To tweet this news, copy and paste http://bit.ly/XrR0A2 to your Twitter handle with the hashtag #MasterCard and #MWCashless

 BARCELONA and São Paulo, February 27, 2013 – Today at the Mobile World Congress, MasterCard announced the launch of NFC (Near Field Communication) payment services in Brazil, using MasterCard’s Mobile PayPass technology. The project, launched in partnership with Itaú, TIM, Redecard, and Gemalto, will provide consumers with greater convenience and speed when shopping, through a more secure, intelligent and simple payment option.

Using Mobile PayPass, a consumer can simply tap their PayPass-enabled smart phone onto the merchant’s NFC enabled POS from Redecard, and the payment is made instantaneously. Purchases are charged to a virtual account stored in the account holder’s smart phone and billed via the account holder’s Itaú issued statement, very similar to the way traditional payment card generated payments are billed today.

This solution is ideal for environments where speed is of essence, such as fast food restaurants, public transportation, fuel service stations, drugstores, vending machines and movie theaters, among others.

“With MasterCard’s Mobile PayPass it will be possible to provide even more convenience and practicality to the consumers’ and merchants’ day-to-day experience. In this way, everyone will have more time to focus on what really matters,” said Gilberto Caldart, president of MasterCard Brazil and the Southern Cone.

Additionally, as part of efforts to prepare the environment for the future of electronic payments, MasterCard is building the ability to connect MasterPass, its recently announced digital service, to a Mobile PayPass-enabled handset that has been provisioned for NFC payments at the cash register.

Today, a number of smart phones equipped with the Mobile PayPass technology were made available to Itaú customers, which can be used at select merchant locations in the cities of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.

Find a complete list of MasterCard’s news announcements from Mobile World Congress in our Digital Press Kit and follow us @MasterCardNews #MWCashless #MAMobileSymp to join the conversation.

About MasterCard Worldwide

MasterCard (NYSE: MA), www.mastercard.com, is a technology company in the global payments industry. We operate the world’s fastest payments processing network, connecting consumers, financial institutions, merchants, governments and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories. MasterCard’s products and solutions make everyday commerce activities – such as shopping, traveling, running a business and managing finances – easier, more secure and more efficient for everyone. Follow us on Twitter @MasterCardNews, join the discussion on the Cashless Conversations Blog and subscribe for the latest news.

 For further information:

 Global

Brian Gendron, 914-249-1284, brian_gendron@mastercard.com

Latin America and the Caribbean

Aimee Alvarez, 305-539-9448, aimee_alvarez@mastercard.com

Brazil

Andrea Denadai, MasterCard (55 11) 5508 0357 andrea_denadai@mastercard.com

Roberta Isfer, MasterCard, (55 11) 5508 8256 roberta_isfer@mastercard.com

Vanessa Guido, Tamer Comunicação Empresarial (55 11) 3031-2388 vanessa@tamer.com.br

Ana Amaral, Tamer Comunicação Empresarial (55 11) 3031 2388 anaamaral@tamer.com.br

# # #

Vietnam takes up contactless payments for the first time

To tweet this release and related images, copy and paste http://bit.ly/Xi9emu to your Twitter handle with the hash tags #PayPass, #contactlesspayments

Singapore, February 04, 2013 – MasterCard Worldwide announced today record growth of its contactless payments technology, MasterCard® PayPass™, across the Asia/Pacific, Middle East and Africa (APMEA) region in 2012, citing a 28% (YoY) increase in merchant locations.

MasterCard’s PayPass contactless payment network now boasts nearly 700,000 merchant locations in 51 countries as of Q4 2012. Growth data reflects a strong demand from consumers for fast and convenient alternative to cash for everyday purchases in region, including those in emerging markets like Vietnam, which  last month launched contactless payments for the first time. Australia, Taiwan, South Korea, Singapore, New Zealand, South Africa and United Arab Emirates were credited as key contributors to growth in the APMEA region, and hotbeds for innovation in contactless payments.

• In Australia, more than one-in-ten card transactions under $100 is now being made with PayPass.
• In Singapore, transactions made using PayPass at last year’s Great Singapore Sale (GSS) grew 100-fold, with total spend up by more than 54%.
• In New Zealand, all new consumer credit and debit cards issued are enabled with PayPass. Consumer-led demand for contactless technology drove uptake among the country’s most popular retailers, including Bunnings, Kmart, The Warehouse, Resene, Repco, and BP.
• In United Arab Emirates, MasterCard collaborated with Network International, the region’s leading acquirer, to expand its contactless payments infrastructure, installing MasterCard PayPass terminals across more than 1000 stores in 2012, and paving the way for contactless mobile payments in the region.

Strong growth in merchant locations was made possible through strategic collaborations, including those with Coles and Woolworths supermarkets in Australia, NTT DOCOMO in Japan, and E.Sun Bank in Taiwan. Merchants are also seeing real impact to their bottom line.

Early last year, MasterCard worked with E.Sun Bank, one of Taiwan’s top tier issuers and a top chain hypermarket to roll out a new MasterCard PayPass co-branded card aimed at driving higher performance of their customer loyalty program. In less than one year, E.Sun Bank had issued 600,000 cards.  PayPass functionalities have helped increase customer loyalty, delivering 15% higher spend, 20% less cardholder attrition and 10% more frequent usage than the bank’s average. [1]

Emerging Markets Take Up Contactless Payments to Reduce Cash

Earlier this month MasterCard Worldwide and leading Vietnamese bank, Vietnam Export Import Commercial Joint Stock Bank (Eximbank) announced the launch of contactless cards enabled by MasterCard PayPass with hundreds of merchant acceptance locations countrywide. A first for Vietnam, the availability of contactless payments marks a significant milestone in the country’s payments industry.

Under the partnership with Eximbank, all existing customers will be converted to PayPass cardholders. PayPass cardholders in Vietnam will now be able to make contactless payments at hundreds of merchant locations nationwide, as well as outside of the country, anywhere MasterCard PayPass is accepted.

Vietnam has made notable progress in recent months in its goal towards an increasingly ‘cashless’ society, partly due to an initiative from the government which aims to reduce cash payment to below 11 percent of total transactions, and have some 250,000 card-accepting merchants and 200 million transactions per year by 2015.

Mrs Dinh Thi Thu Thao, Deputy CEO of Vietnam Export Import Commercial Joint Stock Bank said: “The launch of MasterCard PayPass is a big step for Vietnam’s payments industry and for its financial system, which is moving increasingly towards a reduction in cash payments. We’re proud to be the first financial institution in the country to facilitate the shift towards a contactless payments ecosystem.”

“By providing consumers in Vietnam with a simple, secure way to pay for small ticket items that consumers purchase most, we hope to play a role in helping the country achieving its goal of reducing cash payments over the next few years” said Anton Corro, Country Manager & Chief Representative, Indochina at MasterCard Worldwide. “MasterCard is committed to developing innovations that address current and future payment needs of people and governments around the world. The rollout of PayPass in Vietnam is a reflection of our bullish approach to driving the uptake of new technology and innovation in Southeast Asia’s emerging markets.”

Initial PayPass-enabled merchants in Vietnam include fast food restaurants, convenient stores, and super markets.

Innovation in Contactless Payments to Drive Future Growth

In addition to exponential increases in adoption, innovation in contactless payments underpinned the growth of PayPass across the region in the last year will continue to be a driver in coming months. Highlights of contactless payments innovation in the last year included:

Innovation

• Australia’s largest bank, Commonwealth Bank in conjunction with MasterCard launched Commbank Kaching, the first Australian iPhone application of its kind to facilitate peer to peer payments and use MasterCard PayPass to allow customers to simply tap their iPhone to pay anywhere PayPass is accepted.
• East Africa’s largest retailer, Nakumatt, will introduce the multi-currency EMV MasterCard® PayPass™ Prepaid loyalty card to over one million of its loyalty program members in the coming months. The collaboration signaled the largest prepaid merchant agreement for MasterCard in the Middle East and Africa region, to date.
• In Japan, MasterCard was selected by NTT DOCOMO, the country’s leading mobile operator, to help connect their domestic payments network to the world, and enable consumers in Japan using MasterCard PayPass™ Ready Smartphones to make contactless payments while traveling the world, anywhere PayPass is accepted.
• In the Middle East, Fransabank’s MasterCard PayPass Card won the “Best Contactless Innovation Award in the Middle East”.
• In South Africa, the rollout of Standard Bank’s Muvo card with PayPass, brought cutting edge technology to Ethekwini Municipality’s bus transit system.
• In Singapore, MasterCard collaborated with DBS, EZ-Link and Starhub to launch a Near Field Communication (NFC) app “SmartWallet”, a seamless and secure digital wallet service.
• In Singapore, MasterCard, along with M1 and EZ-Link jointly launched the first Telco-Prepaid MasterCard PayPass card that rewards the cardholder’s spending on the card with airtime bonus.

For more information on MasterCard PayPass™, please visit: http://www.paypass.com/  and https://www.mastercard.com/mobile/

About MasterCard

MasterCard (NYSE: MA), www.mastercard.com, is a technology company in the global payments industry. We operate the world’s fastest payments processing network, connecting consumers, financial institutions, merchants, governments and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories. MasterCard’s products and solutions make everyday commerce activities – such as shopping, traveling, running a business and managing finances – easier, more secure and more efficient for everyone. Follow us on Twitter @MasterCardNews, join the discussion on the Cashless Conversations Blog and subscribe for the latest news.

Media Contacts

Georgette Tan, MasterCard Worldwide, georgette_tan@mastercard.com, +65 6390 5971

Cindy Choo, Weber Shandwick, cchoo@webershandwick.com, +65 6825 8035

TWEET: #MasterCard expands geographical presence in the Middle East with new office in Doha, #Qatar http://bit.ly/U5gfJX

Doha, 23 January, 2013 – In line with its commitment to expand its presence in the Middle East and Africa region and extend seamless support to customers, global payments and technology company MasterCard has today announced the official opening of its dedicated office in Qatar’s capital, Doha.

The announcement was made at a launch event that was held in Doha on 23 January and was hosted by Michael Miebach, president, Middle East and Africa, MasterCard Worldwide.

The launch of MasterCard’s office in Doha follows a series of recent successful product launches by several leading financial institutions in Qatar working in close collaboration with MasterCard. These associations have led to the development of highly innovative payment solutions, most notably the MasterCard PayPass™ payments program, which enables customers to make payments by simply tapping their contactless card, key fob or cell phone on a point-of-sale terminal reader. MasterCard’s PayPass contactless payment network now boasts nearly 550,000 merchant locations in 48 countries as of Q3 2012.

Commenting on the launch of MasterCard’s office in Doha, Michael Miebach said, “Over the last two decades, MasterCard has been at the forefront of advancing electronic payments in the Middle East and Africa from debit, credit and prepaid cards, to emerging payments such as contactless and mobile payment solutions. Our geographical presence and market position have witnessed sustained growth and today with the launch of our office in Doha, we have achieved yet another significant milestone.”

He further added, “Ranked as the world’s richest country with a projected per capita income of more than $ 113,000 by end of 2013, Qatar is fast emerging as a regional and global commercial hub that offers abundant growth opportunities across diverse industry sectors including banking and finance. Our valued customers in Qatar have shown phenomenal initiative to introduce the latest payment solutions and we are confident that with our strong understanding of local market trends and the ability to develop highly innovative and customized payment solutions, we are well poised to lead the growth of electronic payments in Qatar.”

Shashank Srivastava, Chief Executive Officer and Board Member of Qatar Financial Centre (QFC) Authority, said: “We are delighted to welcome the opening of MasterCard’s offices in Qatar. The QFC Authority granted MasterCard a license to operate in Qatar in June 2012 and we are happy to see that they now have a full team operating on the ground.” He added “MasterCard joins an ever-growing number of local and international firms which have decided to tap into the Qatari growing financial services industry, benefiting from the Qatar Financial Centre’s world class tax, regulatory and legal environment.”

MasterCard established its regional headquarters in Dubai in 1986 and the company has been at the forefront of introducing innovative payment solutions across the region over the last 26 years.  Expanding its geographical presence in the emerging markets of the Middle East and Africa region is a strategic priority for MasterCard, which has now established offices in Dubai, Riyadh, Doha, Cairo, Casablanca, Johannesburg, Lagos and Nairobi.

-Ends-

About MasterCard Worldwide

MasterCard (NYSE: MA), www.mastercard.com, is a global payments and technology company. It operates the world’s fastest payments processing network, connecting consumers, financial institutions, merchants, governments and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories. MasterCard’s products and solutions make everyday commerce activities – such as shopping, traveling, running a business and managing finances – easier, more secure and more efficient for everyone. Follow us on Twitter @MasterCardNews, join the conversation on Cashless Conversations Blog and subscribe for the latest news.

Contacts:

Sami Lahoud

Middle East and Africa Communications, +971 56 216 9273, sami_lahoud@mastercard.com

Rawan Lutfi

GolinHarris Dubai, +971 4 332 3308, rlutfi@golinharris.com

To tweet this news, copy and paste #MasterCard and Equity Bank collaborate to extend financial inclusion in East Africa http://bit.ly/13wxOGE 

Nairobi, Kenya, 15 January 2013 – MasterCard and Equity Bank of Kenya today announced an agreement at a signing ceremony in Nairobi to issue five million MasterCard-branded debit and prepaid cards, over the next 18 months. This program empowers African consumers to use electronic payments which provide a safe and secure way to pay, versus cash and other forms of payment.

