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Here are the news headlines we posted this week on Twitter (follow it here).

Acculynk Introduces Program for Independent Sales Organizations - Acculynk, which provides online PIN debit payment services, introduced PaySecure Plus, a new program that expands the company's services to include Independent Sales Organizations. http://bit.ly/bV5xgA

BancVue Launches MoneyIsland.com - BancVue launched MoneyIsland.com, a teaser site for its financial literacy game that becomes available to community financial institutions in September 2010. MoneyIsland 1.0 is an expansion of the beta CentsCity game, which BancVue picked up in its recent acquisition of Skill-Life. http://bit.ly/bY7WFf

Boulevard R Partners with Financial Planning Association - Boulevard R has partnered with Financial Planning Association to offer its finance management software to consumers on FPA's website. http://bit.ly/aSCwKS

CashEdge Appoints Global Head of Product & Marketing - CashEdge appointed Catherine Palmieri to Global Head of Product and Marketing. Prior to joining CashEdge, she served as Executive Vice President, General Manager, for Citibank, overseeing Citibank.com, Citibank Direct, and CitiMobile. http://bit.ly/azYw56

Centrro Launches Mortgage Product Beta - Centrro launched the beta version of its new product, Centrro Leads, which helps connect mortgage brokers to consumers based on credit profiles. http://bit.ly/bGgZBE

iPay Technologies Joins High Impact Portfolio - iPay Technologies joined the High Impact Portfolio, a public/private partnership of between Louisville Metro Government and Greater Louisville Inc.'s ENTERPRISECORP designed to support Louisville, KY businesses. iPay was named as one leading top-growth companies in the Louisville metro area. http://bit.ly/bpW2GC

Kasasa Signs its First Virginia Member - Kasasa signed its first financial institution in Virginia, Northern Star Credit Union. The credit union will offer three new products, Kasasa Cash, Kasasa Saver, and Kasasa Giving. http://bit.ly/dmLGKV

Lending Club Offers Cash Bonus to Members - In an email to its members, Lending Club offered its members cash bonuses on new deposits in an invitation-only rewards program. Lending Club will provide a bonus of 1% to funds over $2,500 and 1.5% to funds of $15,000 or more. www.lendingclub.com

Monitise Enters Joint Venture in Asia - Monitise has signed a 50/50 joint venture agreement with First Eastern Investment Group to develop services in the Asia Pacific region. First Eastern is based in Hong Kong. http://bit.ly/9TcpCF

Monitise Americas Publishes White Paper - Monitise Americas has published a white paper examining the adoption of mobile services as a strategic option for financial institutions. The paper includes a case study following H&R Block. http://bit.ly/9llGRW

Zecco Releases New Web Tools - Zecco launched two new browser-based tools, Zecco Streamer and Zecco Streamer Lite, which provide traders with real-time market data. The Lite version is free, while the standard version, which covers more stock exchanges and offers email alerts, has a monthly fee. http://bit.ly/bt9wb4

And news from our soon-to-be alumni presenting at FinovateSpring 2010:

Bill.com wins Monarch Innovation Award -- Bill.com has been recognized with a 2010 Monarch Innovation Award from Barlow Research Associates. The company received an honorable mention in the Industry Partner category. Bill.com was one of only six companies awarded this year. http://bit.ly/bCCati

Kabbage Loans to eBay Users - Kabbage is offering short-term business loans to eBay sellers. The company will evaluate sellers based on eBay ratings, whether they have an eBay Store, and funds flowing through their PayPal and merchant credit card accounts. http://bit.ly/bcOd9c

BancVue announces results for Kasasa - Since its launch in May 2009, Kasasa has produced 71% lift in new account acquisition at its member banks and credit unions, says parent company BancVue. Of these new accounts, 53% represented new customers to the financial institutions. http://bit.ly/9zbvae

