Wednesday, May 25, 2011

clearXchange: Major US Banks (finally) form P2P Platform to Take on PayPal


Bank of America, JPMorgan, and Wells Fargo have joined forces to develop a clearing house for person-to-person online payments transfer via mobile or e-mail.

Bank of America Corp., Wells Fargo & Co. and JPMorgan Chase & Co. plan to debut a person-to-person payments service on Wednesday that lets customers send money to each other with an email address or mobile phone number, the Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday.

The service, which will be offered through a joint venture called clearXchange, will pull funds from a customer's online checking account and send it to another person's account, according to the Journal. The clearXchange system will be available nationally to customers of the three banks. The banks noted that clearXchange is linked to existing accounts, so customers don't have to sign up and provide new personal information as they would with PayPal.
From Finextra: In an initiative designed to wrest back control of the PayPal-dominated P2P payment market - and head off the encroachment of newcomers such as Google - the three banks say the clearXchange platform will enable customers to send money to others directly from their online bank account using just an e-mail address or phone number. Mike Kennedy, executive vice president and head of payments strategy at Wells Fargo, says users do not have to establish a new account outside their primary bank to receive funds: "All our customers need to know is the e-mail address or mobile number of a friend or family member, and we will take care of the rest utilizing clearXchange." The founding banks will own the venture, but plan to expand it to other financial institutions in the near future. Bank of America's John Feldman has been appointed to act as clearXchange general manager. The move comes as Google prepares to unveil its own NFC-based service for users to spend money and redeem coupons and loyalty points at retailer check-outs. The search engine giant is planning to preview the technology at an event in New York, Thursday. With trials slated for New York and San Francisco, Google is rumoured to have signed up big name retailers such as Macy's, American Eagle Outfitters and the Subway fast-food chain, as participants.

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mopay Launches "Groundbreaking" New Mobile Payments Platform

05.25.11

Brand new technological base and features enable global cross-platform billing on virtually every Internet-connected device

MUNICH AND PALO ALTO, CALIF. – 25 May, 2011
 – mopay, a global leader in innovative payment solutions for online merchants,today announced the release of its next-generation mobile payments platform. A newly developed technological base and advanced new features now enable merchants to run mopay on virtually every Internet-connected device and across most operating systems such as Android, Samsung’s bada, iOS and Windows Phone 7. mopay also ramped up its spectrum of payment methods, adding third-party solutions to support every payment scenario from stationary Internet purchases and mobile Internet shopping to in-app billing on virtually all platforms.

“Most mobile payments providers focus on Web purchases and in-app billing on the Android platform,” said Kolja Reiss, Managing Director of mopay. “With our brand new mobile payments platform, we are the first provider to offer a state-of-the-art billing solution that features the flexibility to be customized for every platform, be it desktop PCs, notebooks, smartphones, tablets, TVs, game consoles, in-car entertainment systems, kiosks and even appliances. This flexibility gives merchants endless opportunities to reach their customers in new and exciting ways and to make any Internet-connected device a sales channel.”

The latest enhancements to the mopay payment platform have a single goal – providing the best payment experience for every consumer worldwide. Breakthrough features of the new platform include:
  • Support for All Internet-Connected Devices – mopay has optimized both the front-end and the back-end of the new platform for all-out screen flexibility. The mopay payment window’s look and feel can now be flexibly optimized for display on every screen size. mopay can be easily integrated in every platform supporting all Web browsers, mobile browsers and smart phone platforms, offering merchants the opportunity to feature a mobile payment option on any Internet-connected device.
  • Support for Multiple Funding Methods – mopay is now the only vendor to support the majority of funding methods, adding IP billing, broadband billing and connections to various third-party billing networks to its existing portfolio of billing solutions, including direct mobile billing and landline billing.
  • Improved Integration of Carrier Services – Existing carrier connections have been optimized to fully support a wide variety of secure integration protocols, ensuring smooth implementation and state-of-the-art protection of subscriber data.
  • Fraud Protection – To increase both merchant and consumer protection, mopay added improved fraud detecting mechanisms to its new mobile payments platform, becoming the only provider to offer such a high level of security.
  • Simplified Integration for Merchants – mopay further simplified the seamless integration of the payment window into the merchant check-out process by extending the platform’s customization and branding options.
  • Enhanced Language Support and Reporting – Available in more than 80 countries, mopay now supports more than 40 languages and features comprehensive reporting capabilities.