As a result of the partnership, MasterCard debit and prepaid cards with chip-enabled technology will be issued, first into the Kenyan market and then extended into Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, and South Sudan, signaling the largest rollout of EMV payment cards in sub-Saharan Africa to date. The cards will also introduce MasterCard^® PayPass™ with the first ever installation of PayPass enabled point of sale terminals across the region.

The suite of products that will be made available in the East African region will include Mobile Point of Sale (MPOS) technology which allows merchants to receive payments via low cost add-ons linked to secure applications on their mobile devices (such as a smart phone or tablet). This technology will extend the security and convenience of electronic payments to merchants and their customers who previously depended on cash to transact.

“MasterCard is committed to extending financial inclusion across East Africa and the rest of the continent, introducing the unbanked and under-banked to the benefits of electronic payments”, said Ajay Banga, MasterCard president and CEO. “Our vision of a world beyond cash is only achievable through collaborations with industry stakeholders, such as the Equity Bank partnership. Working together with governments, financial institutions, merchants and businesses, we will be able to help modernize the payment industry in East Africa,” Banga concluded.

According to the Finscope Rwanda 2012 survey, financial exclusion in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda stands at 33%, 30%, 56% and 28.1% respectively, indicating the opportunity for both Equity Bank and MasterCard to extend financial inclusion to those previously not exposed to the benefits of electronic payment solutions.

Dr. James Mwangi, CEO and Managing Director of Equity Bank commented, “We aim to support East African governments in achieving their goals for greater financial inclusion. The partnership with MasterCard will help to solidify our position as one of the leading banks in East Africa. Working with various Central Banks across the region is essential to understanding these goals and designing tailor made solutions for each market. The Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) for example estimates that if financial institutions in the region reached the estimated 12 million Kenyans who currently have no access to formal financial services, approximately KES 300 billion (3.5 billion USD) will be added to the formal banking system.”

“We have chosen MasterCard as our partner due to the fact that we have a shared vision of an East Africa that is more financially inclusive for all its citizens and less dependent on cash. Cardholders will be able to use their MasterCard PayPass debit or prepaid cards at any location that accepts MasterCard worldwide. Special promotional offers will be announced during the rollout of the campaign,” Mwangi concluded.

Globally, PayPass is present in 48 countries and accepted at nearly 550,000 merchant locations. MasterCard cards are accepted at more than 34 million points around the world.

The partnership between MasterCard and Equity Bank is part of the payments solutions provider’s goal of  increasing its business in the region by providing added value to more customers, while at the same time encouraging the uptake of cashless transactions in the region as envisioned in its pursuit of a cashless global economy.

Dr. James Mwangi, Equity Bank CEO, and Ajay Banga, MasterCard Worldwide President and CEO, celebrate an agreement between MasterCard and Equity Bank to issue five-million MasterCard® PayPassT debit, and prepaid cards over the next 18 months, at a signing ceremony in Nairobi, Kenya on Tuesday Jan. 15, 2013. The MasterCard cards with chip-enabled technology will be issued first into the Kenyan market and then extended into Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, and South Sudan. The initiative introduces MasterCard® PayPassT, with the first ever installation of PayPass enabled point of sale terminals across the region, and Mobile Point of Sale systems, which allows merchants to receive payments via low cost add-ons linked to secure applications on their mobile devices. In a move towards increasing financial inclusion in Kenya and East Africa at large, this program caters specifically to the unbanked and under-banked population, empowering African consumers to use electronic payments which provide a safe and secure way to pay versus cash and other forms of payment. (Riccardo Gangale /AP Images for Mastercard Worldwide)

About MasterCard:

MasterCard(NYSE: MA), www.mastercard.com,is a global payments and technology company. It operates the world’s fastest payments processing network, connecting consumers, financial institutions, merchants, governments and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories. MasterCard’s products and solutions make everyday commerce activities – such as shopping, traveling, running a business and managing finances – easier, more secure and more efficient for everyone. Follow us on Twitter @MasterCardNews, join the discussion on the Cashless Conversations Blog and subscribe for the latest news.

About Equity Bank:

Equity Bank is an all-inclusive financial services provider with a growing pan-African footprint. Listed on the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE: EQTY) and Uganda Securities Exchange (USE: EBL) and with over 8 million customers spread across five East African markets, we have grown from humble beginnings as a provider of mortgage financing to Kenya’s low income population to Africa’s biggest bank by customer base. Our vision is “to be the champion of the socio-economic prosperity of the people of Africa,” a vision we continue to pursue through a business model that is anchored on access, convenience and flexibility for our clients.

For media inquiries contact:

Sami Lahoud                                                               

MasterCard Middle East & Africa Communications

sami_lahoud@mastercard.com  

+971 56 216 9273

Marcy Cohen

MasterCard Worldwide Communications

 marcy_cohen@mastercard.com 

+1 (914) 249-2214

Geraldine Trennery

Tribeca Public Relations

Cell: +27 82 677 5201

Direct line: +27 11 208 5533

Office line: +27 11 208 5500

Fax: +27 11 807 0944

E-mail: geraldinet@tribecapr.co.za

Physical: Block B Ground Floor, Homestead Park, 37 Homestead Road, Rivonia, Johannesburg, South Africa

To tweet this news, copy and paste http://bit.ly/Ua71g7 to your Twitter handle with the hashtag #PayPass

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. & PURCHASE, N.Y. –Dec. 18, 2012– MasterCard and the PGA TOUR today announced an extension of their marketing relationship through 2016. The continued relationship will focus on further providing MasterCard cardholders unique golf experiences, privileged access to top PGA TOUR tournaments and properties, as well as golf-related savings and offers.

MasterCard has been a sponsor of the PGA TOUR and Champions Tour since 1995 and presenting sponsor of the Arnold Palmer Invitational Presented by MasterCard since 2004.

“Golf is a passion point for many of our cardholders,” said Chris McWilton, President, U.S. Markets, MasterCard. “The TOUR has helped us to provide our cardholders with golf experiences and access that bring them closer to the game in a truly unique manner. By aligning our brand with the things that matter most to our cardholders, we’re able to deliver on our brand promise and ultimately further cardholder loyalty.”

Enhanced Cardholder Experience

With the relationship renewal, MasterCard will expand TOUR-related cardholder benefits at key PGA TOUR tournaments and courses, as well as introduce new programs at select tournaments. This includes:

• Best Seats in the House – MasterCard cardholders will have the opportunity to “text to win” for upgraded hospitality on competition day at the vast majority of PGA TOUR events.
• Tournament Advantage – A selection of top tournaments will offer cardholders special grounds ticket purchase opportunities, as well as on-site savings at concession and merchandise venues.
• Priceless Lessons – Cardholders will be provided a unique opportunity to “text to win” a one-time, 20-minute putting lesson with a PGA TOUR player at several different tournaments throughout the season.

Priceless Golf Access

These unique experiences complement the premier access MasterCard cardholders are provided at top courses across the country through:

• TPC Member for a Day – A popular program that gives all MasterCard cardholders access to play at private TPC facilities in a single-day outing.
• Preferred Benefits – MasterCard World and World Elite cardholders receive preferred access as well as golf and merchandising savings across the vast majority of TPC facilities.
• Course to Yourself – MasterCard World and World Elite cardholders can reserve the first tee time of the day, any one day at resort destination TPC courses.

Delivering Priceless Experiences

For information including how to book, reserve and purchase Priceless Golf experiences, visit www.pgatour.com/mastercard.

“We are excited about the programs that MasterCard is implementing for its cardholders who enjoy watching and playing golf,” said Tom Wade, Chief Marketing Officer of the PGA TOUR. “MasterCard continues to be very creative in developing marketing programs centered on its relationship with the PGA TOUR. MasterCard also has been a vital part of the success of the PGA TOUR and we are pleased to announce this four-year extension. We look forward to working with MasterCard to bring these cardholder programs to life.”

About MasterCard

MasterCard (NYSE: MA), is a global payments and technology company. It operates the world’s fastest payments processing network, connecting consumers, financial institutions, merchants, governments and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories. MasterCard’s products and solutions make everyday commerce activities – such as shopping, traveling, running a business and managing finances – easier, more secure and more efficient for everyone. Follow us on Twitter @MasterCardNews, join the conversation on The Cashless Conversations Blog and subscribe for the latest news.

About PGA TOUR

The PGA TOUR is the world’s premier membership organization for touring professional golfers, co-sanctioning more than 100 tournaments on the PGA TOUR, Champions Tour, Web.com Tour and PGA TOUR Latinoamérica. The PGA TOUR’s mission is to entertain and inspire its fans, deliver substantial value to its partners, create outlets for volunteers to give back, generate significant charitable and economic impact in communities in which it plays, and provide financial opportunities for TOUR players.

Including the U.S., PGA TOUR tournaments are broadcast to approximately 944 million households in 225 countries and territories in 32 languages. Virtually all tournaments are organized as non-profit organizations in order to maximize charitable giving. In 2011, tournaments on the three Tours generated more than $121 million for local charitable organizations, bringing the TOUR’s all-time total of charitable contributions to more than $1.7 billion.

The PGA TOUR’s web site is PGATOUR.com, the No. 1 site in golf, and the organization is headquartered in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL.

Source: MasterCard

Media
MasterCard
Sarah Ely, 914-249-6714
sarah_ely@mastercard.com
or
PGA TOUR
Chris Smith, 904-273-3379
csmith@pgatourhq.com

To tweet this news, copy and paste http://bit.ly/STT5EH to your Twitter handle with the hashtag #PayPass

 Waterloo, Belgium –December 18, 2012– MasterCard Europe today announced the 2012 milestones for  MasterCard PayPass, showing that consumers are embracing the Tap&Go™ payment experience in 26 countries across Europe (8 new countries in 2012).   PayPass is an innovative contactless payment feature that provides consumers and merchants with a fast and convenient alternative to cash for everyday purchases.  PayPass can be added to any MasterCard® or Maestro® debit, credit or prepaid card.

Since January 2012 growth in cards enabled with PayPass is up more than 50% and top PayPass countries such as Poland have more than 50% cards enabled.  In addition to Poland, large PayPass card footprints are now well established in France, Germany, Italy, Turkey, Russia, Switzerland and the UK where in each country there are close to or far above a million enabled cards.

Retail acceptance almost doubled in the same time period and has now reached 255,000 locations in Europe.  Important new retailers now accepting PayPass include Marks&Spencer, IKEA, Transport for London and BP.   

These results continue to position MasterCard as a brand of choice for consumers and merchants alike. “For IKEA, we’re now seeing one out of every five transactions on a MasterCard branded card being a contactless one and are very satisfied with the introduction of PayPass in all eight of our IKEA stores in Poland.  We have experienced improvement in the reduction of queues with the help of PayPass, particularly at peak times like lunchtime in the restaurant or during weekends at the retail cashiers”   said  Zofia Korbasiewicz, Treasury Manager from IKEA in Poland.

Convenience and speed rank highly for big retailers like IKEA, and also for transit business partners such as Transport for London (TfL).  TfL recently announced the acceptance of MasterCard® PayPass™ and Maestro® PayPass™ for fare payment on London’s 8,500 buses as of December 2012.  “What we’ve been able to do here with Transport for London is to ensure that consumers can use that card that’s already in their wallet to seamlessly travel through London but get the benefit of safe, secure payments that are easy to use” explains Marion King, Division President of United Kingdom and Ireland from MasterCard.

PayPass cardholders continue to enjoy the simplicity and convenience linked to contactless payments and consequently contribute to the displacement of cash around Europe.  In Poland, for purchases below 50 zlotys (approximately 12 euros)**, MasterCard purchase transactions have increased by almost 50%  year over year. Now PayPass makes up nearly a quarter of transactions in this spend range.

“2012 has been a turning point for PayPass in Europe as it is now in the hands of millions of consumers and accepted by thousands of merchants across Europe”, says Chris Kangas, Head of PayPass at MasterCard Europe.  “Education about speed, convenience and security of this technology is key and when consumers who use PayPass-enabled cards or devices understand that they can enjoy the same protections from fraud as they would with conventional MasterCard payments, contactless payments become part of their day-to-day shopping.”

Globally, PayPass is present in 48 countries and accepted at nearly 550,000 merchant locations.

-          E N D S   -

Contacts:

Rose Beaumont, MasterCard Europe, +44 7725219970, rose_beaumont@mastercard.com

Corinne Raes, MasterCard Europe, +32 2 352 5237, corinne_raes@mastercard.com

* PayPass-issuing countries in Europe are: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Kazakhstan, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom, Ukraine.

** 50 zlotys is the local PayPass limit below which there is no need for PIN code or signature for contactless transactions.

About MasterCard Worldwide

MasterCard (NYSE: MA), www.mastercard.com, is a global payments and technology company. It operates the world’s fastest payments processing network, connecting consumers, financial institutions, merchants, governments and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories. MasterCard’s products and solutions make everyday commerce activities – such as shopping, traveling, running a business and managing finances – easier, more secure and more efficient for everyone. Follow us on Twitter @MasterCardNews, join the discussion on the Cashless Conversations Blog and subscribe for the latest news.

Tweet this: More #NewZealand retailers installing #PayPass terminals as more Kiwis #Tap&Go with #MasterCard http://bit.ly/RqiKrJ

AUCKLAND – December 13, 2012 – MasterCard cardholders are expected to quickly and enthusiastically embrace MasterCard® PayPass™ as some of New Zealand’s most popular retailers install “Tap & Go” terminals in the lead-up to Christmas.

The milestone increase in merchants is a reflection of strong demand from Kiwi consumers for faster and secure ways to make everyday payments.

