke with Osama Bedier, Google’s VP of Payments, about how Google Wallet plans to dominate mPayments.