USA Technologies has announced the signing of an amendment to its existing agreement with Visa to expand the deployment of its ePort cashless payment solution for vending machines by another 2,500 terminals, for a total of up to 4,000 terminals, that are expected to be installed in markets nationwide. READ MORE

USA Technologies has released details of vending research it has conducted "showing that vending machines equipped to accept debit and credit cards have dramatically changed consumer-purchasing habits." READ MORE

USA Technologies and ViVOtech have announced entering into an agreement by which ViVOtech would provide 25,000 contactless/magstripe card readers for USAT’s ePort technology.

MasterCard Worldwide and USA Technologies have announced the expansion of ePort cashless payment terminals to 17,500 vending machines nationwide, adding more than 4,000 new locations that accept MasterCard PayPass contactless payments.

MasterCard and USA Technologies have announced the "installation of a record number of cashless payment terminals into Coca-Cola Enterprises vending machines in several markets nationwide. Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc., the world's largest non-alcoholic beverage bottler, will install the new terminals in selected vending machines in the Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Las Vegas, Miami, New York and Seattle markets." The enabled vending machines will accept both mag stripe and contactless payment cards.

Contactless News reports that "India's E3India is researching and planning on releasing a new mobile-commerce product, V-Cash, to enable payments to vendors directly through cellphones."

MasterCard Worldwide and USA Technologies have announced that "six of America's most prominent vending companies are installing e-Port(r) cashless payment technology on their vending machines to accept MasterCard PayPass cards and devices."

MasterCard Worldwide and USA Technologies have announced that Coca-Cola Bottling Company United Inc., the third largest bottler in America, is installing cashless payment technology in vending machines.

SkyeTek, in partnership with Isochron, has announced they have enabled cashless payment at vending machines located throughout the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Consumers equipped with RFID enabled credit cards can now make a purchase by just waving a card within a few feet of the new vending machines.

MasterCard Worldwide and USA Technologies have announced that "Cadbury Schweppes Americas Beverages (CSAB) will equip vending machines in several U.S. markets with the e-Port cashless transaction solution to begin accepting all major credit cards, including those enabled with MasterCard PayPass contactless payment functionality."

Esther Dyson posts a photo of a fruit juice vending machine in Poland that accepts mobile payments provided by MPay. She describes the process - including how the system responds with an offer for a quick discount on chips from the other vending machine to your left.

MasterCard Worldwide and USA Technologies have announced that 5,000 additional self service point-of-sale terminals, including vending machines, will be equipped with the e-Port cashless transaction solution to begin accepting MasterCard® PayPass. According to the companies, the deployment is the largest rollout to date of contactless technology in self service point of sale and vending machines.

VeriSign has announced a deal to enable purchases at Coca-Cola vending machines via mobile phones in Austria. Now, over two million mobilkom austria and ONE wireless customers have access to the mobile payment function at vending machines across Austria.

Fredricka Paul reports for The State News that Michael Kasavana, Michigan State University National Automatic Merchandising Association-endowed professor, predicts that vending machines that accept credit and debit cards will become more popular in coming years. "By 2009, half of the six million vending machines will be capable of having cashless technology," Kasavana said. "About half of those will have card readers."

Becky Yerak writes for the Chicago Tribune about the push to deploy card accepting vending machines - and how both fitness and financial experts are concerned about consumers finding it easier to buy more from the machines. It's a combination of more snacks and higher credit card debt that has them concerned.

Becky Yerak writes for the Chicago Tribune that "the future of two American habits--consuming carbonated beverages and using credit cards--is likely to be increasingly intertwined as vending machines that accept plastic become more prevalent." She reports that Visa believes opportunities for card-based payments are "particularly ripe in two areas: vending and transit services that are "unattended," or where people have to serve themselves."

Andy Williams writes CR80News about a biometric vending machine developed by graduate students at the University of California San Diego. "Want a Coke? Stick your thumb on the reader so the machine recognizes you as having an account, take out the drink, scan it with the barcode reader, then walk way, never having had to reach into your pocket for change." The project is the brainchild of UCSD engineering associate professor Stefan Savage.

Digital Transactions previews an upcoming story about cashless vending, touching on the general trend towards higher ticket sizes at vending machines.

Currently, no more than 3% of the 8 million vending machines deployed in the U.S. accept credit cards, according to Michael L. Kasavana, a professor in hospitality business at Michigan State University. That figure is expected to reach 50% in 2009, says Kasavana.

Sheila Marikar reports for ABC News on the use of MasterCard's PayPass techology to make contactless payments at vending machines - with no signing or swiping.

Chad Terhune reports for the Wall St. Journal on plans by the Philadelphia Coca-Cola Bottling Co. to "equip 1,000 vending machines in the Philadelphia area to accept credit and debit cards" - including MasterCard's PayPass contactless cards.

Michael L. Kasavana, NAMA endowed professor in hospitality management at Michigan State University, writes for AMonline about the evolution of vending machines to support contactless proximity payments.

Automatic Merchandiser reports on eSecure Peripherals, a Montreal, Canada-based cashless payment provider and their PayPal Payment Module for networked cashless payment terminals.

Michael L. Kasavana writes for AMonline.com about biometric payments and the potential for using a biocard for vending applications.

USA Technologies has announced research results showing that consumers spend 50% more on average at vending machines when they can make purchases using their credit or debit cards.