Today In Payments: Google Pay Exec Plans April Exit; Visa To Raise Interchange Fees In UK

In today’s top news, Google Pay’s Caesar Sengupta plans to step down in April, and Visa will raise its interchange fees on transactions between the EU and U.K. this fall. Plus, the a new FBI report details the shift in cybercrime over the pandemic.

Google Pay Exec Caesar Sengupta Plans April Exit

Google payments executive Caesar Sengupta is stepping down from the tech giant after 15 years to pursue new interests. His next steps are undecided. Sengupta was a key player in getting Google Pay — with 150 million users in 30 countries — to take hold in India.

Visa To Raise Interchange On EU-UK Cross-Border Transactions

Visa is preparing to increase the interchange fees it charges on behalf of banks for transactions between the United Kingdom and European Union countries, as well as the fees for payments made with British credit cards within the U.K. The fee hike will begin in October.

New FBI Report Details Shifts In Cybercrime

The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center released its 2020 Internet Crime Report, which detailed ways in which the pandemic changed online fraud. PYMNTS drew out five key takeaways that show the shifting landscape of cybercrime.

Volkswagen Explores Customer Interest In Subscription Model

Volkswagen wants to gauge customer interest in pay-per-mile billing and on-demand charges for optional car functions through a pilot subscription service that the company plans to unveil this year.

What Consumers Say About The Reopening Of The Physical World – And What It Means For Business

Over the last year, PYMNTS research has consistently found that the consumer’s instincts for when things in the physical world will truly return to normal are generally more pessimistic than most pundits, governments and the hopeful speculation of the business community. And, Karen Webster says, at least so far, generally more realistic. Here’s what nearly 22,000 U.S consumers now say about the reopening of the physical world – and what she says it means for every business with a foot in it.

Digital Features Drive Global SMBs’ Digital Shift

Small merchants can compete with larger chains by giving consumers digital features that can enhance the in-store experience. In the Global Digital Shopping Index: SMB Edition, PYMNTS surveys more than 8,000 consumers and 2,000 merchants across Australia, Brazil, the United Kingdom and the United States to examine consumers’ shifting digital habits and how SMBs are responding.

BIS Says CBDCs Can Improve X-Border Payments 

Depending on where you look, central bank digital currencies are right on the horizon, are being launched, or are going to take a while as various central banks mull how to develop and deploy digital fiat.  The Bank of International Settlements has weighed in on how CBDCs might improve cross-border transactions.

 

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