CashEdge cuts fraud by $140 Million - CashEdge announced that it has prevented an estimated $140 million in client fraud losses in 2009 through its risk-management services. The dollar amount is derived from the total value of potentially fraudulent transactions detected and prevented by CashEdge's risk-monitoring services. http://bit.ly/aoyaaZ

ClairMail announces new Mobile Connectivity Architecture platform - ClairMail's new platform for financial institutions will allow institutions to offer mobile banking services including real-time transactions and account management. http://bit.ly/9SjpK7

Digital Insight changes name - Digital Insight has rebranded as Intuit Financial Services. The company was acquired by Intuit in 2007. http://bit.ly/9jM4QB

Expensify celebrates first anniversary - During Expensify's first year, it raised $1 million, came out of beta, launched in the Google Apps Marketplace, and integrated with Outright.com, Salesforce, and Intuit. http://bit.ly/asZr1z

Kapitall demos at Apple Store - Kapitall will preview the beta version of its online investing platform on March 24, in the San Francisco Apple Store. CEO Gaspard de Dreuzy will present the product. http://bit.ly/a4i4Oh

Kasasa adds SMW Federal Credit Union - SMW Federal Credit Union is the first financial institution in Minnesota to offer Kasasa brand checking accounts. SMWFCU offers three of Kasasa's four products - Kasasa Cash, Kasasa Tunes, and Kasasa Giving. http://bit.ly/bKvXFC

Lending Club reaches milestones - Lending Club issued its 10,000^th loan, surpassing $95 million in loans issued. The company also exceeded $1 billion in loan applications. http://bit.ly/dmC9VK

Mint.com wins Web award at SXSW Conference 2010 - Mint won the "Classic" category at the SXSW Conference Web Awards. While the SXSW awards generally note the best new Internet destinations, the Classic Award honors sites that have been in operation for more than a year. http://bit.ly/dDyP5t

ThreatMetrix launches Fraud Network - ThreatMetrix launched Fraud Network, a suite of tools for e-commerce, financial services, and information-technology companies. Fraud Network provides tools for verifying new accounts, authorizing payments and transactions, and authorizing user logins. http://bit.ly/b26pLo

ThreatMetrix partners with Verifi - ThreatMetrix is partnering with Verifi to deliver its fraud detection and risk-assessment tools to merchants through Verifi's payment risk-management system. Verifi provides global electronic payment solutions for card-not-present retailers. http://bit.ly/bGcqW3

TradeKing earns 4-star rating from Barron's - Online broker TradeKing was awarded a four-star rating in Barron's 15th annual Best Online Brokers survey. TradeKing ranked sixth overall out of 22 firms evaluated. This is the fourth consecutive year that TradeKing has received four stars (out of a possible five) from the survey. http://bit.ly/9Zz1cF

TradeKing launches trading-info site - TradeKing launched OptionsPlaybook.com, a free online resource for beginning and advanced options traders. The site includes jargon definitions, a brief history of the options market, and more than 40 options strategies. http://bit.ly/9Gxda7

Tyfone partners with First Data - Tyfone is partnering with First Data to provide SideTap micro secure digital (MicroSD) memory cards. The cards can contain financial information and secure identification from multiple sources such as retailers and financial institutions, creating a virtual wallet. http://bit.ly/byoHJH

Yodlee to host webinar - Yodlee is hosting a free webinar on conversion strategies for bill payment systems on March 23. The webinar will focus on changing bill payment systems without disrupting users. http://bit.ly/aslHQG

ZimpleMoney offers Starbucks card - ZimpleMoney sent a promotional message to its members, offering a $25 Starbucks card if a loan is initiated. The loan must be accepted by March 31 to qualify. www.zimplemoney.com

Here are the news headlines we posted recently on our Finovate Twitter feed (follow it here).

