Mercator Advisory Group has announced its latest report, Solving the Micropayment Problem, Online and at the Point of Sale, that reviews "both the history and challenges of electronic micropayments and examines how the existing rails have evolved to address under $5 electronic payments at both the point of sale and for online transactions."

Chockstone has announced that it has acquired Peppercoin, a provider of card-based merchant loyalty programs and related consulting and analytical services. Peppercoin’s PCI-compliant services are used by leading restaurant brands to tie customer loyalty programs to credit and debit cards at the point of sale. Both companies are privately held, and financial terms of the Peppercoin transaction were not disclosed.

Duncan Solutions and Peppercoin have announced that the City of Detroit is "among the first wave of cities to let drivers pay for on-street parking with their credit or debit cards instead of searching for loose change. Detroit recently replaced old, traditional parking meters with 175 new multispace meters, covering nearly 1,225 parking spots. This is one of the largest deployments of parking paystations that accept credit cards in the United States."

Investors Business Daily reports on how payments transaction processors are moving into new niches for growth - including Heartland, Global Payments, and TSYS.

More than 67 million Americans have used a credit or debit card for a purchase of less than $5 in the past 30 days according to the fourth annual comprehensive, quantitative survey on the small payments market released today at the 2006 Micro and Small Payments Conference in New York City.

Peppercoin has announced a strategic alliance with Heartland Payment Systems, Inc. that "extends Peppercoin's reach in the merchant community and makes its solutions available to the more than 130,000 businesses that rely on Heartland for payment processing."

Peppercoin has announced that several additional merchants have selected its credit and debit card-based loyalty platform.

Peppercoin has announced that Garden Fresh Restaurant Corp. will use its Small Payment Suite and consulting services to enhance its customer loyalty program in its 98 Sweet Tomatoes and Souplantation restaurants. Peppercoins rewards solution uses the payment cards already in consumers' wallets to increase consumer loyalty and retention.

Peppercoin has announced that the 4th Annual Micro and Small Payments Conference will be held November 28 at New York City's Marriott Financial Center. The conference's theme is "Transforming Transactions" and growing the small payments markets. Niki Manby, senior vice president of product innovation at Visa USA, and Robert Carr, chairman and CEO of Heartland Payment Systems, will keynote.

Duncan Solutions and Peppercoin have announced a strategic partnership to "offer innovative, integrated solutions that grow parking revenues by increasing the profitability of credit and debit card transactions and deliver greater conveniences to motorists." The companies, who already work together in a number of cities, including Las Vegas and Oklahoma City, are enhancing their relationship with additional technology integration and coordinated sales efforts.

A new survey, conducted by Ipsos Insight and Peppercoin, explores the willingness of Americans to use contactless payments to pay for inexpensive items.

More than 50 percent of respondents, which translates into more than 100 million Americans, would use contactless cards to buy gasoline, items from fast food restaurants or corporate cafeterias, or groceries. More than 40 percent would use contactless cards to pay for convenience store items and transit fares (subway and bus fares and tolls). Almost 40 percent would use contactless cards to buy coffee or pay for parking, and 30 percent (60 million Americans) would use contactless cards for video games or at a vending machine or kiosk.

Executives from Chase, Peppercoin, TYS, and Visa plan to hold a Small Payments Webinar on July 19th. Moderated by Jeff Green of Card & Payments Magazine, the session will cover contactless payments, card acceptance in the everyday spending market, and emerging loyalty requirements. Jeff Gordan, an Arby's Roast Beef franchise operator, will provide the merchant perspective. Peppercoin will also be unveiling new Ipsos-Insight data on the growth and obstacles facing the contactless payments adoption, as well as which markets have the greatest potential.

Red Herring has published an interview with Peppercoin CEO Mark Friedman.

Glenbrook's Russ Jones has been following Peppercoin since 2002, monitoring the company’s progress and the evolution of its strategy. Russ has just published a new research brief titled "Peppercoin in the Payments Industry - The Emerging Small Payments Market". In this new research brief Russ looks at Peppercoin’s current capabilities, activities with merchants, and value proposition along with what he likes about Peppercoin, some concerns, and other observations. You can request a copy of the research brief from Russ over on the Glenbrook web site.

Peppercoin has announced a loyalty program for small payments both online and at the physical point-of-sale. Peppercoin says its new program is "the first to allow merchants to attract and retain customers buying small dollar-value items and services -- such as a cup of coffee or a music file download -- without requiring a separate pre-enrollment process or additional card."

Peppercoin has announced the demonstration of a prototype of a first-of-its-kind contactless mass transit fare collection system that enables consumers to use their existing credit or debit card as their transit pass for the first time.

Digital Media Wire is hosting a 1-day executive forum for companies addressing the digital entertainment space on Tuesday, January 31 in New York City.

Peppercoin has announced the addition of five new advisors to its newly established Advisory Board.

Technorati Tags: Peppercoin

Forbes' Seth Lubove examines the opportunities for micropayments in 2006 including mentions of BitPass and Peppercoin.

Technorati Tags: BitPass, Peppercoin, Micropayments

MasterCard and Peppercoin have announced signing a Letter of Intent towards forming an alliance to accelerate card usage for small payments at the physical point of sale and online.

Ipsos Insight and Peppercoin have announced the results of a recent survey that found consumers' desire to use credit and debit cards for small payments and micropayments at the point of sale and online is on the rise. An estimated 45 million Americans are willing to use credit or debit cards for purchases of $5 or less, up 23 percent from September 2004.

Peppercoin has announced the completion of a $10 million second institutional round of funding with an additional $2 million investment from Total Technology Ventures. The round was led by venture capital firm Wall Street Technology Partners and includes previous investor Pod Holding and a large, Boston-based institutional investment adviser and several private individuals.

Peppercoin has announced that it has secured $8 million in additional funding from venture capital firm Wall Street Technology Partners and previous investor Pod Holding. Peppercoin also announced that Mark Friedman has been named president and chief executive officer.

Peppercoin and Ingenico have announced a partnership to offer Peppercoin's Small Transaction Suite to merchants.

Peppercoin has announced an agreement with SunTrust Merchant Services to offer Peppercoin's small paymnet processing system to its merchants.

Peppercoin has announced that it has been selected by Mashbox to enable the sale of low-priced music profitably.

Peppercoin this morning announced version 3.0 of its Small Transaction Suite, designed to allow merchants to more cost effectively accept small payments.

Peppercoin and Chase Merchant Services have announced entering into a referral agreement.

Peppercoin has announced Mark Friedman as President. Friedman had been VP of sales and Market Development. Robert Kiburz will remain with the company as Chairman of the Board.

The Boston Business Journal reports that Peppercoin is partnering with Reino Parking Systems to support credit card transactions at Reino's Multispace parking meters.