Visa has launched a new partner programme designed to drive the global migration from cash to electronic payments. The Visa Ready Partner Programme aims to let mobile device manufacturers, technology partners, mobile network operators and others easily navigate the complexities of the payments ecosystem, and to gain access to Visa IP, licenses and best practices.

“The pace of innovation in the payments industry requires a new approach that ensures innovative payment methods can be tested, approved and commercialised quickly,” says Mariano Dima, executive vice president, Visa Europe. “While it is critical that we ensure new payment methods are secure and reliable, it is equally important to allow great ideas to become new ways to pay and be paid.”

The initiative provides a framework for the collaboration with Visa, as well as guidance and best practices to access the power of the Visa network. Mobile PoS acceptance (mPOS) providers and mobile NFC-enabled device manufacturers, chip and platform providers are among the stakeholders who are already playing a role in enabling new ways to pay.

For financial institutions and merchants, the programme will make it easier for them to adopt new, innovative payment methods that are approved by Visa and can help them drive business growth by expanding the use and acceptance of electronic payments globally. It will use existing approval and certification processes from payments industry standards bodies and will rely on labs certified by EMVCo and the Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council (PCI SCC) to conduct testing of new payment solutions.

At launch, it encompasses Visa’s existing programme for the approval of mobile NFC-enabled devices, as well as a new programme to enable mobile PoS acceptance solutions that meet local requirements. In addition, Visa has developed the Visa Ready symbol to identify payment devices and solutions approved for use with Visa payments.

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