Acculynk Provides Debit Payment System for Ritz Interactive -- Acculynk will provide its PaySecure debit payment service to Ritz Interactive. The service, which allows consumers to make PIN-based debit transactions online, is being deployed on 16 Ritz e-commerce sites. http://bit.ly/aE5DlD

FIRST ROI Joins BancVue -- FIRST ROI, which develops interactive products for financial institutions, is joining its parent company BancVue and changing its name to BancVue Interactive. http://bit.ly/auuovg

NFCNews Covers Bling Nation's Mobile Payments Pilot Program - Bling Nation is testing its mobile payments program in Colorado. According to the NFCNews report, about 500 customers of The State Bank of La Junta use Bling Tags - tiny chips attached to their cell phones - in order to make debit purchases at more than 50 participating businesses in the Colorado town. Bling Nation authenticates the transactions over cell phone networks. About half the bank's customers have signed up for the service. http://bit.ly/bqHhMa

Financial Institutions Adopting POPMoney -- CashEdge announced that more than 100 financial institutions will add its POPMoney person-to-person payment service to their customer options by the end of the second quarter of 2010. POPMoney allows payment transactions over e-mail and mobile services. http://bit.ly/aNNazq

Fiserv Introduces Boardroom Series -- Fiserv announced a new information service for its clients. Called the Fiserv Boardroom Series, the service provides clients with research data and business advice from a series of subject matter experts. The Series will include videos, webinars, and white papers. http://bit.ly/9hEA8J

Fiserv Study on Gen Y Banking Habits -- Research conducted by Fiserv shows that members of Generation Y are frequent users of online and mobile financial services. Gen Y also favors debit cards over credit cards and is more comfortable with Internet-based services than previous generations. http://bit.ly/cLbHBu

Firethorn Expands its Mobile Offering to More Banks -- Firethorn has updated its mobile banking app to allow consumers to access their accounts at more than 3,700 US financial institutions. Previously, Firethorn's mobile banking solution only worked with institutions that were integrated Firethorn providers. http://bit.ly/apbePC (Finovate blog entry here.)

Geezeo to Provide PFM & Social Tools to Vantage Credit Union -- Vantage Credit Union selected Geezeo to provide additional online tools to its Internet banking services. Vantage members now have access to Geezeo's customizable online personal finance management and social networking platform. http://bit.ly/9tHqWH

iPay Technologies Announces Invoicing System -- iPay Technologies announced Billpayperless, a new electronic invoicing and receivables management product for small businesses. The system allows small business owners to receive electronic payments through credit cards or PayPal accounts. http://bit.ly/9C9hUb

iThryv Rebrands to Alkami Technology -- iThryv announced on March 2 that it has completed the transition to its new corporate identity, Alkami Technology. Under the new name, the company will focus on providing online banking solutions for the financial services industry. http://bit.ly/domtAa

Mint Giving Away Apple iPad -- Mint.com is encouraging people to follow the company on Facebook by giving away a free Apple iPad. The winner will be selected on March 17. http://bit.ly/cvRsPi

Prosper Launches Talk Taboo Website -- On March 3, Prosper launched its new Talk Taboo website. The site allows users to share personal finance stories. The site offers a debt consolidation guide and is running an introductory sweepstakes to encourage users. http://bit.ly/9SuG02

TradeKing Launches Mobile Trading Site -- Online broker TradeKing announced a new mobile trading site. After activating the mobile features, clients can access TradeKing from any mobile at http://m.tradeking.com to get stock quotes, check account balances, and place trades. http://bit.ly/b4GRrP

Tyfone Announces MicroSD Secure Digital Memory Cards -- Tyfone announced the completion of its SideTap micro secure digital (MicroSD) memory cards, which will become available to consumers in the second half of 2010. The memory cards, which carry financial information, can be used in mobile phones and accessed at contactless payment terminals, creating an electronic wallet. http://bit.ly/9wi5aR

