Welcome to The Axis, your late look at payments news from around the world. Coverage includes Norway’s Vipps selection of Inside Secure to provide security for contactless payments. In addition, SmartPesa is rolling out an Android point-of-sale (POS) system, and South Africa’s Mugg & Bean (M&B) is launching support for Samsung Pay.
In Norway, Vipps has selected Inside Secure to help secure its contactless payment capabilities, according to reports. Vipps, which offers the BankAxept national payment system, is owned by banks in Norway, and processes eight out of 10 card purchases made in stores in the country. The collaboration will extend protection to both mobile phone and card payments. Vipps official Bjørn Skjelbred said, according to reports, “Secure’s protection solutions for mobile contactless payments provides the peace of mind we need as we expand our business and innovate.”
And in Southeast Asia, SmartPesa is rolling out an Android point-of-sale (POS) system, the company said in an announcement. The system allows for the acceptance of Mastercard and Visa debit and credit cards, among others, in addition to mobile wallets, such as OVO. It also allows for merchants to access loyalty systems, digital receipt management and streamlined reconciliation. SmartPesa Co-founder and CEO Barry Levett said in the announcement, “with the Android POS ecosystem providing new functions and management capabilities, not only do we give merchants and customers a frictionless payments experience, but we have an enormous wealth of data from the usage of the system.”
On another note, South Africa’s Mugg & Bean (M&B) is rolling out Samsung Pay as a new payment option in its restaurants, BusinessTech reported. To be eligible for the service, customers need an enrolled card from a bank that supports the mobile wallet, along with a compatible Samsung Galaxy device. Mugg & Bean Marketing Executive Jacquie Schultz said that the company is always looking to enhance the brand’s experience and “effective payment options” are part of those efforts.