While there is a lot of day-to-day excitement in the news about mobile phones replacing wallets, Glenbrook's Scott Loftesness has his doubts. Over on PaymentsViews, our sister site, he shares his reasoning in a post entitled "A Bubble in Mobile Payments?".

Headline News is compiled by Glenbrook Partners:

• PAY ON AG and allpago Join Forces in Latin America
• CardNET Brings VeriFone’s VeriShield Total Protect to Dominican Republic
• eBillme Partners with TheFind to Bring More Online Savings to Cash Spenders
• IPP of America Announces New Acquisition, Name Change, and Launch of PayXchange Retail Brand
• New Mercator Report on Indian Payments Market

• ABC News: PayPal to Restrict Payments to India Merchants
• NPR: In Haiti, Cell Phones Serve As Debit Cards
• ProgrammableWeb: Facebook Credits Comes Out of Beta, Unveils a Very Real API for Somewhat Less Real Money
• Portals and Rails: Payments Spotlight podcast: The evolving threat of corporate account takeovers as seen through a bank's lens
• Reuters: The Bancorp to be new issuing bank for NetSpend

A “Mobile POS Survey,” commissioned by Honeywell and conducted by Harris Interactive online in December 2010, indicates that consumer acceptance and use of mobile technologies in retail is a rising trend.

Based on the survey, a majority of adults (72%) have been offered the opportunity to check out using mobile POS. Of the 13% of early adopters that have actually checked out using a mobile POS solution, half agree that using mobile POS saves time and 43% say that paperless receipts sent via email are a good idea. Additionally, the survey found that nearly one in five adults (17%) uses credit cards for in-store purchases and would be interested in trying mobile POS.

BilltoMobile and BOKU plan to integrate BilltoMobile's payment gateway and BOKU's mobile payments platform. The goal is to offer direct mobile billing with Verizon (via BilltoMobile) to BOKU customers. Jim Greenwell, BilltoMobile CEO and Mark Britto, BOKU CEO, issued a joint statement:

“BilltoMobile and BOKU’s cooperative agreement is a landmark in US mobile payments cooperation. The real winners today are the many wireless subscribers who are excited about access to convenient, secure online mobile payments and the merchants who provide these consumers with a wide array of digital goods, content and services.”

Headline News is compiled by Glenbrook Partners:

• Banca Intesa Sanpaolo to Offer Western Union Money Transfer in Italy
• txtNation adds support for Mobile Payments in the Nordics
• CreditCall Introduces Contactless Kernel to Its EMV Product Range Supporting NFC and Wave and Pay
• New Mercator Report on US Mobile P2P Payment Market: Gee Whiz or Gee Why?

• DNA India: Ensuring Security of Payment Systems a Big Challenge
• Forbes: Unhappy With Slow Growth Of Android App Purchases, Google Talks 2011 Roadmap
• Wall Street Journal: House Panel Sets Hearing on Debit Card Fees
• NFCNews: Orange, Barclaycard to Launch Contactless Mobile Payment this Summer

Glenbrook has two webinars coming up - one for industry newcomers ("Cards Essentials") and one for veterans ("Beyond PCI").

Payments Essentials Webinars – Tuesdays from 10:30AM -11:30AM PST, $149

February 1, 2011: Cards Essentials with Carol Coye Benson (Basics Level)

February 8, 2011: Beyond PCI with Bryan Derman and Carol Coye Benson (Insight Level)

Payments Boot Camps – Two day “deep dive” into the industry, $1995

February 16-17, 2011: Santa Clara, CA. - with Scott Loftesness and Carol Coye Benson

April 13-14, 2011: New York City - with Bryan Derman and Carol Coye Benson

eWise has announced it plans to launch eWise payo, the "first and only bank inclusive Online Banking ePayments (OBeP) solution" in the UK.

eWise payo enables the consumer to initiate secure and private payments for goods and services or bills online, without having to provide personal financial information to any third parties(1). To use eWise payo, customers are directed straight to their bank's website where they will log in using their existing account credentials. Once in their online banking application, consumers select from any account with available funds and confirm the payment. eWise technology enables the secure payment, leveraging the UK's Faster Payments network, thereby generating a near immediate payment for the merchant.

PayGo Electric has announced that its account management and prepaid payment capabilities with be embedded in SmartSynch's SmartMetering Solution.

PayGo's unique (patent pending) technology embeds logic in either the communications modules or the meters, which alerts both the customer and the utility company of the need to add credit to a customer's account to enable continued electric service. The system includes a nationwide payment processing platform which enables utilities to use existing, as well as new payment methods for their customers.

Adknowledge has announced a new Android toolkit for developers that combines direct payment methods, advertising offers, application installs and customer service all within a single SDK. The company claims that providing monetization solutions on mobile devices is a natural extension of its long-tail advertising business.

Western Union and InComm have announced that they have entered into an agreement to offer Western Union General Purpose Reloadable prepaid cards (GPR) through InComm retail locations.

