News from the Wire

Visa brings mobile payment trial to Thai bank

Tuesday, January 27, 2009 — 11:45:59 (EST)

Bangkok, Thailand, Jan. 26, 2009 -- Visa (NYSE:V), the global leader in payments, and Kasikornbank, a leading Thai bank, today announced the launch of a trial to test mobile payments using Nokia’s 6212 Near Field Communication (NFC)-enabled device to make purchases at Visa payWave contactless acceptance locations in Thailand.

The trial will make it possible for Kasikornbank customers to walk into a store which accepts Visa payWave and to purchase an item simply by waving a mobile phone over the Visa payWave contactless reader at the point of sale. Purchases will be charged directly to the customer’s Kasikornbank Visa credit card account. Visa payWave-enabled transactions initiated with a mobile device benefit from the same security layers as all Visa transactions.

Somboon Krobteeranon, Visa Thailand country manager said: “As the shift from cash to electronic payment methods continues, Visa is extending our products and services through the mobile channel to deliver fast, efficient and safe mobile payments and related services. Thai consumers are eager to adopt new innovations and technologies that can bring convenience to their lives and we are confident that, with the high standards of speed, convenience and security that Visa payWave has to offer, NFC payment solutions like these will be received well by Thai consumers.”

Participants in the Kasikornbank Visa mobile trial will use their NFC-enabled Nokia 6212 mobile device to make purchases at more than 1,000 existing payWave merchant locations in Thailand. Near Field Communication (NFC) is a short-range wireless connectivity standard that evolved from a combination of existing contactless identification and interconnection technologies. Products with built-in NFC capability can simplify the way consumer devices interact with one another, helping people speed connections, receive and share information and make fast and secure payments.

Ms. Anchalee Charasyosvuthichai, First Vice President, Credit Card Product Management and Marketing, Kasikornbank said: “We strive to offer the best and most comprehensive financial services to all our customers, as well as being at the forefront in adopting new technology to enhance our services. The collaboration with Visa to launch this mobile Visa payWave pilot reaffirms our leadership in pioneering innovative solutions. ”With mobile Visa payWave, we can offer an easy, fast and convenient way for our customers to make purchases electronically. Most consumers in Thailand now carry their mobile phone with them wherever they go, enhancing the appeal of mobile banking and mobile payment services.”

A collaborative effort between Nokia and Visa has allowed Visa payWave functionality to be embedded in the Nokia 6212 device, Nokia’s first 3G-capable NFC handset. This joint development effort and others before it have resulted in past or planned trials of Visa mobile payments enabled through NFC technology in numerous markets around the world. These include the United States with Wells Fargo Bank; Malaysia with Maybank and Maxis; the United Kingdom with Barclays Bank[i]; Taiwan with Chunghwa Telecom and ChinaTrust Commercial Bank.

Over the last two years, Visa has actively engaged with financial institutions, mobile network operators, handset manufacturers, and technology providers to develop and test mobile payments and services, including contactless payments, money transfer services, remote payments, transaction alerts, merchant offers, and an ATM and store locator service.

About Visa Inc. Visa Inc. operates the world's largest retail electronic payments network providing processing services and payment product platforms. This includes consumer credit, debit, prepaid and commercial payments, which are offered under the Visa, Visa Electron, Interlink and PLUS brands. Visa enjoys unsurpassed acceptance around the world, and Visa/PLUS is one of the world's largest global ATM networks, offering cash access in local currency in more than 170 countries. For more information, visit www.corporate.visa.com .

About KASIKORNBANK Kasikornbank (KBank), Thailand’s first bank to offer credit card services, has for over 60 years of operation been regarded as Thailand's premier banking institution, and a renowned forward thinking bank. The founding of KASIKORNBANKGROUP in 2005, raised the Bank to a comprehensive financial service provider with one singular brand of quality service- K Excellence. With recognition from various leading institutions, KBank is regarded as the leader in many areas of service including SME banking, Trade Finance, and mobile phone banking. The ATM SIM is the latest innovation KBank introduced to the country enabling customers that have a KBank account linked to a DTAC mobile phone to conduct financial transactions through their mobile phone, as if they had an ATM in their pocket! For more information, visit www.kasikornbank.com .

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Source: Company press release.