Barclaycard has announced that it plans to introduce a retailer rewards scheme in partnership with Welcome Real-time "that will enable Barclaycard customers to benefit from a retailer rewards scheme that is expected to encompass retailers ranging from sole traders to major high street names." READ MORE

Global Payments has announced that it has acquired the remaining 49% interest in its merchant services joint venture in the United Kingdom from HSBC Bank plc ("HSBC"). "In June 2008, Global Payments and HSBC formed a joint venture, HSBC Merchant Services, to provide payment processing services to merchants in the United Kingdom and Internet merchants globally. Under the terms of today's agreement, Global Payments will pay HSBC a total of USD$307.7 million in cash to acquire the remaining 49% ownership interest in this joint venture. In addition, HSBC will extend the current ten-year exclusive marketing alliance agreement whereby the bank provides merchant referrals and bank sponsorship to Global Payments to June 2019." READ MORE

In an article titled "Ex-CEO of First Data Corp., makes a power play in Denver" in the Denver Post, Aldo Svaldi writes about Charlie Fote, ex-CEO of First Data Corp., and his plans to launch a new holding company later this year that Fote says "will look like Western Union and First Data put together."

In a story titled "Danal eyes Global Market" in the Korea Herald, Danal Co., a leading provider of mobile payment services in Korea, says it will "launch BilltoMobile in the United States in about three months, enabling Americans to charge online purchases to their mobile phone bills."

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