Dawn Wotapka reports on Speedpass.

Although radio-frequency identification, or RFID, systems are attractive to retailers looking for ways to track merchandise, provide a quicker transaction and offer new payment methods, they appear to be fizzling with consumers, at least locally. For two years, ExxonMobil's Speedpass, the nation's largest system, and other RFID programs have been available in the Triangle. Analysts say many consumers are unwilling to dangle something else with their keys and uninterested in adopting yet another way to pay -- especially one that doesn't feel secure. At the gas station, it's almost as fast and easy to swipe a credit card at the pump. Plus, not many consumers are even aware that the program exists.

Libby Copeland writes about gift cards.

There's another way of looking at gift cards, though, and that's from the receiver's end: You get what you want. This can't be underestimated. Receiving a gift card can be a delightful relief. It does away with awkward, dishonest thank-yous (Just what I wanted! Tie-dye!), with wonderings (Is this what he thinks of me? Tie-dye?), with yet more picture frames and, God forbid, Christmas pins. The gift card confers freedom from others' assumptions and from their half-hearted, eleventh-hour, anything'll-do mall frenzies.

Banks in India are reportedly considering building their own national debit/ATM network to reduce the fees they pay to Visa and MasterCard.

Essentially this would mean replicating Master Card‚s Maestro and Visa Electron networks in the country by a third-party. The objective is to save on the transaction fee that is paid to these international credit card agencies and remitted outside the country.

Consumers across Canada witnessed a major crash on the electronic funds highway during the shopping rush hour on Thursday. All point-of-sale or debit terminals and automated teller machines in Canada owned by Scotiabank were out of service during the busiest time of year for merchants as people tried to finish their Christmas shopping. Debit cards from Scotiabank weren't working either.

An interesting article about Fiserv's just closed acquisition of EDS' Consumer Network Services (ATM) business.

The company already provided electronic back-shop and data management support for 13,000 financial institutions and related clients in 60 countries. Prior to the purchase, Fiserv technology drove 5,000 ATMs. With EDS, Fiserv picked up service obligations for another 13,170 machines. Add to that Fiserv's existing point-of-sale and Internet transaction capabilities, and officials expect the company to process some 4 billion transactions annually through 18,170 ATMs and its other technology channels. "That puts us knocking on eFunds' door," said Fiserv spokesman Chuck Doherty. Based in Scottsdale, Ariz., eFunds is the country's second-largest ATM service provider, driving 21,000 machines. The largest service provider, Concord EFS Inc., Memphis, provides service to 56,000 ATMs.