Global Payments has announced the introduction of a what it is calling a "next generation payment processing platform, Global Transport," saying it "was designed with a uniform application programming interface supported by multiple communications options to simplify and speed integration to the merchant’s payment acceptance environment for debit, credit, and EBT transaction processing."

ViVOtech has announced that its "ViVOnfc infrastructure software for Near Field Communication (NFC) mobile phone payments is being used by the Commonwealth Bank of Australia in its first NFC mobile phone payment launch in conjunction with MasterCard at the MasterCard Masters Golf Tournament."

The January/February 2008 issue of BAI's Banking Strategies magazine is available. The cover story in this issue, "Predictive Analytics: from CRM to EDM", is an interview with Fair Isaac's CEO Mark Greene. Other articles in this issue include "Framing Payments Strategy Around the Checking Account", "Five Payments Myths Debunked", and "Balancing Electronic Efficiencies and Paper-Processing Costs".

MasterCard Worldwide has announced that "Microsoft Corp. and Monster, the global online careers and recruitment resource, are the latest additions to a growing list of merchants now offering small business customers automatic savings as part of the MasterCard Easy Savings program."

Barron's takes a look at the person-to-person lending market including Prosper.com, Circle Lending, and Lending Club.

We have received news of the following recent management changes:

• Mark Goldin has been named Chief Operations and Technology Officer at Green Dot Corporation. Goldin joined Green Dot's IT Division in 2005 from Thomson Elite where he was Chief Technology Officer for 13 years.
  
• Lisa Stanton has been named Chief Executive Officer of Monitise Americas, LLC. Prior to joining Monitise Americas, Stanton spent 16 years with Citizens Financial Group (the U.S. Division of RBS), most recently leading the payments and ATM businesses.

• Paychex Introduces FSA Debit Card
• New Credit Cards from TD Banknorth Reward Financial Responsibility With Lower Interest Rates
• INSIDE Contactless Closes Its Round C of Financing with Strategic Investment from Motorola Ventures and HID Global
• Aite Group: Canadian Cash Management: A Survey of the Country's Largest Banks
• Mobile Payment Forum (MPF) Promotes Mobile Consumer Awareness at 2008 International CES
• AccuPOS Retail Point of Sale Earns Gold Developer Status with Intuit Developer Network