FMI
We may not meet 2009 SEPA deadline, say banks
European Union banks have said that the introduction of a single euro payments system (SEPA) could face delays after the European Commission ruled they would not be able to charge for facilitating cross-border direct-debit payments.
De La Rue's cash-systems arm renamed Talaris
Banknote printer De La Rue's cash-systems operations will be renamed Talaris following completion of the sale of the division to Carlyle, a private equity group.
World Bank's Cirasino says focus is on retail payments
Central banks must shift their focus to improving retail payments, says the head of the payment systems development group at the World Bank
An agent-based model of payment systems
A new research paper by the Bank of England lays out a multi-agent, multi-period model of a Real-Time-Gross-Settlement system.
Iran issues high-value notes, hints at reform
The Central Bank of Iran is swapping high-denomination paper notes for private banks' promissory notes in a bid to exert tighter control over the country's money supply as it plans broader currency reforms.
Israel sends fresh batch of banknotes to Gaza
The Bank of Israel has delivered a new supply of banknotes to the Gaza Strip to avert a cash shortage, say local media reports.
Azerbaijan revokes money-transfer ban
The National Bank of Azerbaijan has repealed a ban on remittances made through two of the money-transfer industry's biggest names.
China moves to counter Olympic frauds
The People's Bank of China is introducing measures to avoid an upsurge in fraud during the Olympics.
Fiji: use electronic payments system more
Bank customers need to use Fijiclear, Fiji's electronic payments system, more, said Sada Reddy, the deputy governor of the country's Reserve Bank.
We've got money to burn: Hungary
The National Bank of Hungary is offering bricks made up of its cancelled banknotes for charities to burn for fuel.
Serbia's Jelasic: more e-payments competition
The National Bank of Serbia wants to strengthen competition in payment transactions by supporting non-bank institutions, such as mobile operators, said Radovan Jelasic, the governor of the central bank.
RBI: lack of education limits electronic payments
A lack of education among bank staff at the branch level is the main reason for the slow adoption of electronic transfers in India, said Vittaldas Leeladhar, a deputy governor of the Reserve Bank of India.
Philly Fed payments VP wins promotion
Arun Jain, a vice president at the Philadelphia Federal Reserve's retail payments department, will become a senior vice president after nearly 30 years of working within the Fed system.
Zimbabwe lops ten zeros off currency
The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe announced plans to remove ten zeros from its currency in a fresh bid to fight hyperinflation.
Zimbabwe plans reforms to ease consumers' plight
The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe is to publish plans aimed at alleviating the impact of hyperinflation on consumers, Gideon Gono, the governor of the central bank, said on Thursday.
Zimbabwe introduces Z$100 billion note
The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe on Monday began circulating a Z$100 billion note.
Berlin calls off note-printer auction
The German government has abandoned plans to sell its federal printing works.
Olympic banknotes spark queues in Hong Kong
The release of special banknotes to mark the Beijing Olympics has prompted queues outside the Bank of China's Hong Kong branches.
UAE speeds up cheque processing
The Central Bank of the UAE has introduced a new cheque-clearing system that will vastly reduce the time taken to process cheques.
ECB publishes payment systems report
The European Central Bank (ECB) on Friday released its first payments systems and market infrastructure oversight report.
Number of counterfeit euro notes surges
The number of counterfeit banknotes recovered in the eurozone soared by 5.4% in the first half of 2008, the European Central Bank (ECB) said on Thursday.
Chicago Fed investigates payments fraud
The Chicago Fed has published a note assessing the debate over payments systems fraud.
SARB mints Mandela coin
The South African Reserve Bank has issued a R5 (64) coin to commemorate the 90th birthday of Nelson Mandela, a former president and anti-apartheid campaigner.
Europe's payments revolution is slow going
The number of payments made using the new SEPA (Single Euro Payments Area) credit transfer have been "very low", admitted Gertrude Tumpel-Gugerell, an executive director at the European Central Bank.