Skip to content

Search

"alternative payment systems"

32 articles found

Physical credit card compared with a virtual card on a mobile phone

Credit Card

Physical or Virtual Credit Card: Which Do You Prefer?

Digitalization is reshaping payment systems. Credit cards are moving from physical plastic to virtual cards, e-wallets and mobile payments. Will physical card use disappear completely? Here is a look at the trends, Generation Z and the remaining gaps.

MasterCard Identity Check logo and authentication illustration

Security

What is MasterCard Identity Check?

Payment security is very important in payment systems. To increase security, transactions require additional information such as PINs and passwords. Remembering which information to use, and keeping it in mind without forgetting…

Diagram of a partial authorization where an issuer approves only part of the requested amount

Merchant & POS

What Are the Partial Authorization Requirements for an Acquirer Bank?

Partial authorization lets an issuer approve part of the requested amount when the card lacks the full balance, with the rest paid another way. This post covers the technical, receipt, clearing, reconciliation, merchant and certification requirements for acquirers.

Google Card, the physical payment card Google is reportedly preparing to rival Apple Card

Credit Card

Meet the Google Card!

After Apple Card, announced last March to great fanfare, Huawei said it would issue a card too. Google has now joined the race among tech companies by announcing a new card of its own.

Illustration of a card payment approved for a partial amount

Merchant & POS

What Is Partial Authorization?

Partial Authorization lets an issuer approve part of a transaction instead of declining it when the balance or limit is insufficient. This post covers how it works in ISO 8583, whether it is mandatory, and why it matters for the business.

Virtual currency versus electronic money

Payment Institutions & E-Money

Are Virtual Currency and Electronic Money the Same?

No. Virtual currency is a digital representation of value not issued by any central bank, credit institution or e-money institution. Electronic money is defined in Turkish law and is tied to an electronic money institution.

Fintech companies combining finance and technology

Payment Systems

What is Fintech?

Fintech, short for financial technologies, is a term for companies that bring together finance and technology to provide easy and fast financial services, growing rapidly worldwide.

Illustration for a glossary of cryptocurrency terms such as Bitcoin, blockchain and mining

Cryptocurrency

What Are the Terms Used in the Cryptocurrency World?

Cryptocurrencies are becoming part of everyday life and are expected to compete seriously with card payments. This glossary explains the key crypto terms, from address, altcoin and arbitrage to halving, mining, proof of stake and stop-loss.

Illustration representing an AI agent making purchasing decisions

Agentic Commerce

Agentic Commerce Series – Part 3

Can AI Decide on Our Behalf? Letting an AI agent handle research can make life much easier. The real question is where that should stop, and how much decision-making authority we are ready to hand over.

Conceptual illustration of competing players vying for power in agentic commerce

General

Agentic Commerce Series – Part 6

Who will win in Agentic Commerce? Owning the customer used to be a huge advantage. Once an agent starts deciding on the customer's behalf, where does the real power move to?

Smartphone and Android POS device used as commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) devices for accepting payments

Online & Authorization

What are Commercial Off-the-Shelf Devices (COTS)?

Commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) products and services are ready-made, packaged solutions adapted to a purchasing organization's needs, rather than custom-built ones. In payment systems, COTS includes ready-made payment apps for phones and Android POS devices.

Illustration of customer-based contactless card limit management

Payment Systems

Can a Card's Contactless Limit Be Managed on a Per-Customer Basis?

Contactless payment has greatly improved the user experience, yet its fixed transaction limit is a common complaint. Can this limit be managed dynamically per customer? This post covers the current situation, technical and regulatory requirements and the outlook.