PayPass is MasterCard’s contactless payment system, specifically aimed at replacing low-value purchases where consumers would usually pay with cash. The technology allows cardholders to simply and securely tap their PayPass-enabled MasterCard against a retailer’s PayPass point-of-sale terminal to authorise purchases for transactions under $80, without the need to enter a PIN or provide a signature. Transactions over $80 can still be tapped, cardholders simply enter a PIN or sign to authorise their purchase.

Organisations including Air New Zealand, ASB, ANZ, BNZ, Kiwibank, Westpac and The Warehouse Financial Services have already recognised the benefits of PayPass and are issuing MasterCard PayPass-enabled cards.

As a result, there are now a growing number of PayPass-enabled MasterCard cards in New Zealand and several thousand merchant terminals where PayPass can be used to pay including Bunnings, Kmart, The Warehouse, Resene, Repco, and BP. Many more Kiwi retail chains are also recognising the benefits of PayPass as a quick and convenient way to pay and will be rolling out PayPass-enabled terminals over the coming months.

MasterCard New Zealand Country Manager, Albert Naffah said: “New Zealanders are typically early adopters of technology. As more retailers install PayPass terminals, consumers here are being quick to “tap-and-go” and make use of this smart, secure and convenient way of paying.

“Using PayPass puts both merchants and cardholders in the fast lane to convenience for the small but important purchases where customers don‟t have the time or desire to stand around waiting.

“We truly believe that contactless is the best way to make and accept payments – it’s quicker and more convenient for consumers, and allows merchants to accept more payments at peak sales times. It helps reduce the delays caused by queuing or searching for change and, with consumers already noticing the benefits, we believe it will be available across a larger number of retailers in the next couple of years.”

“As we head into the busy Christmas shopping period, we expect to see PayPass terminals helping ease those long shopping queues as they are become commonplace at major retailers including The Warehouse, Kmart, BP and Bunnings.”

MasterCard’s contactless terminal technology is paving the way for secure and convenient mobile applications that are increasingly popular – especially with younger consumers. PayPass makes it faster and easier to make purchases online or through a smartphone by allowing consumers to securely pay with a simple tap, and the contactless terminal infrastructure that is being installed within New Zealand is paving the way for other mobile application technology within the payments sector.

“Kiwis had a taste of PayPass during the Rugby World Cup 2011, when PayPass terminals were installed in Eden Park, Westpac Stadium and Forsyth Barr Stadium for ease of transaction during games. We’re seeing consumers increasingly recognise the benefits of contactless payments and using PayPass more frequently as an alternative to cash,” said Mr Naffah.

In Australia, more than one-in-ten card present transactions under $100 are made with PayPass.

“While New Zealand retailers have been slower to adopt the technology than the Australian market, we’re seeing Kiwi consumers pick-up the technology quicker than their Australian counterparts, which in turn will help drive the uptake with retailers,” said Mr Naffah.

A core component of Roadmap is MasterCard’s commitment to continued innovation in the payments industry, with PayPass recognised as the most Innovative Card and Payment Product of the Year in the financial services industry at the 2011 Australian Banking and Finance Awards.

Ends

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About MasterCard PayPass

MasterCard® PayPass™ is MasterCard Worldwide’s “contactless” payment program that provides consumers with a simple and convenient way to pay. Using PayPass, consumers simply tap their payment card, or alternative PayPass device, on a specially equipped merchant terminal, eliminating the need to fumble for cash and coins, hand their card to a clerk or swipe the card through a reader manually. PayPass is ideal for quick payment environments where speed is essential, such as fast food restaurants, petrol stations, pharmacies, sports stadiums and movie theatres.

About MasterCard Worldwide

MasterCard (NYSE: MA), http://www.mastercard.com, is a global payments and technology company. It operates the world’s fastest payments processing network, connecting consumers, financial institutions, merchants, governments and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories. MasterCard’s products and solutions make everyday commerce activities – such as shopping, traveling, running a business and managing finances – easier, more secure and more efficient for everyone. Follow us on Twitter @MasterCardNews, join the discussion on the Cashless Conversations Blog and subscribe for the latest news.

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Media Contacts

Amy O’Rourke
Acumen Republic
T: 09 354 0584
E: AORourke@acumenrepublic.com

Julian Light
Acumen Republic
T: 04 494 5146
E: JLight@acumenrepublic.com

Chicago and Purchase, N.Y, December 12, 2012 – Mobile wallet and transactions platform provider C-SAM and MasterCard (NYSE:MA) today announced a global strategic partnership, as well as a minority investment by MasterCard. Additional terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

Founded in 1998, Chicago-based C-SAM provides the end-to-end infrastructure required to operationalize a mobile wallet. This includes back-end management infrastructure, software development kits and on-device software that support secure proximity near field communications (NFC), bar code, QR code and cloud-based transactions. The C-SAM platform also supports customer-specific offers, loyalty incentives, banking, bill-pay options and non-financial secure transactions.

By leveraging the MasterCard digital payment infrastructure including PayPass™ Wallet Services, C-SAM will be able to significantly enhance its current offering and increase the value provided to its customers and consumers.

“Our solutions and services fully complement MasterCard’s core competencies. The partnership enables us to more rapidly develop innovative mobile commerce products, and increase the breadth and depth of our services,” said Felix Marx, chief executive officer, C-SAM. “We look forward to working with MasterCard to offer attractive end-to-end mobile solutions for service providers around the globe.”

“This partnership further strengthens our ongoing efforts to work with industry-leading companies to deploy our technologies and help drive innovation and adoption in the rapidly evolving digital payments space,” said Ed McLaughlin, chief emerging payments officer, MasterCard. “C-SAM’s proven track record and expertise in developing mobile platforms, combined with our worldwide network and suite of industry-leading payments solutions, will help enable us to deliver new, innovative solutions to a wide range of global customers.”

Today’s announcement builds upon an existing marketing and commercialization relationship formed earlier in 2012. The potential of the partnership was evident when Singapore-based StarHub launched its NFC-based SmartWallet mobile app in early August 2012.

“C-SAM and MasterCard played a vital role in the development of our secure digital wallet service, enabling our customers to conveniently shop, pay for transport, redeem discount coupons and use digital credit or debit cards securely with a single tap of their NFC-enabled smartphone,” said Ms. Yeong Mun-Ling, vice president of business strategy, StarHub.

About MasterCard Worldwide

MasterCard (NYSE: MA), www.mastercard.com, is a global payments and technology company. It operates the world’s fastest payments processing network, connecting consumers, financial institutions, merchants, governments and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories. MasterCard’s products and solutions make everyday commerce activities – such as shopping, traveling, running a business and managing finances – easier, more secure and more efficient for everyone. Follow us on Twitter @MasterCardNews, join the discussion on the Cashless Conversations Blog and subscribe for the latest news.

About C-SAM

C-SAM, Inc. is a pioneer in secure mobile transactions technology. The company provides turnkey services to carriers, banks, merchants, settlement networks, healthcare providers, and large infrastructure providers. C-SAM has launched commercial services in the US, Japan, China, India, Singapore, and Mexico. For more information, visit www.c-sam.com or follow us on Twitter at @c_sam_inc.

Investor Relations

For MasterCard

Catherine Murchie, 914-249-4565, investor_relations@mastercard.com

Media Contacts

For MasterCard

Brian Gendron, 914-249-1284, brian_gendron@mastercard.com

For C-SAM

Lora Friedrichsen, Global Results Communications (GRC), 949-608-0276, csam@globalresultspr.com

PURCHASE, N.Y.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Dec. 3, 2012– Leading the way for the next-generation of in-flight payment acceptance, MasterCard has taken contactless payments 30,000 feet off the ground. The Company today announced US Airways has become the first airline in the world to accept MasterCard PayPass™ -enabled cards and devices for in-flight purchases. Enabled by GuestLogix (TSX:GXI), the travel industry’s leader in onboard retail technology, US Airways passengers can now buy food, beverages and other services by simply tapping their MasterCard PayPass-enabled card and devices helping to speed up transaction times and provide increased convenience.

“MasterCard has been at the forefront of contactless payment innovations, bringing the convenience and speed of PayPass technology to environments where faster transactions are essential for both consumers and merchants,” said Dave Meadon, group head of Global Chip Solutions & Engineering, MasterCard.” With the broad acceptance of electronic payments, consumers today can travel virtually cash free, eliminating the hassle of carrying cash and without having to fumble through their wallet or purse for exact change.”

“At US Airways, we are always looking for ways to enhance the service we provide to our customers,” said Hector Adler, vice president, Inflight Services for US Airways. “With this new solution, our crew has the technology they need to provide faster service for our MarketPlace® onboard offerings of food, drinks & more.”

With a finite period of time available for Flight Attendants to offer food, beverage or service of other retail offerings onboard, enabling MasterCard PayPass™ acceptance will quicken the time it takes to process card payments in-flight.

“US Airways has been an extremely forward-looking customer throughout our four-year relationship, so it comes as no surprise that they were the first to adopt this new technology,” said GuestLogix President & CEO, Brett Proud. “Contactless payments are ideal for both passenger and Flight Attendant convenience as the transaction time is significantly reduced when using MasterCard PayPass.”

With MasterCard PayPass, US Airways passengers simply tap their PayPass-enabled MasterCard card or device on a PayPass-accepting reader. US Airways can offer its passengers the convenience of faster transaction times and increased limits for signature-less transactions. MasterCard PayPass is particularly useful within several merchant categories where speed and convenience are essential, such as quick-service restaurants, retail, airports, vending machines, and taxis.

For more information MasterCard’s PayPass technology visit: http://www.paypass.com/

About MasterCard Worldwide

MasterCard (NYSE: MA), www.mastercard.com,is a global payments and technology company. It operates the world’s fastest payments processing network, connecting consumers, financial institutions, merchants, governments and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories. MasterCard’s products and solutions make everyday commerce activities – such as shopping, traveling, running a business and managing finances – easier, more secure and more efficient for everyone. Follow us on Twitter @MasterCardNews, join the discussion on the Cashless Conversations Blog and subscribe for the latest news.

About US Airways

US Airways, along with US Airways Shuttle and US Airways Express, operates nearly 3,200 flights per day and serves more than 200 communities in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Europe, the Middle East, the Caribbean, Central and South America. The airline employs more than 32,000 aviation professionals worldwide, operates the world’s largest fleet of Airbus aircraft and is a member of the Star Alliance network, which offers its customers more than 21,500 daily flights to 1,356 airports in 193 countries. Together with its US Airways Express partners, the airline serves approximately 80 million passengers each year and operates hubs in Charlotte, N.C., Philadelphia and Phoenix, and a focus city in Washington, D.C. at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.

Source: MasterCard Worldwide

MasterCard
Sarah Ely, 914-249-6714
sarah_ely@mastercard.com

TWEET: #MasterCard #DisplayCard launched to #SouthAfricans offering superior security and contactless convenience http://bit.ly/YncOkT

Johannesburg, 28 November 2012 – MasterCard Worldwide, in collaboration with Absa, has unveiled Asia/Pacific, Middle East and Africa’s (APMEA) first interactive payment card that combines a built-in LCD display and a touch-sensitive button for enhanced control and security; MasterCard® PayPass™  technology to enable quick, contactless payments; and a combination debit and credit card facility.

Launched as part of Absa’s Potentiate offering for emerging affluent professionals, the Absa MasterCard Titanium card combines MasterCard’s leading technologies into one card, with consumers now able to perform various transactions without having to carry multiple payments cards or devices.

“As consumers become increasingly tech savvy and desire quicker, safer, and more convenient payment solutions, MasterCard has harnessed the power of our existing cutting edge technologies to create an all-in-one payment card that makes payments easier for South Africans,” says Philip Panaino, division president for South Africa, MasterCard Worldwide.

South Africa’s first touch-sensitive MasterCard Display card

The MasterCard Display card technology ensures the card looks and functions almost exactly like a regular credit or debit card, but it features an embedded LCD display and a touch-sensitive button. This allows a cardholder to generate a One-Time Password (OTP) as an authentication security measure when shopping online at participating 3D Secure merchants.

“According to the latest MasterCard Worldwide Online Shopping Survey 2011, online shopping has increased by 5% year-on-year, with 58% of active internet users saying they shop online.

“With the continued growth in online payments, consumers are naturally demanding increased security. The innovative features of this card address this need, while empowering consumers to do so much more with their payment cards,” says Panaino.

Contactless transacting makes paying faster and easier  

The Absa MasterCard Titanium card incorporates MasterCard’s PayPass™ Tap & Go™ functionality, a contactless payment feature offering South Africans the chance to be liberated from the security risks and inconvenience associated with cash payments.

It provides consumers with a fast, secure and convenient method to pay for everyday low value payments where speed is essential, such as quick serve restaurants, petrol stations, supermarkets and movie theatres. Cardholders simply tap their MasterCard PayPass-enabled card on a specially equipped terminal, and the transaction is completed.

“This is the first bank card in APMEA to feature MasterCard’s PayPass technology on a Display Card, and it can be accepted at any merchant globally who displays the PayPass logo,” says Panaino.

Combination credit and debit functionality for convenient transacting

The card’s functionality is further enhanced with its ability to access any of the cardholder’s underlying debit, credit or savings accounts, which means that cardholders no longer need to carry multiple cards in their wallets.

When they want to make a purchase, they simply insert their Absa MasterCard Titanium card into a conventional payment terminal and use the keypad to select to pay using funds from their debit, credit or savings account. They then enter their PIN, and the transaction is complete.

“The Absa MasterCard Titanium card breathes advancement into our customer solutions and is designed to appeal to the new generation of banking clients who place a high priority on time, money and digital lifestyle,” says Arrie Rautenbach, Absa Head of Retail Markets.

