Global digital security company, Gemalto , has announced deployment of prepaid EMV banking cards to complement Vodacom’s m-pesa mobile wallet service in South Africa.
The card is certified by the major international payment schemes and accepted at any of the 240,000 EMV-compliant payment terminals and over 27,000 ATMs throughout the country.
The development will significantly extend the reach of the operator’s services across the market.
Gemalto’s off-the-shelf solution for Vodacom encompasses design and production of the card, as well as automatic packaging and point-of-sales delivery.
The card links seamlessly to m-pesa accounts, and gives users the freedom to make payments for goods and services without the need to carry cash.
The m-pesa card is available direct from 8,000 Vodacom agents and enrollment with the company’s secure system is a quick and easy process.
Users can check current balances via the mobile wallet app and receive SMS alerts when funds are running low.
Furthermore, because it is a PIN-protected virtual account, the user’s credit remains safe even if the card is lost or stolen.
“Gemalto offered us the convenience of a fully packaged solution. By expanding our m-pesa mobile wallet offering with the banking card, we’ve been able to add an entirely new level of functionality which we think is critical to the success of m-pesa in South Africa ,” said Managing Executive of m-commerce at Vodacom Herman Singh.