Card is king? The UK is closer than ever to being a cashless society May 23, 2016 The old adage that cash is king is about to be kicked into the long grass, new research suggested this morning – with card payments about to whoosh ahead of cash payments. A study by Payments UK found although cash is still the biggest method of payment – some 45 per cent of all UK [...]
Say what? A third of us wouldn’t mind being microchipped at work April 26, 2016 Fancy having a chip implanted in you? Fancy using it at work to get around the office or log on? It may sound more like science fiction (however close it is to becoming reality) and a rather creepy concept – but surprisingly, a third of us wouldn't mind at all being microchipped at work in order to do these [...]
Big banks can’t be allowed to hijack blockchain and digital currencies September 1, 2016 Digital currency and the technology that underpins it, blockchain, are still so young that nobody has worked out what they're really for yet. In this world of cutting-edge technology and pioneering disruption, we must make sure big banks and financial institutions don't try and force this new technology into old models. Last week, major financial intuitions comprising [...]
Halfords’ share price rises as Olympics “cycling heroes” pump up sales in bike arm and group revenue increases September 6, 2016 Halfords' share price was pumped up this morning by a healthy rise in group revenues and news that the Olympics has helped the group offset slower cycling growth from previous quarters. The figures Halfords' group revenue rose 4.8 per cent in the 20 weeks to 19 August, with retail revenue rising 4.8 per cent and its [...]
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan hosts London devolution summit July 14, 2016 Mayor of London Sadiq Khan today held a summit of political and business leaders as he pushes for support on further devolution for the capital. Meeting business representatives from the Corporation of London, London First and the London Chamber of Commerce, Khan looked to bolster support for more powers in the wake of the Brexit vote last [...]
As the limit for contactless payments rises to £30, will we soon live in a cashless society? August 31, 2015 Kevin Jenkins, managing director of Visa UK and Ireland, says Yes. Increasingly, people are choosing to use their cards over cash, and the ease and convenience of contactless has been a key factor. With the transaction limit increasing to £30, people can now use contactless for even more of their everyday purchases. With 75 per [...]
BT has been ordered to pay an £8,000 fine for dangerous roadworks June 28, 2016 British Telecom (BT) has been told it must pay more than £8,000 for "dangerous and disruptive roadworks", in its 37th prosecution since 2010. Transport for London prospected BT for the poorly managed roadworks, leading BT to appear before Westminster Magistrates’ Court on 22 June. The BT offences, which took place on the Transport for London Road [...]
Walmart Canada to stop accepting Visa payments from July over “unacceptably high” fees June 12, 2016 Walmart's Canadian arm has said it will no longer accept Visa cards in its stores after the retail giant failed to reach a deal with the company over its "unacceptably high" fees. Following an evaluation of credit card transaction fees in both Canada and the rest of the world, the charges applied to Visa transactions [...]
This kickstarter funded Kerv ring lets you make contactless payments with just a wave – and it’s about to make your commute a dream September 29, 2015 There's nothing worse than the faff of having to rummage through your bag or pockets to dig out your contactless card, Oyster or old-fashioned paper ticket. Even worse is being stuck behind someone else doing the faffing and holding up your journey. There's a new wearable device that could make all that a thing of [...]
Card spending via contactless jumps to £2.5bn in the UK as the payment limit rises to £30 August 31, 2015 The spending limit on contactless cards has today increased from £20 to £30, as new figures show a surge in spending to £2.5bn in the first six months of the year. The use of contactless technology to pay in restaurants and shops has soared in popularity since it was first introduced in 2007, when [...]