On The Web

nbsp;

Domains

Powering the Digital Economy; Building a Helpful Google for Everyone in India

September 19 2019

• in
• Mobile Payments

“Four years ago, we launched Google Station : a partnership with Railtel and Indian Railways to bring fast, reliable and secure WiFi to 400 train stations. We hit that milestone last May, and we’ve also expanded the program beyond train stations to include thousands of public buildings and spaces around the country.  And today we’re […]

nbsp;

Companies

Cash May Be King in India, but Google Is Prince of Mobile Payments

September 19 2019

• in
• Google

“In India today, the company has one of its fastest-growing hits ever with Google Pay, a two-year-old app that millions of consumers are using to spend and transfer tens of billions of dollars. Resembling a chat app and available in local languages, Google Pay was the most downloaded financial technology app world-wide last year, according […]

nbsp;

Deals

FairMoney Raises $11 Million for Its Challenger Bank for Emerging Markets

September 17 2019

Fintech startup FairMoney is building a challenger bank in Nigeria. The company first started offering microcredit and now plans to expand to current accounts and savings. FairMoney  just raised an $11 million Series A round (€10 million) led by Flourish, DST Global partners and existing partners Newfund, Speedinvest and Le Studio VC.

nbsp;

Domains

Costa Rica: “Tap on Phone” payment without POS terminal is already available from Mastercard

September 23 2019

• in
• Costa Rica
• mPOS

“Costa Rica is the first country in Latin America that will use this new form of payment that has come to revolutionize the acceptance of transaction capture without the need to use a conventional or peripheral POS linked to the mobile.”

nbsp;

Domains

Japanese Merchants Report Sharp Increase in Mobile Transactions

October 10 2019

• in
• Japan
• Mobile Payments

“Launched on 1 October , Cashless Japan lets consumers avoid a new increase in sales tax from 8% to 10% by selecting a non-cash payment method when they check out at any of some 500,000 merchants around the country. Convenience stores are already seeing a 50-60% increase in mobile transactions, the Nikkei Asian Review reports […]

nbsp;

Global

Where Cash Is King, the Government Wants Everyone to Pay By App

October 18 2019

• in
• Cash
• Mexico

“Now, the country’s government and big banks are trying to get Mexicans to kick their cash habit. A national program called called CoDi — short for cobro digital, or digital payment — aims to vastly expand electronic purchases, bring a new client base to financial companies, and, most importantly, help the government crack down on illicit […]

nbsp;

Global

Nigeria Is Finally Turning to Telcos to Drive Financial Inclusion Through Mobile Money

October 10 2019

• in
• Mobile Money
• Nigeria

“The regulatory caution and conservatism often blamed for holding Nigeria back finally looks set to change with the central bank reversing a longstanding stance on declining to issue mobile money licenses to telecoms operators. In the wake of the central bank’s change in tack, MTN, Nigeria’s largest telecoms operator, with more than 60 million customers, […]

nbsp;

Global

Zimbabwe’s Central Bank Has Reversed Its Ban on Mobile Money-for-cash Transactions

October 10 2019

• in
• Zimbabwe

“Zimbabwe’s central bank has lifted its ban on mobile money to cash transactions after three days of public outcry and criticism even as the government continues to struggle to contain the country’s economic crisis.”

nbsp;

Global

No MDR on Digital Payments to Companies With Rs 50 Crore Turnover – ETtech

October 21 2019

• in
• India

“Keen to promote digital payments , the government on Friday said banks or other payment system providers will not impose charges, or merchant discount rate ( MDR ), on customers as well as merchants on digital payments made to establishments with turnover in excess of Rs 50 crore from November 1.The Central Board of Direct […]

On The Wires

nbsp;

Companies

Stripe Launches in Malaysia

October 7 2019

• in
• Malaysia
• Stripe

“Today, we’re happy to officially launch Stripe in Malaysia. Businesses all across the country can now easily accept and manage payments, and access the full Stripe stack including Billing, Connect, Radar and Sigma. More than 80 percent of Malaysians already access the internet and as many as two-thirds of them do so via their smartphones. […]