InComm partners with more than 150,000 retail locations. Through its relationship with InComm, Western Union will now offer the MoneyWise Prepaid card to consumers through grocery and convenience stores, pharmacies, and mass merchandiser locations.

PhoneFactor has announced support for phone-based multi-factor authentication using ISO 8583, the standard protocol that card issuers use to process credit and debit card transactions. By supporting the widely used ISO standard, PhoneFactor claims it can "authenticate card transactions in any channel, including point-of-sale, ATM, and online transactions, through a single technology implementation."

In related news, ValidSoft in the Netherlands announced the commercial availability of its four-factor authentication solution.

Headline News is compiled by Glenbrook Partners:

• Visa Sells Minority Stake in Brazilian Prepaid Issuer CBSS
• Zuora's January '11 Release Delivers New Subscription Pricing Power and Reduces Credit Card Fraud
• New Mercator Report on the Evolution of Payment System Risk Management
• Cynergy Data Selects Voltage Security for PCI-Compliant Email With Customers

• TechCrunch: Android In-App Payments Coming Soon — Were Delayed Because Developers Were Busy
• RetailWire: Retail TouchPoints: Starbucks, Disney and Guess Up The Ante With Mobile
• Visa Viewpoints: Barney Frank: Debit Card Provisions Need Amending

Several new positions for payments professionals have recently been posted to Glenbrook's PaymentsJobs.com job board in the last 30 days:

• Bill Pay Sales Maverick - BillFloat - San Francisco, CA
• National Sales Executive, Bill Pay - PRECASH - Houston, TX
• Senior Product Manager - PlaySpan - Santa Clara, CA

MasterCard and Telefónica have announced a joint venture to development mobile financial solutions in 12 countries in Latin America where Telefónica is present with the Movistar® brand.

As part of this agreement, Movistar® mobile subscribers in Latin America will be able to use their mobile phones for person-to-person money transfers, bill payment, mobile airtime reload and retail purchases, among other services.

Headline News is compiled by Glenbrook Partners:

• Prepay Nation And Lime Announce Strategic Partnership

• FierceMobileContent: Apple Adding Mobile Wallet Services to iPhone and iPad
• CIO.com: Banks May Soon Require New Online Authentication Steps
• San Diego News: BillMyParents Helps Monitor Kids' Credit Card Spending

American Express has reported financial results for the fourth quarter 2010. Net income was $1.1 billion, up 48% from $716 million a year ago.

"Continued investments in the business helped to generate higher consumer, small business and corporate card spending while expanding the use of our products online," said Kenneth I. Chenault, chairman and chief executive officer. "With cardmember spending up 15% this period, we reached all-time records for the quarter and the full year."

The press fascination with mobile payments continues to dominate today's payments industry news in various countries around the globe:

• MIT Technology Review: Apps Could Turn Your Smart Phone Into a Wallet
• MSNBC: Why Buying Coffee with Your iPhone Matters
• MarketNews: Mobile Payments: Transacting, Transferring, & Banking With Your Phone (Canada)
• FierceWireless: Mobile Payments: 'Non,' say French Consumers

Over on our sister blog, PaymentsViews.com, Glenbrook's Scott Loftesness writes about innovations in card acceptance.

So, we’re talking about at least two market opportunities here – the unserved market who would like to be enabled for card acceptance – how big do you think that market is? – and a redefinition of the checkout experience for larger merchants who value a high touch customer relationship – how big might that market be?

Headline News is compiled by Glenbrook Partners:

• eBillme Launches on ToolKing.com with New Magento Extension
• mPayy Philanthroper Is the Best Way to Donate $1
• ElectraCard Services (ECS) Announces New U.S. Operations
• InComm Gains Momentum in Grocery Channel

• CNN Money: Credit Cards: On Their Way Out 'Like Vinyl Records'
• The Financial Brand: Will Customers Freak Out If You Kill Free Checking?
• Portals and Rails: The Future Role of Financial Institutions in the Domestic P2P Environment
• TIME: Finance: Kenya's Banking Revolution
• Inside Facebook: Facebook Sets July, 1, 2011 Deadline to Make Credits Sole 'Canvas' Game Payment Option

If you're trying to think through the implications of proposed Debit Card Interchange and Routing rules, you might want to take a look at the following resources:

• Durbin Video. C-SPAN is providing an online video of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors meeting where the draft Durbin rules were first released. After the key provisions are introduced, the Governors' spent most of the meeting probing the staff on the rationale behind the proposed rules. Very interesting.

• Durbin Comments. Another great resource to keep your eye on is the industry feedback to the proposed regulations. Final comments are due back to the Federal Reserve by February 22, 2011. In the meantime, it is all posted online as it is received.

