Optimal Payments, a leading global online payments provider, is launching a new card issuing services division.
The new division will further enhance Optimal Payments’ end-to-end payment capabilities to offer the complete payments value chain. With more than a decade’s worth of experience with the Net+ pre- paid card and since 2012 being a fully licensed European MasterCard issuer. Heading up the division is payments industry expert, Suresh Vaghjiani.
“Suresh has a proven track record of innovation in the payments market; he was responsible for launching the first app-driven NFC solution for iPhone in Europe as well as the first contactless watch in the UK,” said Andrea Dunlop, Vice President of Innovation and Card Services, Optimal Payments. “He is a natural leader to help chart the course for our Card Services division utilising our issuing capabilities to bring innovative solutions to the market and work with Optimal Payments customers to provide value across the payments value chain.”
Optimal Payments is authorised by the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to issue electronic money and payment tools and is under license from MasterCard international Inc. The company can support a variety of different programmes and advises customers on the best approach, from a white label card programme to fully customised, multi-channel solutions. In addition, Optimal Payments Card Services can assist with the set-up of card programmes and fully manage this through approved programme management suppliers.
“Optimal Payments Card Services can provide a greater flexibility than traditional banks offering prepaid solutions,” continued Ms. Dunlop. “We have been creating innovative award-winning prepaid solutions for over ten years and, because we own the entire process, we can bring payments solutions to market more rapidly, more efficiently and more cost effectively than anyone else in the industry. We also have extensive experience in multi-country issuance and settle in more currencies than any of our competitors.”
Key features of Optimal Payments Card Services’ offerings include currency cards available in multiple currencies, customised physical and virtual cards including NFC wearables in any required currency, management of loyalty reward programmes tied into client company loyalty schemes and 24/7 customer support in 13 languages. In addition, the new division will offer a prepaid mobile wallet with a broad range of capabilities from in-store tap payment with NFC-enabled phones, to customised solutions that integrate intelligent location-based couponing, loyalty, mobile ordering, barcode/QR scanning, instant remittance or one-click in-store checkout. Personalised cards for improved customer engagement and short-run promotional cards will also be available.