“MasterCard continues to be at the forefront of payment technology. The launch of the card marks a significant step in creating a world beyond cash, while making payments faster, easier and more secure for consumers,” says Panaino.

NOTE TO EDITORS:

About MasterCard

MasterCard(NYSE: MA), www.mastercard.com,is a global payments and technology company. It operates the world’s fastest payments processing network, connecting consumers, financial institutions, merchants, governments and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories. MasterCard’s products and solutions make everyday commerce activities – such as shopping, traveling, running a business and managing finances – easier, more secure and more efficient for everyone. Follow us on Twitter @MasterCardNews, join the discussion on the Cashless Conversations Blog and subscribe for the latest news.

About MasterCard Display Cards

MasterCard Display Cards, first launched in 2010, herald a new era in card payments, extending the payment card with interactivity. Display Cards feature a small display and one or more touch sensitive buttons in addition to all the traditional payment card features. Display Cards can be used as “Authentication Cards” for secure, portable and cost-effective remote authentication of online banking and e-commerce transactions by using the card to generate One-Time-Passwords (OTPs). They can also be used as “Information Display” Cards enabling cardholders to access critical information such as account balance anywhere, anytime – enhancing payment or banking experiences in a number of ways.  

Media contact:

Birgit Fawkes, +27 11 208 5529, birgitf@tribecapr.co.za   

Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 20 November 2012 – MasterCard Worldwide, Comviva Technologies and Tutuka today announced a strategic collaboration that combines Comviva’s mobiquity^® mobile payment platform, Tutuka’s prepaid processing platform and MasterCard’s global electronic payments network to further extend financial inclusion to millions of consumers across Africa.

The collaboration will enable Operators providing mobile money services using Comviva’s mobiquity^® platform to offer their customers prepaid MasterCard cards or Virtual Card Numbers (VCN) linked to their existing stored value accounts. These will enable customers to purchase goods and services at millions of physical and online retailers worldwide where MasterCard is accepted, as well as transfer funds and pay bills.

At present stored value accounts, managed primarily by mobile network operatorsoffer services only to users within the operators network such as mobile top-up, bill payments, merchant payments, cash withdrawal and P2P payments.

“Comviva has established its leadership in empowering mobile money across geographies. By partnering with Tutuka, we can now bring the full benefits of the MasterCard Mobile Money Partnership Program that we joined in February to consumers across Africa. Together, we are now able to bring open loop solutions faster to market, like empowering consumers to utilise their existing stored value account at any of the 33 million locations worldwide that accepts MasterCard, thereby dramatically improving the Mobile Money value proposition,” says Srinivas Nidugondi, Vice President, Mobile Financial Solutions, Comviva.

The new solution offered by this collaboration will be available to both Comviva’s existing and new mobile money implementations across Africa, with the potential to benefit over 750 million consumers across the continent.

These consumers simply need to engage with their specific Operator, who will register and link their mobile number against a unique MasterCard Prepaid card which will be issued to the consumer. The Operator will also conduct any further steps as is mandated by each market’s financial regulator.

“The ubiquity of mobile and interoperability are the keys to the penetration of electronic payments in Africa,” says Mung Ki Woo, Group Executive, Mobile, MasterCard Worldwide. “This solution leverages our biggest asset, the MasterCard Worldwide network, to bring ubiquitous acceptance to mobile wallet consumers across Africa in an efficient and cost effective manner.”

According to MasterCard, Mobile Money addresses the needs of consumers in developing markets through a readily accessible device, the mobile phone. While only about half of the world’s households have bank accounts – and an even lower proportion in developing countries – seven out of 10 people worldwide have a mobile phone. According to Juniper Research, the combined market for all types of mobile payments is expected to reach more than $600B globally by 2013, double the current figure.

The collaboration announced today is a result of a global initiative called the MasterCard Mobile Money Partnership Program launched by the company in February 2012. The objective of the program is to help more than 2.5 billion financially-underserved consumers worldwide gain access to formal financial services through their mobile phones. Tutuka is one of the latest organisations to support this program.

“Tutuka and MasterCard have enjoyed a long and fruitful relationship spanning 15 years,” says Rowan Brewer, CEO, Tutuka. “This relationship has allowed us to develop African relevant solutions that respond to ever evolving consumer needs, extending the benefits of electronic payments to consumers who would otherwise not be able to benefit from their convenience, ease of use and security.”

“MasterCard is continually looking at ways that it can help financially-underserved consumers worldwide gain access to formal financial services,” says Michael Miebach, president, Middle East and Africa, MasterCard Worldwide. “This collaboration with Tutuka and Comviva perfectly illustrates the enormous potential for mobile money solutions to drive financial inclusion across Africa, and continues MasterCard’s approach of providing consumers more ways of paying safely, securely and simply.”

From left to right: Daniel Monehin, division president, Sub Saharan Africa, MasterCard, Worldwide; Seshadri Kulkarni, Head of Global Business Development, Mobile Financial Services, Comviva; Rowan Brewer, CEO, Tutuka; and Mung-Ki Woo, global executive mobile, MasterCard, Worldwide

About MasterCard

MasterCard (NYSE: MA), www.mastercard.com,is a global payments and technology company. It operates the world’s fastest payments processing network, connecting consumers, financial institutions, merchants, governments and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories. MasterCard’s products and solutions make everyday commerce activities – such as shopping, traveling, running a business and managing finances – easier, more secure and more efficient for everyone. Follow us on Twitter @MasterCardNews, join the discussion on the Cashless Conversations Blog and subscribe for the latest news.

About Comviva

Comviva is the global leader in providing mobile financial and VAS solutions. Tech Mahindra Limited, India’s sixth largest software exporter holds majority stake in the company. With an extensive portfolio of solutions spanning VAS infrastructure, applications delivery platforms and customer-facing applications, Comviva enables mobile service providers to enrich mobile users’ lives, whilst rationalizing costs, accelerating revenue growth and enhancing customer lifetime value. Comviva’s solutions are deployed by service providers in over 90 countries and power services to more than a billion mobile subscribers globally. For more information, please visit www.comviva.com

About Tutuka

Tutuka is a software company focused on prepaid technology, and is the largest and longest running voucher system provider in South Africa. Tutuka was founded in 1998 and brought out the first private label and prepaid MasterCards in South Africa. Today we boast some of South Africa’s leading retailers and marketers as our customers including Standard Bank, Liberty Properties, Altech Autopage, Vodacom, Visa, Pick n Pay, Game, Investec Plc, Broll, Makro, Game Cape Union Mart, Edgars, NuPay, Look & Listen and Sportsman’s Warehouse, to name a few. Visit www.tutuka.com for more information.

Media Contacts

Sundeep Mehta

Corporate Communications

Comviva Technologies Limited

T: +91 124 481 9000

Email: pr@comviva.com

Jandre Nieuwoudt

GolinHarris

T: +971 4 3323308

Email: jnieuwoudt@golinharris.com

To tweet this news, copy and paste http://bit.ly/WwAcwm to your Twitter handle with the hashtag

#MasterCard

Purchase, N.Y. and Amsterdam, Netherlands, November 7, 2012 – MasterCard and ING Group today announced a joint trial underway in the Netherlands that is demonstrating a new way to pay online using mobile phones. The trial extends the functionality of the Mobile MasterCard® PayPass™ application, already used to support contactless payments at point of sale, to deliver a highly secure and easy to use payment experience at internet merchants. By using the Secure Element in the mobile device, a comparable level of security can be achieved whether a purchase is being made in-store or online.

The solution being tested in the trial supports two scenarios: first, shopping and paying on a phone where the consumer is able to select merchandise they want to purchase, select their payment method, provide their shipping information and enter their PIN to authenticate the transaction. An EMV-compliant cryptogram is supplied by the phone directly to the merchant’s payment gateway for processing. In the second scenario, the consumer is able to start their shopping on a PC or tablet, and then complete the payment step on their phone using a secure QR code that connects the Mobile PayPass application in the user’s phone securely to the merchant’s online shopping cart.

In both cases, coupons and vouchers can be applied in real-time as the consumer shops, and e-receipts presented upon successful payment. The trial promises to deliver a similar user experience in both the physical and digital world and a comparable level of security to a regular EMV transaction.  

“This innovative mobile payment product enables ING to offer our customers a one-click-buy experience. The trial allows us to explore which new type of mobile payments products and technologies will meet our client’ needs,” said Mark Buitenhek, Global Head of Payments & Cash Management at ING Group. “Working with MasterCard on this trial is in line with our international payments strategy to introduce standardized and internationally accepted payment products that offer a high level of security and convenience.”

The payments industry has begun to see a substantial shift in online shopping from traditional PCs to smartphones and tablets. According to market-research firm Gartner Inc., in the mobile space alone, payment transactions are expected to surge to an estimated $600 billion world-wide by 2016, up from $172 billion this year. Consumers will continue to shop and pay in whatever way best fits their needs and lifestyles – with a simple tap, click or touch – in-store, online or on a mobile device. At the same time, merchants want to focus on providing the best consumer experience possible – regardless of where, or how, a consumer decides to engage them. 

“As a company leading the global transformation of digital payment technology, we continue to work with innovative partners like ING to develop and test solutions that address and enhance the ways consumers can pay for goods and services – both today and tomorrow,” said Jorn Lambert, Group Head, Emerging Payments, Europe, MasterCard Worldwide. “This trial builds on our recently announced PayPass Wallet Services and our vision of delivering to consumers and merchants a secure, converged payments experience in-store, online or on a mobile device.”

The trial, which began in mid-October, will run through the first quarter of 2013.

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About MasterCard Worldwide

MasterCard (NYSE: MA), http://www.mastercard.com/, is a global payments and technology company. It operates the world’s fastest payments processing network, connecting consumers, financial institutions, merchants, governments and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories. MasterCard’s products and solutions make everyday commerce activities – such as shopping, traveling, running a business and managing finances – easier, more secure and more efficient for everyone. Follow us on Twitter @MasterCardNews, join the discussion on the Cashless Conversations Blog and subscribe for the latest news.

About ING Group

ING is a global financial institution of Dutch origin, offering banking, investments, life insurance and retirement services to meet the needs of a broad customer base. Going forward, we will concentrate on our position as an international retail, direct and commercial bank, while creating an optimal base for an independent future for our insurance and investment management operations

Media Contacts

For MasterCard

Brian Gendron, 914-249-1284, brian_gendron@mastercard.com   

For ING Group

Robert Gunther, +31650257879, robert.gunther@ing.nl

 TORONTO, November 2, 2012 – Canadian consumers are world leaders in adopting MasterCard’s innovative PayPass Tap & Go contactless payment technology as their payment method of choice, with one-in-ten in-store purchases made with a MasterCard PayPass-enabled credit card, according to MasterCard Canada research.

“Canadians love the convenience, safety, and security of PayPass,” said Richard McLaughlin, SVP, Global Products and Services, MasterCard Canada. “As we work to increase the number of merchants accepting this technology, we’re continuing to set the stage for mobile payment adoption in Canada.”

Nearly all credit cards issued in Canada today are PayPass-enabled. Since 2005, Canadian consumers have made over 240 million transactions with their MasterCard PayPass-enabled credit cards or devices.  This is by far the highest number of Tap & Go credit transactions in any country in the world in the same time period.  

“Tim Hortons was an industry leading participant in PayPass back in 2007 and today we accept PayPass in more than 3,000 restaurants in Canada and the U.S,” said David Clanachan, Chief Operating Officer, Tim Hortons.  “Offering our guests new and convenient payment options such as PayPass is yet another opportunity for us to serve guests quickly and efficiently.  We have witnessed strong and steady guest adoption of PayPass over the years.”

Nineteen of the top twenty-five largest retailers across Canada accept or plan to accept PayPass, including Tim Hortons, Petro Canada, and Loblaws. With the increasing number of PayPass accepting terminals in place, Canada is in an excellent position to roll out NFC (Near Field Communication) payments initiated using mobile phones.

“PayPass has set the stage for a revolution in payments.  Using BMO’s Mobile Tag, Canadians are able to pay with their mobile phones via PayPass, bridging a knowledge and behaviour gap to the future of mobile payments,” said David Heatherly, Vice President, Payment Products, BMO Financial Group.

PayPass provides consumers with a fast and convenient alternative to cash for their everyday purchases. Consumers simply tap their PayPass-enabled card or device on a specially equipped merchant terminal, eliminating the need to fumble for cash and coins, hand their card over to a clerk, or swipe the card. Currently, signatures are not required for PayPass purchases under $50, further speeding customers’ transactions. PayPass can also provide better record-keeping than cash. PayPass is ideal for quick payment environments where speed is essential, such as quick service restaurants, grocery, gas stations, drug stores, vending machines, movie theatres, transit, and sports arenas.

“PayPass means more value for merchants and better customer experience for consumers. It’s a safe, simple and smart alternative to cash and cheques and a win-win for both consumers and merchants,” said Richard McLaughlin.

The Mobile Payments Readiness Index, released earlier this year by MasterCard, identified Canada as the second most mobile payment-ready country in the world, thanks to willing partners, infrastructure and financial investment. PayPass acceptance is core to the success of mobile payments and Canadians are leading the world in acceptance.  

 About MasterCard

MasterCard (NYSE: MA), www.mastercard.com, is a global payments and technology company. It operates the world’s fastest payments processing network, connecting consumers, financial institutions, merchants, governments and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories. MasterCard’s products and solutions make everyday commerce activities – such as shopping, traveling, running a business and managing finances – easier, more secure and more efficient for everyone. Follow us on Twitter @MasterCardNews, join the discussion on the Cashless Conversations Blog and subscribe for the latest news.

For more information, visit MasterCard Canada’s Facebook page or follow @MasterCardCA on Twitter.