mopay’s new platform is integrated with more than 250 network operators, including T-Mobile, Telefonica O2 and Vodafone, totaling almost one third of the platform’s 3.3 billion consumer reach. The new platform will be used by long-time mopay clients Bigpoint, Gameforge, Travian and Innogames, just to name a few. "mopay continues to be on the forefront of innovation when it comes to mobile payments," said Heiko Hubertz, CEO of Bigpoint. “This innovation, drive and true commitment to making mobile payments seamless and simple for consumers is why we have selected mopay as one of our partners."

“We have invested more than $25 million to develop the most flexible, easy-to-use and applicable payment experience available today,” Reiss continues. “We are dedicated to providing our clients with the most robust and comprehensive solutions that offer best-in-class user experiences. We are proud that mopay is the first provider capable of supporting all platforms and operating systems, providing customers with an unparalleled mobile payments solution.”

You can download this press release as a PDF: Download

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NFC is the Future and Here are Some FAQ's


Here's a quick NFC FAQ put together by the folks at Proxama, who are launching the first NFC Marketing Campaign for the upcoming release of the new X-Men feature film.

What's the official technical definition?

Near field communication (NFC) is a short-range wireless connectivity technology that evolved from a combination of existing contactless identification and interconnection technologies. It operates at 13.56 MHz and transfers data at up to 424 Kbits/second. NFC is both a "read" and "write" technology.

How does it work?

Communication between two NFC-compatible devices occurs when they are brought within four centimeters of one another. A simple wave or touch can establish an NFC interaction which could be for service discovery, contactless payment, voucher redemption or any other simplified user experience. The underlying layers of NFC technology follow universally implemented ISO, ECMA, and ETSI standards, meaning that NFC is compatible with much existing RFID infrastructure.

Is NFC the same as RFID?

No. NFC is derived from RFID technology, but has enhanced security and a limited transmission distance to ensure close proximity between devices to more securely exchange information. In particular NFC devices can act as both a reader of RFID tags and a contactless smartcard.

Are all phones NFC enabled?

No. There are currently a limited number of phones on the market (with the exception of Japan where adoption is widespread). We are working with Nokia handsets for the most part but ensure that we keep up to date with market developments and models from all manufacturers.

Who is driving this activity?

From a standards point of view, the NFC Forum plays an important role in ensuring interoperability and building market awareness. From an adoption point of view, the main stakeholders include payment schemes, banks, mobile network operators and increasingly retailers and advertising agencies.

Do I have to wait until 2011 before I can do anything useful with this technology?

No. Contactless smart cards and phones can be combined to deliver services that are meaningful to customers and deliver benefits to business today. There are also a number of NFC accelerator products that are helping to bridge the gap. The advent of NFC will mean that the services are slicker and more intuitive but there's a lot you can do with cards and phones right now.

Can the RFID on my smart poster be hacked?

Smart posters can be locked with a secret code that allows people to read, but not write to the tag.

Do smart posters work behind glass?

Yes. The RFID tag transmits through glass and perspex.

What can RFID tags be attached to?

Anything with a sticker-friendly surface, e.g. posters, packaging, USB pen drives, clothing... the list goes on.

Are there any materials RFID tags cannot be attached to?

Some metals can cause signal interference when placed behind RFID tags. We can help you with the specifics if you have a particular substance in mind..

Is there a limit to the number of times an RFID tag on a smart poster can be read?

No. The number of times a tag can be read is unrestricted.

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Google Commerce Chief: We’re Making A Huge Bet On NFC As A Company

This morning at TechCrunch Disrupt, interview Alex Rampell, TrialPay; Stephanie Tilenius, VP of Google Commerce and Payments, and Lewis Gersh, Metamorphic Partners; addressing online to offline mobile commerce.  Google will announce their NFC Mobile Plans on Thursday at a Press Event 

According to TechCrunch...


