Elavon

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By turning itself into a pseudo payment facilitator as part of a new program, Elavon says it is in a better position to grow by offering services in a fast-growing sector.

Mobile wallets have failed to excite many consumers, but Canada has an extreme case of paralysis underscoring the stark need for ongoing incentives to get consumers to change their payment habits.

Revenue growth in its merchant payments business is expected to be tepid in the foreseeable future. The Minneapolis company says it is looking to ramp up innovation to stay competitive in a business that has been upended by fintech firms and online shopping.

The U.S. merchant acquirer-processor arena is so mature that the only dramatic gains typically come from consolidation, leading to even more formidable combinations that make the next phase of growth even tougher. But there are also opportunities for companies that know how to specialize.

As American Express and Citigroup clashed over which issuer would get the coveted Costco Warehouse credit card business, one area remained undisputed and out of their hands: Payment processing for Costco's small business clients.

While around 70% of U.S. merchant locations still aren’t ready to handle EMV card transactions, Atlanta-based merchant acquirer Elavon, a unit of U.S. Bank, can tell the opposite story: 70% of its merchant clients will be EMV-enabled by the end of this year.