European travel expert Rick Steves writes for ABC News about his irritation with the card fees being imposed by many credit card issuers when their cards are used overseas - and includes some suggestions for international travelers to either avoid or reduce those fees. His bottom line: "Pay for as much as possible with cash, using a bank that charges low rates for international ATM transactions."

Marcus Kabel reports for AP that Wal-Mart can terminate some of the leases it has in place for banks operating branches in its stores more easily than originally indicated in some recent comments by the retailer at hearings held by the FDIC in considering Wal-Mart's application for a special purpose banking license.

Zhang Fengming reports for Shanghai Daily that Chinese banks will begin charging bankcard holders for making inquiries about their accounts at ATM's owned by rival banks starting on June 1. No surprise, consumers are annoyed by the news.

Market Platform Dynamics shares former Visa executive Win Derman's "A Baker’s Dozen Questions for Emerging Payment Technologies" from his closing keynote speech at the "CardTech/SecurTech Emerging Payment Technologies: Challengers, Contenders" workshop held recently. In his paper, Win lists 13 questions that he always asks about any new payments technology.

Simon Lelieveldt emails the following from the Netherlands:

"Beginning in December 2003, the Dutch banks offer a so-called Interbank Switch Support Service ("Overstapservice"). The service aims to facilitate account holders who want to move their payments relationship from one bank to another, thus increasing customer mobility and lowering switching costs for current accounts. The switch support servcie has now been operational for more than two years: this brief background paper (PDF) describes the functionality and experiences."

Visa Asia Pacific has announced that the EMV chip card migration continues with more than 43 million Visa EMV-compliant chip cards issued in the region as at the end of 2005 and the number of EMV chip terminals in the region rising to more than one million.

Digital Transactions reports on their interview with NACHA chairman and Wells Fargo EVP Steve Ellis including his views that he expects NACHA to revisit the "network return entry fee" proposal that would compensate have originating banks compensating receiving banks for certain returned ACH items and his expectations about NACHA's new "credit push" Internet payment application.

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• First Data Implements Fair Isaac Decision Management Technology
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• Debt Buyers Bought an Estimated $3 Billion in Bankruptcy Receivables in 2005, Given the Steady Cash Flows Afforded By Bankruptcy Paper and Revisions to the U.S. Bankruptcy Laws
• BB&T Now Using SVPCO Image Payments Network
• Digital Insight and Service Credit Union Renew and Expand Internet Banking Relationship Through 2011
• Borders, Chase Introduce Borders 3-2-1 Visa Card; Offer Triple Points for Purchases at Borders, Waldenbooks Stores
• North Shore Bank Selects STAR(R) Network as a Primary ATM/Debit Network; Agreement Extends STAR Network Access and ATM Driving in Eastern Wisconsin
• ICBA 2006 Community Bank Payments Survey (PDF)
• Fraudsters given new opportunities through Chip and Pin
• Sky's the limit for mobile data sales in India
• South Africa: Mastercard, Standard Test New Smart Payment System
• Australia: Analyst warns on low-rate credit cards
• Australia: Credit card ID procedures 'outdated'
• Veyu International Signs Agreement With Chinacomm for payment system
• Analysis: E-tailer credit card cover-up - California dreamin'?
• New payment system may take over cash based transaction in Nigeria
• Gemplus Launches Identity Management Solution Compliant with FIPS 201 Standard