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IndustryUpdate

ANNOUNCEMENTS Tender Armor secures funding for CVV+

Tender Armor LLC, a global fraud prevention payments
CO-OP launches co-creation councils technology provider, closed a multimillion-dollar Series
A investment led by private investors Aubrey Strul and
CO-OP Financial Services Co-creation Councils were Barry Beck. Tender Armor plans to use the funds to
recently launched to allow more credit union leaders to drive new business and product innovation, expand its
participate in shaping the future of payments in three workforce and meet financial institution demand for its
segments: strategy, design and experience. "Financial multipatent-pending CVV+ solution to address card-not-
services is a rapidly transforming and highly competitive present fraud.
environment," said Samantha Paxson, Chief Marketing
and Experience Officer at CO-OP. "To thrive in it requires UMS launches ticketing apps
diverse ideas, brave thinking and a cooperative spirit."
United Merchant Services Inc. launched two mobile tick-
NACHA FIs expect rise in Same Day ACH debit eting apps, which are free to download from the Google
Play store. The UMS Partner App and UMS Merchant
NACHA - The Electronic Payments Association surveyed App were designed to help partners and merchants keep
member financial institutions and found that 82 percent accurate support records, and increase efficiency by
anticipate rapid growth in Same Day ACH debit volume. eliminating telephone hold times. The apps allow users to
"Use cases for Same Day ACH debits like bill payments submit service tickets and track status in real-time, as well
and business-to-business payments demonstrate how as review monthly statements and sales analytics.
this additional faster payment method is benefiting con-
sumers and businesses alike," said Jane Larimer, Chief
Operating Officer at NACHA. RESEARCH
NationPay links bank accounts to blockchain Mercator offers payments, banking outlooks

NationPay's cardless payment network, secured by Mercator Advisory Group analyses of payments and
Ethereum blockchain technology, aims to eliminate credit banking revealed that four key technologies are reach-
and debit cards by facilitating bank account transfers ing maturation and convergence: mobile platforms, open
to token wallets. "NationPay enables clients to buy application programming interfaces, machine learning
from other clients through a secure app as a touchless, and faster payments systems. Topics discussed include
wallet-to-wallet scanned visual transfer," said James Yen, faster payment schemes in the United States, regulatory
Chairman and Managing Director of NationPay, who uncertainty governing prepaid cards, financial institu-
noted that account-linked transfers are secured through tion-fintech collaborations on open APIs and retail readi-
bank-secured tokens. ness to adopt mobile platforms. The papers are free to
NFC Forum accepting innovation awards nominees download at www.mercatoradvisorygroup.com/forecasts/.
NPD identifies 2017 holiday retail category winners
The NFC Forum is seeking nominations for the 2018 NFC
Innovation Awards, which recognize pioneering near Based on U.S. retail sales data collected by The NPD
field communication products, services and experiences Group Inc., small home appliances and prestige beauty
globally. Submissions from all industries and categories were the top performing merchandise categories over
are welcome. Awards will be given for best in market the 2017 holiday season. Among the other standouts
implementation, best emerging concept and NFC for were women's apparel; playset dolls and collectibles; and
good. There is no cost to enter the competition. Deadline home automation, driven by security and monitoring.
for submissions is March 2, 2018. NPD Chief Industry Advisor Marshal Cohen noted an
PCI SSC launches cybersecurity training program increased emphasis on comfort, home and lifestyle spend-
ing among holiday shoppers.
The PCI Security Standards Council is accepting applica-
tions for its new Associate Qualified Security Assessor Wells Fargo, Gallup survey small businesses
Program, an initiative designed to attract cybersecurity A quarterly Wells Fargo/Gallup Small Business Index
talent. "An overall shortage of cybersecurity talent is mak- survey of small business optimism in January revealed
ing it difficult for QSA Companies to find suitable new an overall index score of 107, the highest score since early
assessors," said PCI SSC Chief Operating Officer Mauro 2007. The "future expectations" score, a measure of how
Lance. "The Associate QSA Program provides a profes- business owners expect their businesses to perform over
sional track for new entrants to join the industry and gain the next 12 months, hit 65, higher than any previous quar-
experience to qualify as a QSA." ter since Q4 2006.

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