Mastercard Inc : MasterCard Sets Sights on the Next Billion Consumers as It Unleashes the Future of Mobile Payments
02/29/2012| 03:05am US/Eastern

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MasterCard
has continued its mobile payment leadership and outlined its vision on
how to reach the next billion consumers through mobile innovation and
partnerships.
At a press conference at the Mobile
World Congress in Barcelona led by its global head
of mobile Mung Ki Woo, MasterCard and leading mobile partners Comviva,
Intel,
iZettle,
Santander and Turkcell unveiled a vision for the future of mobile
payments. Together, they outlined their shared vision that the future of
reaching the next billion consumers through the mobile channel is fueled
by collaboration and innovation in a collective effort by all the
players in the ecosystem including technology providers, mobile network
operators and financial institutions. MasterCard also used the world's
largest mobile event to celebrate a number of new mobile partnerships
and initiatives from around the globe, including:
-
The unveiling of Wanda,
a
joint venture between Telefónica and MasterCard
- a new corporate and consumer brand designed to provide mobile
payment solutions to over 87 million Movistar
customers in its Latin American markets. These mobile payment services
will be linked to a mobile wallet or prepaid account that will allow
for money transfers, mobile airtime reload, bill payment and retail
purchases, among other services. The mobile wallet and prepaid
accounts will be available anytime, anywhere in the world.
-
A partnership with BOKU,
Inc.that will enhance the shopping experience for consumers,
allowing them to make payments, receive discounts and targeted offers,
and monitor spending - all via their mobile phones anywhere MasterCard
is accepted. Offered through a mobile subscriber's mobile network
operator (MNO), BOKU Accounts with MasterCard Prepaid gives consumers
a convenient way to pay while on the go.
-
The new MasterCard Mobile
Money Partnership Program, launched with its initial
partners Comviva, Sybase
365 and Utiba,
designed to help more than 2.5 billion financially-underserved
consumers worldwide gain access to formal financial services through
their mobile phones.
And today we are excited to celebrate our latest industry honor received
from the GSMA:
-
Etisalat,
MasterCard and Oberthur
Technologies won the Best Mobile Money Innovation Award at the 17th
Annual Global Mobile Awards announced during Mobile World
Congress. This is a significant achievement in recognition of our
collective work to launch Near Field Communication (NFC) technology
powered payments in the United Arab Emirates.
Concluding the press gathering, Mung Ki Wu noted, "Mobile World Congress
2012 provided MasterCard with a unique opportunity to stand shoulder to
shoulder with some of the leading players in the mobile industry and
outline our shared vision for the future. Mobile presents a significant
opportunity to bring commerce and banking into the hands of consumers
around the world. Through an innovative approach to mobile commerce,
MasterCard and its partners are helping unlock the full potential of
mobile commerce and bring billions of consumers into a world beyond
cash".
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 The
Heart of Commerce Blog and subscribe
for the latest news.

MasterCard Europe
Louise Herbert, +32 (0)2 352 56 47 / +32 (0)498
58 56 47
louise_herbert@mastercard.com
or
MasterCard
Worldwide
Brian Gendron, 914-325-1799
brian_gendron@mastercard.com
© Business Wire 2012
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