"The panel was particularly interesting considering Google’s reported announcement regarding its near field communications and mobile payments service announcement this Thursday.  When asked about NFC and its potential, Tilenius said that the technology is an important opportunity for Android, telling the audience, “we’re making a big bet on it as a company. There is a lot of potential there.”  <>
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Proxama Delivers the First NFC Marketing Campaign with X-Men Film


Date: 23 May 2011

X-Men4 campaignThe poster campaign features an exclusive movie trailer and a link to the X-Men film’s Facebook ‘like it’ which is accessed by tapping an NFC-enabled smart phone on poster sites around London. Each site has a pre-programmed NFC chip affixed to the rear of the poster.
Last month, Proxama announced that it was collaborating with Nokia on developing NFC-enabled phone applications for the new generation of smartphones and providing the management infrastructure and campaign reporting to support global marketing campaigns; the X-Men campaign is the first delivery of this collaboration that has also been developed in partnership with outdoor media specialist Posterscope, media owner JCDecaux and network operator O2.
The film’s tag line “Witness the moment that will change our world” is apt for this NFC campaign as it marks the first time that NFC has been used in a promotion to the public. It is expected that NFC will be adopted by many brands in forthcoming months who want to deliver effective ‘hyper-local’ marketing campaigns.
For this campaign, Proxama has developed optimized mobile content to ensure that a great brand experience is received by all users. And, via its unique Tag Manager data management tool it is providing the campaign management and reporting, and in-depth analytics. The NFC marketing solution that has resulted from Proxama‘s collaboration with Posterscope and JCDecaux will be suitable for use in outdoor media panels for other advertisers to utilise.
X-Men4 campaignFor advertisers and retailers this development offers a hugely valuable new consumer gateway as each poster site becomes a new retail outlet.  Retailers and advertisers will gain additional data about consumers, such as consumer location data and shopping history, which in turn will allow for more targeted advertising and greater accountability.
Neil Garner, Founder and CEO of Proxama, said: "It is really rewarding to see NFC technology coming of age with the first public marketing campaign being launched. We have been working on the development of NFC applications for many years and our partnership with Nokia, Posterscope, JC Decaux and O2 will result in customers getting a really engaging X-Men brand experience. NFC offers advertisers greater opportunities to build 'hyper-local' promotional campaigns using media-rich, high quality content that can only enhance their relationships with their customers. 
James Davies, Director at Hyperspace, Posterscope’s innovation and digital division said: “What is so exciting about this layer of interactivity is its simplicity and the size of the opportunity for generating scale.  There are 130,000 commercially available poster sites that can be instantly enabled. For the client the cost of each NFC chip is extremely low and the consumer receives instant fulfilment. The potential application of this technology is immense.”

Bringing Interactive TV to Life



Witness the power and simplicity of NFC in our short animation



Do you have questions about NFC technology?

Our FAQs are regularly updated.

Our flexible NFC framework solution - Proxama Touch




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Global Online Payment Methods 2011

