All articles by Raphael Michilis
Raphael Michilis
GlobalCollect partners with BOKU to offer m-payment solution
Online payment service provider GlobalCollect has integrated technology from mobile payments firm BOKU to its international payment network, and will make mobile phone checkout available to its web merchants. The new partnership will allow mobile payments as a mainstream payment vehicle and will give GlobalCollect merchants access to 4 bn potential new customers from BOKUs mobile payment network of over 260 telcos in 67 countries It BOKU was clearly the best option for our merchants, who now through the partnership can substantially increase checkout conversion, reduce cost and accelerate time to market of mobile payments, said John Snoek, GlobalCollect VP marketing, about the selection of BOKU as the companys global partner for mobile payments.
iZettle raises $31.4m to fuel it global expansion
Social payments company iZettle has raisedUSD31.4mto pave its expansions plans.The capital was acquired in two funding rounds (Series A and B) and will help the Stockholm-based company to break the Nordic frontiers acrossEuropeand other markets where chip-cards are the standard. The company uses a mini chip-card reader and app to convert an iPhone or iPad into a credit card terminal and has initiated tests for commercial release in theUK.
BofA ML releases iPad payments, invoicing app
Bank of America Merrill Lynch (BofAML) has launched an iPad app version of Paymode-X,the banksonline payments and e-invoicing solution powered by Bottomline Technologies. The portable platform givestreasurersreal-time access to critical corporate payments information, and mobility, allowing them to take actions to ensure that payment and settlement cycles continue to flow wherever they go. Its an incredibly powerful tool, allowing businesses to remotely connect to their payments and invoicing system, and as a result, have better control, efficiency and predictability of their cash flow, saidKevin Phalen, head ofcard andcomprehensivepayables at BofAML.
Giftango’s digital vouchers enter the European market
American digital gift card corporation Giftango has kicked off its European expansion plans with the opening of an office inIrelandand theacquisitionof its first ten partners in theUK. This step comes after a year of conversations with leading European merchants and the corporate programmes that buy gift cards from them, said Marcell King,vice-presidentofmerchant andinternationaldevelopment for Giftango. Giftango will supply its partners customers digital coupons issued nearly instantly, that willreplace the currently printed gift cards and coupons thatnormallytake days to be issues and received by post.
Atos acquires Dutch e-payments business Quality Equipment
The acquisition is part of Atosglobal expansion strategy, and the firm expects to become leader in end-to-end coverage of terminals and merchants services in the Netherlands Atos acquires a company in its core business located in theBeneluxwhere the Group is already working with large customers, and has a leading market position
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Romania launches e-invoice pilot for VAT refunds
The Romanian Ministry of Communicationshas teamed up with the Ministry of Finance and the National Agency for Fiscal Administration(NAFA)to launch an e-invoice pilot project that will allow businesses to file for VAT reimbursement via internet.
Alternative mobile wallets intimidate banks
Almost half of American consumers (48%) wish to use a mobile wallet and would consider alternative providers for banking services, according to a study published by financial research firm Carlisle & Gallagher Consulting Group (CG) Peter Olynick, CGs Card & Payments practice leader, estimates that within five years, half of todays smart phone owners will be using their phones and mobile wallets as their preferred method for payments, causing banks to loose market share in the future if they dont act now
First Data provides prepaid payroll solution for Sentric
Payment processorFirst Datahas developeda newprepaid payrollsolutionin partnership withUSsoftware and payroll services company Sentric.The BRIOCardaims toreduce the volume of paper pay checks and statements issuedto the 200,000 people employed by Sentrics payrollclients. In addition to our traditional direct deposit service, our clients can offer their employees, those with and without bank accounts, immediate access to funds on pay day without a fee and with the added convenience of accessing their cash at thousands of locations nationwide using their BRIO Card, said Mike Maggs, CEO at Sentric.
India: Tata Docomo launches Twitter mobile top up
More and more businesses around the globe are focusing on the socialnetworkinggeneration and launching initiatives dedicated to that segment and the convergence with payments is accelerating. The latestsuch caseisIndian mobile service provider Tata Docomo, whichis rollingoutTwittcom,an alternative service that permits its GSM prepaid customers to register their phone number and top up their accounts through the social network Twitter. To register their account, customers have to post a tweet to @tatadocomo typing their mobile number preceded by the hashtag #reg (#reg 000000000).
UK: Stagecoach trials Everything Everywhere NFC bus tickets
Stagecoach, one of the UKs largest bus and rail operators, and mobile operator Everything Everywherehaveteamed up to launch anNFC payments initiative in Cambridgeshire. The project is still on trial, but it is said to be theUKs firstgovernment-standard commercial deployment of mobile contactless transport ticketing,according to NFCnews.com The new service is being tested by a small group of passengers that can receive, store and authenticate their bus ticket via NFC enabled mobile devices, which are built-in with an app designed for the pre-existing local bus networks smart card readers.