NACHA has announced the election of new officers to its Board of Directors. The elected officers will serve a two-year term:

• Pat Thelen, CTP, Executive Director, J.P. Morgan, Chairperson
• Chrystina M. Giorgio, AAP, Senior Vice President, Operations, Sandy Spring Bank, Vice Chairperson
• Russell K. Oatman, Senior Vice President, Corporate Treasury Services Group, First National Bank of Omaha, Secretary/Treasurer

Bank of America has reported financial results for the fourth quarter 2010.

Global Card Services returned to profitability in the fourth quarter of 2010 with net income of $1.5 billion. Excluding the $10.4 billion goodwill impairment charge in the third quarter of 2010, Global Card Services would have been profitable for four straight quarters. New U.S. consumer card accounts in the quarter were up 9 percent from the third quarter of 2010.

Headline News is compiled by Glenbrook Partners:

• Wall Street Journal: Surprise: Banks Ease Card Fees
• NetBanker: Full FinovateEurope 2011 Demo Roster Revealed
• Harvard Business Review: Google's Mobile Strategy - Fast Pipes, Mobile Money, and Cheap Phones

Visa and InsurCard have announced an agreement naming Visa as InsurCard’s preferred brand for the delivery of payment for insurance claims. "InsurCard provides the insurance industry with card-based solutions for the payment of claims, expanding the penetration of electronic payments in an industry traditionally reliant on check payments."

Usablenet has announced integration with PayPal’s mobile payments product, Mobile Express Checkout, to enhance payment offerings on clients’ mobile websites. Usablenet can now optimally extend PayPal’s Mobile Express Checkout to mobile commerce websites and other supported solutions, such as mobile applications, tablets, Facebook & other social media, and in-store kiosks.

Headline News is compiled by Glenbrook Partners:

• NFC Forum Publishes Transport Ticketing White Paper
• Kohl’s to Partner with First Data on Private Brand Credit Card Processing
• Western Union Announces Major Bank Signing in Russia
• Higher One Joins the Secure Vault Payments Network
• SAP Enables New Approach to Billing for Telecommunications Industry
• NEOVIA To Acquire Optimal Payments

• Forbes: How $150 Oil Prices Help MasterCard
• Bloomberg: PayPal Argues Against Fee Cap as Fed Decision Looms
• Wall Street Journal: US Bank To Raise Checking Pricing Earlier Than Expected
• Bloomberg: Barney Frank Backs Changes to Debit-Card Swipe Fees
• New York Times: Debit Card Predators (Editorial)
• SmartMoney: Banks Begone: Can You Really Go Cash-Only?
• Digital Money Blog: Mobile Challenges to the Financial Sector
• Daily Mail: Fake £20 Elvis Presley Banknote Fools Teller in German Central Bank

PayPal's parent eBay announced financial results for the fourth quarter and fiscal year 2010 today.

eBay's Payments segment (including PayPal and BillMeLater) revenue was $971 million for the quarter, an increase of 22% year over year; $3,436 million for the year, an increase of 23%. Net total payment volume (TPV) for the quarter was $26.9 billion, an increase of 26% year over year; $91.9 billion for the year, an increase of 28%. In term of revenue mix, Merchant Services (the off-eBay business) represented 61.5% of TPV; international was 43.4% of TPV. The company processed 421.1 million transactions.

For the quarter, PayPal's revenue cut (now called its "global take rate") decreased slightly to 3.45%, along with a slightly lower transaction processing expense rate of 1.10% and a slightly lower transaction loss rate of 0.15%. Active accounts (defined as active in the last 12 months) reached 94.4 MM, up 16% year over year.

Bill Me Later's volume for the quarter was up and now stands at 1.7% of the total Payments segment TPV. Outstandings are now at $999 million, and net charges offs dropped to 6.1%. READ MORE »

Stay on top of the payments industry! Glenbrook’s payments education programs offer comprehensive, unbiased, and time-efficient ways to keep current.

Payments Essentials Webinars – Tuesdays from 10:30AM -11:30AM PST, $149

February 1, 2011: Cards Essentials with Carol Coye Benson (Basics Level)

February 8, 2011: Beyond PCI with Bryan Derman and Carol Coye Benson (Insight Level)

Payments Boot Camps – Two day “deep dive” into the industry, $1995

February 16-17, 2011: Santa Clara, CA. - with Scott Loftesness and Carol Coye Benson

April 13-14, 2011: New York City - with Bryan Derman and Carol Coye Benson

Starbucks has announced that it now accepts mobile payments in all US company-operated stores.

Building on the earlier introduction of Starbucks Card Mobile App for select BlackBerry smartphones, iPhone and iPod touch and a successful mobile payment test program, customers now have access to the largest mobile payment program in the US and the fastest way to pay at Starbucks. This national program now includes nearly 6,800 company-operated stores and more than 1,000 Starbucks in US Target locations.

"Spend on Visa cards in Europe grew by over 16% in 2010 to total over €1 trillion", according to results released by Visa Europe. "This growth now means that €1 in every €8 of consumer spend in Europe is spent on a Visa card, up from €1 in €9 in 2009." The Visa Europe Annual Report 2010 was also released.