BPC extends market reach in Pakistan with UnionPay collaboration

Leading payment solutions provider BPC today has announced a  collaboration with UnionPay International in Pakistan. As part of the understanding, BPC will offer its  Access Control Server (ACS) solution and services to enable 3D Secure cardholder authentication to  UnionPay issuer banks in the country. BPC’s ACS solution is certified with UnionPay International for 3D  Secure authentication on its latest standards and mandates.

The ACS product forms part of BPC’s SmartVista Suite platform, a host of comprehensive, state-of-the-art  integrated software applications that help financial institutions and businesses to process all forms of  electronic payments, including digital money transfers, plastic cards, smart chip cards and other personal  payment methods.

Among the SmartVista applications designed for the digital economy, is the ACS solution called 3-D Secure,  which will provide UnionPay issuers instant authentication of cardholders during an online purchase.  Quick and easy to use, 3-D Secure reduces the risk of fraud transactions and increases cardholder  confidence in Internet purchases. It can be implemented as an integrated, standalone module or as a  service, and is compliant to all functional and security standards set by international payment systems.  BPC will host the solution locally, using its own software and ACS server ensuring quick time to market  and costing that is reflective of regional prices.

Commenting on the partnership, James Yang, General Manager of UnionPay International Middle East Branch said: “We are impressed with BPC’s technology that can be integrated within our network to  provide a reliable and smooth payment experience for the users. Having BPC as a valued partner who  strives for not only innovations but also for commitment to ongoing support for the application, we will  be able to deliver trusted and effective customer experience across channels through BPC’s constantly  improving offerings and cutting-edge developments. This level of commitment is crucial for us as we  continue to address the market pain points and improve our cardholders’ payment experiences.”

The collaboration comes at a time of rapid digital transformation in Pakistan. Having a population of over  220 million, with an average age of 22 years and a large mobile penetration rate, Pakistan offers immense  business opportunities in the digital finance and payments sector. The country has seen tremendous  growth in digital payments both in terms of value and volume of transaction during the last couple of  years. Especially in the e-commerce sector, the usage of payment cards is gradually increasing and with it  the need to secure the payments being made online by the consumers.

Commenting on the announcement , Ahson Saaed, Managing Director at BPC in Pakistan said: “BPC is  committed to playing a leading role in helping UnionPay during this critical period of growth as Pakistan  continues its digital transformation. We are excited to be collaborating with UnionPay International and  look forward to supporting its ongoing success as it makes headway into the local economy.”