Media Contacts

Serda Evren

Director of Communications

MasterCard Canada

416-365-6671

 To tweet this news, copy and paste http://bit.ly/XLDnhB to your Twitter handle with the hashtag

#MasterCard or #PayPass or #MobilePayments

Amsterdam, 31 October 2012 – Dutch banks ABN AMRO and ING will launch ‘contactless’ cards enabled with Maestro^® PayPass™ in the Netherlands by mid-2013. Maestro PayPass gives consumers faster and more convenient payment options while shopping, which benefits merchants by reducing checkout time. PayPass users are able to tap their cards against payment terminals allowing payment details to be exchanged safely and effectively within seconds. This movement paves the way to the introduction of contactless mobile payments in the Netherlands in 2013.

 “Consumers and retailers really appreciate the speed and ease of contactless payments. There is a clear need for easy to use and efficient payment products”, says Gijs Schreuder, Director of Consumer Payments at ABN AMRO. Today, despite the number of card payment options, 63% of all point of sale payments in the Netherlands is still conducted with cash. Arjan Bol, ING’s Director of Payments, said: “We expect that with this quick and easy way to pay, consumers will be less likely to pay small ticket items with cash. This fits banks’ and merchants’ wish for safe and efficient payments.”

MasterCard Benelux Manager, David Dechamps, said: “This is a unique development, with two banks individually launching contactless payments in a country. Thanks to MasterCard’s collaboration with two of the leading retail banks, Netherlands will become the largest PayPass debit card country in Europe. This is a great development for both consumers and merchants alike in the Netherlands.

ABN AMRO and ING have pointed out this is a significant development towards consumers being able to pay with their mobile phones in a similar way. The banks expect that by the second half of 2013, consumers will be able to pay with their smart phones at the cash register.

Contactless and Convenient

As of June 2012, MasterCard’s PayPass is currently available in 41 countries around the world and PayPass has been deployed by over 100 issuers in countries including Australia, Belgium, Canada, Columbia, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, Poland, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Taiwan, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States. In Europe, there are 22 PayPass-enabled countries and more than 1 million PayPass cards have been issued in the UK, France, Turkey, Poland, Italy and Germany. To date, Poland is the most advanced PayPass country in Europe with more than 10% of all MasterCard and Maestro transactions tapped.  However, with the decision of ING and ABN AMRO to migrate their card portfolio to Maestro PayPass cards, the Netherlands will have the largest PayPass debit card footprint in Europe, making transactions easier for consumers and retailers.

For more information:

Corinne Raes, MasterCard Europe, corinne_raes@mastercard.com, +32 498 58 5237

About MasterCard

MasterCard (NYSE: MA), www.mastercard.com, is a global payments and technology company. It operates the world’s fastest payments processing network, connecting consumers, financial institutions, merchants, governments and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories. MasterCard’s products and solutions make everyday commerce activities – such as shopping, traveling, running a business and managing finances – easier, more secure and more efficient for everyone. Follow us on Twitter @MasterCardNews, join the discussion on the Cashless Conversations Blog and subscribe for the latest news.

To tweet this news, copy and paste http://bit.ly/TOb02M to your Twitter handle with the hashtags #MobilePayments and #Sibos

Osaka, Japan – October 29, 2012 – Japan boasts an overall environment that is favorable for mobile payments. According to the results of the latest MasterCard Mobile Payments Readiness Index (MPRI) that is on display this week at Sibos in Osaka, Japan earned the number six spot on the Index which analyzed 34 countries and their readiness to use three types of mobile payments: person to person, mobile web commerce and mobile contactless payments at the point of sale. The Index found that while Japan scored well on most of the components measured, consumer readiness is the critical success factor to drive mobile payments adoption in Japan.

While Japanese consumers are not yet ready for all three varieties of mobile payments, they do show some interest in m-commerce. 20% of Japanese consumers are familiar with mobile payments at point-of-sale, while only 8% are willing to use the capability. The gap between consumer willingness to use mobile payments and their familiarity with the concept is the key barrier that needs to be overcome before market adoption will accelerate.

Japan scored particularly well in the areas of financial services, mobile commerce clusters, and infrastructure. According to the Index, Japan has the most extensive range of financial services in the world. At 91%, Japanese financial services received exceptional ratings for how well they treat consumers.

“Japan has many of the right elements in place for mobile payments to flourish. A very large economy built upon a well-banked, highly educated population that has a strong awareness and appreciation for leading technologies makes Japan a very exciting market for the advancement of electronic payments,” said Robert Luton, division president, Japan, MasterCard Worldwide.

“Besides having the right infrastructure and advanced technology, strategic collaborations with key players of the mobile payments industry will help accelerate progress. Just three weeks ago, MasterCard collaborated with NTT DOCOMO, the country’s leading mobile operator to expand mobile payments options for consumers in Japan, which enables them to enjoy the benefits of mobile payments when traveling overseas,” added Luton.

“Although sophisticated technology developments are already in place, the gap between consumer willingness to use mobile payments and their familiarity with the concept signifies that more consumer education is necessary before we see broad acceptance,” concluded Luton.

The MPRI identified Singapore, Canada, the United States, Kenya and South Korea as the most prepared markets. The Index indicates that while it’s early stages for mobile payments adoption, all markets globally – either highly scaled and integrated ones like the United Kingdom or compact and technology-driven ones like Singapore – are making progress towards reaching an inflection point where mobile devices account for an appreciable share of the payments mix.

In addition, findings of the MPRI reveal that partnerships among the key players in the mobile payments ecosystem are essential to accelerate the commercialization of mobile payments. Cooperation and collaboration among financial institutions, telcos, governments, technology providers and others can foster an environment that enables a market to reach critical mass.

Other key findings include:

• Nine of the 10 markets with the highest consumer scores are in APMEA (Asia/Pacific, Middle East and Africa).
• Of the three mobile payment types, more consumers had engaged in m-commerce in 71 percent of the countries surveyed.
• In developing economies, consumers are typically drawn to mobile payments for access to the larger economy, both national and global, as well as to a regulated and secure economic infrastructure. Consumers in the developed world are drawn to the convenience of mobile phone payments.

To download an executive summary of the MasterCard Mobile Payments Readiness Index, view an Interactive Global Map of the data or study the findings of the 34 countries that make up the Index, please visit http://mobilereadiness.mastercard.com. At Sibos, you can learn more about the MPRI at the MasterCard booth in Hall 1 (1C20).

Index Methodology

Research findings from the MasterCard Mobile Payments Readiness Index were compiled by MasterCard Global Insights between October 2011 and February 2012. The Index examined 34 global markets. Each market was ranked on a scale of 1 to 100 with scores derived from an algorithm comprised of over 50 quantitative and qualitative inputs including economic, demographic, telecommunications and payments industry data as well as proprietary consumer research. These inputs were then weighted and combined into six components including Environment, Financial Services, Regulations, Infrastructure, Consumer Readiness and Clusters and Partnerships. The six components were combined, yielding a single readiness score for each country.

About MasterCard

MasterCard (NYSE: MA), www.mastercard.com, is a global payments and technology company. It operates the world’s fastest payments processing network, connecting consumers, financial institutions, merchants, governments and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories. MasterCard’s products and solutions make everyday commerce activities – such as shopping, traveling, running a business and managing finances – easier, more secure and more efficient for everyone. Follow us on Twitter @MasterCardNews, join the discussion on the Cashless Conversations Blog and subscribe for the latest news.

For media inquiries, please contact

Contact:

Bernhard Mors, MasterCard Worldwide, bernhard_mors@mastercard.com  +1 914 325 9676

Venture Liang, MasterCard Worldwide, venture_liang@mastercard.com　 +65 987 707 64

Cindy Choo, Weber Shandwick, cchoo@webershandwick.com  +65 6825 8035

To tweet this news, copy and paste http://bit.ly/UsREQs to your Twitter handle with the hashtags #PaschiCombo #CardBenefits #ContactlessPayments

Brussels, 23rd October 2012 – On Monday, 5 November, Banca Monte Paschi Belgio and MasterCard will launch the “PaschiCombo” card in Belgium. A genuine technology powerhouse, this payment card is the first in the world to combine so many functionalities and innovative features. A Maestro® debit card on one side and MasterCard® credit card on the other, the PaschiCombo card also has a display screen that replaces the holder’s card-reader for securing transactions online. Finally, the card also features the PayPass™ functionality to enable contactless payments. 

The new PaschiCombo card combines the various different payment technologies usually found these days in the consumer portfolio. This means that the PaschiCombo card enables users to benefit from an all-in-one solution, giving them access to the world’s most extensive network of card-accepting merchants. By launching this new product, Banca Monte Paschi Belgio and MasterCard aim to offer a truly innovative method of payment in Belgium that is both useful and practical, while guaranteeing the same or even better security standards.

Two partners with the same thirst for innovation in Belgium

It was a logical step for Banca Monte Paschi Belgio to work on this project with MasterCard, a partner that shares the same vision focused on innovation. The Monte dei Paschi Group began innovating as early as 1472 by inventing the concept of banking as we know it today.

“We may be the oldest bank in the world today, but we also want to be the most innovative,” explains Dino Albanese, member of the Management Committee at Banca Monte Paschi Belgio. “The PaschiCombo card is without doubt the most innovative card in the world, accepted by the most extensive network in the world. We want to bring a truly unique payment solution to our customers, one that will make life easier for them.”

“For MasterCard, this association with association Banca Monte Paschi Belgio is the stuff of dreams,” continues David Dechamps, General Manager, Belux at MasterCard Europe. “We have combined our expertise with Banca Monte Paschi in order to open up new horizons in terms of payment methods.”

The multifunction payment card accepted more than any other in the world

The PaschiCombo card combines both the Maestro debit card (“pay now”) on one side and the MasterCard credit payment card (“pay later”) on the other. This makes the card the most widely accepted in the world: whether the payment terminal accepts Maestro (14 million merchants around the world), MasterCard (34 million merchants around the world), or both, users can always pay with their PaschiCombo card. When they want to make a purchase, they simple insert their PaschiCombo card into a conventional payment terminal and use the keypad to select to pay with Maestro for a debit payment or with MasterCard for a credit payment.

Secure online payments without a card-reader

The PaschiCombo card also features a display screen – a technology hitherto unknown on the Belgian market. The display screen enables online payments to be secured. Once users have opted to pay by Maestro or by MasterCard, all they have to do is press the button on their PaschiCombo card to generate a unique use code on the display screen. This code will be used to secure the transaction. This means that users will no longer have to use their card-reader to confirm a purchase online.

No solution for the future without the PayPass function

To enable it to provide a comprehensive solution for the future, the PaschiCombo card also features PayPass, the contactless payment technology from MasterCard. “A payment card that didn’t allow contactless payment could not really be called a card with technology for the future,” explains Dino Albanese. As Belgium is following the trend that is already widespread elsewhere in the world, consumers can expect to see this new technology rolled out in the months and years ahead. “2013 will be a pivotal year in this area. We will be seeing the first use of contactless terminals in a range of different sectors,” states David Dechamps from MasterCard Europe. 

Practical terms

All current customers at Banca Monte Paschi Belgio will be receiving the new PaschiCombo card. For new customers, the PaschiCombo care will be available from all branches or online via the website at www.paschicombo.be.

The fee charged for the PaschiCombo card will depend on the ceiling for the line of credit granted to the user:

***

Note to editorial writers:

Users who do not have a line of credit can also use a PaschiCombo card, which will enable them to benefit from MasterCard’s acceptance worldwide, but without necessarily having to open a line of credit. In cases where users wish to make a payment where only MasterCard is accepted (for example at a merchant’s website or when abroad), they can use the MasterCard function of their PaschiCombo card. Where there is no line of credit in place, the maximum amount users can spend will depend on the balance of their current account. The transaction will then use the MasterCard protocol and acceptance network, but to all intents and purposes will function like a debit transaction.

For more information:

Perrine Sokal, Weber Shandwick, +32 2 894 90 39, psokal@webershandwick.com

Arthur Waucquez, Weber Shandwick, +32 2 894 90 38, awaucquez@webershandwick.com

About Banca Monte Paschi Belgio

Banca Monte Paschi Belgio, www.montepaschi.be, is a credit institution that is established under Belgian law, accredited with the FSMA and has operated in Belgium since 1947. Banca Monte Paschi Belgio is part of the Monte dei Paschi di Siena Group, Italy’s third-largest banking group. Banca Monte Paschi Belgio offers an extensive range of banking products to private individuals and businesses. For many years, the Bank’s aim has been to offer a service “tailored” to its customers’ requirements. “Banca Monte Paschi Belgio: the Bank in the Heart of Europe”.

About MasterCard

MasterCard (NYSE: MA), www.mastercard.com, is a global payments and technology company. It operates the world’s fastest payments processing network, connecting consumers, financial institutions, merchants, governments and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories. MasterCard’s products and solutions make everyday commerce activities – such as shopping, traveling, running a business and managing finances – easier, more secure and more efficient for everyone. Follow us on Twitter @MasterCardNews, join the discussion on the Cashless Conversations Blog and subscribe for the latest news.

Milan, Italy – (BUSINESS WIRE) – October 22, 2012– MasterCard boosted its mobile payment leadership by announcing two new partnerships with T-Mobile and Orange in Poland.  This most recent mobile partnerships joins a growing global trend toward wireless telecommunications providers rolling out mobile contactless payment options to their customers and further positions MasterCard as the partner of choice for the mobile telecommunications industry.

The announcements last week builds on a steady stream of significant mobile partnerships around the world for MasterCard and marks a significant step by further expanding the company’s  presence in the mobile payments space, and delivering great mobile payments experiences to consumers.

