Square adds loyalty features to its mobile-payment apps Square announced it has added loyalty features to its apps. Square / June 19, 2012 June 19, 2012, 8:48 a.m. Square has add new features to both of its mobile payment apps, allowing merchants to offer customers loyalty benefits through its service. The San Francisco start-up announced the update to its Square Register and Pay with Square apps Tuesday. Among the new features are tools letting merchants offer first-visit specials as well as punch cards that can be customized. On the other side of the transaction, customers can now also collect loyalty cards from merchants they frequent and track rewards. "Square allows business owners to create loyalty programs that will both attract new customers and give existing customers the incentive to return," the company said in a statement. Square has also given merchants the ability to customize discounts by percentages or dollars, in-app access to real-time trends and an inventory library to allow merchants to sort their items. The Square updates come about a week after the company announced that it now has 300 employees and handles $6 billion in transactions annually. The company, which is used by 2 million people and businesses, also announced last week that it had added Sarah Friar, a former salesforce.com vice president, as its chief financial officer. Obama and Romney use Square for fundraising Groupon tests new service, enters mobile payment battlefield Square adds CFO, says it has 300 employees, handles $6 billion annually