Research and Markets: Dynamic Trend for Online Payment Methods
DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Global Online Payment Methods 2011" report to their offering.
Hamburg-based market research firm yStats.com analyzes global E-Commerce payment trends in its Global Online Payment Methods 2011 report. The analysis takes an in-depth look at payment methods in 41 nations on 6 continents, highlighting the most important trends for companies operating in these markets.
In North America in 2010 the market share of credit card payments in E-Commerce still accounted for approx. 40 %, but this figure is expected to decrease slightly by 2015. As a result American Express launched a digital payment platform in March 2011 to offer different payment options to its clients. According to the yStats.com report credit card payments were also in Latin America the preferred payment option accounting for 70 % of all online purchases. In Brazil SafetyPay and BrasPag announced their collaboration early September 2010, while online payment service Paypal seeks to join forces with entertainment website Terra.
Credit card payments continue to be strong in European E-Commerce In Europe, in 2010 credit cards were the most popular online payment method with a share of approx.
40 %. Credit card payments accounted for approx. 60 % of online purchases in the third quarter of 2010 in Great Britain and France, followed by micropayment services. In Germany the most popular payment method remained payment by invoice, while credit card purchases accounted for only 20 %. The Eastern European market for online payments continues to grow. In 2010, revenue in Russia increased by 75 %, reaching 70 billion RUB. Online payment provider Yandex.Money expanded in 2011 to other CIS countries, including Ukraine, Belarus and Kazakhstan.
Electronic payment methods are also gaining popularity in Asia and Africa The Global Online Payment Methods 2011 report by yStats.com clearly shows that the market for electronic payments continues to grow in Asia as well. Revenue in Japan in 2010 reached already approx. 40 trillion JPY, while even 50 trillion JPY are predicted for 2014. In South Korea especially credit card payments were popular with a share of more than 70 %, followed by money transfer. PayPal was able to increase the number of its users in Singapore annually by 45 %, with more than 900 000 accounts existent by the end of 2010. Cash payments were only in China the most popular payment method, with a share of more than 90 %. Last but not least credit card payments were also the preferred payment method in South Africa. Key Findings:
  • Credit cards are dominating the US B2C E-Commerce payment market, accounting for a market share of approximately 40% in 2010. This share is expected to decrease slightly until 2015.
  • Invoice was the most preferred online payment method in Germany in Q3 2010, followed by Micropayment Services. Card only reached a smaller share on the German market.
  • With almost 60%, Card was also the most preferred online payment method in the UK in Q3 2010, followed by Micropayment Services.
  • In France, Card was the most preferred online payment method in Q3 2010, too, followed by Micropayment Services.
  • The value of the electronic payment market in Japan is expected to reach almost JPY 50 trillion in 2014, up from approximately JPY 40 trillion in 2010.

Contacts

Research and Markets
Laura Wood, Senior Manager,
press@researchandmarkets.com
U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907
Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716

More than 1.5 Billion Smart Credentials to Ship in the Next Three Years, Says ABI Research

LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The increasing use of smart cards and biometric capture has changed the way government and healthcare citizen ID documentation is viewed, managed and deployed. Many governments are adopting smart, chip-based solutions for several reasons:
http://www.abiresearch.com
“Smart card solutions are offering governments different ways to interact with their citizens”
  • To help combat fraudulent and criminal activities
  • To improve return on investment and bundle several applications in one document to create efficiencies for government departments
  • To make the documents more user-friendly, flexible, and secure for citizens
Large scale ID projects have been introduced or virtually completed in the most populated countries in the world. Thus far, adoption rates are strong in developed countries and those with large economies. Now a new wave of adoption, with upgrades to second or third generation documents, is sustaining the market. ABI Research estimates that about 1.5 billion “smart credentials” will be issued through 2014.
Research analyst Phil Sealy says, “We expect smart card-based government and healthcare ID products to catch up with and surpass shipment volumes of legacy credentials by 2013. With the ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) setting the standards for passports, we expect the penetration of e-passports to hit 89% of the overall installed base in 2016. For other forms of ID, it is the governments themselves that are setting the standards for their citizen documentation and in turn driving the smart card market forward.”
“Smart card solutions are offering governments different ways to interact with their citizens,” adds group director John Devlin. “They are not only using biometrics as an authentication method, but also rolling out e-government solutions for online interaction with citizens. The new German national ID card is the perfect example, with services being developed by 150+ companies to allow online banking, registration for online shopping, airline check-in, online tax declaration, and car registration amongst others.”
ABI Research’s new “Government and Healthcare Citizen ID Cards” (http://www.abiresearch.com/research/1005791) study examines and forecasts the installed base as well as shipments of legacy and smart documentation over a six year period. Applications include driver’s licenses, healthcare, national ID, passports, voting cards and others. Further forecasts include applications by chip interface and product type.
ABI Research provides in-depth analysis and quantitative forecasting of trends in global connectivity and other emerging technologies. From offices in North America, Europe and Asia, ABI Research’s worldwide team of experts advises thousands of decision makers through 30+ research and advisory services. Est. 1990. For more information visit www.abiresearch.com, or call +1.516.624.2500.

Contacts

ABI Research
Christine Gallen, +44.203.326.0142
pr@abiresearch.com

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