In its latest analysis of the Near Field Communication market titled "Near Field Communications (NFC): Leveraging Contactless for Mobile Payments, Content and Access", ABI Research forecasts that by 2012, some 292 million handsets – just over 20 percent of the global mobile handset market – will ship with built in NFC capabilities. ABI says that "2007 will be critical for NFC technology as key standards and operator trials complete the foundations for the first real deployments." Last September, ABI - in a reduced forecast made at that time - forecast that by 2011 some 450 million NFC-equipped handsets would be shipped that year representing about 30% of the total shipments that year.

Javelin Strategy & Research has published a new report on data breaches - examining consumer attitudes and the TJX security issue. The study concludes that "77% of consumers intend to stop shopping at merchants that suffer from data breaches. Retailers and merchants are viewed by 63% of consumers as the least secure when protecting consumer’s data, compared with processors (16%), card networks like Visa or MasterCard (5%) and issuers (5%). When little is known about a data breach, half of all consumers automatically consider the merchants where they shop to be at fault. However, 85% will reward merchants who are perceived as security leaders with increased purchases."

Mercator Advisory Group has published a new report titled "Smart Cards and Healthcare: An Opportunity For Payments".

MasterCard Worldwide has announced MasterCard Unique Experiences, a new program designed to offer a unique set of benefits to its U.S. World MasterCard and World Elite MasterCard cardholders. "The program, which is exclusive to World and World Elite MasterCard cardholders in the U.S., provides access to fine dining, plush spas, high-end shopping, live performing arts events, golfing, and other unique experiences. MasterCard is committed to developing innovative products and programs that appeal to the affluent segment, and empower them to live life to the fullest."