Worldline, the European leader in payment and transaction services, has launched a pilot project with Postbank for a new mobile payment method. Under the new scheme, which reduces complexity for banks and their customers compared with existing hardware-based approaches, Postbank employees participating in the project will be able to use their Android smartphones at the checkout for easy and secure contactless payments.
Worldline’s NFC Mobile Payments (HCE) solution uses near-field communications technology to transmit payment-related data stored in a secure server environment. The key innovation of Worldline’s solution is to allow contactless payments to take place easily and securely even when an internet connection is not available by storing certain data on a smartphone. Customers using the the Worldline solution only need an NFC-enabled smartphone with the latest Android operating system. Within the cash point, the transaction uses the existing Visa NFC infrastructure.
The new Worldline solution protects sensitive data against fraud with multiple security mechanisms. These include, among others, the use of a specially protected app, as well as the replacement of the actual payment data with so-called tokens and one-time keys. As a result, the risk of card-based payment fraud can be minimized.
The advantage of the Worldline NFC Mobile Payments solution compared to previous hardware-based approaches for smartphone payments lies in a significant reduction of complexity of the business model. The Worldline solution provides complete services from a single source, thereby removing the need for Postbank to work with a hardware Secure Element partner.
The Worldline mobile payments solution can be extended to other services, such as couponing or ticketing. Worldline NFC Mobile Payments is part of Worldline’s global Wallet solution, allowing end users to use their Wallet payment application for proximity payments as well as for remote purchases using the same interactive process.
The pilot phase is based on a Visa standard. As a result, smartphones with Android 4.4 operating system (KitKat) or higher can be used for payments at any Visa payWave-enabled terminal. Worldline estimates that the number of NFC-enabled terminals will significantly increase within the next months, thereby quickly providing sufficient acceptance rates among merchants.
Wolf Kunisch, Managing Director for Financial Processing & Software Licensing and for Germany & CEE at Worldline explains: “Worldline’s latest mobile payments solution once again makes the complex and sensitive process of payment transactions easier and more secure for our clients. The total market share of Android systems is approximately 82 percent of the smartphone market. With Worldline NFC Mobile Payments we offer banks a payment function they can provide their customers, with no need for a hardware Secure Element partner.”