“2012 has been a significant year for MasterCard as we have put our focus on being the partner of choice for telecommunications service providers around the world.” said Jorn Lambert, Head of Emerging Payments at MasterCard Europe. “The combination of MasterCard’s leading innovation and technologies combined with the technological advancements in the handsets and service provider networks is fuelling the enthusiasm for strong and meaningful partnerships.   Together we are offering greater value to consumers worldwide.”

2012 milestones to date include: 

• T-Mobile and MasterCard announced they will offer customers mobile payments based on NFC technology from 29 October in Poland. The offer will be launched with four banks and available as part of the MyWallet service and is one of the first advanced solutions commercially implemented in Europe that allows an integration of full functionality of debit and credit card, as well as others services with the phone.
• MasterCard, Orange Polska and mBank announced they will be introducing Orange Cash in Poland as from November 2012. Polish consumers will then be able to make fast, convenient and secure payments by simply tapping their mobile smartphone where MasterCard® PayPass™ is accepted.
• Vodafone Italy and MasterCard launched Smart Pass NFC, a new payment system integrated into the phone. Starting in Milan, the experimental phase of the service allows consumers to buy goods and services using smartphones equipped with NFC MasterCard PayPass ™ at enabled POS.
•  MasterCard (http://newsroom.mastercard.com/) and NTT DOCOMO, INC., Japan’s leading mobile operator and provider of integrated services centered on mobility, selected MasterCard as a partner to expand contactless payments options for consumers in Japan. The collaboration will connect DOCOMO’s domestic payment network to the world, enabling customers using iD mobile credit payments with compatible DOCOMO smartphones to make contactless payments outside of Japan, anywhere MasterCard® PayPass™ is accepted.
• Turkcell and MasterCard launched one of the most advanced mobile wallet solutions in the world, the Turkcell Wallet, in partnership with 14 banks in Turkey, combining numerous innovative solutions on a single commerce and payment platform and which is compatible with all mobile phones. It compiles mobile payments, mobile banking and a mobile loyalty programme.
•  MasterCard and Everything Everywhere, the UK’s largest communications company, announced an exclusive, five-year partnership to develop leading mobile and digital payment solutions for Everything Everywhere’s 27 million UK customers.
• MasterCard and Deutsche Telekom announced a European partnership to enable consumers to use their mobile phones as a convenient and secure way to pay. The partnership aims to make mobile payments a reality for Deutsche Telekom’s 93 million mobile customers across Europe.

Commenting on the partnership with MasterCard, Mr. Thomas Kiessling, Chief Product and Innovation Officer for Deutsche Telekom said, “This is a huge step on our way to increase mobile payments. With MasterCard we have a well-known and experienced partner generating growth in this important market segment. We want to build a comprehensive ecosystem around mobile payment, helping Telekom to realize its strategy of being the first choice for customers regarding connected life and work.”

Wireless service providers and handset manufacturers are investing in deploying new technology such as Near Field Communication (NFC) that makes contactless payments possible. MasterCard, in addition to improving its payments networks, is working with its merchant partners to bring the PayPass services to consumers at retail Point-Of-Sale. MasterCard PayPass has been making strides as the contactless technology of choice through partnerships, new terminalization and commercial deployment of additional NFC enabled mobile handsets. The relationships with merchants have helped the PayPass contactless payment network to grow with over 500,000 merchant locations in 41 countries.

Independent industry growth projections suggest that the global installed base of NFC-ready point-of-sale terminals could grow to 43.4m units in 2017 [1]. This signifies the great potential in the contactless payment space.

MasterCard will continue to build relationships with wireless service providers around the world, to deliver innovative new solutions to consumers. In the coming months, many more partnerships will be launched, bringing mobile payments to millions of consumers.

 -          E N D S   -

Contacts:

Rose Beaumont, MasterCard Europe, +44 7725219970, rose_beaumont@mastercard.com

About MasterCard Worldwide

MasterCard (NYSE: MA), www.mastercard.com, is a global payments and technology company. It operates the world’s fastest payments processing network, connecting consumers, financial institutions, merchants, governments and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories. MasterCard’s products and solutions make everyday commerce activities – such as shopping, traveling, running a business and managing finances – easier, more secure and more efficient for everyone. Follow us on Twitter @MasterCardNews, join the discussion on the Cashless Conversations Blog and subscribe for the latest news.

Melbourne, Australia - 19 October 2012 - In collaboration with Etihad Stadium and Commonwealth Bank, MasterCard has launched a pilot of QkR, a queue-busting Australian first, set to usher in an all-new type of fan experience for Australian stadium-goers.

The QkR mobile technology is the first of its kind to be offered to fans in Australian sports stadiums, enabling patrons to avoid queues and cash exchanges when buying food and drinks such as pies, chips, soft drink or cold beer. QkR allows fans to concentrate on what’s important – the ‘on-field’ action.

The pilot is being introduced into one section of Etihad Stadium’s membership groups, allowing up to 5000 fans to order food and drinks, simply by downloading an app onto their Apple iPhone or Android smart phone, scanning or typing in the QR code on their seat, and ordering from an on-screen menu. By using the QkR digital wallet technology on their phone, food and beverage orders will then be delivered by Etihad catering staff – all without leaving the comfort of their seat.

Etihad Stadium’s new CEO, Paul Sergeant, says the technology takes stadium comfort to an unprecedented new level, but it was also a response to the growing requirements of patrons.

Mr. Sergeant, who has performed executive roles at Wembley and Millennium Stadia in the UK said the Etihad Stadium patron in Melbourne, was being presented with state-of-the-art facilities and comforts to significantly enhance their match day experience.

“Fans can drive into an underground car park on a wet day, take a lift to their seat, watch the game under the comforts of a roof oblivious to the weather, and now order and purchase food and beverage without leaving their seats,” Mr. Sergeant says.

MasterCard Australia’s Head of Market Development and Innovation, Matt Barr, has declared the QkR innovation a big win for patrons in the stands.

“QkR is one of the latest innovations in mobile payments technology,” says Barr. “Eradicating wait times in stadium queues is on every stadium-goer’s wish list – and MasterCard and QkR are making this a reality. The technology enhances real-world customer purchasing experiences, and supporting MasterCard’s vision of a world beyond cash.”

QkR will be piloted at Etihad Stadium with Axcess One Premium members. This is the first opportunity globally to use the time-saving mobile purchasing experience in a stadium environment.

According to Kelly Bayer Rosmarin, Executive General Manager Corporate Banking Solutions, Commonwealth Bank, the introduction of QkR to Etihad further demonstrates  how the Bank is continuing to push the boundaries of innovation in financial services.

“This is another step forward in the way we are helping to provide Australians and Australian businesses with the very best in convenient payment solutions,” says Ms. Bayer Rosmarin.

She adds, “Our focus on technology and innovation has firmly positioned us as industry leaders. We will be continuing to explore new developments, including working closely with our partners and business clients, so we can continue to move the banking and payments market forward in Australia and support the evolving needs of our customers.”

QkR is one of a series of mobile innovations, developed by MasterCard Labs, the global research and development division of MasterCard Worldwide. The pilot follows a successful world first pilot launch of QkR in Australia with Hoyts Entertainment.  In additional support of innovation in payments, MasterCard recently announced that PayPass Wallet Services, a new global offering that will allow customers to make purchases online or in stores at the tap of a smart phone, is set to be launched in Australia next year.

 ENDS

How it works

For the Etihad Stadium pilot, transactions are initiated when the consumer uses QkR by MasterCard to either scan the QR code on the seat table or entering a special QkR label. The food and beverage menu will launch and menu items can be purchased using the digital wallet the cardholder pre-registers with their debit or credit card details the first time they use QkR. Once the purchase is confirmed, the order and the seat location are sent to Etihad Stadium Catering staff and the order is then delivered to the stadium-goers seat without ever having to go near a checkout line.

Making a purchase using QkR comes with the same high level of security as payments via all other MasterCard platforms. No cardholder data is stored on the phone, and QkR can be configured to request the number at time of purchase.

 Contact:

For media enquiries, please contact:

Chris Lawrence, The Origin Agency – 02 8281 3295 / 0415 302 701

Chris.lawrence@originagency.com.au

(or)

Bill Lane, Etihad Stadium – 0417 119404/03 8625 7009

blane@etihadstadium.com.au

About MasterCard

MasterCard (NYSE: MA), www.mastercard.com, is a global payments and technology company. It operates the world’s fastest payments processing network, connecting consumers, financial institutions, merchants, governments and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories. MasterCard’s products and solutions make everyday commerce activities – such as shopping, traveling, running a business and managing finances – easier, more secure and more efficient for everyone. Follow us on Twitter @MasterCardNews, join the discussion on the Cashless Conversations Blog and subscribe for the latest news.

Acceptance network being enhanced in preparation to launch NFC Payments technology

Dubai, UAE – October 17, 2012: MasterCard (http://newsroom.mastercard.com/), today announced that it is collaborating with Network International, the region’s leading acquirer to enhance the acceptance infrastructure of its contactless payment solutions in the UAE with the installation of MasterCard PayPass terminals across more than 1000 stores by year end which will include popular coffee stores, fast food restaurants, family diners, cinemas, general retailers and convenience stores.

In line with its objective to introduce the latest payment solutions in the region, MasterCard has taken the initiative to promote the widespread adoption of contactless payments across the Middle East with countries such as UAE, Qatar and Lebanon already showing keen interest in the new payments technology.

PayPass is MasterCard’s contactless payment platform that provides consumers with a secure, fast and highly convenient way to pay. Consumers can simply tap their MasterCard PayPass enabled debit,  credit cards or any other PayPass enabled device such as smart phones, watches, wrist bands in front of a secure reader that accepts MasterCard PayPass payments. The technology eliminates the need to enter a PIN or fumble for cash and exact coins. Cardholders also don’t need to hand their cards to a clerk or manually swipe through a reader.

“As we continue to drive additional PayPass acceptance among banks and merchants, local consumers can expect secure and convenient solutions to their everyday transactions. The introduction of more than 1000 PayPass terminals across the UAE will provide consumers with improved access to faster payments at check-out,” said Eyad Al-Kourdi, vice president and country manager, UAE, MasterCard Worldwide.

He further added, “With the enhanced acceptance infrastructure, we expect PayPass to undergo a rapid transition from being a novel new technology to an everyday shopping experience which provides yet another innovative option for consumers in the UAE to pay for purchases.”

The PayPass acceptance network is being developed in conjunction with the arrival of Near Field Communications (NFC) payments technology, which can be accessed with modern day smart phones and mobile payment tags. MasterCard has already introduced mobile payment wallets – payment cards placed inside smart phones – in other parts of the world and will soon be launching it in the Middle East region in collaboration with interested financial institutions.

The ongoing GITEX Technology Week event in Dubai that commenced from October 14^th has witnessed MasterCard’s presence along with Etisalat, to showcase the benefits of using PayPass payment application with Near Field Communications (NFC) technology.

Commenting on Etisalat’s successful relationship with MasterCard, Khalifa Al Shamsi, Chief Digital Services Officer, Etisalat said, “Earlier this year Etisalat and MasterCard jointly won the Global GSMA Award for Mobile Money Products at GSMA Summit in Barcelona for implementing contactless payment solutions by leveraging NFC and PayPass.”

He further added, “MasterCard’s initiative to expand the acceptance infrastructure for contactless payments in the UAE is an exciting development as customers will soon be able to use their SIM based NFC phones to make fast and secure payments using PayPass. At Etisalat, we are keen to leverage our collaboration with MasterCard not only in the UAE, but also across other key markets including Nigeria and Egypt.”

Primarily designed to accept low value transactions, PayPass is ideal for fast payment environments where speed is essential, such as quick service restaurants, petrol stations, sporting arenas, movie theatres, etc. To make sure that PayPass transactions are simple and convenient, a signature or a PIN is not needed for transactions below AED 100. It is only for purchases of more than this amount that the cardholder will be required to sign or enter a PIN.

“This emerging technology is changing the way we pay for our purchases. It won’t be long before we start seeing consumers tapping their phones against the PayPass payment terminals in stores to purchase rather than carry money or cards around with them” concluded Eyad Al-Kourdi.

A proven and highly secure contactless payment solution, MasterCard PayPass products are effectively safeguarded against fraud, and as an additional assurance, all cardholders are fully protected against any fraudulent losses with their zero cardholder liability policy. PayPass is now available in 500,000 locations spread over 41 countries around the world.

Eric Hughes, General Manager, Costa Coffee UAE said, “We are excited to be the first Coffee Retailer to have the contactless payment technology available across 100% of our outlets in the UAE. Contactless payment solutions are about providing ways to enable easy payments every time customers visit one of our stores. Customers deserve a fast and secure way to pay at the checkout, which is exactly what we are giving them with PayPass.”

Samer Soliman, Head of Acquiring, Network International said, “PayPass is the enabling application for introducing payments using mobile phones and fobs. We are excited to collaborate with MasterCard to deliver the latest payment technology for merchants in the UAE.”

Besides being of a major convenience to consumers, MasterCard research from international markets shows that merchant establishments also benefit immensely with PayPass acceptance.  The findings of a study conducted in Australia revealed that retailers across the country were losing customers as a result of in-store queues. The Australian Queuing Behaviour Survey, revealed that over two-thirds (67%) of consumers abandon their purchase all together if it means standing in line, while 75% of Australians will take their money elsewhere.

The four main PayPass issuers in the UAE currently are Dubai First, Mashreq Bank, Emirates National Bank of Dubai and Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank as several other financial institutions have shown interest to work with MasterCard to make contactless payment a reality.

