It seems Mastercard is gradually softening its stance on cryptocurrency, after CEO Ajay Banga downplayed non-government mandated digital currencies as “junk” back in October last year.
In a conversation with Financial Times, Ari Sarkar, Mastercard co-president for the Asia-Pacific region, said the company is open to explore cryptocurrencies created and backed by governments.
Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin believes the blockchain-based platform has the potential to rival financial institutions like Visa in scale. Before it can, however, it needs to increase the speed with which it can process transactions.
Continue reading… “Co-founder Vitalik Buterin believes Ethereum can be bigger than Visa”
You are about to have another option at your fingertips to pay for things. Last week, the smart jewelry company Ringly announces a partnership with MasterCard that will allow you to pay for items with the tap of a ring. (Video)
With little ceremony and only two days before Christmas, Google filed an antitrust law against Visa and MasterCard for setting “supracompetitive” interchange rates from 2004 to 2012. This is but one more volley in the Battle Royale between big companies like Wal-Mart, Target, and Macy’s and major players in the payments industry.
Continue reading… “Google sues Visa and MasterCard”
The new credit card features an embedded LCD display and touch-sensitive buttons for generating one-time passwords.
MasterCard’s new “Display Card,” is a credit card that basically combines the usual credit/debit or ATM card with an authentication token. The authentication portion features a touch-sensitive keypad and LCD display — hence the name “Display Card” — for reflecting a one-time password (OTP).
Continue reading… “MasterCard launches new credit card with display and keypad”
WikiLeaks certainly has powerful cyber-supporters.
Just one day after the LulzSec hacking group announced its retirement after a 50-day stint, it appears that hackers with the Anonymous group have picked up from where they left off by attacking the MasterCard website in protest of the WikiLeaks blockade.
Earlier today, Twitter user @ibomhacktivist tweeted a message saying that MasterCard.com was down. The hacker said “that’s what you get when you mess with @wikileaks and @Anon_Central.”
Continue reading… “Anonymous hacktivists take down MasterCard.com again in support of WikiLeaks”
Consumers would wave their phones instead of swiping credit cards at the checkout counter.
The cellphone has been more than a cellphone for years, but soon it could take on an entirely new role — standing in for all of the credit and debit cards crammed into wallets. Instead of swiping a plastic card at the checkout counter, consumers would merely wave their phones.
Reloadable prepaid debit cards represent one of the fastest-growing segments of the financial services industry.
Last year, Michael Abukhader’s 12-year-old son, Jacob, received a $30 NASCAR prepaid Visa card from an aunt who thought it would provide a convenient way to give him cash for birthdays and other events. But once Abukhader, who lives in Queen Creek, Ariz., reviewed the terms of the card, he closed the account.
Continue reading… “Consumers Beware – Reloadable Prepaid Debit Cards Loaded with Fees”
By delving into the futuring techniques of Futurist Thomas Frey, you’ll embark on an enlightening journey.
Learn More about this exciting program.