WorkLight to Host Widget Webinar -- On March 16, 2010, WorkLight will host a webinar entitled, "5 Questions You Should Answer Before Launching Widget Banking." The webinar will cover widget technology and its impact on the banking world, as well as providing discussion on implementation. http://bit.ly/d7LhDz

Zecco Updates Website with New Tools -- Online broker Zecco has rebuilt its website to offer new data tools for investors. New additions to the site include real-time quotes, charting tools, and real-time portfolio monitoring. http://bit.ly/aYghMi

On February 9, BancVue announced the acquisition of Skill-Life, a provider of interactive games designed to promote financial literacy. The CEOs met at our FinovateFall in October. The purchase marks the company's first acquisition. BancVue anticipates further acquisitions and strategic partnerships in the future, according to John Waupsh, the CEO of BancVue subsidiary FirstROI. The purchase price of the deal was not disclosed.

BancVue powers high-yield checking and other products for more than 650 U.S. community financial institutions. The company debuted its Kasasa branded checking/saving accounts at FinovateFall 2009 (video here).

Skill-Life develops platforms that allow children to earn real-world rewards as incentives in games that teach financial skills. The company's first game, CentsCity, launched its beta version at FinovateFall 2009 (video here).

CentsCity presents an interactive online environment developed for children between eight and 12 years old. (See screenshot #1, below.) Players visit different locations in the game world to play mini-games using ducats, the in-game currency. The game requires players to monitor their in-game cash and expenses in order to continue participating and eventually save enough ducats to earn rewards (screenshot #2).

The game also includes an interface for parents, allowing them to insert personal incentives, such as extra TV time or an extended curfew, to encourage their children to play and learn. Skill-Life hopes to entice parents into setting up game rewards, such as savings accounts that must be unlocked in the game before the children can access the funds.

Financial companies can add their own branding into the game environment.

Skill-Life's current business model primarily depends on licensing to financial institutions and groups like school districts and community organizations. Players can also access the game at Skill-Life's website, choosing between free and a more advanced pay-version of the game, which charges a one-time fee of $4.95.

#1. CentsCity Presents a World to Explore

#2 CentsCity Players Learn to Save for Rewards

Six new community financial institutions have agreed to carry Kasasa branded products, joining the 13 banks and one credit union already supporting the program across 11 states. The new additions bring the number of states in which Kasasa products are available to 15.

Kasasa is the first nationally branded checking account supported by individual community banks and credit unions. The idea, created by bank marketing company BancVue, is simple: By combining together under a single brand, smaller banks can pool their marketing resources, creating a unified advertising strategy that can compete against the banking giants that dominate the industry. BancVue launched Kasasa in May 2009. (Finovate video here, Netbanker blog post here.)

Joining the Kasasa program are six financial institutions:

• The Farmers & Merchants State Bank in Archibold, OH, the third Kasasa bank in Indiana and the second in Ohio ($640 million in deposits)
• First Bank in Clewiston, FL, the second Kasasa bank in Florida ($220 million in deposits)
• InCommons Bank in Mexia, TX, the second Kasasa bank in Texas ($74 million in deposits)
• Murphy-Wall State Bank & Trust Company in Pinckneyville, IL, the fifth Kasasa bank in Illinois ($69 million in deposits)
• Aspire FCU in Clark, NJ, the first Kasasa financial institution in New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, and Virginia (21,000 members)
• Double 11 Credit Union in Indianapolis, IN, the first Kasasa credit union in Indiana (5,000 members)

Adding new banks and credit unions is important to Kasasa because each new addition expands the service area covered by the program, strengthening the brand nationally and benefiting all the financial institutions participating in it.

Kasasa enables participating financial institutions to offer customers their choice of four products:

1. High-interest checking
2. Savings accounts
3. Reward account giving debit-card users iTunes downloads
4. Charitable program allowing users to allocate interest payments to established charities.

Of the six newcomers, only The Farmers & Merchants State Bank elected to offer all four of Kasasa's products.

Kasasa's four products