Consumers in the UAE can verify if the PayPass or ‘Tap & Go’ logo is displayed on the front or rear of their cards before using the card for a contactless purchase. In the absence of this logo, consumers can approach their respective banks for information on how to apply for a PayPass card.

For more information MasterCard’s PayPass technology visit:

http://www.paypass.com/

About MasterCard Worldwide

MasterCard (NYSE: MA), www.mastercard.com, is a global payments and technology company. It operates the world’s fastest payments processing network, connecting consumers, financial institutions, merchants, governments and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories. MasterCard’s products and solutions make everyday commerce activities – such as shopping, traveling, running a business and managing finances – easier, more secure and more efficient for everyone. Follow us on Twitter @MasterCardNews, join the conversation on Cashless Conversations Blog and subscribe for the latest news.

# # #

Contacts:

GolinHarris Dubai

Bahaa Hamadi bhamadi@golinharris.com, +971 50 941 5848

To tweet this release and related images, copy and paste http://bit.ly/SRA8z9 to your Twitter handle with the hash tags #MasterCard, #DOCOMO, #PayPass, #mobilepayments

 Tokyo, Japan, October 11, 2012 – MasterCard (http://newsroom.mastercard.com) and NTT DOCOMO, INC., Japan’s leading mobile operator and provider of integrated services centered on mobility, today announced that MasterCard has been selected as a partner to expand contactless payments options for consumers in Japan. The collaboration will connect DOCOMO’s domestic payment network to the world, enabling customers using iD mobile credit payments with compatible DOCOMO smartphones to make contactless payments outside of Japan, anywhere MasterCard® PayPass™ is accepted.

NTT DOCOMO and MasterCard unveiled the details of their collaboration at a launch event in Tokyo today. Said Vicky Bindra, president, Asia/Pacific, Middle East and Africa, MasterCard Worldwide: “This launch is significant in that it not only marks another milestone in NTT DOCOMO’s and MasterCard’s history; it is also a landmark moment in the Japanese payments industry.” Bindra continued, “Independent industry growth projections suggest that the global installed base of NFC-ready point-of-sale terminals could grow to 43.4m units in 2017[1]. This signifies the great potential in the contactless payment space. Our collaboration with NTT DOCOMO will open up endless possibilities of new forms of payments and other value-added services, and will help us continue to make contactless payments safer and easier, giving consumers more choices in how to pay.”

Masaki Yoshikawa, Executive Vice President and Managing Director of DOCOMO’s Credit Card Business Division, said: “DOCOMO launched the iD-branded mobile credit payments in Japan in 2005. With 17m users, we have the most number of subscribers using the Osaifu-Keitai™ (mobile phones with wallet functions) . This collaboration with MasterCard will enable our iD users to make payments at PayPass merchants worldwide and increase the usage of mobile payment solutions.”

Availability

The companies plan to start preparation to launch the service in the first half of fiscal year 2013[2], at which time customers in Japan using both iD mobile credit payments (based on FeliCa^® technology) and an NFC (FeliCa＋TypeA/B) compatible DOCOMO smartphone will be entitled to the new service enabling contactless payments outside Japan, anywhere MasterCard PayPass is accepted. At launch, the service will be available on two new DOCOMO handsets:

• docomo with series Xperia™ AX SO-01E
• docomo NEXT series AQUOS PHONE™ ZETA SH-02E

These phones join the more than 70 models already approved by MasterCard as Mobile PayPass compatible devices. Simply by opting in for MasterCard PayPass, these DOCOMO customers will get to enjoy the convenience of Tap & Go™ when paying for purchases via their mobile phones.

MasterCard Boosts Mobile Payments Transformation

For over a decade, MasterCard has led the transformation of mobile phones into secure mobile payment devices. At the same time, MasterCard’s PayPass contactless payment network has been growing and now boasts nearly 500,000 merchant locations in 41 countries, including popular destinations for Japanese travelers such as the United States, Korea and Taiwan. Merchants both large and small are using MasterCard PayPass at their point-of-sale, adding convenience and speed to improve the consumer experience. The Mobile PayPass payment application offers a rich consumer experience using the interactive features of mobile phones, enabling consumers to transact when, where, and how they choose.

Today’s announcement marks another step by MasterCard to further expand its presence in the mobile payments space, and deliver great mobile payments experiences to consumers. A few recent milestones include:

• August 2012: MasterCard collaborates with DBS, EZ-Link and Starhub to launch a Near Field Communication (NFC) app “SmartWallet,” a seamless and secure digital wallet service;
• August 2012: Westpac and MasterCard launch a new pilot, Android Mobile Contactless Payment application, enabling participants to pay for items, by tapping their phone in-store on a contactless NFC MasterCard PayPass payment terminal.
• August 2012: MasterCard and Everything Everywhere, the UK’s largest communications company, announced an exclusive, five-year partnership to develop leading mobile and digital payment solutions for Everything Everywhere’s 27 million UK customers.
• July 2012: MasterCard and Deutsche Telekom announced a European partnership to enable consumers to use their mobile phones as a convenient and secure way to pay. The partnership aims to make mobile payments a reality for Deutsche Telekom’s 93 million mobile customers across Europe.
• January 2012: MasterCard, Turkcell and Research In Motion announce the commercial availability of an NFC mobile wallet application, the Turkcell Cep-T Cüzdan, for BlackBerry® Bold™ 9900 smartphone customers in Turkey. This application enables Turkcell customers to make payments in a simple, easy, safe and convenient way by simply tapping their NFC-enabled BlackBerry Bold 9900 against a MasterCard PayPass reader in shops, retail outlets, cafes and restaurants across Turkey.
• January 2012: MasterCard, Commonwealth Bank and Hoyts announce Australia will be the first country to pilot QkR™ by MasterCard, a new queue-busting mobile payment application developed by MasterCard that lets movie goers at selected La Premiere Hoyts cinemas order food and drinks directly from their seats by using their smart phone.

For more information on MasterCard PayPass, please visit: http://www.paypass.com/  and https://www.mastercard.com/mobile/

About MasterCard Worldwide

MasterCard (NYSE: MA), www.mastercard.com, is a global payments and technology company. It operates the world’s fastest payments processing network, connecting consumers, financial institutions, merchants, governments and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories. MasterCard’s products and solutions make everyday commerce activities – such as shopping, traveling, running a business and managing finances – easier, more secure and more efficient for everyone. Follow us on Twitter @MasterCardNews, join the discussion on the Cashless Conversations Blog and subscribe for the latest news.

Media Contacts

• Georgette Tan, MasterCard Worldwide, georgette_tan@mastercard.com, +65 6390 5971
• Koichi Ishinaka, MasterCard Japan, koichi_ishinaka@mastercard.com, +81-(0)3-5728-5273
• Karin Rosain, Weber Shandwick, krosain@webershandwick.com, +65 6825 8030

MasterCard ® and PayPass^TM are trademarks or registered trademarks of MasterCard International Incorporated.

iD and Osaifu-Keitai are  trademarks of  NTT DOCOMO, INC.

FeliCa is a contactless IC chip technology developed by Sony Corporation.

FeliCa is a registered trademark of Sony Corporation.

Xperia is a trademark or registered trademark of Sony Mobile Communications AB.

AQUOS PHONE is a trademark or registered trademark of Sharp Corporation.

To tweet this news, copy and paste: http://bit.ly/Pltwhw  to your Twitter handle with the hashtag #MAtech, #MALabs and #CashlessConvo

Dublin – October 10, 2012 – MasterCard  (NYSE: MA) today unveiled its latest MasterCard Labs office in Dublin, Ireland.  The new innovation hub will lead in the development of innovation and technology for MasterCard Worldwide. The MasterCard Labs in Dublin will be the first such office in Europe and joins Purchase, New York, Singapore and St Louis, Missouri, as part of an ever growing global network of innovation excellence.

As the first event hosted at MasterCard Labs Dublin, MasterCard’s innovation showcase featured an array of products and services, which demonstrated ways the company uses technology and innovation to grow its business, diversify across geographies and customers, and build new business.

Garry Lyons, Chief Innovation Officer, MasterCard Worldwide said:  “MasterCard has a strong history of delivering leading innovations around the world.  The MasterCard Labs team is going to expand on that heritage by pushing the boundaries of innovation and technology to create an environment focused on delivering products and solutions that make people’s lives easier, wherever they are in the world.”

MasterCard highlighted an array of new and existing innovations, which focused on the following global trends:

• Personalization and a deep understanding of audiences around the world:
• South Africa using electronic payments to distribute Social Security benefits;
• The Wanda Joint Venture in Latin America, allowing consumers to use mobile money solutions through a basic flip phone to pay merchants at the point-of-sale;
• Accepting payments through mobile point-of-sale (MPOS) devices such as iZettle
• Transforming the Shopping Experience:Evolving the shopping experience by creating experiences that exceed expectations. Some examples include:
  • Highlighting PayPass Wallet Services across an array of devices – from laptops to smartphones to TVs;
  • How merchants will be able to accept PayPass Wallet Services payments at a brick and mortar location;
  • A new solution called Shoppable enabling simple and secure checkout directly from all forms of digital content;
• Experiences Beyond Payments:Developing new ways to enhance the consumer experience beyond payments. Some new ways MasterCard is doing this include:
  • Showing how KOY, a social media coupon application, provides value to both the consumer and merchant;
  • Demonstrating how EVNTS, a social media advertising platform, delivers payments and next generation loyalty capability to merchants, large and small;
• Leveraging the Power of Technology: At the heart of all this innovation are the MasterCard Network and Advisors services – delivering safe, simple and smart payment solutions.

These new and innovative products and solutions continue the ideal that paying is no longer a one-way transaction. MasterCard is enabling consumers and merchants to engage in a dialogue that allows both parties to share information and help provide new value.

 -    E N D S   -

Contacts:

Rose Beaumont, MasterCard Europe, +44 7725219970, rose_beaumont@mastercard.com

Amanda Gioia, MasterCard Worldwide, +1 314 2889412, amanda_gioia@mastercard.com

About MasterCard Worldwide

MasterCard (NYSE: MA), www.mastercard.com, is a global payments and technology company. It operates the world’s fastest payments processing network, connecting consumers, financial institutions, merchants, governments and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories. MasterCard’s products and solutions make everyday commerce activities – such as shopping, traveling, running a business and managing finances – easier, more secure and more efficient for everyone. Follow us on Twitter @MasterCardNews, join the discussion on the Cashless Conversations Blog and subscribe for the latest news.

To tweet this news, copy and paste http://bit.ly/VZxKeL to your Twitter handle with the hashtag #MasterCard and #FinancialInclusion

Nairobi, Kenya – 10 October 2012 – Nakumatt, East Africa’s largest retailer, will introduce the multi-currency EMV MasterCard^® PayPass^TM Prepaid loyalty card to over one million of its loyalty program members in the coming months.  The collaboration will signal the largest prepaid merchant agreement for MasterCard in the Middle East and Africa region, to date.

The existing Nakumatt Cybercash loyalty card will be replaced with the Nakumatt Global MasterCard Prepaid card, allowing customers to load money onto the card for purchases at POS terminals, cash withdrawals and online purchases at Nakumatt stores across East Africa, and at any retailer that accepts MasterCard payment cards worldwide.

Nakumatt Global MasterCard Prepaid cardholders will also be able to earn Nakumatt loyalty points on purchases they make at any of the 33 million retailers and businesses across 210 countries, where MasterCard is accepted.  Points earned will only be redeemable at Nakumatt stores.

Michael Miebach, president, Middle East and Africa, MasterCard Worldwide commented, “It is our vision to assist the Kenyan economy evolve to operate in a world beyond cash, and collaborations of this nature are vital to achieving this goal.”

“As part of the Nakumatt deal, MasterCard has collaborated with both of Nakumatt’s banking partners, Diamond Trust Bank (DTB) and Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB).  The multi-bank partnership will see both banks issuing the MasterCard Prepaid card to the retailer’s customers,” Miebach continued.  “The launch of this innovative retail card will further assist in introducing more financially inclusive payment solutions to those previously not exposed to formal banking products.”

The Nakumatt Global MasterCard Prepaid card features PayPass technology, which is ideal for quick payment environments where speed and convenience matter most.  PayPass is supported by multi-level security protections, including the advanced encryption of PayPass radio frequency transaction transmissions, and the state-of-the art security protections of the MasterCard payment system.

Atul Shah, managing director, Nakumatt commented, “We are excited to introduce a more convenient, quicker and safer payment solution to our loyalty program members.  Working with MasterCard and our banking partners will allow for this goal to come to fruition.”

Nasim Devji, group CEO and managing director, DTB said, “DTB is committed to remaining at the forefront of innovation to extend financial inclusion to Kenyans.  Prepaid cards are the first step in offering the security and convenience of electronic payments, and we are delighted to play such an integral role in the introduction of the Nakumatt Global MasterCard Prepaid card to Kenyans.”

“There has been an exponential growth of prepaid card issuance and usage worldwide,” said Robert Ochola, KCB Director for Strategy and New Business.  “The East Africa market is no exception to this emerging trend.  As a bank we are cognizant of the need to offer our customers an affordable and easy to acquire card that will meet their needs.  It is with this in mind that the bank has taken a decision to partner with Nakumatt and MasterCard to issue the Nakumatt Global MasterCard Prepaid card to meet our customers’ expectations of card payments.”

“The Nakumatt Global MasterCard Prepaid card will initially be launched to our customers in Kenya, but we hope to offer the benefits of cashless transactions to our customers in Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi and South Sudan during 2013,” concluded Shah.

