European mobile payment systems join forces

Seven European mobile payment systems are joining forces to better develop cross-border contactless payments.

Mark Wraa-Hansen, CEO of Denmark’s MobilePay system, said the European Mobile Payment System Association combines 25 million registered users, about one million merchant acceptance points and more than 350 partner banks.

Mr Wraa-Hansen said the association will focus on making it possible to use the mobile payments seamlessly across Belgium, Germany, Austria, Portugal, Switzerland and four Nordic nations.

Its current members “have similar set-ups” and are expected to be able to use each other’s systems.

The association, headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, has not yet been in dialogue with the European Commission but said the bloc had earlier asked member countries to be more active in achieving inter-operability.