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About MasterCard

MasterCard(NYSE: MA), www.mastercard.com, is a global payments and technology company.  It operates the world’s fastest payments processing network, connecting consumers, financial institutions, merchants, governments and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories.  MasterCard’s products and solutions make everyday commerce activities – such as shopping, traveling, running a business and managing finances – easier, more secure and more efficient for everyone.  Follow us on Twitter @MasterCardNews, join the discussion on the Cashless Conversations Blog and subscribe for the latest news.

About Nakumatt

Nakumatt Holdings Ltd East Africa’s leading Supermarket.  As the largest retail market player in East Africa, Uganda and Rwanda, and still expanding to the wider East African region, Nakumatt has 36 stores dealing in general retail merchandise.  Established in 1987, Nakumatt Holdings Limited stays ahead of competition by providing quality, value, service, variety lifestyle.  Nakumatt’s store formats range from convenience stores, supermarkets to hypermarkets which showcase distinct world-class shopping floor layouts and amenities.

About Diamond Trust Bank

Diamond Trust Bank (DTB) is a leading regional bank, listed on the Nairobi Stock Exchange. An affiliate of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), DTB has operated in East Africa for over 60 years.  DTB’s focus on the SME sector and commitment to enhancing convenience for customers through branch network expansion has driven the Bank’s growth in recent years.

With 69 branches in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and Burundi, some of which operate 7-days a week for extended hours, DTB is committed to enabling people to advance with confidence and success.  The Bank’s heritage and values are articulated in its brand promise, Achieve More, and brought to life through an engaged diverse workforce.

About Kenya Commercial Bank

The history of KCB dates back to 1896 when its predecessor, the National Bank of India opened an outlet in Mombasa.  Eight years later in 1904, the Bank extended its operations to Nairobi, which had become the Headquarters of the expanding railway line to Uganda.  The next major change in the Bank’s history came in 1958.  Grindlays Bank merged with the National Bank of India to form the National and Grindlays Bank.  Upon independence the Government of Kenya acquired 60% shareholding in National & Grindlays Bank in an effort to bring banking closer to the majority of Kenyans.  In 1970, the Government acquired 100% of the shares to take full control of the largest commercial bank in Kenya.  National and Grindlays Bank was renamed Kenya Commercial Bank.

Contacts:

MasterCard Kenya

Media Relations:  Hill + Knowlton Strategies – Lorraine Onduru –

(T)+245 20 444 0822; (M) +254 700 502567; (email) Lorraine.onduru@hkstrategies.co.ke

To tweet this news, copy and paste http://bit.ly/QxfHuB in Twitter with the following hashtags #PayPass #prepaid #SFRPayCard

Paris, 24 September 2012 – SFR becomes the first telecommunications operator in France to launch a prepaid and reload contactless card PayPass™. SFR PayCard¹ is also the first prepaid card with the MasterCard® PayPass™ technology in the country. Available during October, SFR PayCard will be usable by all mobile phone users (SFR clients or not).

This card will enable consumers to pay their transactions in 34.3 million locations of MasterCard’s network, in France and abroad, as well as online or in-store. This card offers the option to withdraw money from all ATMs in France and from the international Mastercard network.

Priced at €14.90 and valid for one year, Paycard SFR does not require opening a bank account and can be recharged by cash, credit card or by bank transfer free. The card will be available on the website sfrpaycard.fr at its launch and to most of newsdealers in France.

SFR PayCard meets the consumer needs by offering a product:

An innovative product:  with PayPass™ technology, this contactless card is the first step towards mobile payment. The SFR PayCard enables tap & go ^TM payments at nearly 500,000 PayPass™ readers worldwide;

A smart product: a mobile application (Android, iOS) and SMS alerts allow the cardholder to monitor in real time his transactions: payments, withdrawals, recharged process, balance, etc.;

A competitive product: by recharging the card by a free bank transfer or by a money transfer between two SFR PayCards for use in France and abroad, at a cost of 1€.

SFR PayCard targets people without a credit card such as students whose family or relatives finance part of their expenses, people using international money transfers between two SFR PayCards at an affordable price, as well as to those who want to differentiate their online purchases.

With SFR PayCard, SFR demonstrates its willingness to invest the payment market by offering its first physical payment service. SFR’s strategy to approach this new sector answers to the expectations of consumers. In keeping with a study from Ifop² (for Wincor Nixdorf) published at the end of 2011, 45%  of French consumers said they would like a prepaid reload card and 42% would like a contactless payment card.

SFR PayCard, a new step towards mobile payment

Mastercard and SFR signed in July 2012 an agreement to develop a contactless NFC SIM card for fully-fledged mobile payments. SFR Paycard is the first pack of payment services from SFR. This card, by integrating PayPass ™ technology, will help to democratize the use of this technology. SFR says it will start issuing its first NFC-ready SIM cards in 2013.

SFR has many advantages: secured mobile networks, a recognized brand, a national distribution network, now combined with MasterCard’s expertise in technology and payments.

¹WireCard, e-money issuer, manages the SFR PayCard program in the name of SFR

² http://www.ifop.com/media/poll/1746-1-study_file.pdf

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MasterCard France Press Contact:

Donatienne Douriez, +33 1 42 73 81 23, donatienne_douriez@mastercard.com

Myriam Gasnier : 33.1 47 59 56 36 – mgasnier@webershandwick.com

SFR Press Contact: Marie Medeville, +33 1 71 07 64 82,  marie.medeville@sfr.com

About MasterCard

MasterCard (NYSE: MA), www.mastercard.com, is a global payments and technology company. It operates the world’s fastest payments processing network, connecting consumers, financial institutions, merchants, governments and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories. MasterCard’s products and solutions make everyday commerce activities – such as shopping, traveling, running a business and managing finances – easier, more secure and more efficient for everyone. Follow us on Twitter @mastercardnews, join the conversation on Cashless Conversations Blog and subscribe for the latest news.

About SFR – www.sfr.com

SFR is the second largest telecommunications operator in France, with revenues of more than €12 billion in 2011. As a global operator, it satisfies the requirements of individual and corporate customers, businesses and operators, covering mobile and fixed telecommunications, Internet and television services. With the most complete network, SFR lives up to its ambitious demands: to be a transparent and responsible market player whose mission is to keep abreast of the needs of each individual and corporate customer, bringing them the best that digital technology can offer. As of June 30, 2012, SFR had some 21 million mobile customers, including more than 16 million subscribers, and 5 million high-speed home Internet subscribers. SFR is a fully-owned subsidiary of Vivendi and has around 10,000 employees. Follow us on Twitter.

September 21, 2012, New York, NY: At a gathering in New York City, MasterCard (NYSE:MA) showcased an array of products and services demonstrating ways in which the company uses technology and innovation to grow its business, diversify across geographies and customers, and build new business. By driving growth through innovation, MasterCard is advancing commerce to the benefit of governments, businesses, merchants and consumers around the globe.

“As people – whether for business, personal or pleasure – continue to seek simple, more secure and smarter methods of payment, MasterCard is providing a sophisticated set of products and services to make day-to-day commerce easier,” said Gary Flood, President, Global Products and Solutions at MasterCard. “From major cities to emerging markets, we are committed to advancing the evolution of digital payments technologies that strike the right balance between the wants and needs of all parties, and importantly, delivers the best consumer experience.”

MasterCard highlighted four key areas where Growth Through Innovation is fundamental to the future of electronic payments

• Expanding Reach: Providing tools necessary for governments and merchants to ensure that all citizens worldwide are able to participate in the global economy. Some examples from MasterCard include:
  • South Africa using electronic payments to distribute Social Security benefits;
  • The Wanda Joint Venture in Latin America, allowing consumers to use mobile money solutions through a basic flip phone to pay merchants at the point-of-sale;
  • Accepting payments through mobile point-of-sale (MPOS) devices such as iZettle, Square, etc; and
• Transforming the Shopping Experience: Evolving the shopping experience by creating experiences that exceed consumer and merchant needs and expectations. Some examples include:
  • Highlighting PayPass Wallet Services across an array of devices – from laptops to smartphones to TVs;
  • How merchants will be able to accept PayPass Wallet Services payments at a brick and mortar location;
• Experiences Beyond Payments: Developing new ways to enhance the consumer experience beyond payments. Some new ways MasterCard is doing this include:
  • Enhancing consumer experiences through the Priceless Cities and World Elite programs;
  • Providing small business owners with new tools and networks with MasterCard Business Network; and,
• Leveraging the Power of Technology: At the heart of all this innovation are the MasterCard Network and Advisors services – delivering safe, simple and smart payment solutions.

These new and innovative products and solutions continue the ideal that paying is no longer a one-way transaction. MasterCard is enabling consumers and merchants to engage in a dialogue that allows both parties to share information and help provide new value.

About MasterCard Worldwide

MasterCard (NYSE: MA), www.mastercard.com, is a global payments and technology company. It operates the world’s fastest payments processing network, connecting consumers, financial institutions, merchants, governments and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories. MasterCard’s products and solutions make everyday commerce activities – such as shopping, traveling, running a business and managing finances – easier, more secure and more efficient for everyone. Follow us on Twitter @MasterCardNews, join the discussion on the Cashless Conversations Blog and subscribe for the latest news.

Contact
Jim Issokson, 914-249-6286,mailto:james_issokson@mastercard.com

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]]> http://newsroom.mastercard.com/press-releases/growth-through-innovation-mastercard-unveils-the-future-of-payments-in-a-cashless-society/feed/ 0 http://newsroom.mastercard.com/press-releases/mastercard-releases-mobile-paypass-software-development-kit-to-simplify-payment-application-creation/ http://newsroom.mastercard.com/press-releases/mastercard-releases-mobile-paypass-software-development-kit-to-simplify-payment-application-creation/#comments Mon, 17 Sep 2012 15:00:49 +0000 Maria Cianfichi http://newsroom.mastercard.com/?post_type=press-releases&p=21197 Read More]]> New Development Kit Makes It Easier for Issuers, Mobile Network Operators and Third Party Developers to Create NFC Payment Apps

To tweet this news, copy and paste: http://bit.ly/Plqs1w to your Twitter handle with the hashtag #PayPass

Purchase, N.Y., September 17, 2012 – MasterCard continues to make payments simpler and more secure through the release of the Mobile MasterCard® PayPass™ User Interface Software Development Kit (UI SDK) for Android and BlackBerry OS 7 mobile operating systems. Free to license and available globally, this new toolkit helps issuers, mobile network operators and third party developers rapidly build innovative new mobile applications that give consumers the speed and convenience of PayPass Tap-and-Go™ contactless payments – directly from their smartphone. 

The availability of NFC-equipped phones is rapidly increasing, with over 70 models already approved by MasterCard as Mobile PayPass compatible devices, and the growth of Mobile payment transactions is accelerating. According to Juniper Research, payments from NFC-equipped phones are expected to be responsible for sales exceeding $75 billion by 2013.

Prior to the launch of the Mobile MasterCard PayPass UI SDK, highly specialized skills were required to develop applications that could interface with the NFC capabilities in popular smartphones like the Samsung Galaxy S3, HTC One X, Sony Xperia S and RIM BlackBerry Bold 9900. Now, MasterCard is providing a programmer-friendly set of functions that make it easy for application developers to rapidly deliver payment apps to consumers – without having to become smart card programming experts. 

“BMO’s vision is to be the bank that defines great customer experience,” said David Heatherly, Vice-President, Payment Products, BMO Bank of Montreal. “We fulfill that vision each and every day by continuing to innovate and by delivering products and services to our customers that are relevant in today’s market and offer a better payment experience. Last September, BMO became the only major Canadian bank to roll out a ‘Tap and Go’ payment solution for mobile phones using a Mobile PayPass tag. MasterCard’s UI SDK gives us the opportunity to continue to be a leader in this space as the technology supporting mobile payments evolves.”

MasterCard’s toolkit provides everything software developers need to quickly create contactless payment solutions for Android and BlackBerry users

• API Code Libraries
• API Specification Documentation
• Developer Guide
• Sample UI Application Code
• White-Label Reference UI Application
• Test Suite to Ensure Compliance and Apps

These tools help to rapidly integrate Mobile MasterCard PayPass into a proximity payment mobile UI application, a mobile banking application or a mobile wallet application. The White-Label Reference UI Application allows financial institutions to create a contactless mobile application within their own branded app. Along with a developer friendly toolkit, MasterCard has also streamlined the UI approval process so that customers can quickly and efficiently bring a Mobile MasterCard PayPass service to market.

“Consumers are gaining comfort and familiarity with mobile and contactless payments, requiring the financial institutions and mobile network operators that offer these services to ensure a consistent and positive experience,” said Mung Ki Woo, Group Executive, Mobile at MasterCard. “As we continue to lead the industry with mobile and contactless payments innovations, we saw an opportunity to simultaneously help our partners and improve the overall user experience. Our first-ever UI SDK provides smart tools and makes it easier for our partners to issue a complete contactless payment solution on mobile.”

Mobile PayPass UI SDK is available to developers of all levels including corporations, financial institutions, merchants, third party developers and more. For more information, please visit http://www.mastercard.com/mobile/mobile-paypass.html

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About MasterCard Worldwide

MasterCard(NYSE: MA),www.mastercard.com, is a global payments and technology company. It operates the world’s fastest payments processing network, connecting consumers, financial institutions, merchants, governments and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories. MasterCard’s products and solutions make everyday commerce activities – such as shopping, traveling, running a business and managing finances – easier, more secure and more efficient for everyone. Follow us on Twitter@MasterCardNews, join the discussion on the Cashless Conversations Blog and subscribefor the latest news.

Media Contact

Brian Gendron, 914-249-1284, brian_gendron@mastercard.com